This is kind of a vague thread. For all I know, it'll just come out as a rant, but I am hoping there's advice on this.
So I've always wanted to run Age of Worms. Like, ever since I read Wormcrawl Fissure, I've really wanted to run through it with a party. However, I've had a couple barriers.
The first and main reason I ain't been able is simple lack of players. I had a gaming group, but flaky players, and one-by-one they all dropped out before I could start running. Plus, they were all pretty new players who probably wouldn't have enjoyed a "serious" game.
I've considered trying to recruit some players from the FLGS (been playing some PFS there), but I'm not sure anybody there would be interested. Especially since I'm one of the younger people there.
The second issue is paranoia--I'm not super confident in my GMing skills. I really struggle at improv, and my style's kind of awkward and fidgety (The "Okay, so, uh...your turn" approach).
I've played in so many Rise of the Runelords games that died that I no longer feel like there'd be much point in playing it, so I'm wary of failing at an AoW game--like, I only get one shot.
Any advice? Or, alternatively, anybody feeling similarly?
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Just with the confidence - fake it until you make it. The key to being confident is to just go with it. Don't overthink anything. Trust your decisions, or if something comes up, decide on a path and trust it. Trust yourself.
There's no harm in asking your players about a rule that they would likely understand better than you do. No GM knows everything about everything.
The more enthusiasm and enjoyment you make an effort to inject into a game - even if it's not initially there - will make the game better for everyone at your table. Get excited, keep things moving.
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A few things.
1.) Try at the FLGS if that's what you want, the worst that can happen is nobody will join.
2.) There's always online tabletops like Roll20 if you can't find anyone there.
3.) If you're not confident in your improv skills, have you considered running a Play By Post here on Paizo? You have all the time in the world to think of what you want to say, how to describe things, etc.
4.) I would totes play an Age of Worms game you ran online.
I've been starting to think PbP is the way to go. As fun as live is, I'm not sure I'd be able to pull it off.
My one holdup is my procrastinating nature--I've tried and failed to run three games now (in fairness, one time I got ditched because I was just terrible and another time because it was a pretty awful idea for a PbP), and I hate to have players make characters and then fail to give them a chance to shine.
I'm definitely starting to give it more thought, though, as I've been getting a lot better at controlling myself of late. And it'd be a pleasure to have you.
Speaking of procrastinating, I really need to get off these forums and finish up my math homework! XD
The second issue is paranoia--I'm not super confident in my GMing skills. I really struggle at improv, and my style's kind of awkward and fidgety (The "Okay, so, uh...your turn" approach).
Improv is a skill, you can practice it. In a gaming format, I recommend games like Fiasco.
A big part of improv is going for the obvious. Often times people try to out think themselves and they get stuck.
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Age of Worms. That brings memories. A notebook fool of PF conversions and 10 months of gaming, every weekend for hours. The most fun I've ever had as a GM.
Plus no need for improv if you're going to run an AP. The Paizo folks have done good with this one.
Man I wish that they had the copyrights so that they could transfer this game to Golarion and update the statblocks.
One piece of advice. Don't convert Dragotha to PF aside from feats. He is much much more powerful in his 3.5 incarnation. Also, don't bother converting Kyuss. I gave up after realizing that he has a freaking 3-4 page statblock. Yeah. Also, more powerful as the 3.5 version. My party did two shot him though. And I ran him as advertized and even beefed up some of the monsters accompanying him. And they didn't use the sphere of annihilation.
Also a PbP? Not a good idea for the AoW. It would last for YEARS if it ran to the end. I mean, it lasted for 10 months for me and my group and we used to gather every saturday from 10AM to around 6PM. Every. Saturday.
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I haven't GM'd successfully since 2nd edition AD&D. Played 4 years of 3rd edition (both versions), and 1 year of Pathfinder. Attempted to GM Kingmaker over roll20.net, and failed.
Of course, Kingmaker was my first attempt at running a pre-made adventure. Before that, I have only played in and ran homebrew. My mindset has always been that if you run pre-made adventures (modules, adventure paths, etc), that you have failed as a DM. Still trying to get over that, but when you believed that way for 10+ years, it takes a bit.
Being very introverted also works against me, as the people I had originally played with moved away back in 2008, and don't play anymore. So not being very open with people I don't know doesn't make for being a good GM. At least with being a player, and being this shy and introverted, it isn't as bad when you aren't expected to be speaking all the time.
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GM PFS to get your chops. Keep screening PFS for players. Start going to meetup.com meetings. If there is no local meetup.com group start one. Just talk to other gamers and get your finger on the local pulse. Bring up the ideas of home games and see what people say. Try and get one shots going to see who reliably shows up.
Never ever, I repeat, never ever start a long term campaign with people you don't know. If you do expect flakyness and other undesirable elements. Put your ideal game on the back burner for now and wait until you have a reliable gaming group that wont drop 1/4 of the way in if not the second session.
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This. Use short scenarios until you get comfortable. An entire adventure path is a HUGE undertaking. Don't set yourself up for another blow to your confidence that way. :-)
Thanks, everyone! I think I'll try GMing out in PFS a couple times. When I feel confident, I'll start asking around. :)
I also might try running the first module of Age of Worms online anyways, just because it would familiarize myself with "The Whispering Cairn" and, well, y'never know. ;D
This is kind of a vague thread. For all I know, it'll just come out as a rant, but I am hoping there's advice on this.
So I've always wanted to run Age of Worms. Like, ever since I read Wormcrawl Fissure, I've really wanted to run through it with a party. However, I've had a couple barriers.
The first and main reason I ain't been able is simple lack of players. I had a gaming group, but flaky players, and one-by-one they all dropped out before I could start running. Plus, they were all pretty new players who probably wouldn't have enjoyed a "serious" game.
I've considered trying to recruit some players from the FLGS (been playing some PFS there), but I'm not sure anybody there would be interested. Especially since I'm one of the younger people there.
The second issue is paranoia--I'm not super confident in my GMing skills. I really struggle at improv, and my style's kind of awkward and fidgety (The "Okay, so, uh...your turn" approach).
I've played in so many Rise of the Runelords games that died that I no longer feel like there'd be much point in playing it, so I'm wary of failing at an AoW game--like, I only get one shot.
Any advice? Or, alternatively, anybody feeling similarly?
I've played in an Age of Worms campaign around 2007, and I think I recall the location you're talking about. Our DM was very experienced, and I remember the fights being pretty tough. This is not a campaign for the squeamish! We got up to about level 15 with our characters before the group fell apart due to work schedule conflicts.
That being said, I think it would be a great campaign to run. But, if you are planning on using PF rules, you'd have to do a LOT of backtracking and updating, which might add up to more work than actually running the game. Many of the monsters and treasure are not OGL, and could be a bit wonky.
If improv is not your thing, then my advice is to stick to running modules and Adventure Paths, to get your chops up. See if you can get a few of those casual players together and run a few one-shot adventures, and if things go well, move up to AoW.
Maybe see if there are any PFS games in your area, attend a few and see if you can develop a network of players.
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The conversions should be easy. I've got a bunch of converted monsters from another GM who ran it, and some critters like Dragotha are better off in 3.5.
I've decided to start The Whispering Cairn and see where it goes. If I feel at the end of the module like it's something I can make time for, I'll stick with it. I'll never know if I can pull it off unless I try. :D
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Also, you shouldn't feel too bad about lack of GM skills. I am an eternal GM, and really all I have going for me is the passion for Pathfinder and the ability to speak with confidence. According to my friends, those two things are enough. Players appreciate the one running the game, even if they are not the best at what they do.
Firstly I salute you for wanting to GM. While the players may not show any outward signs of it, they do appreciate somebody doing the work of running games for them. After all having no GM means no games...
I'm pretty sure the majority of GMs started out pretty much as you did and with age and experience, grew into the role. I've ended up as the GM for most of my gaming life because I wanted to do it and on occasion because nobody was keen on it.
Preparation can help somewhat, but I found the best way to learn the game is to actually play it. I have a few tricks I use when I GM a new system which I am not familiar.
If you have an experienced player at your table, make use of him/her by using them as a quick reference to help you pick up the system. If everyone is also new to the game, I will just announce my inexperience at the game and they should feel free to correct me on the rules and it will get better as we learn the game together.
When I GMed at a FLGS (many, many years ago) I used to bring sets of inexpensive poly dice to hand out to interested youngsters who wanted to try RPGs. This was during the height of the M:TG craze so the store was usually packed with people during the weekends. With this method, I made a friend of a stranger and occasionally a gamer who would be at the table the next week, ready for the next game.
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Welp, just thought I'd let y'all know how this went.
I'm still making a lot of mistakes, but the campaign's heading up to the third installment now. We're taking a brief break for people to roleplay and shop.
The first installment took exactly one month, while the second took substantially longer (3FoE was pretty rough). All-in-all, we're going pretty fast right now, and I hope we can keep up the pace for Encounter at Blackwall Keep.
Thanks, everyone, for the encouragement (especially Rynjin, who's actually putting up with my fumbling as a LN human slayer).
EaBK is one of the breathing room scenarios of the AP. Let the players whomp their enemies and enjoy being badasses - things turn significantly tougher after that.
Yup, I've read enough Obituaries to have a fair idea of which areas are easier than others. ;P
Don't get discouraged if the first few games feel a bit awkward. In my experience first games often feel like a weird first dates. After a few game sessions things start to normalize.
-MD
PS: Maybe I should not lean in for a kiss at the end of a session...