Need Advice for Running a Smaller Game

Picked up the Beginner Box for my brother's birthday and decided that I would be GM as I'm the only one with roleplaying experience. I've been GM for a handful of games back in 3.0 so my experience there is pretty limited. In those games, I averaged around 6 PCs.

The new group that wants me to GM only consists of 3 of us. Normally, one would GM and the others would be PCs. What's your take on how to handle this with a players that are new to RPGs? Obviously a party of two is lacking several of the skills and abilities available to a standard party. My brother says to just create and run a PC along with GMing. My thinking is to instead occasionally have an NPC act as a volunteer or mercenary in difficult encounters. How do you guys run games with small groups?

Give the players 2 additional skill points per level. Most of the non-combat versatility a party has comes from the wide variety of skills and magic abilities a full party has. Granting extra skill points will help the group deal with a broader array of situations.

In terms of Combat, you may consider allowing each character to act twice in one round, once at their normal initiative and once at their initiative -10 (negative initiatives just go "last"). This will let them have the same number of actions a 5 person party would have, allowing a 2 person party to more easily deal with challenges designed for 4 (they'll still be weaker than a full party, but it won't be insurmountable)

Finally, once everyone has some experience under their belts and a handle on the mechanics, look up the Gestalt rules option. It is almost ideal for a small group to take on the challenges of a large group.

Good luck.

I've often had NPC characters in games smaller than 4 players. You could also give one of them a henchman; 1st level expert or warrior just to cover their behinds.

My suggestion for smaller games is to let them recruit henchmen and other minions. Also, I'd suggest that a lot of nontraditional concepts work pretty well when there are only a couple of players---you can borrow heavily from the plots of Conan stories and the like in ways that don't really work with 4-8 players.

In a similar situation, I let the two players each have two characters and I played one myself. It worked out well. The combat went very fast and players got confused about their guys a little, but they enjoyed running two PC's.

The only hang up I had was finding a balence between over and under playing my character. I didn't want him to be the standout because he knew all that I knew, nor did I want him to not act when someone in his position would. I did use him to provide some direction and guidance with his suggestions, and believe it or not, his(my) suggestions were not always followed.

For example, the party was almost taken out (but killed the moster) and scrambled out to get back to camp before anything else hit them. In their haste, they forgot to search the beast's lair losing out on a $62,000 item. My guy suggested that they go back and look, but they wanted to go on with the adventure. It was hard not to do more than that, since I had a stake in some of that money.

But like I said, other than situations like that, our group of 3 has fun runing 5 characters.

In a similar situation, I let the two players each have two characters and I played one myself. It worked out well. The combat went very fast and players got confused about their guys a little, but they enjoyed running two PC's.

The only hang up I had was finding a balence between over and under playing my character. I didn't want him to be the standout because he knew all that I knew, nor did I want him to not act when someone in his position would. I did use him to provide some direction and guidance with his suggestions, and believe it or not, his(my) suggestions were not always followed.

For example, the party was almost taken out (but killed the moster) and scrambled out to get back to camp before anything else hit them. In their haste, they forgot to search the beast's lair losing out on a $62,000 item. My guy suggested that they go back and look, but they wanted to go on with the adventure. It was hard not to do more than that, since I had a stake in some of that money.

But like I said, other than situations like that, our group of 3 has fun runing 5 characters.

I can see how this strategy would work in combat situations, but does it breakdown in roleplay encounters? How well does it go in a "split personality" type situation when both of a player's characters converse with each other? I guess I've had to do something similar with NPCs as a GM, so it might not be too bad.

Another concern is simply complexity. My players are completely new to the idea of RPGs and I can see things being slow going even in normal circumstances. Would running multiple characters be much more daunting?

Also, what's the consensus on GM run PCs? Does it work without coming off as having too heavy-handed of a GM influence in the world? Does it create unsure headache and bookkeeping for the GM?

Appreciate your opunions. Thanks.

As for the additional headache, I was worried about that, so I made a sword and board fighter, and just gave him feats to buff his stats and that's all, no power attack or anything like that. I got board with him quickly and when he got to the appropriate levels, I started swapping is feats out for more interesting ones. It wasn't hard for me to keep up with him. Now a wizard or cleric or some new class that I am not familiar with, might be different.

This might be too complex for new guys, but it will give them twice the experience playing different guys, especially when they get a few sessions under them.

I guess our role playing has fallen off, but part of that comes with having two players versus five. The players don't talk to themselves, and when they interact with NPC's they usually put their best guy forward, which is usually what happened anyway.

If you don't let them have 2 characters, you could let them be one level higher, or give them stat bonuses or skills as Doomed Hero noted above, or you could nerf the encounters.

Dude, just slow-pitch stuff to them to help get them used to the basic concepts and mechanics. Have them fight a lone Orc or something easy. Once they get comfortable, introduce the idea of multiple characters per player -- if they're game, work the new characters into the campaign. That in itself can be a fun role-playing situation!

I've done this a couple of times, and I've found that each player will view one of his characters to be the "dominant" personality -- his go-to guy for role playing. That's OK...in full parties, it's been my experience that one or two of the players are the dominant role-players anyway, and the rest of the group usually sits in the peanut gallery until their unique skills are needed or combat begins. That's a group dynamic for you...just let it happen!

The key is, make sure your players are having fun. If you have to bend the rules a little or intervene with a "hand of God" now and again, then so be it. Good luck!

If you're worried about split personality syndrome here's a thought: have one of your players' characters be an undead controller. In place of some gear at the beginning of the game, have the cleric or necromancer start with the "gift" of some skellies or a zombie or something. Now you've got an extra combatant or 3 and all they can say is "RRRR" or "HSSSS" so it's all good.

As the game progresses and the party gets more comfortable with the rules and roleplay if you find they need another spellcaster, more skill monkeys etc pepper in interesting NPC's like Yanov "Snickers" Mc Snickerdoodle, the lovable Halfling Rogue who winks a lot and calls everyone Mary. If the party needs him then make up an excuse to send him along.

A good duo would be an arcane duelist bard and a magus. An inquisitor would work in place of the bard (and work well) but the good buffs offered by the bard are good and it plays well as a pretty boy. An inquistor shouldnt replace the magus as you need a lot of the arcane spells.

It would be like moving violations (that old 1980s cop movie, Tango and Cash also come to mind).

Edit: Give the Magus a trait that gives access to Stealth as a class skill. It allows for the two to go stealthy together.

Nothing wrong with having them playing 2 characters each. Ideally have them think of one of them as the main character and the other one as the sidekick.

I actually perfer these campaigns sometimes because the play goes quickly.

Sooooooooooooooooooo... this hasn't been relevant in a bit, buuuuuuuuut:

As a long-time GM of small (and large) groups, MeleeMonster80 is pretty close to spot-on for new players. Really, take what a normal encounter would be and cut it in half.

Have trouble justifying a lone orc attacking? Make the villain a pompous, self-absorbed glory-seeking gladiator type who's jealous of the skills (not their success or anything... just their potential to take glory away from him).

* A cavalier who's the order of the rooster is perfect for this, as an example.

* A barbarian class but civilized guy who lives in their town.

* A fighter can do well here

* The local crime boss (rogue) could cause trouble

* A bard would be able to destroy people, socially: meanwhile they are actual heroes.

Otherwise, low-ball them. A few kobolds, some minor traps, and have them raid the local town. Commoners get murdered, 'cause, c'mon: they're commoners facing warriors and experts (and rogues, and sorcerers for the more "powerful" ones).

Gestalt is great... but gets very complicated very quickly.

Multiple characters are great... but, depending on the players, (and your own ability) it can be quite difficult to separate them, as has been said.

I've used all of these ideas, and I'd suggest the easy grab first with a simple adventure and low-powered enemies (that would still overwhelm commoners).

Increase as you go - it works well. Give them (after a few levels or as a second level "reward") an extra character/ally/follower. OR let them gestalt. OR anything else. But give them a few (roughly ten-ish) encounters and some good, decent roleplaying with it all, and then you can amp it up to other things.

Also, encourage them to take risks. Many times, new players take problems and don't want to take risks. Make it valuable and even necessary that they do so. Feel free to encourage them out of character occasionally too. Don't be heavy handed about it, but work with them aloud or not.

Over all: have fun!

If the group is new, they're more likely to do more "roll playing" and less "role playing" anyway, so having them run two characters won't really be a problem. They'll say things like. "This guy does this, that guy does that."

Alternately, throwing in two extra warriors as henchmen until the two PCs are strong enough to survive is an acceptable way to go as well.

Finally, cutting encounters in half is good where possible, but some things might have to be cut completely, if they involve one more powerful creature.

I disagree with multiple characters - New players have hard enough time learning how their one character can behave.

I also disagree with a GM character (but less severe disagreement) - The GM can run an NPC that joins them on occasion. Also you can give the momentary advice from the gods.

Just reduce the number of opponents or lower the level of singleton opponents.

+1 to just dropping the challenge of encounters to something they can deal with. Rather than a DMPC, just give them a home or mobile base to return to. It gives them a few recurring NPCs to build roleplay and relationships, a place to heal and shop etc. Could be a pathfinder chapter, the local church or nobility, a travelling family of alchemists, any place that can offer support without doing the advturing for them.
3 or less player games are awesomely personal, and if you're accidentally about to TPK, remember alternatives like switching to nonlethal and taking prisoner, whther to bring to the BBEG or to store for snacking.

I've used GM characters. Generally they're impulsive, generous, humble, and less-optimal, as well as self-sacrificial. The last is especially useful for when a dire situation is happening and one of the other characters are about to die - BAM - that's the time for the GM(n)PC*! Also, there's less difference than an NPC that joins them on occasion and a GM character than many suppose in principle (although in practice they can be very different, I do understand).

* I've had more GM characters die that way. Also don't go out of your way to replace or raise him/her in that case because otherwise the death is cheapened. If the players can do it, however, that's pretty cool and an amazing moment when that happens.

EDIT: but yeah, over all, lower the challenge rating.

Now I want to bring in a gmpc reincarnating druid to my next small party game. Possibly with a taste for wearing red...
Maybe even as the focus of the game, like the PCs are bodyguards hired by this wandering immortal, or related to, or reporting/spying on, otherwise as their faithful companion Kenny...

Let them rescue and save the life of a cleric, oracle, inquisitor, or some other divine class. Then make it so that npc has a vow of silence and feels a duty to serve. That way you have a helpful npc who has a religious reason to not speak (casting and prayer only). That way, you dont have to act, speak, or make significant decisions for the assistant.

Also, if you want to work on your own roleplaying chops, you have a cool character who can emote and interact but not speak. And if you ever do have the npc speak, and break the vow, suddenly they know things just got serious.

Give the players 2 additional skill points per level. Most of the non-combat versatility a party has comes from the wide variety of skills and magic abilities a full party has. Granting extra skill points will help the group deal with a broader array of situations.

Good luck.

Right, and add in some healing, like a wand or something. Also, give them max HP for first few levels or the Toughness feat for free.

Don’t go the DMPC route. Op- you and your PCs aren’t very experienced, so one PC per person, and no DMPCs for the DM.

Is there already an adventure path that exists that is more geared towards two players? I want to do one with my small groupbut don't want to have to constantly nerf everything or try to figure out how much to boost the PC's.

Treat the group as APL -2 for designing encounters. That means at level 1 a CR 1/3 is a normal encounter. A CR 1/2 is tougher, a CR 1 is difficult and a CR 2 might lead to player character death. As a guideline it works pretty well.