Most session-prep advice assumes you have a free afternoon. Real life usually gives you ten minutes between work and the players arriving. Here is a short workflow that still produces a session you can run, plus a free two-page sheet that holds it.
What "good enough" prep looks like
You do not need a novel. You need five things:
- What happened last time — one or two lines the players will recognise.
- A session goal — the question tonight answers ("Will they trust the lighthouse keeper?").
- A strong start — the first 60 seconds already in motion.
- Three scenes — not a railroad, just three places play is likely to go.
- Eight secrets and clues — rumour, object, NPC line, map mark. Scatter them; the players will find some.
Everything else (full NPC sheets, boxed text, contingency trees) is optional. If you only finish those five, you can improvise the rest.
The two-page sheet
I keep a free D&D Session Prep Sheet on GitHub: fillable and print PDFs in A4 and US Letter.
- Page 1 — Session prep: players, last time, session goal, strong start, three scenes, secrets & clues, NPCs, locations, monsters, loot, after-session notes.
- Page 2 — Initiative tracker: round boxes, a 12-row tracker (initiative, AC, HP, damage, conditions), a quick DC guide, cover rules and next-session hooks.
Open the fillable PDF in Acrobat or a tablet PDF app so the fields work. Print page 2 if you prefer paper at the table.
A 10-minute routine
| Minute | Do this |
|---|---|
| 0–2 | Skim last session's notes. Write "last time" and tonight's goal. |
| 2–4 | Write the strong start as a present-tense sentence. |
| 4–7 | Name three scenes. Add one complication to each. |
| 7–9 | List 5–8 secrets/clues and which scene they live in. |
| 9–10 | Jot HP/AC for likely fights on the initiative page. Leave blank rows for surprises. |
After the session, spend two minutes on the "after" box: what changed, what the players care about now, and one hook for next time. Future-you will thank present-you.
When you need more than two pages
The free sheet is the session layer. For a longer campaign you also want NPC continuity, quests, loot and a place to park world notes between sessions. That is what the paid DnD Campaign Planner is for (20 fillable pages, A4 and US Letter, with a filled example adventure). Same brand, optional upgrade — the GitHub sheet stays free either way.
Quick checklist before you open Discord / sit down
- [ ] Goal fits in one sentence
- [ ] Strong start does not wait for the players to "go somewhere"
- [ ] At least three clues exist outside the "correct" path
- [ ] Initiative page has blank rows
- [ ] You know what "done for tonight" looks like
That is the whole method. Prep the spine, leave room to play, and write down what mattered before you forget.
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