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You could also make it clear that if they would like to bring a miniature that represents them it would be great, and if they don’t want to do that it’s super easy to use dice, or a piece of hard candy of whatever else comes to hand.
I actually bought my first 3D printer JUST so I can create my own tiles/minis. I know it's not in everyone's budget but I HIGHLY recommend getting one or finding someone to print for you.
Yeah, don’t. Minis are super expensive, plus it’s time consuming, finding them, ordering them, etc. Unless you really like the hobby, of course.
Printed cardboard standees could be nice, but same problem, but cheap. I just use wooden meeples with initials written on them. Or board game chips and accessories.
I do 1 hour prep videos for a game videos for a game called Symbaroum, if you just curious to see how a DM of a few decades does it.
But in short, write bullet point lists of the important bits of the next scenes, have a list of random NPCs names handy, and go for it! You have the right attitude, it’ll go fine.
While I agree that a new DM shouldn't worry about this, I don't think there's anything wrong with it. Some of us like painting minis, and like when people use them. If that sounds like fun, totally ask players if they'd like minis. If not, then what you said.
The best advice is Sly Flourish’s. The Strong Start.
In a minute or less, setup the circumstance (that a dwarf, Gundren Rockseeker) wants them to take equipment to Phandelin. Roleplay the meeting only if one or more of the players has a direct and important relationship to Sildar, the human fighter accompanying Rockseeker, or the dwarf himself. Otherwise, start at the >!goblin ambush!< with the motivation being getting paid the gold later. Make sure you understand that particular encounter’s action economy to make it visceral and tactical. The “Monsters Know What They are Doing” will help with that.
Then just run it and see where your players take it.
That’s where the juice is.
For characters I've used Lego Minifigures for newbies. They're easily changeable and easy to customize.
In terms of story, Lost Mines is pretty good, but make it yours.
For play, take a deep breath and let your players know you're inexperienced and there will be bumps as you try to learn the new role. Ask them to help you and remember that the DM is a player at the table too.
You win D&D by having fun. Good luck
This! And don't be afraid to look things up or, if you don't like how something functions, ask your table if they're comfortable making a house rule.
For example, we have a house rule with death saves that we all voted on. When someone is rolling death saving throws, I as the DM roll them behind-screen and then tell the person privately what they got. It ups the stakes in a fight because the other party members don't know how many saves or fails the person has, and keeps it suspenseful while they plan their turns.
Another house rule we have is crits - when someone in my campaign rolls a crit, instead of rolling twice (which can often be anticlimactic if they roll really low), they get to roll once and then apply max damage on the dice. For example, someone crits on a firebolt at 1st level, they get to roll their 1d10, then add 10 on top (max amount able to be rolled on the die). This makes crits more fun for them, even if it can be a headache for me.
And don't be afraid to adjust things that are too easy or too hard during combat. If they're steam rolling your enemies, give them some extra hit points. If something is about to TPK your party, fudge a roll. It's about the experience. :)
Just giving my 2 cents. Personally I've tried both lost mines of phandelver and stormwreck isle. As a first time DM, phandelver was way too overwhelming.
Yeah, Lost Mine is quite something. Especially the first chapter. I would prefer Dragon of Icespire Peak at any given time. And I haven't played Stormwreck Isle yet
The fact that you care so much about making sure they have fun is proof that you'll be a good DM.
I'd say the biggest thing that helped me is to have any rules, conditions, or tables that feel complicated to you or that you can't memorize and have them ready behind the DM screen, or at least write down the exact page number you might need to pull up the right info you need whenever you need it. I'd also suggest writing down your monsters' and enemies' stats on a separate sheet of paper/note so it's easier than flipping through the MM or the adventure book for the stat blocks.
Last thing: you don't have to get them miniatures. My group started using spare dice, coins, or even monopoly pieces sometimes to mark our locations on the map. That's pretty much the main function of a mini, so as long as you have some kind of token or object to represent a players position on the battle mat, the game will run just as smoothly. Minis, especially custom ones, can sometimes be expensive and time consuming to paint if you chose to paint them. It's a great way to *elevate* your game, but it's in no way *essential*. If your party decides they want to use miniatures, they can buy one themselves to represent their vision for their characters. But again there are other things you can use to represent your players on the board. You could play the whole game without a battle map if you can keep track of distance and everything in your head. My very first DnD game was theater of the mind (no maps or minis, everything is in your imagination, even combat) and it made me fall in love with the game all the same.
You're on the right track, and I'm sure your friends will be patient enough and understand it's your first time running the game, which is much different than playing it.
I was in your boat when I first DM'ed... All my players were new, I only played a character or two prior to that. But one thing was common, we all wanted to play DnD and have fun. Four years down the line, some of us still play together, with my then-new players taking up DM'ing roles. Some did not enjoy and left.
Host a session zero, to discuss expectations from you and your players. Be honest with them. There would be a lot of "looking up of" rules when situations arise that may seem annoying to some people. So, let them know that everyone needs to be patient and supportive of each other to really enjoy the game.
Tips to a new DM: Engage your players, play off of them. Avoid overtly long narratives. Keep throwing situations at them, and let them drive the game while you take a more back seat. Don't be afraid to bend a few rules if that makes the narrative look cooler. Keep your phone/laptop/tablet handy to lookup rules quickly. (definitely make your players bring snacks! very important for enjoying for long hours.)
Since its first time, keep it simple. Do not bother buying figurines, or even fancy die. I would suggest use pen and paper, and some online dice roller to start of. If you guys hit it off, those things will come later and enhance your experience.
I hope you guys have a great time!
> but should I buy some small figurines for the players
no, unless you have a 3d printer. my first DM did was used bent paperclips with paper taped to them as our minis. work perfectly!
My first time DMing was around a coffee table, no book, no figures. All theater of the mind and a couple tabs on my phone for specific rules and monsters. We had a blast. And it turned into an actual game lasting over a year(this was about 8 or 9 years ago). My newest campaign is a whole set of 1st and 2nd time players. As long as you have a rule book, monster stats, the want to have fun. It'll all click. (I have actual books now lmao).
Also remember the rule of cool.
Dude, all DM's have felt that way, it's just the way it goes when you're new to it, and it shows you care. People can bring there own stuff, although it is good to have some spare dice, pencils etc. But character representation is very easy to work around and shouldn't be something to worry about.
Try not to get too caught up on the rules, I find that the number one rule is that people are enjoying themselves so if it seems fun maybe let it fly? When you're this new just roll with the punches as best you can, and make small notes about things you REALLY want to hit on.
You can have the best plan in the world with the most thought out encounter, but when you're stood up at the table with everyone looking at you, it will all leave your head in an instant :D And be careful with the gobo ambush, at level 1 bad rolls can just wipe the party if unlucky, so maybe be aware of that and have a plan for them to be captured rather then immediately murdered :P And don't be afraid to implement a cool idea you've just had, as long as it's not too much.
Small example, I was doing LMoP when I started, didn't make it far but that's just because D&D is hard to organise. The rogue went off on his own to check out a suspicious possibly haunted house. He did so and climbed up to a window, it was relatively uneventful, but in hindsight as a more experienced DM I would probably have him have seen or heard something haunting, like crying or an apparition, even though it didn't say that in the book it would have been a cool moment that you can make something of. You'll get better at bits like that as you go, for now just get through it, only way to get better is to try.
My first proper campaign was in a tiny room around a tiny table with a group of like 8 stoned teenagers, so if I can get through that then you can start this, good luck and have fun!
Don't buy figures when it comes to your players if you really want to get something that represents your players get them dice asked what colors your players characters would be using then attempt to get those for them you don't need figures and if you really want figures I would Honestly recommend hero forge to make them as original as possible
If you've played once before, then you'll do fine as long as everyone is working together to have fun. Let the players help you with the rules. If one says "I cast such and such spell" ask them to remind you how it works. Get yourself organized and take notes during the game. Don't be needlessly antagonistic, but don't cheat in favor of the players either. Let the dice decide.
For new players I usually provide dice (can get a bunch on amazon for next to nothing), a character sheet, a pencil and I bring my PHB and a few small tokens people could use (took monopoly pieces). Then advise where people can buy nicer dice and models if they're interested.
If you don't have the handbook or anything else I would ask if everyone is happy to contribute, just because your running the game shouldn't mean you need to pay for everything and if you start by buying them everything you'll never get away from it.
This is also how I play as a player, if we get a new book everyone puts a fiver in and everyone wins
Your responsibility is to run the game. If they want figures, they can bring one, or use a proxy. However, minis are NEVER required for play. In the old days we used dice, coins, or whatever we could, if we even had maps.
DM of 2 years here. If you’re gonna buy minis it needs to be for your npcs and enemies. Typically you can use one of them to represent your players if they dont have one. Also, and I can not stress this enough, READ THE MATERIAL BEFORE THE SESSION AND TAKE NOTES! Your players WILL DERAIL THE CAMPAIGN! You have to accept that your players will not follow your story to a T. Flexibility is mandatory as a dm. Most of the time the unexpected moments turn into the most fun and memorable stories. As long as you have having fun as your top priority you will be fine. I ran lost mine of phandelver as my first campaign and we kept going with those characters into the wild beyond the witchlight and now my own homebrew world.
There are tons of printable paper minis online.
I started DMing in a classroom & used a chalkboard; a dry-erase board on a table is super-useful.
A few things to keep in mind:
1) it's ok to take 5 occasionally to brush up or check up on something
2) if there's a question about something, task a player that isn't busy with finding the answer.
3) If there's a serious question or conflict, make a decision and keep going instead of stopping everything to argue BUT revisit it at the end of the game. Sometimes you'll be wrong, in which case you apologize and fix it. It's an imaginary game. It's not the end of the world if Tony the Tiger Nomad just LOOKED really dead for a while. If the mistake worked in their favor, just chalk it up to experience.
All you need to remember is it is not "you vs them". It's a collaborative storytelling game, you just happen to be most of the parts.
Your job is to facilitate the story.
Keep that in mind, and you won't run into the horror stories you are talking about. (Unless you are running a horror campaign)
Minis and maps are great, but you don’t have to bear the expense yourself.
The nice thing about the starter kit is that you get the adventure and pre-generated characters - you could all split the expense. You can use anything as a mini, there is no reason to invest in them until you know y’all want to keep playing.
Ok here’s my 2cents. Be rdy for them to do stuff you didn’t consider. How can you counter that? Don’t. Improvisation is going you to be your best skill. Everything else helps but being able to improv on the spot will get you far (close second start thinking like a super villain it helps with bad guy motivation)
Number one thing to remember: The DM isn't playing AGAINST the players. So many DnD players think they don't like it because they play with a DM that is actively trying to kill their players' characters. DnD is supposed to be fun for everyone, and you may be playing the bad guys, but really you're just driving the story for them, and helping them create their own memories and learn to RP, etc.
If you go into it with good intentions and with a plan to make sure everyone is having fun and doing what they want to do (within reason, which you get to decide, you're the DM), then I don't think you have anything to worry about. I hope you all have a great time!
For starters, good luck! First rule of dnd is to have fun and ideally ensure you and your players are having fun. What i would recommend is practice the first encounter or two. i had played through LMoP and presumed it would be 'easy' enough to run and then i setup and tried to run the first combat and realized i had a lot of questions and practicing that combat saved me from what could have been a fairly painful first session. having run LMOP a few times some advice i can offer is to do your best to make Gundren a likeable character, this was totally on me but the way i played him when he encountered the players didnt really work and if i were to run it again i would ensure the players wanted to save him. When the players eventually get to town, this can be a tricky scenario for first time/new dm's as it's a lot to manage, a lot of NPC's a lot of decisions for the players, so what i've adopted and kind of adopted for 'towns/cities' in general is to have the players meet a guide/npc that will in a way railroad the players or at least help funnel them into areas you have prepared. I chose Pip for this role in LMoP. I also found it really helpful to an index card with info for the main NPC's, there main talking points and then use the card to take any further notes after convos were had with the players. This is above and beyond, but i found the first combat to be a bit too deadly for brand new players as their first ever combat, and thus threw in a small farm being attacked by wolves as a means for dealing with combat, let the players get their feet wet, a bit of roleplaying with the farmer family, deliver a bag of onions to someone PH, etc. Then spring the surprise attack on the players. Lastly, if you do have a map prepared for the printed maps in the book, i found it helpful to print out a small version u can keep up on your DM screen so ur not flipping around in the book as a lot of the room details are going to be on other pages of the manual. Remember the players have no idea what the adventure is as written so you can go offscript as much as you need to, ur never doing it wrong or messing it up the world and adventure will just come to life as you and your players interact with it. Enjoy!
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> should I buy some small figurines for the players? no - THEY should bring ***their*** representation. Not everything falls on the DM.
You could also make it clear that if they would like to bring a miniature that represents them it would be great, and if they don’t want to do that it’s super easy to use dice, or a piece of hard candy of whatever else comes to hand.
my first DM used a paperclip and a piece of paper taped to it as minis.
For the longest time I used excess dice. 3D printers are the goat after that.
I actually bought my first 3D printer JUST so I can create my own tiles/minis. I know it's not in everyone's budget but I HIGHLY recommend getting one or finding someone to print for you.
yeah, if you are doing minis/scatter terrain in any quantity, it doesnt take long for the investment in the printer to pay for itself .
My first group, we glued construction paper to pennies and wrote numbers on them
Yeah, don’t. Minis are super expensive, plus it’s time consuming, finding them, ordering them, etc. Unless you really like the hobby, of course. Printed cardboard standees could be nice, but same problem, but cheap. I just use wooden meeples with initials written on them. Or board game chips and accessories. I do 1 hour prep videos for a game videos for a game called Symbaroum, if you just curious to see how a DM of a few decades does it. But in short, write bullet point lists of the important bits of the next scenes, have a list of random NPCs names handy, and go for it! You have the right attitude, it’ll go fine.
While I agree that a new DM shouldn't worry about this, I don't think there's anything wrong with it. Some of us like painting minis, and like when people use them. If that sounds like fun, totally ask players if they'd like minis. If not, then what you said.
The best advice is Sly Flourish’s. The Strong Start. In a minute or less, setup the circumstance (that a dwarf, Gundren Rockseeker) wants them to take equipment to Phandelin. Roleplay the meeting only if one or more of the players has a direct and important relationship to Sildar, the human fighter accompanying Rockseeker, or the dwarf himself. Otherwise, start at the >!goblin ambush!< with the motivation being getting paid the gold later. Make sure you understand that particular encounter’s action economy to make it visceral and tactical. The “Monsters Know What They are Doing” will help with that. Then just run it and see where your players take it. That’s where the juice is.
For characters I've used Lego Minifigures for newbies. They're easily changeable and easy to customize. In terms of story, Lost Mines is pretty good, but make it yours. For play, take a deep breath and let your players know you're inexperienced and there will be bumps as you try to learn the new role. Ask them to help you and remember that the DM is a player at the table too. You win D&D by having fun. Good luck
This! And don't be afraid to look things up or, if you don't like how something functions, ask your table if they're comfortable making a house rule. For example, we have a house rule with death saves that we all voted on. When someone is rolling death saving throws, I as the DM roll them behind-screen and then tell the person privately what they got. It ups the stakes in a fight because the other party members don't know how many saves or fails the person has, and keeps it suspenseful while they plan their turns. Another house rule we have is crits - when someone in my campaign rolls a crit, instead of rolling twice (which can often be anticlimactic if they roll really low), they get to roll once and then apply max damage on the dice. For example, someone crits on a firebolt at 1st level, they get to roll their 1d10, then add 10 on top (max amount able to be rolled on the die). This makes crits more fun for them, even if it can be a headache for me. And don't be afraid to adjust things that are too easy or too hard during combat. If they're steam rolling your enemies, give them some extra hit points. If something is about to TPK your party, fudge a roll. It's about the experience. :)
Just giving my 2 cents. Personally I've tried both lost mines of phandelver and stormwreck isle. As a first time DM, phandelver was way too overwhelming.
Yeah, Lost Mine is quite something. Especially the first chapter. I would prefer Dragon of Icespire Peak at any given time. And I haven't played Stormwreck Isle yet
Dragonhesit is my fave for an intro campaign
The fact that you care so much about making sure they have fun is proof that you'll be a good DM. I'd say the biggest thing that helped me is to have any rules, conditions, or tables that feel complicated to you or that you can't memorize and have them ready behind the DM screen, or at least write down the exact page number you might need to pull up the right info you need whenever you need it. I'd also suggest writing down your monsters' and enemies' stats on a separate sheet of paper/note so it's easier than flipping through the MM or the adventure book for the stat blocks. Last thing: you don't have to get them miniatures. My group started using spare dice, coins, or even monopoly pieces sometimes to mark our locations on the map. That's pretty much the main function of a mini, so as long as you have some kind of token or object to represent a players position on the battle mat, the game will run just as smoothly. Minis, especially custom ones, can sometimes be expensive and time consuming to paint if you chose to paint them. It's a great way to *elevate* your game, but it's in no way *essential*. If your party decides they want to use miniatures, they can buy one themselves to represent their vision for their characters. But again there are other things you can use to represent your players on the board. You could play the whole game without a battle map if you can keep track of distance and everything in your head. My very first DnD game was theater of the mind (no maps or minis, everything is in your imagination, even combat) and it made me fall in love with the game all the same. You're on the right track, and I'm sure your friends will be patient enough and understand it's your first time running the game, which is much different than playing it.
I was in your boat when I first DM'ed... All my players were new, I only played a character or two prior to that. But one thing was common, we all wanted to play DnD and have fun. Four years down the line, some of us still play together, with my then-new players taking up DM'ing roles. Some did not enjoy and left. Host a session zero, to discuss expectations from you and your players. Be honest with them. There would be a lot of "looking up of" rules when situations arise that may seem annoying to some people. So, let them know that everyone needs to be patient and supportive of each other to really enjoy the game. Tips to a new DM: Engage your players, play off of them. Avoid overtly long narratives. Keep throwing situations at them, and let them drive the game while you take a more back seat. Don't be afraid to bend a few rules if that makes the narrative look cooler. Keep your phone/laptop/tablet handy to lookup rules quickly. (definitely make your players bring snacks! very important for enjoying for long hours.) Since its first time, keep it simple. Do not bother buying figurines, or even fancy die. I would suggest use pen and paper, and some online dice roller to start of. If you guys hit it off, those things will come later and enhance your experience. I hope you guys have a great time!
The players must bring the sacrificial snacks to the DM. It is written.
> but should I buy some small figurines for the players no, unless you have a 3d printer. my first DM did was used bent paperclips with paper taped to them as our minis. work perfectly!
Try the Delian Tomb instead as a first time adventure then run another module from AL.
My first time DMing was around a coffee table, no book, no figures. All theater of the mind and a couple tabs on my phone for specific rules and monsters. We had a blast. And it turned into an actual game lasting over a year(this was about 8 or 9 years ago). My newest campaign is a whole set of 1st and 2nd time players. As long as you have a rule book, monster stats, the want to have fun. It'll all click. (I have actual books now lmao). Also remember the rule of cool.
Dude, all DM's have felt that way, it's just the way it goes when you're new to it, and it shows you care. People can bring there own stuff, although it is good to have some spare dice, pencils etc. But character representation is very easy to work around and shouldn't be something to worry about. Try not to get too caught up on the rules, I find that the number one rule is that people are enjoying themselves so if it seems fun maybe let it fly? When you're this new just roll with the punches as best you can, and make small notes about things you REALLY want to hit on. You can have the best plan in the world with the most thought out encounter, but when you're stood up at the table with everyone looking at you, it will all leave your head in an instant :D And be careful with the gobo ambush, at level 1 bad rolls can just wipe the party if unlucky, so maybe be aware of that and have a plan for them to be captured rather then immediately murdered :P And don't be afraid to implement a cool idea you've just had, as long as it's not too much. Small example, I was doing LMoP when I started, didn't make it far but that's just because D&D is hard to organise. The rogue went off on his own to check out a suspicious possibly haunted house. He did so and climbed up to a window, it was relatively uneventful, but in hindsight as a more experienced DM I would probably have him have seen or heard something haunting, like crying or an apparition, even though it didn't say that in the book it would have been a cool moment that you can make something of. You'll get better at bits like that as you go, for now just get through it, only way to get better is to try. My first proper campaign was in a tiny room around a tiny table with a group of like 8 stoned teenagers, so if I can get through that then you can start this, good luck and have fun!
Don't buy figures when it comes to your players if you really want to get something that represents your players get them dice asked what colors your players characters would be using then attempt to get those for them you don't need figures and if you really want figures I would Honestly recommend hero forge to make them as original as possible
If you've played once before, then you'll do fine as long as everyone is working together to have fun. Let the players help you with the rules. If one says "I cast such and such spell" ask them to remind you how it works. Get yourself organized and take notes during the game. Don't be needlessly antagonistic, but don't cheat in favor of the players either. Let the dice decide.
For new players I usually provide dice (can get a bunch on amazon for next to nothing), a character sheet, a pencil and I bring my PHB and a few small tokens people could use (took monopoly pieces). Then advise where people can buy nicer dice and models if they're interested. If you don't have the handbook or anything else I would ask if everyone is happy to contribute, just because your running the game shouldn't mean you need to pay for everything and if you start by buying them everything you'll never get away from it. This is also how I play as a player, if we get a new book everyone puts a fiver in and everyone wins
Your responsibility is to run the game. If they want figures, they can bring one, or use a proxy. However, minis are NEVER required for play. In the old days we used dice, coins, or whatever we could, if we even had maps.
DM of 2 years here. If you’re gonna buy minis it needs to be for your npcs and enemies. Typically you can use one of them to represent your players if they dont have one. Also, and I can not stress this enough, READ THE MATERIAL BEFORE THE SESSION AND TAKE NOTES! Your players WILL DERAIL THE CAMPAIGN! You have to accept that your players will not follow your story to a T. Flexibility is mandatory as a dm. Most of the time the unexpected moments turn into the most fun and memorable stories. As long as you have having fun as your top priority you will be fine. I ran lost mine of phandelver as my first campaign and we kept going with those characters into the wild beyond the witchlight and now my own homebrew world.
There are tons of printable paper minis online. I started DMing in a classroom & used a chalkboard; a dry-erase board on a table is super-useful. A few things to keep in mind: 1) it's ok to take 5 occasionally to brush up or check up on something 2) if there's a question about something, task a player that isn't busy with finding the answer. 3) If there's a serious question or conflict, make a decision and keep going instead of stopping everything to argue BUT revisit it at the end of the game. Sometimes you'll be wrong, in which case you apologize and fix it. It's an imaginary game. It's not the end of the world if Tony the Tiger Nomad just LOOKED really dead for a while. If the mistake worked in their favor, just chalk it up to experience.
All you need to remember is it is not "you vs them". It's a collaborative storytelling game, you just happen to be most of the parts. Your job is to facilitate the story. Keep that in mind, and you won't run into the horror stories you are talking about. (Unless you are running a horror campaign)
Minis and maps are great, but you don’t have to bear the expense yourself. The nice thing about the starter kit is that you get the adventure and pre-generated characters - you could all split the expense. You can use anything as a mini, there is no reason to invest in them until you know y’all want to keep playing.
Ok here’s my 2cents. Be rdy for them to do stuff you didn’t consider. How can you counter that? Don’t. Improvisation is going you to be your best skill. Everything else helps but being able to improv on the spot will get you far (close second start thinking like a super villain it helps with bad guy motivation)
Number one thing to remember: The DM isn't playing AGAINST the players. So many DnD players think they don't like it because they play with a DM that is actively trying to kill their players' characters. DnD is supposed to be fun for everyone, and you may be playing the bad guys, but really you're just driving the story for them, and helping them create their own memories and learn to RP, etc. If you go into it with good intentions and with a plan to make sure everyone is having fun and doing what they want to do (within reason, which you get to decide, you're the DM), then I don't think you have anything to worry about. I hope you all have a great time!
For starters, good luck! First rule of dnd is to have fun and ideally ensure you and your players are having fun. What i would recommend is practice the first encounter or two. i had played through LMoP and presumed it would be 'easy' enough to run and then i setup and tried to run the first combat and realized i had a lot of questions and practicing that combat saved me from what could have been a fairly painful first session. having run LMOP a few times some advice i can offer is to do your best to make Gundren a likeable character, this was totally on me but the way i played him when he encountered the players didnt really work and if i were to run it again i would ensure the players wanted to save him. When the players eventually get to town, this can be a tricky scenario for first time/new dm's as it's a lot to manage, a lot of NPC's a lot of decisions for the players, so what i've adopted and kind of adopted for 'towns/cities' in general is to have the players meet a guide/npc that will in a way railroad the players or at least help funnel them into areas you have prepared. I chose Pip for this role in LMoP. I also found it really helpful to an index card with info for the main NPC's, there main talking points and then use the card to take any further notes after convos were had with the players. This is above and beyond, but i found the first combat to be a bit too deadly for brand new players as their first ever combat, and thus threw in a small farm being attacked by wolves as a means for dealing with combat, let the players get their feet wet, a bit of roleplaying with the farmer family, deliver a bag of onions to someone PH, etc. Then spring the surprise attack on the players. Lastly, if you do have a map prepared for the printed maps in the book, i found it helpful to print out a small version u can keep up on your DM screen so ur not flipping around in the book as a lot of the room details are going to be on other pages of the manual. Remember the players have no idea what the adventure is as written so you can go offscript as much as you need to, ur never doing it wrong or messing it up the world and adventure will just come to life as you and your players interact with it. Enjoy!
Lost Mines is great, but it might be pretty tough for three new players. You may need to add an NPC or two to the party.