Prep Less, Teach Better: Convention D&D for New Players

Prep Less, Teach Better: Convention D&D for New Players

Author: Tabletop Journeys May 1, 2026 Duration: 11:55

Prep Less, Teach Better: Convention D&D for New PlayersRunning D&D for new players does not require hours of prep.At Rising Phoenix Game Con 2026, I put the TTJ approach to the test with a mixed table of new and experienced players, proving that the right adventure and the right mindset can carry the entire table.This is your Convention Diary + GM Breakdown.Six players.Three experienced.Three brand new.One goal: keep the game moving and make sure everyone is having fun.If you have ever wondered how to run games for new players without over-prepping or over-complicating things… this is the episode for you.#OnTheRightPath #TTRPG #DND #DungeonMaster #GameMaster #RoleplayersWanted #CallYourBoysTTJ #TTRPGCommunity #LearnDND--------------------🎲 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN - How to choose the right starter adventure for new players - Why “less prep” leads to better teaching at the table - How to read player cues and guide decisions without railroading - When to use maps, minis, and tools, and when to keep it simple - How to run fast, engaging convention games for mixed tables --------------------🧠 THE TTJ WAYStart with a strong, simple adventure.Prep what matters.Teach through play, not lectures.When you combine that with patience and enthusiasm, you get:👉 New players who get it👉 Tables that stay engaged👉 Games that actually move--------------------🎥 FEATURED ADVENTURE: Borderlands Quest: Goblin TroublePublished by Wizards of the Coast (Available on D&D Beyond)Credits: - Designer: Shawn Merwin - Additional Writing: Chris Tulach - Editor: Sadie Lowry - Cover Illustrator: Robson Michel - Cartographer: Dyson Logos - Illustrators: John Grello, Alejandro Pacheco, Taras Susak, Matias Tapia--------------------🔥 Rising Phoenix Game Con🔥One of our favorite conventions, run by an incredible team and community.Event Info:🌐 https://tabletop.events/conventions/rising-phoenix-gamecon-2026Join the Community:🌐 https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1H7nDRZ8qQ/--------------------🎙️ MORE FROM TABLETOP JOURNEYS- Star Trek Preservations – STA Actual Play- Tabletop Cafe – TTRPG conversations & community- Dr. Homebrew – Build it, test it, run it at your table- On the Right Path – Bite-sized GM advice--------------------🎙️ TTJ CREDITSWritten, Hosted, & Edited by Lewanika MillerTheme: “The Lewanika Jam” by David HerreraOpening and Closing sequences produced and edited by David Herrera at Bow Tie StudiosTabletop Journeys is hosted by Josh Newton and Lewanika Miller, with Michael Ross🎧 Listen & Watch:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/tabletopjourneysYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ttjourneysJoin our games on Patreon:🌐 https://www.patreon.com/tabletopjourneysDriveThruRPG:🌐 https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/21022/Tabletop-Journeys-LLCDM’s Guild:🌐 https://www.dmsguild.com/browse/pub/21022/Tabletop-Journeys-LLC----------If this helped you rethink how you prep or teach at the table:👍 Like the video💬 Drop your biggest challenge teaching new players🔔 Subscribe for more GM tools and convention insights


Three longtime friends, with a combined century of experience around the gaming table, invite you into their ongoing conversation. Tabletop Journeys is a podcast born from decades of shared history, not just as gamers but as people who have spent a lifetime thinking deeply about the worlds we create together. You’ll hear the easy, often hilarious dynamic of a group that has played in and run every kind of tabletop and live-action roleplaying game imaginable. Their discussions are the kind that usually happen late at night, after the dice are put away, where ideas get pulled apart, rebuilt, and passionately debated. Each episode feels like pulling up a chair in one of those living rooms, listening in as they dissect everything from game mechanics and storytelling techniques to the unexpected life lessons found in collaborative imagination. It’s less a formal review show and more a chronicle of a lifelong journey through games, packed with the kind of insight and friendly argument that only comes from truly knowing your fellow travelers. Tune into this podcast for a natural, deep, and often very funny exploration of why we play.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Tabletop Journeys
Podcast Episodes
Preservations: The Names We Preserve (Act 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:17
Preservations: The Names We Preserve (Act 2)Two stowaways. Two away teams. One mission already beginning to unravel.As an archaeological expedition launches into hostile territory, an unexpected discovery forces Starflee…
Stop Over-Boxing Your Published Modules [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:19
💡 Sometimes the best prep isn't writing more... it's changing less.Dr. Homebrew shares a simple mindset that can make published adventures shine.🎧 Full Episode:https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/eSxNiQmOt4b#DnD #Game…
The Names We Preserve [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:38
Preservations (S4 Ep. 2) – "The Names We Preserve" (Act 1)A celebration. A forgotten secret. A legacy that refuses to be buried.As the crew of the USS Dilamus Christian celebrates a new beginning, an unexpected discovery…
Window Boxing Use the Peanut Butter, Make Your Own Chocolate [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:29
🎲 Every GM tweaks published adventures.But where's the line between customization and rebuilding the entire campaign? 🤯Listen to the full discussion:https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/eSxNiQmOt4b#DungeonMaster #DnD #…
Turn Any Adventure Into a 5-Level Campaign Twist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:24
⚔️ Published adventures should save you time—not create more work.Find out when modifying a module helps... and when you're better off creating your own.🎧 Full Episode:https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/eSxNiQmOt4b#D…
Your Adventure’s Ending Matters More Than the Hook [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:16
🧩 Buying a published adventure to use just one scene or magic item? You might be missing its greatest strength.Learn how to get more value from every module without creating extra work for yourself.🎧 Full Episode:https:/…
Exploring the Galaxy: Finding the Right Star Trek Adventures Game [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:16
(OtRP S2 Ep 27) - "Exploring the Galaxy Finding the Right Star Trek Adventures Game"Finding a Star Trek Adventures game shouldn't be harder than surviving the Kobayashi Maru.Whether you're searching for your first crew,…
Interview with Teos Abadía (Episode 280) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:54
🎲 He helped build Acquisitions Incorporated, runs the Draw Steel megaproject "Crack the Sun," and might just predict D&D's next big setting before Wizards announces it. This week on Tabletop Journeys, we sit down with ve…