New DM for AD&D? Want to know where to start? Me too. I’ve never DMed this system, let alone played it. So I may be getting ahead of myself. Regardless, I took everyone’s advice and started at square one:
For many players, this was their first experience of AD&D. A very sandboxy Gygax module featuring a sleepy town with more than meets the eye. And, of course, a dungeon. What sets this module apart from others that I have read is this: there is no quest, no storyline, no plot. Only very detailed and interesting setting. For a beginner DM, this could be very challenging.
But what other options are out there that support new DMs and new players? A challenging question, to be sure. Hommlet is Gygax’s only introductory AD&D module. But there are a few out there that I’ve tracked down.
N1 – Against the Cult of the Reptile God
Another village. With yet more secrets. I think a pattern may be forming. This module was actually written specifically for new DMs, so it might actually be my first recommendation for those looking to learn. If I were not trying to go through all of Gygax’s work, this module would probably be the one I started with as a DM.