I have had the great pleasure of perusing the threads and receiving an immense amount of advice from contributors both experienced and wise in the ways of DMing and the intricacies of the game. After reading the posts from such DMs as Steve Greer (whose campaign journal for STAP has inspired me to try that next), Heathansson, Fake Healer, Fatespinner, Valegrim (whose whit is matched only by his wisdom), Lawgiver (who no doubt has much more to contribute than the few eye-opening posts I've seen), Erian_7, Moff Rimmer, and Timault Azal-Darkwarren, I believe I have found a place for all of the adive and information I could ever want and will ever need.
That being said, my inquiry may seem very trite compared to the others being made here. However, I am confident that you all will not let me down.
I am very new to the DMing scene, and have spent a lot of time reading up on the rules, adventures, and ancillary materials. I have spent considerable time searching the web (and these threads) for more information, any information on how to DM, how to be a good DM, things to avoid, etc. I believe I have the basics down and have run a few sessions since taking up my new role as story-teller. But I feel that I am lacking in some of the organizational and mechanical aspects of the game.
Specifically, what I am looking for is any help you may have to offer on how you actually "run" a gaming session. How do you mechanically handle a combat encounter? Do you make all the "DM" rolls in secret? When and what do you decide to roll in the open? When do you make the rolls for the PCs? How do you handle the sequence of battle and keep track of everything? How do you organize your notes, quotes, read-alouds, and maps? Do you give PCs a map of the dungeon or specific encounter area from the get-go, or do you make them keep their own map based on descriptions and only bring out a battle grid for the battle encounters?
I humbly apologize for the simplistic nature of my inquiry. I just want to be the best, and the best way to be the best is to learn from the best. Thus I sit down at the feet of wisdom, to be enlightened...
Well, I'm not on your list, but here goes...
Specifically, what I am looking for is any help you may have to offer on how you actually "run" a gaming session. How do you mechanically handle a combat encounter?
I have the players roll initiative well in advance - at the start of the session, and at the end of the previous encounter. So, at the start of a new combat I just roll for the opposition, slot them into the initiative order, and away I go.
From there, it's just a case of cycling through the various participants, asking what they're doing and resolving the effects. Players have about 15 seconds to declare their first action, or they lose their turn. (You have a full round to decide, so should be ready! However, anything beyond that first action can take a bit longer, since the situation could have changed.)
Do you make all the "DM" rolls in secret? When and what do you decide to roll in the open?
No, I don't make any rolls in secret, and neither do my players. No-one seems to bother checking anyone else's rolls either, but they could if they wanted.
When do you make the rolls for the PCs?
As rarely as possible. Listen and Spot checks to notice things (as opposed to 'active listening'), Disguise checks, and I should do Hide checks, but tend not to bother.
How do you handle the sequence of battle and keep track of everything?
I have a smallish whiteboard on which I write in a combination of dry erase markers and some 'chalk pens' I got from a teacher supply store one time (they only wipe off with water). On this, I keep a note of PC ACs, HP, Save DCs for spellcasting, Listen/Spot scores, DR and anything else that seems useful. The initiative order is also noted here.
The Dodge feat (and similar) is marked with one of my 'small dice', which are also used to note the duration remaining for spells, and other useful things. We have the Fiery Dragon BattleBox, which has useful combat action cards and spell effect tokens. And I think that's about it.
How do you organize your notes, quotes, read-alouds, and maps?
I either run from a published adventure (in which case, I keep it handy and annotate it with Post-it notes), or I run from the top of my head, in which case I have a notepad I scribble in.
Monster stats and similar I either use directly from the source (MM, adventure, whatever) or I prepare in advance on my PC and print out.
I have a plastic document wallet in which I keep the character sheets between sessions. This pulls double duty of storing any other papers or handouts that I need.
(I also keep the character sheets up-to-date using a fillable PDF form. Copies are available to any of my players online. The sheets get updated each time the group levels up, a PC is replaced, or a sheet gets spoiled.)
Do you give PCs a map of the dungeon or specific encounter area from the get-go, or do you make them keep their own map based on descriptions and only bring out a battle grid for the battle encounters?
Neither. Mapping is one of the aspects of the game that doesn't really interest me, so we more or less handwave it. The battlemap stays on the table for the duration of the session, and generally builds up a partial map of the location as we go (although it gets a bit confusing, as once it's full I'll switch to a different colour and just write on top of what's there rather than clean the thing). If PCs want to retreat, they just say "we go back the way we came". Unless there is good reason why this won't work, I'll let them do just that.
I hope some of that proves helpful.
I usually make all the die rolls in the open, unless I'm rolling secret spot/listen/search checks for the PCs or rolling an opposed bluff vs. sense motive roll.
I draw out the map for them on graph paper as they explore an area. Once they've cleared a place out, I give them the actual game map to look at, since they invariably spend a few hours thoroughly searching the place.
I use a composition book to organize my notes during the game. On the cover I have a 4x6 card taped that has all the PCs vital information on it, mostly their bonuses to hide/spot/listen/search etc. Armor classes and such, so I can quickly look up their information when I need to make a secret die roll, and they'll never know who I was rolling for. The players update this whenever their characters level.
I make my players help me with the bookkeeping. My wife keeps track of initiative and spell durations, rounds that have gone by, etc. She announces the end of a round and the beginning of the next one. The other players tell her what spells they've cast, such as buff spells (bless, barkskin, owl's wisdom and such, etc) and how long they last and she tells them (and me) when they expire.
If you have a computer with an internet connection and can type fast, a great way to pass along secret information to specific players is to e-mail them a text message to their cell phone. Don't text them with your phone, it takes too long. I don't run a game with a computer on any more, but that's a cool idea I overheard at a game store not too long ago.
I put most monsters/NPCs that the PCs are likely to fight on 4x6 index cards and print them out on my computer pre-game. I keep these cards in a box organized by CR so I can use them as random encounters or for brainstorming additional ideas later on in the campaign. I have hundreds of them by now. I also use the stat cards from the plastic Wizards D&D miniatures. Sometimes when I'm stuck for an idea mid game or the players decide to go in an unexpected direction and I need to come up with something, I just pull 2-3 random cards out of my boxes and make up an encounter or story on the spot.
As I think of more stuff, I'll post it here, but that's it for now.
Good luck and have fun--you're in for an awesome experience!
Let's see...more stuff.
I use the Steel Sqwire flipmats and dry erase markers for battlemats. They're only $9 each and pretty nice and durable.
It's difficult to keep all the players from talking all at once sometimes, so I make them "go around the table" and talk for 2-3 minutes each about what they're going to do when they're not in combat. I discourage talking out of turn. In combat, of course, we go by initiative order.
When the players hit town, everyone wants to do everything at once, like go shopping, go whoring, go get a bath. To get a better timeline and to figure out who's around who if there's an ambush or pickpocket, I make each player organize their "day" into 4 hour blocks on a piece of paper. Then there's less doubt about what they can reasonably accomplish and it's easier to determine if another character is around if one of them gets whacked over the head while chewing on sweetmeats at the market square.
Steve Greer taught me this--keep all your dice organized in a plastic organizer tray. That way you're not fumbling around your bag looking for all your d6's to roll when you need to resolve a fireball spell or something and you can quickly grab the appropriate dice and move on with the story.
When you're narrating something--get up and walk around. Use body language and make eye contact with the players...a little drama never hurts your game and it's kind of fun.
In the past we've used a hotel bell to focus players' attention back on the game when they get too busy b.s.ing with each other and not paying attention to the game. Now, though, whenever I'm narrating and a player interrupts me--I just stop talking. The other players then chastise the interrupter into silence and I keep going.
Make sure you don't let one or two players hog the game--engage the shy players. Make sure there's something in the game that's attractive and fun for everyone in the gaming group. If one player is constantly asking for "sidebar" conferences with you in order to talk about the "secret stuff" that his character is doing, make sure you allow other players to do the same. Sometimes I just pull a player out of the room for a few minutes to talk about nothing--keeps the other players honest because they never know if the sidebar was meaningful or just me playing mind games with them.
www.dmtools.org is a great website to canvass for all sorts of useful DMing ideas and tools, particularly the stat block bank, which has a feature to conveniently print stat blocks on 3x5, 4x6 or 5x7 cards, what more could you ask for?
It'll take you a few months to settle into your own style. My biggest problem is getting angry at my players for wasting my time or for not being prepared. After 26 years of DMing I find that this anger doesn't fade with age, it gets worse because my players are all 30-40 somethings, most of whom have gamed as long as I have. Try to be patient.
Don't be heavyhanded or use inevitable plot hooks too much. You can guide, but try not to use the linear story line too much. At first, the linear story line is a great crutch for new DMs and the players will enjoy most of them, but try to create at least the illusion that the players have total freedom of action and choice in the campaign--after all, this isn't a computer game where you're limited by the game designers--this game is as wide open as your imagination, so make it seem like that!
Most obvious of course--use Dungeon magazine! Even if you don't subscribe, pick up a few copies at your game store or book store and run the players through a few adventures. Running pre-written adventures is a great way to learn the art of DMing. I ran nothing but pre-written adventures for the first 2 years of DMing and I use very little else now since I'm always strapped for time.
The Dungeoncraft articles in the back are also great DM advice columns. Monte Cook and Wolfgang Baur sure know their stuff and are great writers.
DMG II is also a great book for new DMs--lots of practical advice in there and many story ideas and plot hooks. If you don't have a copy, I'd recommend getting one because it accentuates the DMG very well for general advice and ideas.
I'll shut up now--I'm sure there'll be plenty of more advice from the real best DMs!!
I can give you the following answers, which work for me:
Specifically, what I am looking for is any help you may have to offer on how you actually "run" a gaming session. How do you mechanically handle a combat encounter?
--If there is no surprise round, I'll have my players roll initiative, I'll write the scores down on a piece of paper (initiave + PC name) recently I've been keeping track of rounds too.
Do you make all the "DM" rolls in secret?
--YES
When and what do you decide to roll in the open?
--Almost nothing
When do you make the rolls for the PCs?
--Search checks, disable device checks,
How do you handle the sequence of battle and keep track of everything?
-- answered this already
How do you organize your notes, quotes, read-alouds, and maps? Do you give PCs a map of the dungeon or specific encounter area from the get-go, or do you make them keep their own map based on descriptions and only bring out a battle grid for the battle encounters?
--nowadays we use a large battlegrid to map the dungeon on, glass covers the grid and we use markers to build the environment, a simple cloth will wipe away the markings after we are done. Dungeon downloads provide very useful maps, DM maps and PC maps.
Hope this helps....
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I don't have as much time to post right now as F2K, but I do have a couple of points to make.
Rolling in the open is one of the most fun aspects of the game. It keeps everyone, including the DM, honest. It also increases the tension for the players, because they really do know that their lives won't be spared by a DM fudging a roll. If everyone sees the roll, they know if they are hit or not, etc. This also saves from the "killer DM" syndrome. It is not much fun when you (as a player) think that the DM is hitting way more than he should. I used to make all of my dice rolls behind the screen (that's what they're for, right?) but after 14 years of rolling in secret, I have recently seen the light.
Also--if you leave the battle mat on the table and draw pretty accurate maps on it as the party goes along, any party member that wants to can map it out on their own graph paper. I have found that this is the best way.
Anyway, happy DMing! Just remember that the point is for EVERYONE ELSE to have fun! If everyone is enjoying your game, you will have fun too.
THE single most useful thing I've purchased for third edition D&D is a magnetic white board with a permanent one-inch graph printed on it.
I usually just describe the area/tunnels that the players are exploring while they draw their own map (unless it's a complicated room with odd corners, then I actually draw it for them on their map). When battle breaks out, I draw the immediate area on my grided white board, and place magnetic numbers and letters representing the PCs and their foes. I make everyone roll for initiative, and also write this on the board. Then, action begins.
I too give the players a map of the area when they finished exploring. Paizo has extras for every dungeon magazine in PDF form that you can print out (like maps with and without area numbers, NPC lists and pictures, tables, and other useful stuff).
I would say that I roll half my rolls in the open. Specially the REAL important ones... Like when the big giant swings his mighty mace down on a poor PC, there's nothing like seeing everyone stop what they're doing to witness the roll (mouthes slightly ajar, eyes wide opened), then breathe a sigh of releif when I roll a 3.
I use background music alot. Usually movie music. It doesn't even have to be dungeon related... Just whatever brings out the feeling of adventure and exitement. Lord of the Rings, Gladiator, Last of the Mohicans, Troy, and even The Matrix and Star Wars make good action themes.
When I prepare for a game, I read the adventure a day or two before we play. I will type key encouters (or a breif timeline of things to come), so I don't forget key moments... Like when the players are supposed to find a certain object or information that will be crucial further in the story. I will even type up entire encounters if they're really complicated, noting everything from tactics to spells used.
Deep down though, I do all this to spend some quality time with my friends. So if they come over on a Saturday to play D&D and we start joking and laughing, and by the end of the afternoon we barely advanced in the story, well that's ok too. That means we still had fun, and I don't have to prepare as much for the next session.
Ultradan
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My opinion is that while advice and reading material is great, and definitly helps to get an idea of what you can do as a DM, what you really need is the actual experiance of doing it. After a few sessions you will start to see what works for you and what dosent. There is no one way to DM. There is a basic method to running a game but what works for you AND your particular group may not work for others and vice versa.The best advice I would give is to be open to experimenting with diffrent methods and tricks of the trade, but be more open to what your players have to say,because if you or they arnt having fun then it dosent matter what cool stuff you read in the last Dragon or Dungeon issue.
Specifically, what I am looking for is any help you may have to offer on how you actually "run" a gaming session. How do you mechanically handle a combat encounter? Do you make all the "DM" rolls in secret? When and what do you decide to roll in the open? When do you make the rolls for the PCs? How do you handle the sequence of battle and keep track of everything? How do you organize your notes, quotes, read-alouds, and maps? Do you give PCs a map of the dungeon or specific encounter area from the get-go, or do you make them keep their own map based on descriptions and only bring out a battle grid for the battle encounters?
1) Players roll initiative, DM rolls initiative. DM writes down results. DM announces whose turn it is. Combat proceeds in the proper order.
2)I used to make all my rolls behind the screen but recently began rolling out in the open and I actually like it alot better. Makes the players feel connected to the DM in a less adversarial way. Makes the DM feel connected to the players like you're less of the conductor and more of a participant in the game.3&4)mechanics on traps, searching, disguise/bluff are rolled in secret by the DM
5) I have 3x5 cards (generated pregame) with monster stats/abilities. I have the appropriate monster minis arranged out of player sight so they can be placed on the game board at the proper time. They appear when they're "sighted" in game and they get removed when they're dead (sometimes replaced by a paper token to represent the corpse). Players move their own miniatures on the game mat when it is their turn. They tip them over when they are unconscious/dead. At the start of each gaming session I record pertinent character information on a piece of paper (their AC, hp, etc...) and make notes during each player's turn in combat on whatever modifications are currently in place. When it's the monsters' turns, I do the same for them.
6) Pregame I arrange all notes/quotes/maps/handouts in as much order as possible and set them nearby so they can be introduced properly in game (I also actually practice reading out loud each read-aloud piece beforehand and develop the tone & "character" of the speaker so it doesn't sound like a third grader's recitation when the time comes). I keep the DM stack of maps & notes separate from the player hand-outs so I know where to find everything and I'm sure that I've given them the proper piece of paper without wasting valuable game time.
7) We play on a full table-sized (quilter's) grid mat that is on the table with the PC miniatures during the entire game. I draw the map on the grid as the story goes and whip out battle maps at the appropriate time. After the PCs have cleared the room or whatever, the players remove the maps (erase or pick up the hardcopy and pack it away).
Hope this is helpful! Happy DMing.
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Specifically, what I am looking for is any help you may have to offer on how you actually "run" a gaming session. How do you mechanically handle a combat encounter? Do you make all the "DM" rolls in secret? When and what do you decide to roll in the open? When do you make the rolls for the PCs? How do you handle the sequence of battle and keep track of everything? How do you organize your notes, quotes, read-alouds, and maps? Do you give PCs a map of the dungeon or specific encounter area from the get-go, or do you make them keep their own map based on descriptions and only bring out a battle grid for the battle encounters?
Rolls -- I make most of my rolls (as a DM) in private. That allows me to cheat (usually in the player's favor) a little more easily. I will make a few critical/dramatic rolls in public -- like when they cast slay living on the mind flayer mastermind or something similar. There seems to be something in the anticipation of watching the die roll. I also make the players roll in public, but nobody really checks each other. I even make them roll their own spot, listen, etc. checks. They don't know the DC so I don't usually see a problem with it. I also play with action points and this allows the players more opportunity to use them. In the Age of Worms campaign, I had one of my players be the doppelganger for three sessions. No one else in the group knew. He would lie about his rolls and "missed" often, until someone thought that it was kind of odd how often he was missing and started watching his rolls...
Sequence -- we have 3x5 cards with each character's name on them. We roll for initiative at the beginning of combat. Depending on how spread out I want the bad guys, I might make one roll for them as a group or I may roll for each bad guy individually. I have one of the player's keep track of the order as I have plenty of bad guys to run and it makes my life easier.
Maps -- I used to force the players to map out everything. That got old really quick. Nowadays, I hand them the map and ask them to play as if they are seeing each room as they come to it. It is much easier and the games seem to run quicker. I also feel that I play with a great group of players who don't take advantage of this information. One other thing I may do with maps is take a map from a Dungeon Magazine (either from the download or scan it in myself) and blow it up to 1 inch squares and print it out and tape it back together. I will especially do this with oddly designed maps -- it looks a little better and gives the players a better idea of how big an area is supposed to be.
Last thing -- We have been keeping track of the story as a blog. The computer/internet is a great tool for keeping people up to date, showing what things look like, and giving additional information. It has taken a bit of extra work on my part, but well worth it.
More than anything -- it is your group and your game. What works for me (or other people) may not work for you. As others have said, be open to changing as things come up. Look for opinions and ideas from the group. And start small and simple. And don't be afraid to utilize the wealth of knowledge found on these messageboards.
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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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A new Dungeon Master, eh? I can tell you that the first thing to learn as a DM is that there is no right or wrong way to DM. Part of the fun of being the DM is developing your own style! I can tell you with 100% certainty that Fake Healer and I run COMPLETELY different games, so the answers to several of your questions are, unfortunately, "maybe" or "sometimes." I'll address your questions, but keep in mind that what works for me and my group might not work for you and yours.
Well, that's pretty vague. Personally, I use a stenographer's pad for tracking initiative and the opponents' hit points. I also have the biggest roll-out, wet-erase, square-grid battlemat I have personally ever seen (it's about 5' square and devours my living room table). I tend to run big combats (i.e. lots of weaker monsters as opposed to fewer strong ones) so I need a lot of space. In my games, I roll ALL the dice. As a starting DM, I would not recommend this. It makes life harder for you, believe me. Once players and monsters have determined initiative, it's a simple matter to go down the list and each character and monster takes their action as it comes. When a monster takes damage, I note how much in the steno pad. When this total exceeds the amount listed in the Monster Manual (or my personal notes, which I keep in a DIFFERENT steno pad), the monster is dead. I don't bother with giving NPCs and monsters the -10 threshold to death unless there's a story-vital reason that they should not die the instant the last attack hits.
I make ALL my rolls in secret. The players don't need to hear a number, they need to hear what happens. If the DC for a task is 15, it doesn't matter if the character got a 15 or a 29, the character succeeded. Describe it as such and move on. This is probably one of those points where the majority of DMs will disagree with me. Most DMs like to let their players roll checks for their own characters. There's nothing wrong with that, either, it's just simply not how *I* do things. Now, if you decide to let the players roll their own, I would make 'sensory' checks (Search, Spot, and Listen) as well as Hide and Move Silently checks for them in secret. What I do is pre-roll about 20 or so d20s and record the results in order. Whenever a perception or stealth roll comes up, I look at the next one in the list, add the character's modifier to it, and mark it off. This way, the players don't hear the dice hitting the table and thusly do not know that something might be up.
I typically avoid the stereotypical 'dungeon' quests because of all the planning and work involved in them. Of course, if you have the luxury of running a pre-made module, this significantly reduces the amount of hastle since you have the maps and treasure already arranged and placed for you. When these scenarios DO come up, I usually draw the map out on my gigantic battle grid well ahead of time and make notes in my steno pad about what things go where. I usually label important rooms and corridors with a letter that corresponds to the notes in my steno. This way I can quickly reference the room that the PCs are entering and give them an accurate description. Making the PCs map their own stuff is just tedious to me and as a player I know that I would probably be a little ticked if my DM expected me to map the dungeon myself. Mapping is a huge pain in the ass (which is why I avoid dungeons) but if it has to be done, it should be the DM doing it. Again, this is a point of contention that a lot of DMs will probably disagree with. As far as running a pre-made module dungeon, I really can't help you there as I have never tried to run one and probably never will.
Start simple, don't do anything involving maps or complicated rules. Get used to the flow of combat by starting out with orc or goblin encounters. Once you get comfortable there, then you can move on to critters with special abilities. Save dragons for last on your list. They're a HUGE pain to run in combat because of all the stuff they can do. In the end, have fun and don't over-work yourself. As long as your players are having fun, you're doing everything exactly as you should. Game on!
..."killer DM" syndrome. It is not much fun when you (as a player) think that the DM is hitting way more than he should.
Avoid this at all costs. Even if it is an accident, try not to kill your players unless its really heroic. No one is going to like that their character has been killed by some kobold tht got off a lucky shot. One example--my sister once had a character die saving the life of a party member. We had enough money to raise her, but she flat-out refused. If you save character deaths to these sorts of scenarios, your players will absolutely love you.
However, players can also tell when you roll lucky many, many times during an encounter and are just fudging rolls to keep them alive. This irritates them. Players like a challenge. Its difficult to find a happy medium, but try your best.
As Fatespinner and others have said before, DMing style varies wildly, and other than advice such as "don't be a tyrant," you'll find massively dissenting opinions. And they're all valid! Each DM will develop his own style.
Even I've picked up some things reading this- that part about rolling initiative when the party sits down the play and at the end of each combat is golden!
So, just a few other things- Share the workload. The DM has much, much more to do than the players. Let someone in the party keep track of HP and damage and initiative, let someone else keep track of loot, someone else draw maps (if you do that) and keep a "journal" of sorts (i.e., notes so they can remember who they've talked to, where they've been, what they've done, etc.). This will take a huge amount of the mundane management load off of you, leaving you free to remember the villain's tactics, that there's a trap down that corridor, that they're supposed to meet the distressed refugee on their second night in town. You'd be amazed at how easy it is to forget something so major. Keep your own mind as clear as possible so you can remember these things, and make as many notes in whatever style works for you.
Also, one thing that is to be avoided at all costs: Time Warps. I'll illustrate with my definitive Time Warp, the one that taught me once and for all to avoid these things:
The party was in a large battle with a cleric and his minions (Theldrick from AoW, if you're familiar with that). He cast protection from arrows early in the fight, but I completely forgot about it. Then, after ten rounds of the ranger shooting arrows at him, I went "Ooops!" and made both he and I recalculate everything.
NO, NO, NO! That was the worst possible thing I could have done. If I had never opened my mouth, they never would have known anything was wrong. Later, a sorcerer shot color spray at some eyeless grimlocks, who should have been immune. I had learned my lesson by this point, however, and even though the players and I realized it was a big mistake, we just went on. It happens, don't sweat it. If it's a huge story element, find another way to work it in later. If it was just some spell an NPC was supposed to use and you forgot, just go on and forget about it.
Also, don't be afraid to try new things. I've been playing/DMing for going on four years now (I'm still a noob compared to many on these boards), and I am amazed, looking back at my previous "adventures," how pathetic they were compared to, say, what I've got planned for the play-by-post I'm running here on Paizo now. You have to do, to experience, to find out what works for you.
I still remember the very first time I sat down to write an adventure. I went to my computer, had a storyline in mind, and knew the party would start in a small town. I sat down to detail the town, and was immediately lost. What was I supposed to do? Should I plan out every shop, every inn, every street? Should I talk about all the roads in and out, and the nearby villages, too?
I learned from my experience that you only need to detail the important people, the ones who the party are likely to hear about if they spend any time in a place, or the ones they're going to interact with. If you have an image in your head about the town, you can just relate that to the party as you go; no need to spend time writing it all down.
Well, that's just a little tale about my own experiences. I'll stop rambling now. In the end, just do it and have fun, analyze what you're doing (but not too critically!) and learn. You'll be fine. Happy gaming!
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My answer will be vague and non-specific, and therefore probably not much use. The actual mechanics aspect of the game is fairly simple - you just roll dice and the answer should be fairly obvious. Initiative is probably the key - we use a sort of wooden frame with movable slats to represent it, moving the bits around as necessary as initiative order changes. I didn't make it, so can't claim ownership of the idea, but it has the benefit of being able to be seen by everyone at the table (quite a useful trait). Otherwise, the trusty piece of paper is good. It might be an idea for another player to track initiative, to relieve the burden on yourself somewhat.
Obviously, learn the rules as much as you can so you can do it without referring the the books, as nothing slows the game down like opening up the PHB (usually the PHB, as it is normally combat or spells which cause controversy). Think about what is coming up in the next session, and the rules implications, and check them out in detail before the session so you have a vague idea of what to do before the relevant incident kicks off. If something tricky happens during the game, it might be better to get one of the players not currently on initiative to check the rule for you to, to give you time to deal with what is going on more broadly at that particular time. And, of course, the players may understand a rule you don't - ask them.
I would always get the players to roll as much of their own dice as possible - there is a danger of the DM playing by himself if he actually does everything, and the players will feel more connected with the action if they roll their dice (and they have no one else to blame). Rolling in secret is good in theory, but roleplayers should understand that there are somethings their PCs won't know even if the players so - so you rolled a 1 on your Search check, your PC doesn't see any traps, so why would he suddenly decide not to pick the lock? It's about playing the game and trust.
Personally, I don't provide maps unless the PCs will actually have one. I avoid settings where having a player map is essential, like mazes and such and big dungeons, as it can be a headache. Players are also simple creatures - they don't really want to do a load of paperwork, they want to crash throuh the door and kick butt (or crash through the door and begin a deep and involving roleplay, depending on their preferences). In my personal experience, it isn't worth confusing them with to much detail, as they won't remember or care. In general, devote your energies to making the big cinematic set-pieces go smoothly, not punishing them for forgetting to do their map right. So if they don't do a map and want to get back to where they were before, I just let them go.
I don't draw out anything on the battlegrid except the actual combat. Apart from anything else, the mats will mark up over time, even using water soluble pens. And it isn't usually necessary. However, a battlemat is invaluable for 3E D&D, given the way the combat system works - well worth the investment.
Now, it needs to be said that I am a lazy guy, so I always do things in the easisest way possible. But players are lazy too (otherwise they would be DMs) so I think it is fair enough to cut corners. If there is a single piece of advice, it is this: keep the game flowing quickly, and don't get bogged down. If you get stuck, make a decision on the fly as seems sensible at the time and move on. You are DM, and your word is final. If there is another, it is this: some sessions will be better than others, so be prepared for some iffy ho-hum sessions as well as some brilliant ones. It isn't anyone's fault, it is just a natural variable of the game.
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I have spent considerable time searching the web (and these threads) for more information, any information on how to DM, how to be a good DM, things to avoid, etc.
Just in case you haven't seen it, I highly recommend Johnn Four's Roleplaying Tips website (http://www.roleplayingtips.com/index.php). The archives are extensive and discuss many of the questions you ask. That said, my responses:
How do you mechanically handle a combat encounter?
First, figure out whether the encounter will have a surprise round. This should only happen in an ambush or if someone decides to attack during what seems to be a non-confrontational role-playing encounter. The possibly surprised party should get Listen or Spot checks to avert the first sort of surprise or a Sense Motive check to prevent the second sort.
Then roll initiative and resolve ties. I don't put all of the enemies on the same initiative, but I'll usually limit the NPC initiatives to one per type or group. Try not to give the NPCs cheesy advantages for moving at the same time. If they're tactically adept and experienced in fighting together, holding until right after a friend to get a temporary advantage is very reasonable. Not so much if they're mindless undead.
I track initiative either with index cards or with magnets on which I've written names. The advantage of the cards is that when a player decides to delay, you can just hand him his card and let him be responsible for handing it back when he wants to act. Additionally, the same cards can serve as a good place to put notes about the character (Listen, Spot, Search, AC, perhaps Knowledge skills) and ongoing spell durations. You can also put in a card whenever a short-duration effect is started and mark off a turn whenever the card comes up.
Do you make all the "DM" rolls in secret?
Most, though I also like to make dramatic rolls in public. As noted above, this has several advantages: the roll is memorable, the players know that you're not fudging either way, and any animosity tends to be directed at the dice rather than the DM.
When do you make the rolls for the PCs?
Only when I think it's important that the players not know what the result is. I should perhaps note that I encourage taking 10 and taking 20 when appropriate.
How do you organize your notes, quotes, read-alouds, and maps?
I keep a folder with stuff from the current campaign. I don't much use pre-written quotes or read-aloud descriptions, because I find that they tend to cause players' eyes to glaze over. I tend, in fact, to create much of the minor detail on the fly. If it seems important, I'll make a note to myself so that the details don't change the next time through.
For combat NPCs, I usually print out the important details before the combat and write damage and other notes on the print-out. I find this useful when the NPC actually manages to get away; they usually come back to harrass the PCs at some later point. (Note that unless they come back during the current adventure, the PCs get experience for successfully negotiating the encounter that the NPC was a part of.
Maps vary from very simple sketches without much scale to scaled and gridded at figure scale. I don't do gridded maps unless I think there will be a fight, since they are much slower to create.
Do you give PCs a map of the dungeon or specific encounter area from the get-go, or do you make them keep their own map based on descriptions and only bring out a battle grid for the battle encounters?
I used to have the players do their own maps, but no more. It's slow and interesting to only a few players. In a teleport maze, I'll usually draw out the area that the players can currently see, though I'll let them figure out how to fit bits together (or figure out that things are messed up if the teleport isn't obvious).
I don't show the entire map to the players in advance, but rather draw out only the parts that the players have seen. I find that this makes decisions about when and whether to split the part more interesting. ("We'll circle around and catch them from behind." After some running, "Wait, this doesn't look like it connects.")
And a few suggestions to add to Saern's notes about running towns:
As he noted, if you try to detail everything, you'll probably get bogged down. Instead, decide what each section of the town is generally like and make lists of important things: shops (including names), temples, guardposts, and NPCs of various sorts. Give each NPC a name, a general profession (shopkeeper, guard, priest, thief, tavernkeeper, whatever) and a couple of noticeable traits (tall, taciturn, friendly, bribeable, has a lisp, red hair, etc.) Do not assign locations to these NPCs or shops until you need to.
When the PCs go looking for a place to get a drink, pick a tavern name from the list of taverns and an NPC (or several) for the denizens. Make a note of the location and inhabitants in the appropriate places, so that they are still around when the PCs come back. By doing this, I get NPCs that are fun to run in play (since I pick NPCs that match my mood), I find it easier to make memorable NPCs (since I don't need as many), and I reduce my workload to a more manageable level. Just make sure to add NPCs and business names to the appropriate lists as you use them up.
Regarding the "killer DM"
Starting the AoW AP, I was nasty. I slaughtered PCs with no remorse, rolling all dice in public and watching the characters fall. I watched them start to feel like this really was a dangerous situation. Since the early point I gradually started moving more and more of my rolls to a less public place, allowing me to cheat when I feel the dice are just being completly unfair.
The only character deaths I've had in moths are those that were brought about by player idiocy, rather than just bad luck at the dice -- But, since my players absolutly KNOW I'm a killer DM now, those nasty combats where the characters are dropping down to low hit point numbers are much more intense for them...
I've also been telling them for the last year that I intend to TPK them at some point in the future.
Now, I'm still not opposed to killing a PC in a dramatic fight, but they are high enough level that ressurection magics are available, so they aren't constantly rolling up new characters any more, but the fact that they know i'm willing to kill still helps them try to make non-stupid decisions.
This isn't a tactic that will always work. It certainly can backfire, but if you can pull it off, the dramatic potential of those big fights goes way up.
The main key to everything I do is organization and knowledge. If you don’t know a rule really, really well, things can go wrong, then you’re spending time correcting things and not having fun. Then, organize, organize, organize. However you do it just look to making sure it works. We all deal with our job in different manners. Each of us has a particular methodology (or "style). Do what works for you. This may take time. Experiment. Let your players know when you’re trying something new and (if possible) why you’re changing things from the way they were. If there is some sense in that “why” they’ll go along.
Listen to the players. They’ll let you know if they’re dissatisfied about some aspect of your mechanical operation. Talk to them about it and be willing to try alternative methods. But, don’t let them bully you into using something they like but you don’t. You’re in control and should remain so.
Use what works best for you. As for me…
Dice rolls in secret: sometimes yes, sometimes no. I use that as a storytelling tool. If there’s more “tension”, “mystery”, “surprise” (or whatever) in rolling secretly on one occasion than on another, that’s what I do. If tossing a dice out in the middle of the table so everyone can see their fate crashing down on their head like The Sword of Damocles, then that’s what I do. It’s for effect. Most of the time the rolls are in the open, but I don’t skimp on secret rolls when my judgment says the game will “feel” better that way.
Keeping track of everything: Refer above to “Organization”. Notebooks, dry erase boards, battle maps and miniatures…it all works. I use my word processor and spreadsheet extensively, creating forms and lists I can write on. I have one in particular that lists the order of action during a combat round (straight from the manuals). It has lines for each character name and some notes about Armor Class, Hit Points and other “vital” information I’m going to need. It includes spaces for indicating duration spells (when started and when expired), etc., etc., I make tick marks as each combat round concludes, check to see what’s current and what’s not, then go on to the next round.
Truthfully, it can sometimes take years of regular DM’ing to get it all down to the point where you don’t really have to think about it that much any more. Finding what works through experimentation, distilling what works so it becomes part of you, almost reflex, and then acting on it in a smooth, seamless manner takes time and effort. Those who are considered “great” in any undertaking do not become that way overnight. Time and effort are essential in crafting their skills and reputations just as they will be with yours.
Your first big step was in asking for advice from those whose opinions you apparently respect. Read, learn, experiment. Then act. If it works, keep it. If it doesn’t, toss it and try, try, try again.
Best of luck.
I'm also a newbie DM with only about a year of actual story telling under my belt. However, I have learned a few things.
In my case, some of the players know the rules better than I do, especially combat oriented things like grappling or bull rushes. So, when a player says "I'm gonna do this", I ask him what we have to do. I then double check the rules the appropriate book, and then we do whatever needed to be done. This way, the player and the DM both learn the rules at the same time. If you and the players are both new to the game, this doesn't work as well. But, since I play with experianced players, it helps when you can ask someone else who has DMed (thankfully, my father DM's as well as playing, so I can usually just ask him about things.)how they would deal with that specific situation right then. Then you do run into the problem of in character and out of character informantion, but players should be able to differentiate.
BE ORGANIZED. My organizational style is wildly different from the ones posted here, but it works for me. Just find something that works. I think of it like taking notes on a lecture at school. Some people take very detailed, meticulous notes with bullet points and highlighting and stuff. My notes are spread all over the page, connected with arrows and drawings. Just do whatever feels right. I follow the same style as Fatespinner, with a notebook for initiaves, a notebook for monster HP and other factors affecting the NPC, and one for story notes. However, I fo spread the workload around. When a PC summons a monster, I set a die in front of them to count off rounds. Things like that. I roll all dies in front of them and don't use a DM screen (though I do have a Monster Staging Ground Box for minis that I keep covered). When I need something to be secret, I roll with my hand sheilding the die and then report the findings. I often forget to roll secretly for Hide, Move Silent, and other checks.
One very important rule of thumb is to not get overwhelmed by the players. If you need a moment, tell them. If you need them to be quiet, tell them. My dad compares DMing to being a teacher. Your in charge and the players must respect your authority. This doesn't mean you should rule over them like a dictator but you can't let them walk all over you.
Mostly, have fun. My group can be very lax on the rules. If it makes the story better, then it's probably a good thing. The game should be challenging and the players should feel a bit of accomplishment after beating the bad guy. Make it fun and challenging and things will be okay.
Good luck. Your going to have fun!
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I would say that of all the posts above, Aubrey sums it up as close to my way of doing things as anyone. And, also being lazy (or in favor of working smart not hard) I don't see the need to restate most of it.
On the map issue, I just like to simply draw out the dungeon map on a piece of scratch paper as the party goes along through the dungeon; generally to scale. I always hated farting around with trying to describe mapping coordinates to a player, as it seems like a waste of time that could be spent better by killing imaginary monsters.
I also like his wooden initiative abacus or whatever it is, that sounds nifty to me.
Another thing I like to do is when I join a new crew of gamers, I try to get with their program to as great an extent as I can. When in Rome, do as the Romans. It seems that every unique group will have their own unique set of quirks, styles, and homebrewed house rules that can be borrowed, adapted, and stolen or discarded to make the game more interesting. I like to game as a character with new people first if possible, then run the game maybe later on with their new quirks assimilated into my own hodgepodge of ideas meritorious or not.
(edit)Sometimes, I notice players not paying attention to the minutae of my well thought out, well scripted world. Forgetting names of this guy/that country/what are we doing here in this tomb again?
It used to frustrate me, but now I just go with it. I take it as a hint that it might be garbage anyway and try to trash it to as great an extent as I can. Face it. You're a performer. You're gonna bomb every once in a while. For every a-side track there's 10 b-side tracks that nobody even knows the name of.
Feel free to ditch the chaff.
Conversely, if the players pick up on a snippet that seemed really minor and unexploitable to you, go with it as best you can. If you got nothing you got nothing, but in a week when you're gaming again, you might've gotten a sweet brainstorm about it by then. When you can pull that off, when the Muse is running, that's gold, man.
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Dang I'm rolling.
Another thing I learned from a game called Cyberpunk,
when it's all boring, when nothing is interesting, that's the best time for a random encounter. I like to have a "plan B" group of MONSTERS/NPC's/violent antagonists ready to pull out of my back pocket at any time in case the game bogs down or isn't working.
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Regarding the "killer DM"
Starting the AoW AP, I was nasty. I slaughtered PCs with no remorse, rolling all dice in public and watching the characters fall. I watched them start to feel like this really was a dangerous situation. Since the early point I gradually started moving more and more of my rolls to a less public place, allowing me to cheat when I feel the dice are just being completly unfair.
Rolling the dice in public and watching the characters fall is not necessarily what I would call the "killer DM syndrome." Now, if you had a group of third level characters and pitted them against a pyrohydra that they had no way of escaping, I would call you a killer DM.
A perfect example of killer DM syndrome is this: I played in a game once where a group of five second level characters had to fight six goblins. It was on the turf of the characters. However, as the fight progressed, the goblins' AC kept creeping higher and higher, and the goblins somehow kept scoring crits. Fourteen of them in the course of five rounds. The DM was rolling everything in private, and it would have been rude to accuse him of cheating; however, he must have been having one hell of a good rolling night. Every single crit confirmed, too. This single experience convinced me for good that all combat rolls should be performed in public.
Use cards to keep track of initiative. Just stack them in order, flip them upside down as a character acts on thier turn.
NO DM PCs. A DM has enough to think about. All NPC are disposable, if you can't let a NPC go it probably a DM PC.
Get to know your players. Don't be scared to ask for feed back. Watch thier body language, youy need to know how to engage all the players. Some will like puzzles, some will like combat, some will like roleplaying, you need to balance it all so everyone has fun.
Learn to manage your players. Some players will demand your attentions. Some players will sit back and be quite, they may are may not want to contribute. You need to spread the Dming arround. Some players can just dominate a game if a Dm is not careful to engage everyone.
Write it down. All the stats, write them down or type them out on a computer. Even if you are using a published adventure, write the stats and important information down. It is a simple practice from elementary school, if you write it down you will learn it.
Pacing is important. Trust me too much combat is boring. You need time for PCs to rest, reequip and interact with each other and NPCs. Players need time to interact and rest as well. If the Players are spazzing, take a break.
I find dice rolling fun. Let the players roll thier own dice when the time comes. I roll most dice in front of the players. I want them to watch as thier doom is rolled out in front of them. I usually ask for a roll on the count of three. This gives me time to see the die roll and builds anticipation as everyone watches to see if a PC makes a successful save.
Practice your speaking voice, it could add to the drama. A boring voice makes for a boring story teller, as DM your the lead story teller. You will be amazed at what detail players remember, by what you say and how you say it.
Practice descriptive verbal exposition. In other words, practice speaking descriptively. The more descriptive you are the better your story. Dming is a verbal art, you need to verbalize your descriptions. Say it load, say it proud.
Be ready to improvise. Players will do the unexpected, go with it. I try to always give my players a chance, even a slim one (although sometimes you just gotta say no). This is what makes D&D so much fun, you never know what is going to happen.
As Dm your the leader. Lead. The great thing about D&D is the players have a choice on what there PCs will do. But the DM has got to provide those choices and or challenges. That is how a Dm leads a game and such wonderful stories are played out. With out a DM providing cool choices and challenges, you might as well wonder about killing bunny rabbits for experience points.
Practice, pracice, practice!!! Practice is the only way to get better.
Rolling the dice in public and watching the characters fall is not necessarily what I would call the "killer DM syndrome." Now, if you had a group of third level characters and pitted them against a pyrohydra that they had no way of escaping, I would call you a killer DM.Regarding the "killer DM"
Starting the AoW AP, I was nasty. I slaughtered PCs with no remorse, rolling all dice in public and watching the characters fall. I watched them start to feel like this really was a dangerous situation. Since the early point I gradually started moving more and more of my rolls to a less public place, allowing me to cheat when I feel the dice are just being completly unfair.
Its a fine line, but the group considered me a "killer DM" at that point - which gave me all the benefits described with none of the foul side effects.
of course, they felt I was a killer DM because for the first two months (gaming once a week) of the AoWAP, I killed an average of one character per session. ;-)
Read the rules. Read them again. When you have nothing better to do, Read the rules. If you are using your own or a published adventure, check on the rules and how they may pretain to a given situations. Then read up on the rules. Knowing the rules speed up the game.
One PC per sessions. Thats pretty good. I once killed 4 out of 7 PCs in one battle. Still working on the TPK baby. I never cheat dice rolls. Never as a Dm. I must have the only crafty D&D players arround. My players don't need thier Dm to cheat for them. They can do enough of that quite well for themselves. Anyway it is a matter of gaming style, I don't like the Dm cheating for or against me, so as a Dm I don't cheat.
I've been DM'ing for quite a while and use many of the tips that have been mentioned above. Here is one other tip that I'll add to this mix.
HELP ORGANIZE YOUR PLAYER'S INFORMATION FOR THEM
My players are always pretty good about taking notes and drawing maps, but they tend to leave information scattered within numerous folders and papers and can never quickly put their finger on the important stuff. In the past this led to wasted time to hunt down some piece of paper and often forced me, the DM, to re-explain things quite often. To solve this problem, I purchased a 4-inch 3-ring binder and equipped it with folders (to hold player character sheets), dozens of plastic sheet protectors (to hold historical maps, images, notes, etc), and plastic card holders (for 3X5 cards of my player's special notes, item cards, reminders, defeated monsters, whatever). This binder stays with me, the DM, and I give it back to them whenever they need it. My players now have ready access to the campaign's base of knowledge every session--even if a player is absent--and they are now much better about organizing and storing their character sheets and notes after play.
One last note about this binder. I also create a separate page for each key NPC (and a few red herring NPC's) that includes a picture of the NPC's face and name, and I store this page in their binder for them. This dramatically helps them to remember these NPC's and provides a place for them to take notes about their interactions with him or her. This is particularly helpful if your campaign has numerous NPC's.
Once I provided them with this binder, my players immediately became protective of it and adopted better recordkeeping methods. All that they needed was a gentle nudge in this direction.
Hurm.
This is all great stuff! I knew I would find good advice and examples from you all--truly the BEST!
Keep posting with new things as they come to mind. I love hearing the myriads of ideas and experiences out there. Thanks to all!
Now...here are another few questions to ponder, if you are willing to indulge me more...
--I used an old published adventure for the start of a campagin. In it, the PCs were to gain passage across the river on the edge of town by simply haggling a price with one of the fishermen for him to ferry them across and then watch for a signle fire to come pick them up. (It is also a very large group, about 9-11 players, FYI) By the time they all agreed to cross the river, it was evening. They (led by a vocal few) decided to cross that night and would need to STEAL a boat to get across. One player even suggested this was nuts and just to get some rest and venture out in the morning. So I logically concluded that the fishermen were probably done working for the day, and that the city watch was on patrol of the village. The PCs encountered the watch at the docks. Instead of backing down, the leaders of the group initiated combat where the group ended up knocking the two guards out, stealing a boat, making the other side, and then setting the boat and the two unconscious guards adrift! Could I have played this out in a different way as to "guide" the players to a much more logical and less complicated way of doing things? Or should I just continue to make things up regardless if they "work?"
--When you all "plan" (I say with tounge in cheek) your adventures/encounters/campaigns/sessions, how much detail do you plan out? Do you try to account for multiple outcomes based on player decisions? Or do you plan one path and simply hold a "plan B" or a box of random creatures/encounters (as farewell2kings and Heathansson have suggested) in reserve for the unplanned choice(s)?
--How many of you like to do what Steve Greer has done with his STAP and host a blog/messageboard thread that chronicles the campaign sessions as they are played and allows the PCs to post responses that give character perspectives on the events taking place, specific encounters, or just additional insight into their background/psyche? If you do this or something similar, or just provide summaries of previous sessions at the start of the next, how do you keep track of details of combat encounters or role-playing encounters while simultaneously keep the game moving juggling initiative, secret rolls, judicating PC movement/actions, and making decisions for NPCs? Do you have any organizational tips and tricks for this dimension of the DMs role?
--I've seen and heard a lot about a point buy system for generating characters. Could someone provide a small explanation of this process and its benefits? I've read most of the thread that recently came up regarding the pros vs. cons of this system (It was started by Saern this weekend), but everyone there seems to already know how the system works. I apologize for my laziness in not researching more, but I figured this was a little quicker for just wanting a brief explanation of the system.
Thank you all again for your willingness to indulge me on these matters of finesse. I know it sounds like I'm a little OC about all this, but in reality my experience with the game is limited and distant. My first encounter with the game was in college, and I only played it for a few sessions. I loved the game and its store-telling component, but I was a little more dedicated to academics at the time (and the opposite sex, if you know what I mean *wink, wink*). It has only been recently, the past year, that I have picked up the spark as it were. I was quickly thrust to the role of DM, mainly becuase the other players were younger than me and wanted to take a break themselves from the role and just be players for a while.
Anyway, sorry for the anecdote. Cheers!
When you all "plan" (I say with tounge in cheek) your adventures/encounters/campaigns/sessions, how much detail do you plan out? Do you try to account for multiple outcomes based on player decisions? Or do you plan one path and simply hold a "plan B" or a box of random creatures/encounters (as farewell2kings and Heathansson have suggested) in reserve for the unplanned choice(s)?
What I meant by 'planning' is reading the module thoroughly so that I know how the NPCs would react to almost any situation. I've found that as long as you know the enviroment the campaign is set in and know the NPCs well enough, you can account for many different variables if the PCs stray from the path the module provides.
A very experianced DM once told me that a good DM is just quick on their feet and willing to take oppurtunities for a better story as the players decide them.
Have you ever tried to teach a class? You make an outline of your lecture, know a good deal about the topic, and the class is smart and receptive. But, in the middle of your lecture a student asks a question that lead to a completely different discussion that is related to the topic but still wildly different. The teacher should be able to roll with what the students want to talk about while still being able to bring it back around to the original topic. I see DMing like that. The actions of the players affect the world they are in and it's your job to bring it back around.
I like my school metaphors. :P
For your first point- I'd say that while you could lead them to the "logical" choice, letting the players decide is better. Just remember that actions have reactions. So, maybe the local guard are looking for them now? Maybe the disgraced guards vow revenge?
Unless the action was completely against their alignment, then let htem do as they please. Playing out the cause and effect can be as fun as a hardcore dungeon crawl.
Points buy- instead of rolling for stats you get a set number of points to spend on stats. Saern's thread does a good job of the pro's and cons of that system. Depending on your players and circumstances this can be a great feature.
DMing is more art than science; its a skill that over time can be improved on. On the same token, I've also seen DMs story-telling abilities degenerate. Give yourself time - you won't be perfect out-the-box, and you'll never be perfect at your prime. But you don't have to be perfect to have a fun game.
Speaking of fun - this should be objective number 1. If your not having fun, reevaluate why and remedy as needed.
When you all "plan" … how much detail do you plan out? Do you try to account for multiple outcomes based on player decisions? Or do you plan one path and simply hold a "plan B" or a box of random creatures/encounters…
Be ready to improvise. Players will do the unexpected, go with it.
Excellent advice.
“No battle plan ever survives first contact with the enemy.”
Military axiom
Spontaneity is, perhaps, the one point where all the other advice reaches a nexus. Reading, knowledge of the rules and the scenario, familiarity with NPC’s, etc., all gives you a perspective from which you can see a very big picture. Use that knowledge to “improvise” when necessary. If the party is only slightly outside the confines of what the “planned” scenario says they’re supposed to be doing, give them a little elbow room and see what happens. If they go way outside of the plan, do something spontaneous to “kick them back into play”. Wing it. Such spontaneity has been responsible for some of my most memorable moments at a game table as DM, but as a player as well. You can plan to a degree, but beyond a certain point it becomes not only ludicrous to attempt to take it further, it becomes self-defeating. You can’t cover all possible contingencies. If you want to try to cover one or two of the most likely, and are willing to do the work, by all means, have at it. But, be aware than this extra work will not always be used and you may find yourself doing a lot of work that never gets appreciated because it is never seen. That’s where you start learning to rely on the “improve” bone for “stuff that works” off the cuff.
I have had the great pleasure of perusing the threads and receiving an immense amount of advice from contributors both experienced and wise in the ways of DMing and the intricacies of the game. After reading the posts from such DMs as Steve Greer (whose campaign journal for STAP has inspired me to try that next), Heathansson, Fake Healer, Fatespinner, Valegrim (whose whit is matched only by his wisdom), Lawgiver (who no doubt has much more to contribute than the few eye-opening posts I've seen), Erian_7, Moff Rimmer, and Timault Azal-Darkwarren, I believe I have found a place for all of the adive and information I could ever want and will ever need.
That being said, my inquiry may seem very trite compared to the others being made here. However, I am confident that you all will not let me down.
I am very new to the DMing scene, and have spent a lot of time reading up on the rules, adventures, and ancillary materials. I have spent considerable time searching the web (and these threads) for more information, any information on how to DM, how to be a good DM, things to avoid, etc. I believe I have the basics down and have run a few sessions since taking up my new role as story-teller. But I feel that I am lacking in some of the organizational and mechanical aspects of the game.
Such a flattering request deserves an equally helpful response. I'll try to offer my best tips. Let me just say that I have yet to master all of the intricacies of being "the best" DM. But, I've learned a lot from other DMs, how-to books, and other DM help sources that I think have helped me to get to a point that I'm as close as I think I'll ever really get as far as my own personal best. So, here goes...
How do you mechanically handle a combat encounter? Do you make all the "DM" rolls in secret? When and what do you decide to roll in the open? When do you make the rolls for the PCs? How do you handle the sequence of battle and keep track of everything?
First of all, players seem to be more trusting of a DM that will make his rolls right out on the table in front of them. You'd be surprised at how you can milk a simple die roll to create suspense, fear, anxiety, and excitement in your players. Don't hold back on adding drama to important die rolls and bluffing your players. A little prolonged closed fist die rattling and something like, "Oh, man, this could be really, really bad for you. You'd better hope I roll low."
However, you need to remember that not all die rolls should be out in front of the players. Certain opposed rolls that don't have an immediate and obvious result should probably stay behind the DM screen. I would suggest mixing it up and simply giving it the appearance of DM whim. This is important because there will be times that you may have to fudge some die rolls to avoid derailing your own campaign. It's at those moments that what may appear as DM whim is actually a calculated hidden roll that you definitely don't want your players to see. About the only time I suggest doing this is when you need to give the players some help without them knowing that you are. A potentially fatal set of rolls can be toned down enough to place the PC(s) at a precarious situation that they can actually get themselves out of instead of being a killing blow that could ruin all of your hard work.
OK. As far as handling combat and the mechanics, here's some pretty helpful and time-saving tips.
#1 Get yourself some initiative cards. You can go to the GameMechanics website or follow the RPGA links on the WotC site for some good cards you can download. I recommend making about 12 copies on cardstock and having them laminated. Use wet erase pens to have your players write down their PC info for you. Before a game, use your extra cards to write down some basic info about the opponents the group will encounter that session.
#2 Have your players write down about 10 or more d20 rolls down the back of the cards. I recommend handing them a random card face down so they don't know whose card they made the rolls for. During the game, use these rolls for Search, Disable Device, Use Rope, etc. - basically any rolls that the players shouldn't know the results of and will force them to rely on you to describe the results as perceived by their character. ("That was one of the most thorough searches you've performed thus far in this dungeon and it looks like this area is safe." or "You've examined the area pretty well, but the layout of the area makes it hard to tell whether you missed something or not.")
#3 Another thing to use pregenerated rolls on your initiative cards for is to actually determine your PCs' initiatives. I've been experimenting with this for the past few weeks and have found that by not having to describe a combat set up and then break down and have the players roll initiative and go around asking them what they got I've actually saved time and kept the flow of the game going. Yes, it takes a moment to write down the numbers on the cards and cross off the rolls on the back of the cards, but it's much faster than the alternative. It also keeps the players guessing as to when they go, which avoids some undesirable metagame issues.
#4 If you have access to a copier or can print it from a website or something, I recommend having your monsters/npcs all printed up ahead of time to avoid flipping pages. Saves a lot of time.
#5 If you use a battle grid, if you have the opportunity to draw the set up on the board ahead of time, this also saves a lot of time to keep the flow of action going. You can simply cover the area until you are ready to use it or if you have multiple battle mats, simply pull out the one you need with the area premapped when it's time to use it. Layering works well if you have that luxury.
#6 If you use miniatures, try to have the ones you know you are going to need already picked out and at hand for quick use.
How do you organize your notes, quotes, read-alouds, and maps?
I keep a legal folder with each session's game notes in it. As stated above, copy or print out monster/npc stats, handouts, etc. ahead of time to avoid time-wasting page flipping or other unnecessary time wasters.
Do you give PCs a map of the dungeon or specific encounter area from the get-go, or do you make them keep their own map based on descriptions and only bring out a battle grid for the battle encounters?
This all depends on the situation and how well your players are at keeping player knowledge separated from character knowledge. Most players, as good as they are, simply are not very good at keeping the two separated. They just can't help themselves. I usually reveal the map as the PCs progress through it and have someone map if it's going to be necessary for them to refer back to it, say, on a big dungeoncrawl where you will need to erase and redraw new areas on your battle map repeatedly.
I often have the players draw the map out on the board for me, using a laser pointer to direct them ("that wall extends 4 squares that way. stop. it turns that way and goes straight for another 6 squares. stop."). We don't worry about the miniatures placement until we're having an encounter. I usually get a basic set up from them so that if there's a surprise encounter we can quickly put the minis on the appropriate area of the map in a predesignated configuration.
That about answers all of your questions. Hope this helps and if you have more questions, feel free to ask.
wow; thank you so much for the kind words.
will write more soon.
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--I used an old published adventure for the start of a campagin. In it, the PCs were to gain passage across the river on the edge of town by simply haggling a price with one of the fishermen for him to ferry them across and then watch for a signle fire to come pick them up. (It is also a very large group, about 9-11 players, FYI) By the time they all agreed to cross the river, it was evening. They (led by a vocal few) decided to cross that night and would need to STEAL a boat to get across. One player even suggested this was nuts and just to get some rest and venture out in the morning. So I logically concluded that the fishermen were probably done working for the day, and that the city watch was on patrol of the village. The PCs encountered the watch at the docks. Instead of backing down, the leaders of the group initiated combat where the group ended up knocking the two guards out, stealing a boat, making the other side, and then setting the boat and the two unconscious guards adrift! Could I have played this out in a different way as to "guide" the players to a much more logical and less complicated way of doing things? Or should I just continue to make things up regardless if they "work?"
First -- Wow -- 9-11 players? That is quite a bit to keep track of and take control of.
Back to the question. Were they acting within their alignment? Sending the guards downstream seems a bit harsh. Basically the players need to understand that their actions should (and will) have consequences. What would happen here if I attacked a police officer and sent him down some river? Would there be consequences? I hope so. These guards should be able to come back alive and be able to give a description of the characters that accosted them. The next town that they go to, they should be arrested. Even if they are evil, (as Saern likes to say) there is chaotic evil and chaotic stupid. Beating up the town watch just because they wanted a boat a little sooner is chaotic stupid.
--When you all "plan" (I say with tounge in cheek) your adventures/encounters/campaigns/sessions, how much detail do you plan out? Do you try to account for multiple outcomes based on player decisions? Or do you plan one path and simply hold a "plan B" or a box of random creatures/encounters (as farewell2kings and Heathansson have suggested) in reserve for the unplanned choice(s)?
I used to plan every detail of every adventure that I ran. Two things happened. 1) I ran out of time to plan for every detail. 2) The players would always come up with something that I didn't plan for. I keep a rough idea of what I want to happen and try and come up with ways to keep the party motivated to complete the task at hand. After that, I try and keep the adventure as open and free as possible. I wasn't nearly as frustrated and the players were happier.
--How many of you like to do what Steve Greer has done with his STAP and host a blog/messageboard thread that chronicles the campaign sessions as they are played and allows the PCs to post responses that give character perspectives on the events taking place, specific encounters, or just additional insight into their background/psyche? If you do this or something similar, or just provide summaries of previous sessions at the start of the next, how do you keep track of details of combat encounters or role-playing encounters while simultaneously keep the game moving juggling initiative, secret rolls, judicating PC movement/actions, and making decisions for NPCs? Do you have any organizational tips and tricks for this dimension of the DMs role?
I do the blog thing which has really helped us (but I have already talked about that above).
--I've seen and heard a lot about a point buy system for generating characters. Could someone provide a small explanation of this process and its benefits? I've read most of the thread that recently came up regarding the pros vs. cons of this system (It was started by Saern this weekend), but everyone there seems to already know how the system works. I apologize for my laziness in not researching more, but I figured this was a little quicker for just wanting a brief explanation of the system.
Point Buy system. Information for this is on page 169 of the DMG. Basically give the players a pool of points to create their stats from -- generally between 25 and 32. Each stat starts at an 8 and they can buy them up from there...
A 9 costs 1 pointA 10 costs 2 points
11 -- 3
12 -- 4
13 -- 5
14 -- 6
15 -- 8
16 -- 10
17 -- 13
and an 18 costs 16 points.
From what I have seen, people who like the point buy system like the even playing field that all the players have and it limits their stats a little more. People who don't like it feel that their stats aren't high enough or they feel that they like the randomness to the generation.
As always though -- do what works best for your group. Hope this helps.
hmm I thought about your post, with a large number of players you practically need an assistant. I have my monsters written out on 3.5 cards with statistics and carried items. I have my screens up and have each persons character sheets papercliped to the screen in front of me, my laptop is right in front of me as that is where I draw out all the graphics for my game; the dungeons, the land; maps; everything; when I draw an adventure I make two copies; one with all my hot notes and one without; so any time I need to I can just cut and paste a section and print it out for them; players maintain their own maps if they so desire. Between all the players is a battlemap of 1" squares that is about 36" square; we have bigger if needed. On this we either put terrain or draw it dry erase. I roll all my rolls in secret behind my screen; players roll theirs on the table, but I never look at their rolls and I mean never unless they intentionally want to roll in front of me as some players do for extra thrill during a critical live or die type moment. With a dry erase on the side of the battle map; we write a list of every players name and each of my monsters and their we annotate their individual initiatives. A player counts down the inits since they can see the list better than me; this also helps them keep the round moving and has really cut down on side talk. We write with dry erase next to each monster how much damage the players have done to that mob; the damage moves with the monster as i move them around the battlefield. Only I know how many hps a monster has so I tell them when the guys is light, moderate, severe or dead in game terms of how much the guys is wounded and stuff.
During non battles; character arrange their figures in whatever marching order they choose to follow or move their characters as needed; this is also helpful for camp and where each is sleeping. One house rule is that your character is where the figure is and nobody moves it without your permission or direction and each person is responsible for their figure. Each square on our map is five feet.
I give access to maps of the environment if that player knows it; otherwise I describe it or give them snippets and they put it together if they want; when i had out a scroll I really hand a scroll usually inside a cigar tube or a pvc tube that I made up. When I give out a map; I really give out a map I made up and weathered as desired.
I always start my games with the same coin phrase, "As last we left off (adjective) adventures were..." This repetition lets everyone know I am ready to start. I then either have people roll initiative and go in that order; or start to my right or left and get a general rundown of what each is doing.
ARe you looking to streamline fights or something or is there a particular breakdown that is and impediment?
how do be a good gm none mechanic wise; read a lot of everything; here are some suggestions of technique.
With my gaming experience over the last couple decades, I can say that to be a great gm you have to find the right mix of input to your world between yourself; your players and outside sources. I think one of the most important thing is to know what kind of game your players want to play in. This might seem very basic, but is often ignored. I have found that most gm’s will say; I am running this module or I am going to run a campaign and give you the rules. What I suggest is that you poll your players and find out what kind of game they want to play in; then run that game. The first source that brought this to my attention was the Hero game system with Champions and Dark Champions whereas you set the tone of your game; for instance, my players choose from a list I created from this and other source material; to play in a High Fantasy, Dark Tone, Mature Audience, 1/3 comical 2/3 serious, with important world crashing concurrent themes. From this information I have built each of my storylines to be built upon what already happened mixed with new stuff. I have a notebook about 4” think jammed full of all the developed NPC’s in my game with playing notes complete with organizational notes for their factions their standing and together with each of the other people in their organization that the players have dealt with; other notes are in my campaign notebook for minor characters and foundational stuff.
So, basically, after you know what mix your players want to play; you need to build your world or flavor a world already completed. I suggest you find a nice map of any world you like and build your own concept on it, but this is not necessary but will help you avoid the problem of players knowing your world better than you do and telling how things aught to be. I suggest you start with the pc’s as the good guys; good guys are easier to run and give adventure hooks too; bad guys are just as easy really, but it takes a lot more work on the gm’s part as most monsters in the books are designed for good guys to interact with and or defeat. If you want to run a evil game; I have additional suggestions that I am not adding here.
Ok, so you have your concept world in place with a map; perhaps a few villages sketched out, maybe a city and a whole lot of generic ideas of threads you want in your game, but nothing yet ties it together so you find you need a creation myth or maybe six or seven to give priests something to argue about. But you as the GM need some basic truths 1) how did the place, universe, world get created, spawned; hatch, whatever. I am not going to talk about tech level or industry or the basics of economy or land value and that stuff as the DMG and other sourced deal with that fairly well, the second thing you need as a gm is a story so 2) you have an adventure in mind; now is the big question; why do the players care, if ;you don’t hook at least half the characters with your npc’s sale of the adventure; it will be a flop; the pc might fall into the dreaded “well, this is what the gm has planed for us so we better do it” zone. Each of your players has a dream for their characters and you must work into your game the fulfillment of some or most of those dreams. Some want to solve puzzles; some what munchkin power; some want who knows what, but they all want a good story; so, at the end of every game session; ask yourself; would this have looked good on film. That doesn’t mean that each session is an action packed adventure, but it does mean that you should have all aspects of a story in your game meaning, tragedy, comedy, mystery and the others; pay attention in English class or ask an English teacher or get a book on it that describes these things; I could do it, but this is already a long post. The next thing to do is pay attention to movies, stories you read and people watching a little differently. Pick movie you like and ask yourself what is the draw for that movie then describe this sort of stuff to your players about your game. Consider trying to picture the scene in your mind before you run it; can you smell the air; what is the weather, all that stuff it arid and cool or hot and sticky;
I am not going to go over how to write an adventure, hooks or any of that stuff unless you want to do it as I have written this sort of thing in other posts. Neither will I suggest ways to get the individual players together in one group and headed in the right direction as this is handled in the books too and other than character background which should never be skipped over, pc don’t really care to much about this as the premise is already in their minds they are going to be together; they just want it to happen. What I will suggest is be prepared to run your adventure in any direction it might twist into; this is a cardinal rule, have your pc written down on paper with their gear, attitudes and goals; have a few back ups in case pc’s turn in a different direction; make up a list of random encounters that make sense for the area and completely write out the monsters and their treasure; do not make your players wait around the table for you to do a random encounter; this is just rude and makes you look bad and breaks trust with your players; lastly, listen to your players stories on non game days no matter how mind numbing they are; listen for what they like about the events that occurred and put more of this in your game for new stories; look at every situation in the world as food for your game; every social interactions and conflicts; every building layout and structure; everything.
Some random comments...
I game mostly in medium-sized groups, 4-6 players, sometimes less, pretty much never more. I game mostly with people who don't bother cheating so they can be relied to Do Things Themselves...keep track of initiative, hit points etc.
We usually have a paper in the table, open so everyone can see it, listing the characters, their AC and their current hit points...and one of the players keeps track of that one. Players tell what their characters will do during this round, then the round is resolved in initiative order.
When I DM, all my rolls are made in secret, except ones which have minor effect to the game ("Which month is this NPC born?" roll d12 "September"...or opposed checks for dart-throwing contest in tavern...).
Players make most of their rolls themselves, except for search and such checks...but this also depends on players, if they can be relied to roleplay eg. bad Knowledge check well.
As is obvious from above, these things are different from group to group, so go for rolling style you and the players feel most comfortable with. Style of campaign might change things also...if the game is straightforward and combat-heavy more rolls can be made open, but if the game moves towards intrigue, more rolls should be made in secret (when things like saves against charms really start affecting the play).
I have played (and lead) also campaigns where even the players make their rolls in secret, that is, so that only one player and DM see the result. Of course playing like this means relatively few die rolls in total and keeping combat encounters to the minimum...
Also ask your players how they want to handle the information flow...if only one or two characters witness something, do they spread the information easily to other players or decide case-by-case basis what to tell? I have played in campaigns where the characters (and players) keep a lot of information secret from each other and while this style is not better or worse than regular "we are all in this together", it is very different...
As conclusion, many things depend on you, your group and the style of game you want to play.
oh; and for big fights when you have a lot of monsters; sometime before the game roll a list of about 50-100 or so d20's and just use them going down the list; this will save a lot of time; some higher tech gms use a computer number generator, but I am against them.