Pathfinder GMs,
I have only GMed a few scenarios, and am looking for advice. How do you start each scenario? Do you have a set talk that you give? If so, will you share? I want to craft a tight intro piece, which I can utilize at the beginning of each scenario, prior to digging into the actual scenario, but I have yet to land on what I want.
Thanks!
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Copying from *this* post, here is my usual speech:
"Hi, I see that many of you are playing with me again, but, as a reminder, I'd like to go over my ground rules. First, please do not talk over me when I'm reading box text or describing the environment. It makes me sad to repeat myself. Second, I tend to talk quickly or slur when I'm really excited...if I'm talking and you're not understanding, please let me know so I can be more clear. Third, since you guys are experienced Pathfinders and since I play my bad guys with absolute and total tactical perfection (pause for laugh), I will not be going back to correct mistakes that I've made during combat unless they egregiously need to be fixed. By the same token, when you end your turn, I won't be going back to add something that you've missed...when you end your turn, be sure to be correct. Don't miss the Bless effect or the extra damage from the Bard Song. When you end your turn, you've ended your turn. Lastly, I'll let you know when your turn is coming up...please be ready to do your thing. Plan in advance. Oh yeah...let's have fun and roleplay. Any questions?"
Is that what you're looking for?
-Pain
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I use index cards for tracking initiative, so I begin by having the players fill out "the usual" [PC Name, Faction, Initiative Modifier] and on occasion some pre-rolled Will saves or Perception/Sense Motive checks if I anticipate them coming up in the scenario (anti-meta-game tactic). While they are doing this I'll pass the session tracking sheet around. After I collect up the index cards I will have each player introduce their character.
Typically I will say "Tell me what we see when we look at your character. What race are they? What do they wear? What weapons do they carry? Do they have any interesting scars or tattoos? Also, if we were to travel together for a few weeks, tell me something about your character's personality that I would discover."
As the players are drawn out of their shells, I will write notes on their index card. Often the opponents' tactics identify 'will attack lightly-armored characters first' or 'casts cause fear on fighter-types'. This helps me identify targets >:) Clever players learn to dress their PC in misleading outfits if they don't want to be pigeonholed...
You have to be able to cut off the players who get a little too into their character intro also. There are those with a flair for the dramatic who believe everyone is as interested in their PC as they are. Conversely sometimes drawing a description out of the player is challenging. "He's a 1st level fighter"
I also can phonetically spell a PC's name on the card if it's really hard to pronounce. Also, the cards are a great way to track when the PCs spend money on bribes or contract a disease so I don't forget about it when I'm filling out their Chronicle sheet.
After each player has introduced their character, I will pass them their faction mission. After a 60 second delay for each player to read their mission, I will launch into the Venture Captain's briefing. Sometimes I need to rewind after the briefing because it places the PCs at the adventure's location without a chance to buy equipment or prepare spells appropriate to the mission. Unless a mission is in Absalom, there is often travel time in which players can make preparations specific to their mission.
After the players have had a chance to declare any purchases they want to make, I will start the scenario in earnest. I don't have a spiel like Pain does. I probably need to develop one.
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My intro is a little bit of Pain's and a little bit of Doug's. I try to stress that I'm not a rules lawyer and what I espect if they are (i.e. be able to prove me wrong on the spot, 5 minutes after is no longer valid) and also point out wherever the coordinator is currently at incase they need to ask for a different table at that point. I also ask if they have any questions of me as the GM.
I use notecards for initiative (yoinked from Doug at Origins) and have gone as far as using notecards to prep my mods. I have everything I need to immediately run an NPC and if there is something funky in the stat block I have it noted in order to be able to reference the stat block on the module.
I try to get people settled at the table before I start, and settled goes for myself as well. If I'm up and roaming around then it's hard to get in the groove of being the creepy VC to start the mod.
These are exactly the ideas I was looking for. Thank you!
The feeling that I'm getting is that the expectation is that the player is familiar with the IC elements of the Pathfinder Society, at least as it is described in the Guide. Am I correct in this thought?
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These are exactly the ideas I was looking for. Thank you!
The feeling that I'm getting is that the expectation is that the player is familiar with the IC elements of the Pathfinder Society, at least as it is described in the Guide. Am I correct in this thought?
IC elements?
I do assume that the player is familiar with OP, however, I do also give them the opportunity to ask questions (especially if it's a table of all lvl 1s)
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It largely depends on the players at the table, whether an experienced group that have been playing since Season 0, or new players that accompanied a friend to a convention and think the dice are funny shaped?
I usually recognise new names/faces at conventions I run, and ask if they've played 3.5 or Pathfinder before or familiar with the setting?
If new, then I show them a map of the Inner Sea, point out Absalom, describe the various nations and factions, describe the role of the Pathfinder Society (treasure hunters / historians), help them select a pre-gen and faction trait if they haven't already.
Other experienced players at the table are usually happy to help introduce newcomers and get them up to speed with the game/setting, if they're available. This can be particularly useful if there are more than one or two new players at the table/event all asking questions, or you're an organiser who's been running back-to-back sessions, no meal-break, and need a moment helping GMs prepare for their next session.
Cheers,
DarkWhite
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With Gamicon coming up, I expect there to be a lot of walk ups (3/4 of our players last year were brand new players). It doesn't hurt to talk a bit about the PFS (you no longer need a reason than your character is on a mission, your organization is sending you whether you like it or not :P)
I also like to organize the table by factions (without splitting parents from children if at all possible) and come up with clever ways for them to acquire their mission (Qadiran merchant attempts to "sell" the Qadiran characters a vase, and the mission is inside, etc).
Note cards, which I sometimes use (thanks Thea, and by extension, Doug) are indispensable in certain mods where you need to track conditions. I like to have them write their perception and initiative mods on their cards for ease of use for combats and passive perceptions.