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I would suggest making the assignment bold next time, so that it jump out in the wall of discussion post, and is easier to notice.
Here is my GM alias.
What are people's thoughts on GM'ing at different character/adventure levels? I always assumed that combat got increasingly trickier with added abilities, but everything else less so.
Can you GM at a level that you haven't played as a PC?
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What are people's thoughts on GM'ing at different character/adventure levels? I always assumed that combat got increasingly trickier with added abilities, but everything else less so.
Can you GM at a level that you haven't played as a PC?
It's the same as GM'ing any game. Combat gets trickier because the higher level monsters have more abilities to choose from but there's no real difference. The DC's are higher but other than that, there's no real difference...
My highest level character is 6 (one adventure away from Lvl 7) and I've done a 9-12 scenario. Just that you can't apply the chronicle to the character until you meet the level minimum.
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In PF levels make less of an issue since the game is balanced. In reply to GM Thoughtfulmonkey question I would say it shouldnt matter bacause most of the time your playing monstes with unique abilities. Let the players play the characters. certain classes I have never played if I had to know them all I would never be able to GM. I can't controll what the players do so I don't worry about their abilities. I can control monster's, NPC and locations. Those I focus on. I can't possibly know everything so at some point I'm going to have to deal with the unkown. as a player or gm.
Can you GM at a level that you haven't played as a PC?
I don't think it would be any more difficult than being GM for a character of a class that you haven't played.
I haven't played an Alchemist, so I only know the basic concepts. I haven't scoured through and learned about every last possible alchemical item in the game. So I have to rely on the player of that character to inform me of what items they have available and what they are capable of. Even at level 1.
I expect that it would be the same for characters of higher levels. I may not have played a character at that level, but I know the basic concepts are the same as at lower levels. The player characters will have more abilities and options, so it will be a bit more to keep track of. But the players of those character should be able to help. The NPC enemies of the party really don't tend to have more abilities - just more powerful ones. They wouldn't have the time to use a larger number of abilities, so the monster design is to only give them the powerful and character defining abilities that they will have time to use.
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What are people's thoughts on GM'ing at different character/adventure levels? I always assumed that combat got increasingly trickier with added abilities, but everything else less so.
Can you GM at a level that you haven't played as a PC?
I don't see this as a problem, at least no more complicated than GMing a group that has classes that you haven't played before. You just have to make it clear that the players are supposed to be familiar with their abilities and how they work, because you as the GM can't double check that they're taking into account every single bonus.
This seems far less of an issue in 2nd edition Pathfinder than in 1st edition or Starfinder, because of the action economy. Yes, as you level up, you do get access to more combo actions or free actions, and the monsters become more complex, but the amount of it that you have to deal with in a single turn stays relatively focused.
I GMed all the season 10 seeker scenarios before my only PFS characters at that time hit lv9. It went just fine.
But it's important to have a basic understanding of what a character can do at higher level, so that you don't slow down the game because you're not familiar with the math.
For example, a lv9 character deal 7d6+63 damage while charging with lance on his familiar, and there's prayer. If you can break down where the damage comes from with mental math, you don't have to spend time checking with players about their damage number.
For example, a lv9 character deal 7d6+63 damage while charging with lance on his familiar
That is a remarkably large amount of damage - especially the fixed damage - for a PF2 character. I'm suspecting you are meaning this for a PF1 character, yes?
However, speaking of damage, rolls, and bonuses:
One trick or technique that I have found helpful in PbP settings is to list out the temporary bonuses separately when rolling. And label them. That way they can be checked to make sure that the player isn't forgetting anything that exists, including anything that has ended, or including multiple bonuses of the same type.
I don't generally include the permanent bonuses such as Item bonuses to an attack roll from a weapon rune. But PF2 does have a lot of status/circumstance modifiers to skill bonus, attack rolls, and damage.
When a player posts:
then I can't check that they remembered to add the bonus from Guidance or the status penalty from Bane.
If instead they post:
then it becomes a lot easier to see.
But that is more of a player thing to do than a GM thing. As the GM all I can really do is request the players to format the roll expressions that way. I'm not going to drop a player because they don't do this.
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Yes, it can be more difficult to GM at some levels than others. Later levels are often harder to GM. However, at least in PF1 (which I consider my main game to GM and play), levels 1 and 2 are among the most difficult to GM for, because characters at those levels are just so fragile. (one of the evergreen intro scenarios has a monster who if it gets a critical hit, is probably going to kill a level 1 character).
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I would suggest making the assignment bold next time, so that it jump out in the wall of discussion post, and is easier to notice.
This is certainly not going to happen, because it encourages students to pay more attention to those posts, when the expectation is that students will carefully read every post, including those of other students.
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I interested in seeing the difference between PBP verus live. In my live GM we have less then four hours to get a scenerio done. (some one always comes late and the store closes.) Wont have that problem but I sure there will be others to make up for it. Like a GM that cant spell to sav hs lfe.
For example, a lv9 character deal 7d6+63 damage while charging with lance on his familiarThat is a remarkably large amount of damage - especially the fixed damage - for a PF2 character. I'm suspecting you are meaning this for a PF1 character, yes?
This is indeed PFS 1 character. It's 1d6+21+2d6+42.
1d6+9 +9 +1 weapon enhancement bonus +2 luck2d6 +42 is 200% of the base damage a.k.a 2x(1d6+21), from Lance + Spirited Charge feat's triple damage.
4d6 extra from Mammoth Hide Armor's bonus damage on charge.
22 STR, +1 weapon, and 1 damage buff is not something out of the ordinary at Lv9. Running those math might takes only a minute or two, but it still disrupt the flow of the game. Knowing what players can do at higher level can save times checking their insane number.
And I totally agree with your dice rolling notation for PbP game. If it gets too complex, we should put the bonus breakdown in a spoiler block.
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Assignment 4: Write your GM philosophy. Include it in your GM profile, and also post it here. Please feel free to look at the profiles of other GMs for inspiration. It's also fine to post a 'rough draft' here for discussion, if you would like.
I will, after the discussion for this assignment gets going, share my philosophy and also point you to a few of my favorite philosophies other GMs have posted.
(Mentors, I would encourage you to take this opportunity to read over any GM philosophy you have posted and perhaps adjust it if you need to. Feel free to post here, since some examples can be very helpful.
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I will be reaching out, or asking someone else to reach out, to each participant over PM in the next few days. Mentors will be running a game for their students, showing a bit more of the 'behind the scenes' than usual. After these games are over, if we've gotten far enough in classroom, some students will begin running games for each other. More details will be coming soon.
Assignment 4: Write your GM philosophy.
My apologies, but I don't understand the assignment. "GM philosophy" is not defined. I don't understand what that is or what it is intended to accomplish.
Is this something that my players are going to be reading so that they know how to interact with me as a GM? Or is it a collection of notes and guidelines that are for my personal benefit?
@GM Lantern: As an example you can have a look at - I will definitely steal adopt a few things from there... ;-)
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The GM philosophy serves two purposes. Firstly, it's important for you to think through things as will happen when you write it. Your answer to the assignment of what is a GM's job will provide you with lots of material. The other purpose is to tell prospective players more about you. They will read it and decide if they think they are likely to enjoy a game run by a GM with that philosophy. That's why it needs to be in your GM profile.
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@GM Lantern: As an example you can have a look at - I will definitelystealadopt a few things from there... ;-)
Feel to borrow/modify all you'd like. The thoughts, techniques, and ideas of your fellow GMs are often among your best resources.
As proof, my current GM profile was based upon reading the profiles of other GMs and I wrote it back when I attended GM School on these boards!
OK. So very much like what I have here.
Welcome to my games. I hope that we can tell some awesome and impressive stories together.
I am a Human male and prefer male pronouns. I am also Autistic - to the point of being only semi-verbal. I have given up playing live TTRPG games over the table in preference for the text-only format of Play-by-Post. Here I have the home-turf advantage.
Player Guidance: what I am hoping to get from you.
Chronomancy. Things don't need to be posted in chronological order all the time. Combat does. For other things, it is fine to react and interact with things even if the conversation, or even the scene, has moved on. Just include a short quote or other indication of what you are reacting to so that the rest of us can mentally place where the new content belongs in the timeline.
Null posting. If you have nothing to say, please say that. It greatly speeds up gameplay. If you don't post at all, it is not safe for me to assume that the reason is because you have read the current content and have decided not to interact with it. The safe assumption is that you haven't read the current content, and that I need to wait for you to do so. Yes, null posting feels a bit strange. At least at first. Try to do it anyway.
Doors. I tend to think of everything encountered in the game in terms of a dungeon crawl. A dungeon has rooms, corridors, and doors. Rooms are where something is happening. Corridors are the connection between the rooms. And Doors are what keeps the rooms separated. Doors end up being the most important for players to be aware of. A door may or may not have a check required in order to open it. But in any case, choosing to open and go through a door that is available is the way that the plot progresses.
Appoint a door kicker - one person who is authorized to make decisions for the group regarding which door to go through next ... or whatever equivalent there is for the current scene. They, of course, should do so with the plans of the entire party in mind. It doesn't have to be the same character for every scenario or circumstance. Or even be a permanent position.
I don't like having the profile header including things that change frequently. So, for example put your AC, Saves, and maximum HP in there, but not your current HP, status effects, items in hand, or spell slot usage.
Temporary stats should instead be tracked inline in the gameplay, or in a VTT that we are using. It is fine to only repost/update in the gameplay posts when the stat actually changes.
GM style guidance: what you can expect from me
Spoilers. As a player, you can read anything that I put in spoilers. The spoiler tag is to clearly indicate which information your characters do and don't know. Yes, there will be some unconscious metagaming as a result. I consider that to be the compensation for not being able to read my facial expressions and other body language.
Secret checks. Similar to spoilers, I don't really enjoy secret checks. I trust the players to play their successes and failures. So if there is something that you wan to do and you know what the DC is (or can guess that you succeeded/failed based on the roll result) go ahead and roll it and play it - secret check or not.
Chronography. Chronography is the character's playground - a block of game time where the players know what to expect and can play the scene out.
Roll for flavor. A roll for flavor is a check that has no defined consequences. The player freely chooses how to interpret the roll result for their character. A roll for flavor cannot be used to affect a different character (including NPCs) without the permission of that character's player. Any roll that is not asked for by the GM and/or is not required as part of an action that you are using will be considered a roll for flavor. I also reserve the right to downgrade a check required by the game rules to a roll for flavor - as is my perogative as a GM.
I prefer that the players are confident in their decisions. I will do my best to adapt a scene or encounter to any reasonable plan so that it is fun, challenging, possible to succeed at, and will have some sort of fail-forward option if things go badly. Any unreasonable plan that the players come up with will be explicitly warned against.
Play-by-Post adaptations: Specific things to make PBP go smoother - especially combat
Initiative. Initiative is grouped into blocks. You can post your actions at any point during your block. Effects that end at the start or end of your turn and affect other characters will end at the start or end of the block (most commonly relevant for sustained spells). Things that only affect you - like persistent damage - will happen as part of your turn as normal. Things that you start during your turn will take effect mid-block by default. If you specify wanting to take your actions before or after another character in the same block, I will try to accomodate that. But I can't guarantee that it will always work.
Reactions. If your character has a reaction that they would want to use, kindly mention that at the end of your combat posts. Especially if you have multiple of them, or if you have conditions on when you would want to use it or not or preferences on which enemy or ally it is used on. It cuts down on the amount of retcon that is needed for the enemy's turns.
My Boundaries:
Don't flirt with my NPCs. If you want to flirt with the other player characters, you can do so after getting explicit permission from their player - and keep it PG. Take anything more than PG off-screen.
I don't role-play deities. Religion exists, as do religiously affiliated characters - I have no problems with either of those. I will role-play religion leaders as well as high-ranking servants of deities who will speak to the player characters if necessary.
Your Boundaries:
If you have any boundaries, let us know in the discussion. Or message me privately about it if you are uncomfortable announcing it yourself.
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Done and done.
And here's the text so you don't have to load another page:
Games are fun! If they're not, let's address that in the Discussion tab so we can make improvements.
The rules are there to streamline the fun. When everyone agrees to play by the same rules, it's more fun. (Notice a theme here?)
Good sportsmanship is key to having fun. Being treated with respect and courtesy by everyone else at the table helps each participant enjoy themselves.
Real life comes first. Stuff happens. We all get busy. If you can, please let us know in the Discussion Tab or PM me if you won't be able to participate as agreed. Having botting instructions on your character sheet in advance can make this much easier to manage.
No GM gets it right all the time. I'm going to make mistakes. Feel free to respectfully point them out so I can improve/correct as necessary.
Enough philosophy! Now, let's talk logistics.
Posting frequency: At least once each weekday and once on weekends (unless the group agrees on a different plan in advance). If anyone is unable to post as agreed, please give advance notice in the Discussion tab.
Absences without notice: If you don't inform me of a return date, I will bot you for up to 7 days. If I haven't heard from you at that point, I will assume you have dropped from the game and you will not get a Chronicle for your participation.
Botting: Please include botting instructions on your Character Sheet. I will bot you when:
• We're in combat, and it's been 24 hours since your turn was announced.
• A skill check, map position, or other information is needed from you, and 24 hours have passed since that announcement was made;
• You tell me that you will be gone for a few days, and ask me to bot you.
I don't like botting, but I want to maintain a good pace in the game so people don't forget what's going on. If I bot anyone, their actions will be as simple as possible. I won't use non-renewable resources unless you give permission or the circumstances are dire (example: potions to heal dead/dying PCs). I may ask the party to vote on your character's actions if I'm not sure what you would choose to do.
Done and done.
And here's the text so you don't have to load another page:
** spoiler omitted **...
Wow, can I borrow this? Will include that I'm a new GM and will skip bots for now I think..
Done, borrowed a little from GM Warah but tried to do it a little personal.
I am a Human male and prefer male pronouns. I am also a little Autistic - so I can be socially awkward. This has made me finding games to play challenging until I discovered the PFS community, they are cool and welcoming and I was able to play games and even started 2 APs. anyway, I wanna give back so this is the reason I wanna try GMing.
Now, what can you expect from me?
I believe that:
Games are fun! If they're not, let's address that in the Discussion tab so we can make improvements.
The rules are there to streamline the fun. When everyone agrees to play by the same rules, it's more fun. (Notice a theme here?)
Good sportsmanship is key to having fun. Being treated with respect and courtesy by everyone else at the table helps each participant enjoy.
Real life comes first. Stuff happens. We all get busy. If you can, please let us know in the Discussion Tab or PM me if you won't be able to participate as agreed. Having botting instructions on your character sheet in advance can make this much easier to manage.
No GM gets it right all the time. I'm going to make mistakes. Feel free to respectfully point them out so I can improve/correct them as necessary.
Enough philosophy! Now, let's talk logistics.
Posting frequency: At least once each weekday and once on weekends (unless the group agrees on a different plan in advance). If anyone is unable to post as agreed, please give advance notice in the Discussion tab.
Absences without notice: If you don't inform me of a return date, I will bot you for up to 7 days. If I haven't heard from you at that point, I will assume you have dropped from the game and you will not get a Chronicle for your participation.
Botting: Please include botting instructions on your Character Sheet. I will bot you when:
• We're in combat, and it's been 24 hours since your turn was announced.
• A skill check, map position, or other information is needed from you, and 24 hours have passed since that announcement was made;
• You tell me that you will be gone for a few days, and ask me to bot you.
I don't like botting, but I want to maintain a good pace in the game so people don't forget what's going on. If I bot anyone, their actions will be as simple as possible. I won't use non-renewable resources unless you give permission or the circumstances are dire (example: potions to heal dead/dying PCs). I may ask the party to vote on your character's actions if I'm not sure what you would choose to do.
Now need to add to my alias I suppose..
I think that I forgot to add pointers for new players or what will make it more convenient to me, what to include or it will make the text too overwhelming? pick 1 or 2 that are important to me?
Now need only to attach pfs (or sfs) guidelines and new players pbp guide to not clutter the philosophy introduction. Philosophy is not a little heavy word?
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I usually post my philosophy and ground rules as the first post of the table. But Warah's looks good enough to borrow (sitting innocently beside Warah and copying her assignment; and hoping Redalia doesn't notice :) )
Making sure that your players have read what you have at the start of a game is definitely a good idea. The reason I'm insisting on putting it in your GM profile is that players need to be able to read it before they sign up for a game. As an example, I avoid any GM whose philosophy overemphasizes 'challenge,' because I tend not to enjoy such games.
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Here is a link to my Page and my philosophy.
https://paizo.com/people/GMVABarry/profile
I am going to highly recommend people to write there assignment on a word processor program. I say this because I didn't hit the post button and it blew up and lost all Brilliant Stuff (BS for short). It was great but couldn't recreate it. I didn't do it on this post. I mean it can't happen again.
Mistakes: Everyone makes them, including me. If you notice any discrepancies in rule interpretation, feel free to point them out and present the correct rule text/FAQ/errata. Ideally, share corrections in the Discussion thread using a spoiler tag or via private message. Your input helps improve the game for everyone.
Metagaming: As seasoned Pathfinder players, you'll inevitably recognize monsters and tactics. While this "System Mastery" is part of the game, I encourage you to keep the metagaming knowledge to yourself and stay true to your character's perspective and knowledge.
Expectations:
-Adhere to the rules of Pathfinder RPG, Organized Play, and the Paizo Forum.
-Treat fellow players and GMs with respect. Let's maintain a positive and inclusive environment.
-Your characters are expected to be professional Pathfinder agents, well-trained to handle all kinds of problems. Please ensure their actions and motivations don't stray too far from this.
Roleplay: Without the limitations of voice chat and tighter time constraints, I'm looking forward to seeing your characters come to life through detailed role-playing. Let's make the most of our format to create a rich, engaging story.
Time Management: Aim to post daily to keep the story moving. If you anticipate being unavailable, let us know so we can adjust accordingly without sidelining your character.
Null Posting: If you have nothing to add at a particular moment, simply stating so can expedite gameplay. It helps avoid unnecessary delays.
Marching Order: To navigate traps and hazards efficiently, please communicate your general marching order and who will take the lead in new areas.
Profile Headers: Include your character's AC, saves, Sense Motive, Perception modifiers, and maximum HP in your profile header. This helps me manage combat effectively. I will try to keep track of how much damage everybody has taken during combat, so you should not have to change every time you are hit.
Group Initiative: For efficiency, enemies of the same type may act as a group. Similarly, players with consecutive initiatives can act as a group, with their actions ordered to their advantage.
Attacks of Opportunity & Immediate Actions: If your character is poised for an Attack of Opportunity or has immediate actions ready, prepare your rolls in advance in a spoiler tag. This approach streamlines combat without sacrificing strategy.
Botting: Include botting instructions in your Character Sheet for occasions when:
-It's your turn in combat, and 24 hours have passed without action.
-A prompt requires your input, and 24 hours have elapsed.
-You've informed me of your temporary absence.
While I prefer you to control your character, maintaining game momentum is crucial. Bot actions will be straightforward, conserving resources unless absolutely necessary. For critical decisions, I may consult the party for input.
Hello
My GM philosophy is that "It is just a game but played with other people." So respect the other players and the GM, and if something is questionable, just ask first. If something is fun, but does not exactly follow the rules, then the rules can be bent a little.
Please post every day or give warning if you aren't able to.
Thank you.
Here's mine:
My approach
We’re all here to play a game.
It’s a game that the players are expected to win. So it’s more about the style in which you win, and the story we tell along the way.
People enjoy different parts of the game and have different play styles. Let’s try and find a compromise where everyone enjoys themselves. Let me know if the balance isn’t working for you.
Standard rules
- * Try to have fun and leave space for other people to have fun.
- * Content should be limited to a 12A / PG-13 rating.
- * Expected posting rate is once per weekday and once at the weekend.
- * If you can’t post for a while, please let everyone know (or just me if you prefer). We’ll either pause the game or your character will just stay in the background until you return.
Guidelines
- * If you don’t have anything to say, please still post something so that the game isn’t waiting for you. Maybe your character stands silently, nods in agreement, thinks about what to eat for dinner etc.
- * Try to include descriptions with your skill checks. You can describe an attempted action and then roll, or roll first and then describe the result.
Task completed. Here is mine as posted in my profile.
About me:
I am a grandfatherly male (he,him) who has been involved with table-top roleplay for over fifty years playing with friends, children and now grandchildren. I have learned that there is no perfection in life and that we must always strive to support and build up those around us. I still make mistakes and welcome your forbearance and help to keep things moving forward when I do.
Why I GM:
I agree to serve as the GM expecting have an enjoyable experience with each of you as we play a game together. I always fully expect that my players will endure to the end and emerge successful and victorious. In other words, the actual game is more about the collective story that emerges as we play together than whether you and I win or lose.
What I expect from Players:
As your GM I understand that I bring my own expectations and structures into the game. I also understand that each player brings their own expectation and structures. I expect players to work with me and the other players in finding a compromise where everyone enjoys themselves. This is only possible if the players are open and communicative about finding and maintaining that balance. Communication is a magic bullet, when in doubt communicate. Silence is a killer of both enjoyment and understanding.
Specific Requests and Preferences:
* Posts and communication in all channels should be limited to a PG-13 level and be both positive and inclusive.
* As communication is key, please expect to post at least once per weekday and once at the weekend.
* Absence, sickness, and just the normal interference of daily life is understood but needs to be communicated.
* Please assist me in knowing how to proceed by establishing and maintaining an order of march and which character will take the lead in certain situations.
* Please stay true to the perspective and knowledge of your character throughout in-game communications. The game is about what your character knows and not about what you, the player, knows.
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GM Philosophy (credit to GMs Warah, Valen and Takeyablue)
Hi all. Before we start, let me share a bit about my GMing philosophy.
I will bot you under the following circumstances:
•It's combat, and 24 hours have passed;
•A skill check, map position, or other information is needed from you, and 24 hours have passed since the all for the check, map update, etc., was made;
•You tell me that you will be gone for a few days, and ask me to bot you. IMPORTANT Please ensure you have supplied botting instructions on your character profile.
I prefer not to bot, but I want the game to keep moving. If I do bot you, it will likely be minimal. I won't use player non-renewable resources except in dire situations or with your permission (most likely, heal charges when absolutely necessary). I may take consensus and/or input from the remaining party when choosing bot actions.
Ground Rules and Logistics
1) I am based in Southeast Asia (UTC +8) so my posting hours may be unusual (especially for those in North America). I usually update at least one or twice per day. Just to keep the game moving, please post at least once every day and at least once during the weekend.
2) Please keep all posts and communication in all channels limited to a PG-13 level and be both positive and inclusive.
3) Please label all three of your actions. Even if you think what you are doing is obvious.
4) If I am unavailable for longer than 24 hours, I will let you know in the Discussion Tab. Out of respect for your fellow players and myself, I ask that you do the same.
5) Please note that on the following days, my posting can get unpredictable:
Tuesday/Thursdays - all day, as they are the 2 busiest days of my work week
6) Please complete the Macros and the Slides linked at the top of the page.
7) Questions, concerns? Feel free to share them in the Discussion tab.
8) Let's have some fun and tell a great story together! After all, that's what we are here for.
I am not really good at this, so I might do some copy-pasting here and there that I find fit for my GMing style and personality. I hope there is still enough time for me to make one by tomorrow.
So far, I only have ground rules that I lay on Discussion of every game I GM:
1. Please sign up for the game on the provided Sign-Up Sheet (linked above) and enter the essential information your GM needs for your Chronicle: Player Name, Character Name, Organized Play Number, Character Number, among others. We will use the RPG Chronicles website for this purpose.
2. Please take a moment to fill out the required information on page 2 of Slides and Maps (linked above) for character tokens and marching order. Additionally, make sure to update the Macros (linked above) on any available Sheet between Player 1 to Player 6 for your character’s basic information, core stats, and skill modifiers. This will help us start promptly.
3. To facilitate easy reference, ensure your character's stat block/header includes the following information: Hit Points (HP), Armor Class (AC), Saving Throws (Fortitude, Reflex, and Will), Perception bonus, and Speed.
4. If you need area templates (burst, cone, emanation, line) for your spell or aura, they can be found on pages 3 to 7 of the Slides mentioned earlier. You can copy and paste them onto the Encounter Map (linked in the initiative tracker during combat/encounter). These templates are already adjusted for the Encounter Map we will use, so no resizing is necessary. They are also available under my alias GM Frost as Area Templates.
5. Please be active in the game and make a post at least once every day, and once on weekends. As per the Organized Play Foundation Community Standards and Expectations, we adhere to the principle of "Explore, Report, Cooperate." Therefore, any non-consensual character-versus-character conflict is strictly prohibited. Before including fellow PCs in damaging effects, players must obtain their consent. Violating this rule may result in Infamy points and potential consequences for your character's playability. This rule does not apply in situations where a character is under the control of an NPC and forced to attack a fellow Pathfinder.
6. During combat, we will use a block initiative system. PCs in the active block can post their actions, which I will usually resolve in the order they are posted. Players can choose to delay their actions until after another character has acted.
7. To make things clearer during Encounter Mode, please use the following symbols when labeling your actions on your post: ◆ for a single action, ◆◆ for a two-action activity, ◆◆◆ for a three-action activity, ↺ for a reaction, and ◇ for a free action.
8. Above all, remember that the goal is to have fun and enjoy the game together! :)
Thank you, and let's embark on this exciting adventure!
As for GM Philosophy, I will post it soon after I copy-paste create one.
I think I will write the introduction then put philosophy in spoiler. Maybe add PBP basics and a link to PFS guidelines. Don't mind Google Slides but also interested in learning Tableplop, please..
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I format the maps so that I can upload them to Google Slides as the background image of the slide, so that when people try to move tokens, they won't accidently move the map with them.
I format the maps so that I can upload them to Google Slides as the background image of the slide, so that when people try to move tokens, they won't accidently move the map with them.
Yup. I have even gone in and changed the page size settings of the slides so that the maps fit correctly. Having the map as a background instead of as a floating image helps a lot.
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I also put the maps in as the background of the slides but have run into a couple of issues with doing things that way. If anyone has any thoughts on these issues, I would appreciate them
1. Not all the maps are the same size. When you need to bring in one of the "Bigger" maps the size doesn't match. Landscape versus Portrait is less of an issue but it can still be challenging. As far as I can find, all the slides in a Google slide deck have to be the same size and orientation. I have issues resizing those maps to a standard size is challenging for me while maintaining the shape of the squares properly.
2. In some cases it seems like a good idea to have a border or unused area around the map on a slide. If the Slide and the map are the same size, getting any extra area on the slide is challenging without resizing the map and doing math based on the aspect ratio of the map.
I haven't run into that type of problem so far. But I can at least understand it. Though that does mean that my thoughts on the matter are untested.
First, is there a need to have multiple maps up on the slides at the same time? If not, resize the slide, and upload the first map. Then when the next map is needed, resize the slide again and upload the new map onto it.
For #1 and #2, I think Gimp (or Photoshop if you have that) would be able to handle adding border padding. Which would also allow you to pad out the different map images to be the same size if you do need to have multiple maps on the slides at once.
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I agree, if there's a sure way for me to mess up the DM's map, it's trying to use my sausage fingers to move a token around on the Slides app on my cellphone. Google Slides is definitely not mobile friendly. But I always prefer working from a keyboard and screen.
As do I -- it's doable to post from a tablet but it's oh so painful :)
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Finally got this one done! Thanks for the all the great examples so far - I've definitely been inspired by your great ideas!
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GM Philosophy
I run games for the group's enjoyment (including mine). I see my role as guiding the shared story telling that is an RPG, e.g. describing the world, and having it react to what your characters do.
I aim to post at least twice a day, once in my morning and once in my evening. However note that I am in a strange Australian time zone (UTC +10/11) so those times may be a bit odd for you.
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Finally got this one done! Thanks for the all the great examples so far - I've definitely been inspired by your great ideas!
_______________GM Philosophy
I run games for the group's enjoyment (including mine). I see my role as guiding the shared story telling that is an RPG, e.g. describing the world, and having it react to what your characters do.
I aim to post at least twice a day, once in my morning and once in my evening. However note that I am in a strange Australian time zone (UTC +10/11) so those times may be a bit odd for you.
Just curious -- whereabouts are you? I head to Oz every couple of years or so to visit customers...