Game Expectations & Session Zero

Setting Up Game Expectations

Every campaign has a Game Expectations page where you define the social contract for your table. Open it from your campaign page — look for the Expectations link in the sidebar or "More" menu.

The expectations form has six sections:

• Tone & Theme — Describe the mood, themes, and pillars of play. A default template is provided covering heroic fantasy, but edit it to match your campaign.
• Content Boundaries — Define your safety framework. The default text covers the DMG 2024 safety tools: Lines (hard limits), Veils (off-screen topics), and the X-Card.
• House Rules — Any modifications to standard 5e rules (critical hits, flanking, encumbrance, etc.).
• Character Creation — Allowed sourcebooks, stat generation method, starting level, and any restrictions.
• Scheduling & Attendance — Session frequency, cancellation policy, what happens when someone can't make it.
• Table Etiquette — Phone usage, PvP rules, cross-talk, and other social norms.

Fill in only the sections relevant to your group. Empty sections are hidden automatically.

Sharing with Players

Toggle Visible to players at the top of the expectations page. When enabled, players can view the expectations in their Player Portal under the Expectations tab. This is a read-only view — only the DM can edit.

Session Zero PDF

Once your expectations are filled in, click the Download PDF button on the expectations page. This generates a printable Session Zero Packet that includes:

• Campaign title, DM name, and premise
• All filled-in expectation sections
• A Safety Tools Reference with explanations of X-Card, Lines & Veils, and Open Door policy
• A Party Roster table (if players have joined)
• A Session Zero Checklist you can print and check off during your session zero

The PDF downloads as {campaign-slug}-session-zero.pdf. Hand it out (physically or digitally) at your first session.