Granta's GM School (Inactive)

Game Master Granta

Form complete and no job roll, orz.

Slightly irrelevant question: How do you get the GM in front of your name? o: Are you just making an alias and adding GM or is there a thing that you do?

Hiyami,

I saw your PM on this. Last few days have been nuts for me.

Yes, you can just create an alias with a GM in front of it. I did that primarily to keep all my Play-by-Post posts separate from my regular posts, but now I wonder why I did that, since eventually even my regular posts started to be about the PbP world!

GM Hmm sees more action than my main alias. The woman in the Red Mask shows up everywhere, and is often my main identity when I talk about PBP -- its art & philosophy and the how to... That's who shows up to talk about such things.

FUNNY STORY

At PaizoCon, conversations kept going like this:

"Oh, yes. Hello, I'm Hilary from Minneapolis."
"Whoa. Wait. Are you GM Hmmmmmmmmmmmm?"

Not H-m-m. Not Hilary. GM Hmmmmmmmm (with a humming sound, apparently) was who they wanted to talk to!

MORE ON GM ALIASES

Some people don't use them. Others have a GM Alias (like "Shifty") that does not have a GM or DM in it.

Pick a name and image that resonates for you. Guys tend to like to have monsters or dragons or other scary creatures for their GM Alias. Dice and Wayfinders are also popular. But Shifty has his Ninja, Granta his bald Samurai, and I've got the woman in the Red Mask.

Originally I was going to change my GM image to match every storyline that I GMed, and then I GMed two at once and decided that it was too confusing to switch around all the time. So I settled on one that evoked what I wanted to say about my GMing style: Whimsy with a bit of over-the-top Panache!

Have fun deciding what you want to do with this and what image you want to evoke.

And! If you had to pick between the Field Guide and the Primer, which would you get? o:

I own both. They are not must purchases as the stories they tell are a bit out of date. Still, I enjoyed reading them. I would pick the one that had the Vanities I wanted for my characters. Vanities and Ioun Stones are probably the main things that you can find in there. Let me see if I can find Damanta's Vanity Database. That might help you pick!

Hmm

Oh, goodness, things have been very, very busy on the forums - and that's without all of the downtime that's been happening. I'm happy to report that I haven't been having any issues over the last two days, at least, though, so I'll keep my fingers crossed that the issues have been resolved.

I think I like the philosophy/simplicity behind it. Maybe it was a super obvious question, but I got such a detailed response (with a lil' story!) that I'm actually quite pleased to have asked.

In all honesty, I don't blame those people one bit! The woman in the Red Mask, your alias, and you - it's quite a memorable combination, don't you think?

Thanks so much for your explanation! I'll probably try a couple to see what clicks best for me. c:

I found the link! VANITIES! I went looking for it when you mentioned it! I'll definitely be picking up the Field Guide first! I appreciate the tip. c: My goal is to get both, but I can only get one at a time for the moment, so I'll be snagging the one I can use right away. c:

Glad you found it!

Hmm

But Shifty has his Ninja, Granta his bald Samurai, and I've got the woman in the Red Mask.

Wait, I'm bald?!

I also chose an image that conveyed something about my style: I'm a stern bastard. I will cut off your head for looking at me with insufficient respect, then leave it lying in the dust because I've already forgotten about you.

But I'm nice to kittens.

You know, you didn't strike me as being particularly stern, nor much of a bastard, but I suppose we'll see? Of course, I respect you heaps, seeing as my first experience of you was a madman taking on a ridiculous number of pbp tables. (One should always respect madmen, if for nothing other than your own safety!) As it turned out, you seemed pretty sane, if ambitious. So! I can't see why anyone would be mean to you. c:

(And I'd like to be nicer to kittens, but it's hard since I'm allergic.)

I have GMed a bit on the boards, just not PFS and I'm not sure how well.

My GM profile ticks a lot of HMM's boxes, as you can see.

Let's look at some recruitment and selection methods. Some GMs, myself included, do a lot of invite only games. Most recruit in Flaxseed. Each has pros and cons.

An invite only game will generally be the most fun, as you are selecting the people that you like playing with. It's the hardest to get going, though. You have to find a scenario that all of your invitees can play, and hope that they have the bandwidth and interest.

Recruiting openly in Flaxseed guarantees you'll find players for the scenario that you want to GM, but you will almost always end up with somebody at the table that you don't enjoy playing with. It is also less work, and gets you public recognition as a GM.

Let's pause there for some discussion, then we'll move on to recruitment format: spreadsheet or forum thread.

It seems to be that if you're looking to be selective about who you want to play with, the Flaxseed Lodge might be a good place to start regardless, if only because playing/GMing with people there could get you a quick introduction to people you like playing with, no?

If, in a group of 4-6 people, you only really dislike 1, that means you have 3-5 people you might want to play with in the future, right? So if you run a few games, you can kinda open broaden your pool of preferred players.... Right? :D

Indeed. The best way to find players you like is to play with them, and preferably GM for them.

At first, I would just invite 2-3 people that I had enjoyed playing with before, then recruit the rest of the table. But now that I've met a lot of players, I'm GMing two long campaigns that were invite only, and I found about a third each through GMing for them, playing with them, and other means.

Considering that anything done via pbp is pretty lengthy, what're you considering a long campaign? o: I read somewhere (can't remember where! @_@) that a typical Pathfinder scenario should run maybe about 4-6 weeks, but is there an estimate for quests, modules, or APs?

Back to the topic at hand, though, have you found it to be the norm to consistently have at least one person that doesn't mesh with you so well in games when you GM? I've found the Flaxseed Lodge pretty open and cheerful (at least in gameplay), so I'm a bit surprised to hear that. Is it because of game behavior? Character decisions? /curious

I've also noticed that games that go up at the Flaxseed Lodge fill up really, really, really quickly. Some people have sheets that appear to be first come, first serve and others have a lottery. Still others use recruitment threads to fill their needs. If it's the first two, do you encounter problems with party composition? Say, perhaps you're down a healer or end up with a party of squishies?

I think I have a pretty firm grasp on different types of recruiting, at least recruitment via invite, flaxseed, and a standalone thread. Are there any tips to attract a specific type of players you're looking for? Like say you wanted players that were heavy on the role play, or wanted players that leaned toward creative problem solving instead of straight forward methods? Without explicitly asking for those types of players. (I've seen people saying they preferred heavy role playing to get in a game just to have their dice roll as the only thing in their post in multiple posts, as an example.)

Recruitment styles is a matter of preference.

90% of my recruitment has either been an actual recruiting thread, where people submit characters and samples of roleplay, or me inviting a group that has previously played with me to a reunion game. If you are doing a recruitment thread, you can stalk your players. Past is prologue. It is pretty easy to see who is a roleplayer and who is just filling a seat.

That said... I have had some great luck with random tables. My first two tables as a PbP GM were first come, first serve and were simply awesome. I loved them. They loved me. We had great chemistry together.

My first table of Starfinder will be first come, first serve. I figure that we'll be exploring the game together. We may be as clunky as hell.

My best guess is that 70-80% of PbP tables are privately recuited. People are much more open for a random party when it is an evergreen. But if you're going to do a three part module with a group... And it is your only chance to play in that module, you might just decide to invite people that you know are great.

I am going to be doing another recruiting thread again soon... I want to do an all kitsune House of Harmonious Wisdom.

Hmm

Initial thoughts.

I'm leaning towards building tables with a mix of invited acquaintances and recruited new players. I'd like to gather a couple of types of people.

First, one or two great GMs who can have an opportunity to play while also providing me helpful feedback based on their own successful experience. They've earned the right to play as often as they'd like.

Second, one or two players whose style of PbP pushes the action and advances the story, players I'm familiar with from my own experiences playing with them.

Third, I'd like to invite a couple of new players, who want to join the PbP community. That introduction should leave them wanting to play again--and hopefully step up and GM for others. I'd give special consideration to players referred to me by people I know, either online through PbP or know from F2F play.

I won't be surprised by the occasional friction. That's life. Just gotta deal with it. Be up front about it with the player and rip the bandaid off.

Larry

What are the advantages/disadvantages of running PFS and non PFS games other than being able to deviate from the script running non PFS?

I'm going to address the substantive questions one at a time, and wait for discussion after each. So don't worry that I'm ignoring you or missed a question--yet :-P

Considering that anything done via pbp is pretty lengthy, what're you considering a long campaign? o: I read somewhere (can't remember where! @_@) that a typical Pathfinder scenario should run maybe about 4-6 weeks, but is there an estimate for quests, modules, or APs?

Modules should take 2-3 times as long as a scenario, but a lot of the scenarios I've played in have gone 8-12 weeks. I've never run or played a quest or AP though, even F2F. And here is the long campaign that I'm running:

Back to the topic at hand, though, have you found it to be the norm to consistently have at least one person that doesn't mesh with you so well in games when you GM? I've found the Flaxseed Lodge pretty open and cheerful (at least in gameplay), so I'm a bit surprised to hear that. Is it because of game behavior? Character decisions? /curious

Except for the two games where every player was an invite, there has probably been at least two characters I disliked playing with in every single game I've experienced (GM + play). Having said that, it is probably not the norm for other people. I am a lot pickier and more critical than most.

First, one or two great GMs . . . . They've earned the right to play as often as they'd like.

This is very important, and one of the reasons I listed public recognition as support for recruiting openly. Contributing to the Flaxseed Lodge, i.e. by GMing or helping Hmm with the tutorial, is the most powerful thing you can do to get noticed by other GMs. And everybody is human, we play favorites no matter how hard we try not to. So, be one of the favorites :-D

I've also noticed that games that go up at the Flaxseed Lodge fill up really, really, really quickly. Some people have sheets that appear to be first come, first serve and others have a lottery. Still others use recruitment threads to fill their needs. If it's the first two, do you encounter problems with party composition? Say, perhaps you're down a healer or end up with a party of squishies?

[u]First Come, First Serve[/u]

[u]Lottery[/u]
Pros Fair. Allows time for most of Flaxseed to express their interest.
Cons Party composition.

[u]GM Selection[/u]
Pros Party composition. Most fun for the GM.
Cons Most work. Least variety.

[u]To Do List[/u]

Are there any tips to attract a specific type of players you're looking for? Like say you wanted players that were heavy on the role play, or wanted players that leaned toward creative problem solving instead of straight forward methods?

I won't be surprised by the occasional friction. That's life. Just gotta deal with it. Be up front about it with the player and rip the bandaid off.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of running PFS and non PFS games other than being able to deviate from the script running non PFS?

I've done a lottery for my first PFS pbp, which I am struggling with and is why I sought out 101, and I have a player who only contributes when 'roll initiative' appears in the thread.

This despite actively asking for RPers.

I've already identified three of the group as players I would definitely like to GM for again, and probably the fourth too. The group works but it feels odd to have a silent partner.

That is why I stalk players when I do a recruitment. I am pretty clear that I want roleplayers who can post 2-3 times a day, but I look at player's aliases and see what they post as PbPers.

Doing a recruitment thread where you tell people that the GM is going to pick is pretty darn time-consuming, and also leads to rejection of good candidates. My one problem with recruitment threads is that I now have a reputation, earned or not, for being a fun GM. When I recruited for a tengu game, I got far more good candidates then I could use. But wow. What a team I got! I GMed them for Murder's Mark, and then enjoyed that so much I GMed them for two other games. The group had phenomenal chemistry.

With that group, I picked a character (Wei Ji's grandmotherly elderly tengu paladin) as my central pick because that character would promote lots of roleplay. And then I picked the team to go with her. It was a family adventure, with a bunch of teenage tengus being bossed by grandma.

My gosh, that game was fun!

Hmm

Ooooh, a nice list of answers! c: I really liked the note about making sure you don't pick up players who post at the same time as you. I could definitely see that souring a game - everyone posting all at the same time as the GM could seriously confuse things.

If you're GM picking for party composition, is it also possible to say... sell party comp slots? A lottery for healers or tanks or dps, for example, or even first-serve first-come'ing it?

How were you able to best determine who would promote lots of roleplay? I'm a big fan of character development, interaction, and roleplay. If I'm being frank, some of the scenarios I've participated in made me a bit sad (maybe because it was pbp? idk T_T) because there was a lot of focus in just getting the task done/meeting the milestones and not so much in actually interacting. I'm really enjoying the interactions in this thread and in several others currently, but are there any big cues?

It's odd. I don't mind having players who are in synch with my time zone. It makes faster games a bit easier when that happens.

So... What do you mean by "sell party comp slots?"

I have seen recruitments where GMs have asked for a divine caster or a melee specialist. I do look to see if party members are versatile and can cover different roles, but I don't want it to be just mechanics. A creative party can overcome a hole in its party's composition, especially if the members built for versatility more than for power.

There are lots of different ways to look at party composition, too. One thing that I tend to look for longer term groups is whether they have a good balance between hammers (melee specialists), arms (support) and anvils (battlefield control). But that's mostly a combat analysis. Outside of combat, I look for skills. I look for humor. I look for whimsy. Are they having fun?

I look to see if they are 'generous' posters. Do they provide hooks and pushes? Do they try to link in other members of their party, building off of them, or providing their own RP hooks?

I'll note that it is a lot of work to run a recruitment. Maybe you don't want to do that all the time, for everything. But if you decide to do it, Wilmannator put together a great Recruitment guide..

I mainly see GM pick recruitments done for longer adventures -- modules and up. This is because if you are going to devote a period of time to a group, you want it to be a really good group. Most PFS adventures are short enough that if there is a problem player, you can just grit your teeth and finish. But if you're in this for the long haul... you want a group that will make it worth your while.

Or at least, I do. If you want to see an example of a recruitment, feel free to look at The Recruitment for Murder's Mark of Crows. Notice the sample roleplay that I had them do together in the discussion area. That told me quite a bit, including a bit about how they reacted to one another.

I did do some choices for Party Composition, but really, I wanted that group chemistry to be there from the beginning. I wanted these birds to learn things about themselves and each other, and I wanted them to have fun while they were at it!

Hmm

I think a great PbP post accomplishes both role-play and story advancement.

I most enjoy role-playing when we respond to the dialogue and actions of the other players and elicit responses from others through our own PC's actions and speech.

At the same time, a good post lets everybody know what we're doing within the current social or combat encounter, and by the time the encounter concludes, gives an indication about how our characters are proceeding towards accomplishing our ultimate goals.

When I'm GMing in F2F play, if the players are getting off-track or seem to be locked in an endless discussion of what-ifs and hypothetical-thens, I usually try to nudge them towards a decision.

Sometimes subtlety fails, and then it might have to be as plain as "Okay, take a vote," especially with a table full of passive-aggressive-alpha-male-murder-hobo-nerds. Don't want anybody getting mad and throwing cheetos. They taste too good to waste.

I apologize for not posting lately. I have heat exhaustion, and it's a lot more draining in real life than in Pathfinder. I don't even have the mental energy to watch a movie without taking a nap.

The good news is that two days of rest and lots of water is all its supposed to take to recover, so I'll hopefully be back on Tuesday.

Oof! That sounds terrible! Recover well!

It also helps to have a couple of scantily clad servants fan you with giant peacock feathers while you recline on your divan.

I'm feeling better now, but couldn't quite get everything done today that I wanted. Will resume our game tomorrow morning.

Welcome back to the living!

Stay cool! In both meanings of the word! \o/ That said, I'm glad you're feeling better. c:

Are there any tips to attract a specific type of players you're looking for?

The only thing I've come up with is to explicitly ask for the type of player you're looking for, then research the applicants to make sure.

The best luck I've had so far was with this recruitment.

I'd like to start off by saying holyyyyy o_O?!!! That schedule of mods is very, very intimidating.

I really liked that you straight up asked for links to past examples of roleplay - I also liked that you had so many people reply with exactly what you wanted. I wouldn't have expected that kind of specificity to work out so well, especially in so short a span of time. It also looks like it was a single recruitment for someone that maybe dropped out? Either way, it's pretty impressive that you got so many applicants so quickly... *eyeballs GM* Of course, that might just be because of who was running the game... *bows down*

*eyeballing threads* Plus, it's for Core - is there a difference in demand between Core/Classic? I've seen a couple of recruitments for them in the Flaxseed Lodge and it always feels like they fill up right away!

Is there a reason that you have so many mods back to back like in your schedule? Is there a connecting theme? Are they chronological? Is there some secret mystery to that list? @_@

There is a huge difference in demand, I would guess that over half of people don't even play core campaign at all.

As to that schedule: I wanted to GM a long running game with a fixed group of players, but had heard bad things about APs on PbP. Basically, they never finish. By using scenarios instead, the hope is that it will be easier to replace players as time goes on. And also easier for the players to continue with their characters if I drop.

I would love to have a story arc tying together the scenarios, but it was hard enough finding games that everybody could still play for credit.

And as to the quickness of the response: that's just because it's for a long-running campaign. Those seem to be much more popular with players.

I'm interested in seeing how you GM a situation like this, where the party is effectively split, even though it's a social encounter.

At a rate of one post per day, it has the potential to take a looonnnnggg time to resolve.

How do you advance the narrative/action or encourage the players to do so?

What I do is set down a map with all the NPCs color coded on it, and tell people who is where. I let the PCs go where they want, and I don't wait a super long time either.

_____

In the last PBP Gameday, there was an amazing GM whose life imploded. She left 25 abandoned tables behind. I picked up one of them, Consortium Compact. Her group had basically entered the bar and stalled, and then 4 weeks had gone by without a GM post. So I knew that if I was going to breathe life into this DEAD game, I had to start it up with a bang, and lots of interesting action.

Here's how I laid out the scene to give the party direction and energy!

Here's the map! (SLIDE TWO)

My color-coded ninjas are my generic people. I have a rainbow of them and they are abstract enough to be able to step in for an endless number of NPCs.

As you can see, they now had a map (my slideshow) in front of them, some idea who everyone was, and events in progress in which they could join. This got them going again!

Hmm

Thanks, Hmm. Fave'd your linked post for future reference, when I'm faced with similar situations. Awesome job!

@GM Granta: Hmmm, okay, it's good to know that people like long-running campaigns. I'd actually hoped to run a long campaign myself! I'm currently running Master of the Fallen Fortress (nonPFS) because it's among the recommended short games to try running so you know what you're signing up for.

That said, I know you've mentioned you're shying away from APs, but how would you recruit for them? o:

@GM Hmm: Ooooh, that looked really good! \o/ I adore the ninjas. c: Would you mind horribly if I stole them or the idea?

I really liked that you just sort of gave them the information - it's a quick way to jump start the game after everything seemingly stopped. Rather than staring at a room, trying to figure out what's going on, there's suddenly life and activity~! I'm favoriting the post! c: It looks like it'd be really good to know not only if I end up helping with a stalled game, but it also seems like it'd be a good way to keep things moving at a brisk pace in taverns/social areas. c:

I have been enjoying the Red Arm of Absalom's long campaign of PFS. It's been a series of PFS adventures with a team that I like. There's been no grand plan. Just a... "Oh this sounds like fun!" moment.
Occasionally, Red and I will trade off the GM Chair so he can have a break. It's a team with good chemistry, and who knows how to roleplay while kicking monster butt. They've been doing all the specials in PbP.

Regarding the ninjas... I found the original grey ninja avatar somewhere, then shifted its color in Google Drawings. (Not Slides. Drawings. If you pick a simple grey image, you can replicate it in every shade of the rainbow.) Then copy and paste the results to your slides.

Feel free to steal all my ninjas if you like!

The other thing to notice about the tavern scene jumpstart was that I weaved in hooks for the PCs to follow. Notice how I mentioned their names, and showed the NPCs reacting to them? Those hooks were invitations that said, "Leap right in!"

Hmm

I'm interested in seeing how you GM a situation like this, where the party is effectively split, even though it's a social encounter.

I actually think this is easier in PbP. All you have to do is separate the NPCs with some sort of divider, or into their own posts.

How do you advance the narrative/action or encourage the players to do so?

This can be a lot harder though. A lot of tables slow down outside of combat. I suspect three primary causes:

• The character doesn't have something productive to do.
  
• The player is waiting to see what others say.
  
• The player isn't interested in role-playing.

Only nine players from my evergreen arc asked to reserve a spot in your games. The list is here. Please write your name in column G for any players that you wish to seat at your table.

Once all nine of those players have a seat somewhere, we'll go through registering your tables for GDVI.

I lay hooks out for players to try to entice them into roleplaying with me. NPCs will address them directly, or do other things. Sometimes it takes a while. So... I'm going to invite you guys to read through the gameplay that I did for Consortium Compact, because of what happened during it with one of the characters. It shows sort of how a player can get slowly involved.

1) When I took the game's pulse in discussion, only 4 players responded. I thought, "Okay, we'll do the whole thing with 4 player adjustment."

2) Two of the players said they weren't sure they would always be able to make the pace that I set so that we'd finish before the end of the gameday, but 2 of the players said they'd be willing to bot.

3) So... We go to the second combat in the sewers when suddenly player 5 shows up, posts something, then disappears for three days.

4) I PM him. I address him in discussion. I wonder... Is he gone now?

5) Nope, days later, he pops back again, posts something, and then disappears again.

6) He has no character sheet on his character's profile. He was used to the game moving slowly. He is clearly a very new player, and has no idea that the game has a discussion thread. He's never looked at his PMs. I can't bot him because well, I have no idea what he has for equipment. I can't give the group 4 player adjustment, because he is there, however tangentially.

7) So I do the only thing I can do. I keep posting entertaining gameplays and keep trying to engage him.

8) Slowly, it dawns on him... The game is actually moving forward now on a daily basis. So he starts logging in more regularly. Eventually he notices the messages in his inbox, and answers me. We work out his character sheet. He discovers the discussion thread. He gets more and more excited as the game progresses. By the final battle, he's participating fully.

9) At the end, he talks about the positive experience he had.

So what started out as something really frustrating to me as a GM became something of which I am intensely proud.

I think that we can inspire the sort of playing that we want from our players. We may not always get the full dazzling posts we want, but if we can engage them in the story, we can work wonders.

Hmm

NPCs will address them directly, or do other things. Sometimes it takes a while.

As simple and obvious a tool as that is, I'm not sure I've actually used it yet. Sure, I respond to PCs directly, but I don't think I've ever initiated direct conversation as a hook.

Will definitely have to add it to my toolbox, as I can't imagine it being ineffective.

It really is. Especially if you do so in character. Here I am trying to get my prodigal poster and another disengaged dwarf into the storyline, by haranguing them:

Meanwhile, the figure continues scratching himself and ranting to the dwarves. "Did you hear me, Dwarves? I'm sick! The people down here are SICK. You're sitting on top of a leper colony. A PRIVATE leper colony. We want to just hang out and lose our body parts in peace. Unless you want to stay and have bits fall off you as well? First thing to go is your nether parts, you know."

He grins, showing you his raw and peeling skin. He tears off a long, discolored strip of flesh and waves it at you. "See? One day, you're minding your own business, and the next, you're stepping on your own hairy balls, which have fallen in your socks. Is that what you want? I don't think so."

He waves his scrawny, peeling arms. "SHOO! GET OUT OF HERE!!"

Who can resist responding to something like that?

It's so nice seeing GM'S that have a passion for engaging players and storytelling. It saddens me to see the copy and paste GM's that seem to only do it for the credit. I had a GM of one of my games asking how to apply a credit literally a day after the scenario started. And the only things posted have been the guide verbatim. Like when you copy paste the PDF it leaves a weird spacing problem, and he's not even bothering to fix it. That was my trigger. I knew the more GM's there were that that took pride in that their storytelling the less people there would be forced to suffer through those games.

I don't know that I'll be that great at GMing, but I know I'll do my best to make it interesting. It won't be simply pass this check, combat, dice roll, combat, chronicle sheet. At the end of my scenarios I want my players disappointed it's over, not thankful they're getting the xp and chronicle.

I tried to be fairly vague in my complaining. I don't want to point at anyone specific. I would almost say something to them, but I feel like it'd be super rude/ embarrassing if they were really trying their best.

Oh, wow. That is... That's so cool! Oh, man, I'm so excited now that I've read your experience that I'm not even sure how words work!

It's really cool that something so frustrating could turn into something awesome -- kind of like you were an IRL god giving him blessings so he could reroll until he got through the encounter both unscathed and with an awesome experience! Plus, from the way you're talking about it, not only is it something you're really proud of, but... I bet it taught you some things about yourself, too! I could be wrong, but I've always thought those sorts of moments do. :3

I'll have to keep that in mind - always be patient and reach out! I'll strive to follow after your example!

Here's another question though - what would've happened if he never came back? o: Would the party have continued on, down a dwarf cleric?

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GM Granta, is there a number of players we should be looking to snag? o: I immediately recognized some of those names as other GMs who, as far as I've seen in the Flaxseed Lodge, are both awesome and highly recommended. (I may or may not have been tempted to steal the whole list... /shot)

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Teflon, sir, I agree! I can't say I've had any such encounters like that -- that actually sounds as though it would've been very disheartening. I would probably have not wanted to touch pbp for a long time after that, especially if it had been my first.

I did get a pretty handly little list of high-roleplay scenarios to use which I'm definitely planning to flex a bit once I've gotten 'em and learned 'em! There's nothing that pleases me more than some good, healthy interaction between players.

I guess my experience is a bit different? I've had games where I felt like the other players just wanted to get the whole thing over with and there was minimal interaction with NPCs. In at least one of those games, the GM seemed to throw their hands up and just go forward with the rolling and the combat which made me pretty sad since I'd been having fun talking with some of the NPCs, but, well... Don't split the party and all that, right?

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Which I guess brings me to another question - what happens if you derped or accidentally made yourself sad in recruiting and end up with a group that maybe doesn't suit the way you intended to handle the game?

Or, alternatively, what happens if the group doesn't mesh with each other and there's one person that's super into combat, roleplay, or other and the rest of the party wants to do something else?

It was my 2nd or 3rd PbP game and it was a little disheartening, but I'm overly optimistic and was way too excited about discovering Pbp as an outlet to believe it was anything but a fluke or rare occurrence.

I +1 Liasna's question. (Not just cause she flirted with Teflon) :). But to reiterate are there any tips to help a player whose style seems to clash with the majority? Do you pm them with suggestions or try and work them in with NPCs?

Liasna, do you mean the list of players who have reserved a seat for The Wounded Wisp? My recommendation is that you start with 4 players for your first few turns as a GM. Whether you want to grab all of them off the reserved list is totally up to you.

All I care about is that the 9 of them get a seat in somebody's game.

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When it comes to dealing with a difference in play styles, my personal feelings are:

• PFS Scenarios are short enough that I don't address the issue until the end.
  
• I address the issue by not GMing again for players who don't enjoy the same style as myself.
  
• People enjoy what they enjoy, and shouldn't be expected to change styles.

Yes, I did! I just didn't want to steal too many of them from the list or, you know the opportunity to have 'em from others. c: I'll just nab two for the time being!

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I really liked the idea of a "weighted lottery". I'm applying for one of GM.Boldr's games and he (I think it's a he?) points out that selection is going to be based on a loaded lottery and then explains what he means by it. I actually saved the post because I liked it so much - I figured it was a good kind of mix between a lottery, GM selection, and a good time?

And I agree that people shouldn't be expected to change styles to be able to play a game - I was more wondering if anyone has had such a problem and been able to address it so that everyone comes out having a good experience so that odd man out isn't sad or so that the group isn't a bit awkward?

(And thanks, Teflon! One of my pet projects is seeing if I can get at least one of my characters to build relationships with fellow Pathfinders, whether they be friendship or more, if only to, you know, to add a bit more fun and immersion. ^o^)

I've signed up JAF0 because we played together before.

Not going to get greedy though.

Is there a standard set of prereqs you use when choosing players? X number of Pbp games completed, x number of characters fully built with profiles and backgrounds to help understand style, average post speed, average post size, etc.

I'm sure PFS and non PFS different somewhat, but honestly more curious about non PFS as that seems to about low much more creativity.

(I'm actually having a lot of fun with it Liasna. I think it will be interesting to see the relationship between the two adventurers develop, and how their dynamic ends up affecting the storytelling.)

Regarding the handling of initiative, I noted your ooc question in GM kuey's Thornkeep Level 2 gameplay thread.

I like the methodology I've seen playing with GMG/Magabeus (example).

It seems to maintain a good pacing, while enabling the players to post as they can, and only pausing for the GM to post the bad guys' actions, before resuming the next grouping of players' actions in the initiative order. At the end of each round, the GM recaps what happened and adds some cinematic and dramatic flair.

Conversely, if the GM enforced to a strict order-of-initiative posting sequence, it could seriously bog down the action as everyone waited for the one player to post.

Seems to work very well, but there might be other methods that appeal to other GMs.

I am actually a devout believer in initiative order. It is a fundamental component of the game that doesn't just affect combat, it can heavily influence character creation. I see this dilemma as the traditional "mountain out of a mole hill" response.

I've completed 20+ games as a PbP GM, and had to retcon less than a dozen actions because of discrepancies between posting and initiative order. Assuming 4 combats per scenario, 2 rounds per combat, and 5 players: that is a retcon rate of appoximately 1%. And it's not because players wait and post in turn order; very few do that, and they generally announce it when they do.