First off, congratulations on beginning your DnD journey! May you have many successful adventures in your future. But now it is time to get a hang of the more complicated nuances of the game to really sink your teeth into it.
You might have heard the term “homebrew” thrown around a bit, and no, this isn’t a healing potion cooked up under the kitchen sink. Rather, “homebrew” is game material made by players instead of the material provided by official DnD channels or third-party storytellers. This includes game aspects like new spells, character classes, and campaign settings.
This kind of gameplay is usually associated with experienced players but online resources allow you to connect to players from across the globe to learn the ins and outs of the art form.
Here are a few tips to help you get started with homebrews and who knows, you might just give birth to the False Hydra or Arachne of the future.
Borrow a little first
There is a whole wide world of homebrews out there, ready for you to borrow from. Don’t try and immediately dive into your own creations before you haven’t played someone else’s homebrews first. This will help you see how to balance things and give your guidelines on how to approach setting up your own variations.
Delve into movies, novels, and other fantasy worlds
Speaking of borrowing… You don’t need to only borrow from the world of DnD. You can also look into realms like Lord of the Rings or League of Legends for inspiration for characters, storylines, and settings. You don’t need to copy them piece by piece but nothing is stopping you from using them to get your creative juices flowing.
Take baby steps
Start by making small changes to an existing game to get the hang of juggling the different aspects of homebrew. You can make small changes like changing the purpose of a healing potion or make a monster resistant to something unexpected. This way, you can dip your toe into the world of homebrews without trying to reinvent the whole wheel.
Don’t keep it to yourself
When exploring homebrews, you should share your ideas and experiences. Get feedback from your fellow players or the online community to help improve your game. They might have helpful advice or give you tips on how to further expand your homebrew.
Balance is key
Your aim should not be to create a whole new game, you are simply adding to the many fantastic elements that DnD already offers. Err on the side of caution with your embellishments at first and keep it balanced with existing content. You are still playing DnD after all.
Keep your goals in mind
When you start a homebrew adventure, you should lay down the goals clearly from the get-go. Keep the end goal clear and attainable and remind players of the long-term goal if they seem to get sidetracked. The wide world of a homebrew can easily get out of hand so keeping one clear goal in mind will help you reign it in.
Get Creative with character creation
This is the first step in your new campaign and it is the place where you should players come into their own. Motivate players to put a lot of thought into their PC’s backstories, this becomes a goldmine for plot points that can later be woven into your overarching storyline.
Most of all, you should remember to have fun. Getting into homebrews will take your DnD experience to a whole new level and let you experience the true magic that this RPG giant has to offer.
