Session Zero

Dungeons & Dragons is rarely just a one-time game: typically, gameplay is broken up into smaller pieces called sessions, and each session can involve multiple encounters or one very long sustained encounter. Some particularly large battles can even stretch across multiple sessions, though that’s rare at early levels.

Think of D&D as episodic television: each session is an episode, and anything could happen. Many D&D games are like serialized television, where each of the sessions builds on one another into an overall story called a campaign.

The first time players meet to play D&D is called Session Zero, and this initial gathering may include selecting which among them will be the DM, when and where the game is to be played, what kind of game is going to be played—one-off events or a sustained campaign—rule variations, the setting for the game, gameplay balance—more roleplay and less combat or vice versa—and even oh-so-important factors like who’s bringing the drinks or paying for food.

Since Wine, Women, and Bard Song is tailored toward new players of D&D, many of these decisions have been made by the DM for the sake of convenience.

Perhaps the most important thing which is typically done in a Session Zero is the establishment of boundaries for the safety and comfort of the DM and the players.