| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Hi all,
Still feel relatively new to gaming though I've been at it for a few years now. I'm trying to avoid newbie mistakes (though it's D&D-based, the High Rollers stream has been invaluable in realising my own errors).
For example, forgetting the rule of three led to me shooting some suspicuous, motionless creatures with my bow... Until I shot a human in the face, gagged and made to appear like a creature.
Worse, I rolled a natural 20. Watching the GM's face as I accidentally maimed an innocent was quite something.
It may sound like very commonsense to you guys now, but are there any obvious pitfalls to avoid in gaming, out is it better to just work them out for myself?
This sounds like obvious error on the part of the GM too.
You should have gotten a perception check to realize it was a human, not a monster.
If he didn't give you the check, it's not your fault.
1. Fun is what is most important. Not just your fun but fun for everyone.
2. Don't PvP, there is no good reason for it out of game so just don't do it in game. This is a cooperative game.
3. If something seems off, or makes you uncomfortable, talk about it out of game as soon as you can. Don't let things like that go unsaid.
4. Build your character with the party in mind. Yeah one character can be amazing, but see rule one for why that is a bad thing.
5. Bring snacks and drinks! This can seriously make a game feel more at ease for everyone involved if there are some chips.
Just go into the game looking to make it as fun as possible for everyone involved. If a particular PC hasn't done anything in a while involve them.
I'm not sure what you mean about the rule of three. Can you clarify.
I mean, I know what the rule is, but how does it apply to Pathfinder?
I'm not sure what you mean about the rule of three. Can you clarify.
I mean, I know what the rule is, but how does it apply to Pathfinder?
Somebody tries to bring in something inappropriate to the table.
Like having out their sexual fantasy at the table.
Or tries to bring in a real life religion and tells you that you should all join him in it.
Or just general does anything that makes you as a person (and not your character) particularly uncomfortable.
1. Fun is what is most important. Not just your fun but fun for everyone.
2. Don't PvP, there is no good reason for it out of game so just don't do it in game. This is a cooperative game.
3. If something seems off, or makes you uncomfortable, talk about it out of game as soon as you can. Don't let things like that go unsaid.
4. Build your character with the party in mind. Yeah one character can be amazing, but see rule one for why that is a bad thing.
5. Bring snacks and drinks! This can seriously make a game feel more at ease for everyone involved if there are some chips.Just go into the game looking to make it as fun as possible for everyone involved. If a particular PC hasn't done anything in a while involve them.
Thank you, this is all really useful! The part about how my character fits in resonates: I like to make my character as awesome and flawed as possible, but I don't often think how this may affect others.
The snack situation is very covered!
I'm not sure what you mean about the rule of three. Can you clarify.
I mean, I know what the rule is, but how does it apply to Pathfinder?
Somebody tries to bring in something inappropriate to the table.
Like having out their sexual fantasy at the table.
Or tries to bring in a real life religion and tells you that you should all join him in it.
Or just general does anything that makes you as a person (and not your character) particularly uncomfortable.
Wow, I have clearly stumbled into totally unintentional meanings! Sorry, should have been clearer.
Rule of 3 to me is the trope in films, books and other media where the third thing in a set breaks the pattern, like trying to open a lock twice but succeeding on the third attempt. Apologies if I have misused a term!
In my case, I think we were dealing with ghouls. I've remembered more detail now, and I think the real problem was that I anticipated the third thing not being liked the others. We went through one field - creepy scarecrows, but just full of stuffing. Second field - more harmless scarecrows.
We came to the third set and I brightly thought "Aha! The creatures will be hidden in these ones!", thinking of the rule of 3. I didn't bother investigating this time, I just straight up shot an arrow at them. Except, it was poor, human farming folks, who I skewered.
This sounds like obvious error on the part of the GM too.
You should have gotten a perception check to realize it was a human, not a monster.
If he didn't give you the check, it's not your fault.
It's possible that was an option, but remembering rightly, I may have been a wee bit rash (see above clarification on rule of 3!) in my desire to shoot things...
|
I wouldn't feel too bad, Treia - that setup is designed to shake PCs out of being complacent with their tactics. My players are rather experienced and the party includes a paladin who used detect evil to sense if the "scarecrow" in front of them was evil or not, and they cut the evil scarecrows down while they were trying to escape their bonds. If they didn't scan as evil, then the party fighter rushed forward and cut them in half with her sword, just to be sure. That stopped once they found one of the two humans hidden, and she critically hit the husband, killing him instantly and bathing her in his hot blood.
Needless to say, they changed tactics moving forward.
This sounds like obvious error on the part of the GM too.
You should have gotten a perception check to realize it was a human, not a monster.
If he didn't give you the check, it's not your fault.
Nah, it was awesomely done by our DM. He managed to generate a real sense of fear and confusion during the encounters in farmlands.
Within the rules of 4e, which we were playing it would have been passive perception. She could have used active perception to check before shooting. She didn't, and she didn't pass the passive either, be that because of what numbers said or tablecraft by our DM.
While I know Treia feels like a newbie for that, I also know she looks back on the whole thing fondly.
So on to advice for you... Make mistakes,and enjoy them, learn form them. They are the things that we will talk and laigh about with the guys when Lonzo is DMing our kids first adventures. It is also how Gazebos are born. Ask these guys about that ;)
Oh, and more specific and practical advice...
... always look before you leap.
... If the pretty lady is in asking for you help, it's like 2 in 3 she is going to screw you over.
... Do not trust Chests of treasure...ever...
If your questions is how, the answer is usually 'a wizard didit.'
I wouldn't feel too bad, Treia - that setup is designed to shake PCs out of being complacent with their tactics. My players are rather experienced and the party includes a paladin who used detect evil to sense if the "scarecrow" in front of them was evil or not, and they cut the evil scarecrows down while they were trying to escape their bonds. If they didn't scan as evil, then the party fighter rushed forward and cut them in half with her sword, just to be sure. That stopped once they found one of the two humans hidden, and she critically hit the husband, killing him instantly and bathing her in his hot blood.
Needless to say, they changed tactics moving forward.
Thanks, it certainly made me check EVERYTHING after that. That and the GM really playing up the suffering the family had already endured...
For those who are interested, the tale of Eric and the (Dread) Gazebo can be found here. :)
Thanks, it certainly made me check EVERYTHING after that. That and the GM really playing up the suffering the family had already endured...I wouldn't feel too bad, Treia - that setup is designed to shake PCs out of being complacent with their tactics. My players are rather experienced and the party includes a paladin who used detect evil to sense if the "scarecrow" in front of them was evil or not, and they cut the evil scarecrows down while they were trying to escape their bonds. If they didn't scan as evil, then the party fighter rushed forward and cut them in half with her sword, just to be sure. That stopped once they found one of the two humans hidden, and she critically hit the husband, killing him instantly and bathing her in his hot blood.
Needless to say, they changed tactics moving forward.
My veteran players do far worse than this so don't feel too bad. They just arrived at the Hambly farm and encountered the first set of "scarecrows". They had already correctly guessed what the scarecrows are so the half-elf ranger said that as soon as she can target them she is pin-cushioning scarecrows. So I already know she is going to shoot someone in the face.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
First, avoid the classic blunders: never start a land war in asia, never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line and NEVER split the party.
Second, building on above, work together. One of you might miss a perception check but it's much less likely you'll all miss it. And it only takes one of you to see the assassin hiding under the bed.
Third don't use perception like a crutch. It might be a perception check against stealth check (with Pathfinder) or a passive perception check (for 4e and its descendants) to notice the assassin when you first walk into the room. But if you actively state "I walk over to the cot and flip it over to make sure no one is hiding under it" there will be no perception check to punt. Most DM's like it when you actively engage with the world.
Fourth, shooting something to find out what it is, is not a good idea in just about any situation. Just sayin'
Fifth, I'd avoid the rule of three logic. My guess is that most DM's don't know of it or follow it and ditto for AP authors. It's likely to get you into more trouble than it will get you out of.
My veteran players do far worse than this so don't feel too bad. They just arrived at the Hambly farm and encountered the first set of "scarecrows". They had already correctly guessed what the scarecrows are so the half-elf ranger said that as soon as she can target them she is pin-cushioning scarecrows. So I already know she is going to shoot someone in the face.
So glad it's not just me!
Those poor farmers...
First, avoid the classic blunders: never start a land war in asia, never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line and NEVER split the party.
Second, building on above, work together. One of you might miss a perception check but it's much less likely you'll all miss it. And it only takes one of you to see the assassin hiding under the bed.
Third don't use perception like a crutch. It might be a perception check against stealth check (with Pathfinder) or a passive perception check (for 4e and its descendants) to notice the assassin when you first walk into the room. But if you actively state "I walk over to the cot and flip it over to make sure no one is hiding under it" there will be no perception check to punt. Most DM's like it when you actively engage with the world.
Fourth, shooting something to find out what it is, is not a good idea in just about any situation. Just sayin'
Fifth, I'd avoid the rule of three logic. My guess is that most DM's don't know of it or follow it and ditto for AP authors. It's likely to get you into more trouble than it will get you out of.
"I do not think it means what you think it means..."
I had oddly never considered just actively searching for something in the way you described. Much table-flipping shall follow. I am pretty cautious now ("You see a puppy." "I check for traps!"), but that feels more apt in certain situations.
Yeah, I felt bad about the farmers. Goes to show what my complacency about the scarecrows got me. I blamed the arrow to the face on "some bad guy who's gone now" and think I passed the bluff on that one.
Thanks for the advice on the rule of 3 - again, something about me being complacent and making assumptions.
As for splitting the party, I listened to the Penny Arcade guys as Acquisitions Incorporated, especially the podcast where they split the party. Taught me a valuable lesson about acid traps.