Align on the vibe, ruleset and overall direction of the campaign…
Starting a new tabletop roleplaying campaign is exciting. There is a world to explore, characters to create, and adventures to experience together. But before the first dragon is slain or the first dungeon explored, there is one important step: making sure everyone is looking forward to the same kind of game.
That is what Session 0 is for.
A Session 0 is a meeting before a campaign begins where the Game Master (GM) and players discuss the campaign, align their expectations, sort out practical details, and prepare their characters. It’s basically an alignment meeting with the purpose to ensure everyone has a shared understanding of what they are signing up for.
This guide is the ultimate Session 0 checklist, the questions worth discussing whether you are playing Dungeons & Dragons (DnD), Shadowdark or Adventurous.
What Is a Session 0?
As mentioned above, Session 0 is a session where you don’t play. The focus is on preparing for the campaign. Unlike a regular session, where the characters explore the world and the GM presents challenges, Session 0 focuses on the people playing the game and the experience they want to have together.
The purpose is simple: get everyone on the same page before the campaign begins.
One player might imagine a serious fantasy epic, while another expects a lighthearted adventure full of ridiculous plans. The GM might have prepared a dangerous wilderness expedition, while the players are expecting a story-driven mystery. None of these ideas is inherently wrong, but mismatched expectations will eventually lead to someone not having fun. After all, the ‘G’ in TTRPG stands for game. It’s supposed to be fun.
A session zero is also a chance to establish the practical foundations of the campaign. When will you play? How will characters be created? What happens when someone cannot attend? Will any house rules be used?
Session 0 doesn’t have to be in person
This is a common misconception. You don’t have to meet up in person, even if it is called “session 0”. Your session zero can just as well be a group chat or email thread. As long as you achieve the goal of aligning on the campaign, you’ve had a session 0.
Who should attend Session 0?
Everyone who will regularly participate should be involved, including the GM and all players. Decisions made or information shared without the whole group can create misunderstandings later.
How long should Session 0 last?
There is no right answer here. The purpose is to align on the campaign and the practicalities around it. If that takes 20 minutes, perfect, but if you need one hour, then let it be so. My group and I are often aligned after 10 minutes in a group chat, but all groups are different. Focus on the goal, not a time slot someone told you about in a guide.
A session 0 doesn’t have to be collaborative
This is another misconception that is far too common in the hobby. A Session 0 doesn’t have to be a lengthy discussion where the GM and players build the campaign together. For many groups, it works best as a brief meeting where the GM explains the campaign they’ve prepared, sets expectations, and gives everyone the information they need to decide whether they want to play or not. Preparing a campaign is a significant undertaking, and the GM is under no obligation to reshape a world they’ve already created around the players’ wishes.
Other groups prefer a more collaborative approach, where players contribute ideas and help shape the campaign before it begins. This can work especially well when the GM hasn’t prepared the setting yet and intends to build it together with the group.
Neither approach is inherently better. Choose the one that suits your group and how you want to run the campaign.
The Complete Session 0 Checklist
Use this session 0 checklist as a starting point. You do not need to follow it like a script or spend equal time on every topic. Some decisions take a minute, while others deserve a longer discussion. The goal is to agree on the things that will affect your enjoyment of the campaign and make sure everyone knows what to expect.
1: Campaign and expectations
Start by agreeing on the campaign you are about to play. Discuss its premise, genre, and tone, but also how the game will be run. Will the GM follow the rules as written, or take the more old-school approach of; “rulings over rules”?
How much freedom will players have to pursue their own goals, and how much should the campaign focus on the party working together? You do not need to plan the whole campaign. Everyone just needs a clear enough picture of the game to decide what kind of characters to make and what experience to expect.
Ask players what they would love to experience during the campaign. Are there particular adventures, challenges, or story elements they are excited about? Take note of their answers and use them to shape the campaign where it makes sense. This helps ensure the game includes things the players are genuinely looking forward to, without requiring the GM to change their plans.
Make sure everyone understands the level of danger and lethality to expect from the chosen system, and what that means for their characters.
2: Scheduling and logistics
Agree on when and where you will play, how long sessions will last, and how often you intend to meet. Decide what happens when someone cannot attend, and choose a place to communicate between sessions. These details might not be as exciting as creating characters, but they can make the difference between a campaign that keeps going and one that constantly struggles to get everyone around the table. Choose arrangements that are realistic for the whole group rather than an ideal schedule nobody can maintain.
3: Table expectations
Every group has its own habits. Some enjoy a few drinks while playing, while others prefer to keep a clear head throughout the session. Neither approach needs to be a problem, as long as everyone is comfortable with the arrangement. It is also worth agreeing on how much character conflict the game should allow, including whether characters can work against or fight one another. A little discussion now can prevent a lot of issues later.
4: Characters and party cohesion
Before anyone finalizes a character, make sure everyone understands the game system, the relevant setting information, the starting level, and which character options are available. Then make sure the characters actually belong in the same campaign. They do not need to be best friends or share the same goals, but they should have a reason to work together and take part in the adventure. Creating characters as a group can help connect their backgrounds and motivations, giving the GM useful material to build on. Finish by agreeing on what players need to prepare before the first session.
5: Rules and campaign structure
You do not need to review the entire rulebook during Session 0. Focus on the core rules and any interpretations or house rules that could affect how the game plays. If you plan to change the rules, make sure everyone knows what those changes are and agrees to use them.
Character progression is another important decision. Some groups use milestone advancement, while others award experience or use a session-based approach. These choices affect the pace and feel of a campaign, so make sure the group understands how characters will improve before play begins.
6: Getting ready to play
Before wrapping up, confirm what everyone needs to bring or prepare, and make sure the date and time of the first regular session are set. There is no need to have every detail of the campaign figured out. You just want everyone to leave knowing what happens next, what they need to do, and when the adventure begins.
The checklist is there to guide the conversation, not dictate it. Cover the essentials, spend more time where the group needs it, and leave the rest for when it becomes relevant. The point of Session 0 is to start playing with shared expectations, not to solve every possible question before the game has even begun.
Do you need a session 0 for every TTRPG?
A Session 0 is useful for almost any tabletop roleplaying game, but the amount of preparation varies by system, campaign, and group.
A short adventure with experienced players who know one another may need little more than a quick conversation. A long campaign with new players, unfamiliar rules, or a homebrew setting may benefit from a dedicated meeting.
The core questions remain similar:
- What kind of game are we playing?
- What does everyone want from it?
- How will we meet and communicate?
- How will we create characters and work together?
- Which rules and expectations need to be clarified before play begins?
The details will differ. DnD campaigns may spend more time discussing character options and advancement. A rules-light game may need less mechanical preparation and more discussion of the setting or the kind of story the group wants to explore.
Shadowdark, Mothership, Cairn, and Dragonbane each offer different rules and play experiences, but the same session 0 checklist can be used for all of them, since it focuses on the big and broad questions.
The same is true for Adventurous, the group still benefits from agreeing on the campaign premise, expectations, character concepts, and practical arrangements before play begins.
Session 0 is also useful when an existing group starts a new campaign, changes systems, introduces new players, or realizes that the current game is not matching everyone’s expectations. You do not have to wait until the next campaign to clarify how the group wants to play and it is totally fine to make changes to an ongoing campaign if it means more players will enjoy playing in it.
Session zero FAQ
What is the difference between Session 0 and Session 1?
Session 0 is primarily about preparation and agreement. The group discusses the campaign, expectations, logistics, characters, and rules. Session 1 is the first regular session, where the characters begin the adventure and the group starts playing the campaign proper.
Some groups combine the two, especially when the campaign is simple and the players are experienced. Others prefer to keep them separate so the GM has time to prepare.
Is Session 0 mandatory in D&D?
No. There is no universal requirement that every D&D campaign must have a separate Session 0. However, discussing expectations and practical arrangements before starting can prevent misunderstandings and make the campaign easier to run, and that is true for other systems as well, not just DnD.
The more complex the campaign or the less familiar the group is with one another, the more useful a dedicated Session 0 tends to be.
Can you run Session 0 online?
Yes. An online Session 0 can cover the same topics as an in-person meeting. Use a video call, voice chat, or another format that allows everyone to participate. A shared document is particularly useful for recording decisions and tracking character creation.
Should players create characters before Session 0?
They can prepare ideas beforehand, but it is usually helpful to wait until they understand the campaign premise and setting before finalizing their characters, especially if any homebrew rules will be used.
If players arrive with concepts, the group can discuss how those characters fit together and make any necessary adjustments.
What should a DM prepare before Session 0?
Prepare a short campaign pitch, the essential setting information, any character-creation requirements, and a rough idea of the first adventure. You should also have a list of the practical decisions the group needs to make.
You do not need a fully developed world or a complete campaign plan. Session 0 can help you decide what to develop next. But it is also fine to have a fully prepared world, and just use the session 0 to brief the players about it. Both approaches are fine.
What if the group cannot agree on something?
Put on your grown-up pants and talk it through.
Final thoughts on session 0
A successful Session 0 means that everyone, players and GM, leave with a shared understanding of what kind of campaign you will be playing, and what is expected of each participant.
Session zero doesn’t have to be collaborative, it can just as well be the GM briefing the group on the campaign and rule set. But many groups enjoy a collaborative aspect in their session 0, and it can be a great way for the GM to get inspiration for the world they will be creating.
Your session 0 doesn’t have to follow the checklist above, or any other checklist. As long as everyone feels like they got a good grasp of the campaign, you’ve succeeded, and can look forward to a fun campaign.
