Hey thanks for the reply! You bring up some great points. I like that you layed them out in order, I appreciate what you have to say about balance because that is the area I have the least amount of experience in for 5E. One of my players started as a fighter but wanted to use guns so I’m letting him use the fighter/gunslinger template from critical role, we’ll see how that goes haha.
Your points about Fulfillment will be important to keep in mind when we start to branch into homebrew. I have two players who like roleplaying and figuring out the plot, one who likes combat and leveling, and the last one kind of just likes everything. Four players in total, two are brand new to D&D. I will have to make sure I don’t over do it in one area, I think.
In terms of pacing, what would be some of the chronic problems from D&D 5E? I’m relatively new to 5E, most of my experience comes from 3.5. I will still keep your advice in mind, having deadlines sounds like a good way to keep things paced nicely.
Your point about challenge reminds me about when my party accepted the quest to barter with Agatha the banshee. I played it so that the quest giver was hesitant to start them on that quest in the first place, and when pushed explained that banshees are a force of death and only confident adventurers should accept. They were all so cautious with that quest, and they even drew straws on who had to talk to the banshee because they were all scared, it was great haha.