Alrightie, so here's the story:
For years I've been fascinated with DnD, roleplaying, and its ilk. I own three books for v3.5 (PHB, DMG, and The Book of Vile Darkness), about a year and a half of Dungeon Magazines, and other assorted paraphernalia. Yet, at eighteen I have still not played in one campaign due to problems finding a group.
But tonight I was discussing my problem with a co-worker and, fortuitously, he had his friends have a group. I was invited to join, but not just as a normal player. My co-worker had been DMing up to this point, but now wants to enjoy the part of playing as just a character and not both.
In short, he wants me to DM.
This is a group of people who besides two of them, I do not know, they are already in the beginning of a homebrew campaign wherein they play themselves as "falling" into that world after being summoned somehow by a demon emperor. The beginning is already planned out, but after that, it's up to me.
The group is currently at level two, and drawing closer to an artifact capable of casting Lightning Storm once per day, are acquaintances with a Silver Dragon, and one character is a werewolf while another is half-celestial.
o_o If you can't tell, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. Please, please can someone offer some advice here? Like tips for running campaigns, what to do about the currently overpowered PCs and what are some good modules I could try out?
Jeez, that threw you in the deep end. It's 5am now, I'll try and help more when I wake up, others should come to help soon too, paizo is good that way. Remember that as the DM your in charge now, don't let the other guy bully you if the story isn't what he had wanted it to be.
Improvisation is key, unfortunately nothing is better at making you a DM than DMing! Good luck!
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First: welcome to the PAIZO messageboards. A lovely woman named Lilith will stop by and provide you with some cookies to enjoy.
Next: Remember, its about having fun. The folks on these boards will undoubtedly provide you with tons to consider for your situation, but remember, at 18 and with little experience as a gamemaster (GM), your current situation can be either a nightmare or a fun learning experience—its up to you.
Nightmare: Even seasoned GMs typically shy away from trying to step into an established group for all the reasons you might suspect. There is a social dynamic that won't be easy to break, and eyes will constantly peer over to the former GM for approval. Seasoned GMs will ensure new blood also comes into the group, and past campaigns are broken, new characters generated with YOUR approval, and your story be the entrypoint for your GMing. Given these circumstances, your situation will be a nightmare if you let these conditions overwhelm you. Great GMs have been successful not knowing an ounce of rules - but they execute in a way that makes everyone have a great time! You may or may not have these raw talents, but the skills needed can be learned, however, not in short order. In Sum - it will be a nightmare if you focus on these factors. One suggestion would be to look past all the things going against your situation, and focus on the fact that a seasoned group has offered the GM seat to you, with a relatively open script, and doesn't seem to care that you lack experience. My guess is - this situation can still work out great for you if you focus on telling the group you're glad to have a group to play with, you really like the game, and will need them to roll along with you during your first few months. Let them know up-front, that you want rules discussions primarily held at breaks or after the game, but during the game you ask them to play their characters and let you fully run the game without too much question. I'll bet they'd agree - and you will learn a lot along the way.
Good Situation: Again, you've been looking for a group. Take this chance. Use it as an opportunity to have fun first, weave your GM craft and serve the campaign. Sure, you know you have a lot to learn - but hey, its a group waiting to play! Seems like they want you to GM. And, if you're gracious, but firm with them, they will soon see you unquestionably as the GM. Try not to stress. If you feel like the players are not letting you make rulings - nip it in the bud and say, "for this situation I'm ruling xyz. We can discuss this type of thing off line, but we're moving forward now." Its okay to feel a little overwhelmed by the new people, and the fact that many know one another already. But, over the years, I've found that good players are the kind that can truly embrace new players or GMs at the table. Trust me - if they invited you, they're looking for something fresh. Give it to them. Let your imagination run free. Don't sweat the rules - cause you 'aint gonna learn them all in time anyhow. Just be sure not to apologize for your rulings. Try to look things up on your own, or leave rule research to off-line. Don't give your GM power away, but at the same time, focus on the fun stuff and keep things moving. The very best way to get your feet wet is to just DO IT! No matter what the circumstances, since you really like the game - DO IT! Have fun. See how far you get. Keep your worries low, axes high! Good luck.
-Pax
Alrightie, so here's the story:
For years I've been fascinated with DnD, roleplaying, and its ilk. I own three books for v3.5 (PHB, DMG, and The Book of Vile Darkness), about a year and a half of Dungeon Magazines, and other assorted paraphernalia. Yet, at eighteen I have still not played in one campaign due to problems finding a group.
But tonight I was discussing my problem with a co-worker and, fortuitously, he had his friends have a group. I was invited to join, but not just as a normal player. My co-worker had been DMing up to this point, but now wants to enjoy the part of playing as just a character and not both.
In short, he wants me to DM.This is a group of people who besides two of them, I do not know, they are already in the beginning of a homebrew campaign wherein they play themselves as "falling" into that world after being summoned somehow by a demon emperor. The beginning is already planned out, but after that, it's up to me.
The group is currently at level two, and drawing closer to an artifact capable of casting Lightning Storm once per day, are acquaintances with a Silver Dragon, and one character is a werewolf while another is half-celestial.o_o If you can't tell, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. Please, please can someone offer some advice here? Like tips for running campaigns, what to do about the currently overpowered PCs and what are some good modules I could try out?
My goodness, they're really throwing you to the wolves. Making the new guy DM, and on top of that, your first time? NO wonder you feel the pressure. Well, who knows, maybe it will be magical. My first instinct would be to try to talk your way into joining the group first as a player, and then maybe segue into co-dm and then dm. But if that fails, start simple. Paizo sells some great adventure modules if you do not have anything picked out already, such as The Crown of the Kobold King. You should get plenty of feedback here on the boards, and as been pointed out, in the chat room. Good luck and welcome!
DivineRight! Welcome! *offers virtual cookies*
As a beginner DM, there are a couple of approaches to make, but my favorite things to suggest are: GM Gems, PC Pearls, Zen and the Art of Dungeon Mastering, and Hollow's Last Hope. Also, Roleplaying Tips latest article on 6 Ws should be required reading.
Familiarize yourself with the Player's Handbook first, THEN the Dungeon Master's Guide (not the other way around). Also remember that for every awesome adventure that you have (and you will have them), you will have some nights where you're off your game. Accept them, learn from them, and move on.
Becoming a great DM is about the journey, not the destination, for you can always improve your skills in some area. Just remember that it's a game and don't be afraid to make mistakes...and don't forget to come back to the boards with your questions. :D
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Start simple:
you don't need to pull a whole world out of your ass, just a village.
Then you need some orcs bandits or something hassling the villagers. Maybe they're wererats too, seeing as this guy's a damn werewolf.
And an old graveyard that some dumb kid took a dare and decided to spend the night in, only there's skeletons walking around there at night.
If the party is all mercenary and wants gold to save the kid, hell....say the kid's mom is single, and she's a major MILF.
And THEN, when the werewolf inevitably breaks bad and a villager sees him all wolfed out,....well, it gets back to the group that "somebody has contacted the Inquisitors" about him.
Who are the inquisitors? Nobody'll say. They're that bad. But they DON'T like werewolves. It's like Boba Fett and his mask; the unknown badass. The unquantifiable.
What do YOU think the inquisitors are? You're the dungeonmaster.
If THAT turns your crank, that power, it's worth it.
I don't know what to do about the silver dragon though. Is this beast walking around with them like Lassie or something? Silver dragons have important stuff to do besides nursemaiding a bunch of 2nd level pogues.
I'd have a hawk fly up, whisper something in the dragon's ear, and then the dragon looks astonished; looks at the party and says, "I.....no time to explain,......I gotta go..."
I don't get it.
Whereabouts do you live? I would seriously suggest learning--or at least experiencing--the game from the players' side of the table before diving into DMing. If nothing else it'll give you perspective on what players want. As you've stated finding a group is difficult, maybe try to get involved in a play by email or play by post game.
One of the unintended (or not, if one is cynical) consequences of the experienced players/inexperienced DM paradigm is that the players can end up taking advantage of the DM's lack of knowledge and pull out obscure rules at will. DMing is great fun, as you get to "play" outside of the session, but the other side of the coin is that you've always got homework to do! Good luck, and let us know how it goes.
Zo
It may not be particuarly helpful, but I would strongly recommend you not begin your D&D career as a DM. I think it will be much easier for you if you get to run a PC for a few levels first - both to see how the game actually works in practise and to see how this specific group of players play and work as a group.
I'd suggest you offer to take over DMing from your friend in a few months time. It will allow you to get to know the others there - ultimately they are going to be turning to you for adjudication and help, having the double hurdle of being new to the group and new to DMing is going to make it a hard slog, in my opinion.
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Wow I am just honestly shocked anyone would throw a new player in as being a Gm right off the bat. The best things is know the rules as well as you can. I suggest using some simple premade adventures honestly to help you learn how to run stuff. I recommend Paizo adventures since you are already here.
Also I think you should sit down with the group and talk to them. Explain things from you side, let them know how you feel. let them know you really want to be involved but have never run before etc. Then ask them what they want to see and experience in the game and get feedback and use that.
I would suggest either before or after each game you guys take time to talk about the game. Let them know how you feel about how things are going and see what they have to say. They should be able to offer you advice as well. Open honest communication is a big plus for a new GM.
just remember rule one. Your the DM if you dont want to allow it dont.
I personally have been told that I should never,ever get behind the screen again because I dont let players have the fun they want.
I personally cant see how were-wolf and a half-celestial are in the same party. The were-wolf is a EVIL creature unless the player is looking for a cure then he should be put down like a rabid animal.
Just follow RULE ZERO: The DM is always right (even when he's not).
You'd have better luck with the real, more practical RULE ZERO: Don't be a douche. A spectacular rule in all of life.
Yeek! I definitely am feeling overwhelmed, but this time it's definitely in a good way. :) I seriously did not expect these kinds of thoughtful and kind comments. *Munches on a virtual cookie*
The good news is that I do in fact have ample time to prepare, the earliest the group can get together is the weekend after this. I feel more or less comfortable with the rules of the game so far (except for the weird Bull Rush/Feinting stuff) so that's not my real concern. At this moment I don't have a good enough read on the group to judge what kind of campaign they like, so I feel iffy about making my own. However, some advice I got from a physics teacher I talked to today suggested I just start out with a very short adventure that we can get though in one session to 'test the waters' as it were. But all of the pre-existing modules I have (primarily from Dungeon Magazine) seem a bit too long for that. So does anyone know of any shorter ones either in the magazines or available online? Or if I post a synopsis of what's gone on so far, could someone help me pull something together?
I'm really really excited for this, but it's also kind of scary.
I have a friend who DMed before he ever played. He's a good DM and was from the beginning. Sure he made some mistakes, but all DM's do that. Having said that, I agree with the people that if there is any way for you to get some playing experience before you DM that would be best. If not, I'm sure you'll do fine.
As for a short adventure, I would suggest just finding a CR appropriate villain that you like. Think of something that he could be doing that would attract a group of adventurers into taking him out. Give him a lair complete with traps and minions. And that's your first adventure.
The main thing is don't expect to know all the rules. Just learn the basics. And don't bog yourself down during the game looking up every rule you don't know. If you don't know something and can't find it very quickly, jot it down and look it up later. Your players are more experienced than you, so you should be able to learn from them, too.
The Pathfinder society Season 0 missions are all designed for approximately one session, and all of the Season 1 stuff is easily backwards compatible.
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Here's the deal.... it doesn't matter if its 1981, 1991, 2001, or 2011... someone has to step up and be the game master. Congrats on stepping forward. I seem to recall that those who did step forward to be GM seemed to work out. Sometimes necessity breeds innovation/development. Let me know what you have in mind so far... I will be happy to help you tighten it up.
Need:
># players, level, classes
>5 Ws as lilith pointed out
>A general outline of the evening/adventure
Tip:
Think of your game as a loose outline.
I. Exposition - intro the PCs, location, setting, flavor, get them talking, interesting NPCs or light action.
II. Rising Action - trigger, hook, story thread, plot device, etc.
III. Climax - destination, goal, quest (or subquests), what will need to be done?
IV. Falling action - twist, subplot, hidden quest, meaning uncovered, etc.
V. Denoument - wrap up, closure, thanks, credit, reward, and hint of next adventure.
Basically, with this in mind, you can quickly jot down a quick adventure. Jot down book/page number of monsters. Have extra monsters listed for wandering or miscellaneous encounters (this includes extra human oppononents/organizations/or guilds etc).
To get started, as suggested, start small i.e. the towns folk don't need to know a lot about the next town, they don't need to know a lot about politics or anything. Start small, focus on the first adventure, get to know your players style, and their characters. Don't over prepare - you will have time to plan your next adventure.
Insist on the following:
>Players should describe their character's appearance
>Players should generally stay in character, no metagaming
>Rule disputes will be decided by the GM, any long discussions will be tabled for offline resoultion
>Don't apologize. Listen well. Observe when your players are having fun so you can learn what interests them most. Players will tell you (think) they like one thing, but in practice really enjoy another.
Good luck.
So, ...............what do you have planned???
Perpare a short story with location, have a map prepared and have some creature stats at hand as basics. Ask your group what modules and/or scenarios they have played before and ask if you can borrow one and read it.
It can also help to borrow ideas from books or movies you have read.
Don't get bogged down with grand ideas or major story lines, as your concern is to have a basic adventure planned.
What has help our group is to share DMing for a while using the same world with a basic plot laid out. Inexperienced DMs see how I manage a game, and I help them along when it is their turn.
The ultimate driving force over time is whether you enjoy being a DM, that more than anything else keeps you going.
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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Like tips for running campaigns, what to do about the currently overpowered PCs and what are some good modules I could try out?
Throwing a new player in as DM, with a non-standard group, with a non-standard scenario, is a recipe for disaster.
First off, DON'T GIVE THEM THE ARTIFACT! Perhaps what their closing in on is a piece of the artifact, that leads them to another piece, Rod of 7 Parts style. Instant campaign, power creep held in check.
Secondly, given you have a half-celestial and a werewolf in your group, brush up on the level adjustment rules. If I'm not mistaken, at (class) level 2, this is actually a (character) level 6 party.
[Half-celestial has a +4 level adjustment, and Werewolf has +2 level adjustment and 2 racial hit dice (monster levels).]
You should be throwing things at them with a Challenge Rating of around 6, not 2.
Thirdly, see if you can put the established campaign on hold. Start up one of the level one pre-established adventures, using characters made ONLY with the races and classes from the PHB. Use that to get a feel for the game and how combat works.
Finally, if you want to play a game, but can't find a group, there are several websites out there that offer play by post gaming. Mythweavers is a good one. ^_^
Good luck!
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I'd suggest you tell your friend that he needs to finish out the storyline
I agree with Rezdave. If you're going to be the DM, then you need to run your own story with your own adventures. ESPECIALLY if it is your first time behind the screen (let alone your first time playing)!
Dungeon Magazine has plenty of first level adventures (as does Paizo). Have them bite the bullet, and make new characters, characters that YOU agree to let into YOUR campaign...
However, YMMV...
Best of luck to you. Let us know how it goes...
-That One Digitalelf Fellow-
Tip:
Think of your game as a loose outline ...+1
This is all basic Storytelling stuff you learn about Scene and Act structure in high school English classes, but it's right on the money. It may seem formulaic, but it works.
FWIW,
Rez
This plot theory that Pax is pointing out is every bit as important as Rule 0 + "Don't be a jerk." All the mechanics are necessary, but just necessary supplement, for my money. Have a loose outline of what will happen and what could happen (depending on player choices), and then let how it unfolds be determined by the interaction with players. Keep in mind that the balance between what the players have some control over and what they have no control over should be balanced in flavor of what the players have some control over, so there is no danger of them becoming spectators.
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Welcome to the Paizo boards. You picked a great community to join for advice, as most everybody here has plenty of it, and it's commonly quite good.
I'm going step out on a limb and agree with the several folks who think you've been pushed into the DM role in an inappropriate manner. If this coworker is a fan of roleplaying, he should know what he's asking you to do, and should realize that it is not the way to get somebody to join the hobby.
DMing is a bit of an art-form but I do not believe you need to play the game first (somebody had to DM first, right?). That said, I do believe that to be a successful DM it has to be YOUR story. Trying to fill the shoes of an adventure or world that's already started and been built to somebody else's standard is hard enough for an experienced DM; trying to do that as somebody who hasn't had any experience is asking too much.
My advice is to tell this individual that you really appreciate what he's trying to do, but you're just not comfortable with what he's asking. If you're really ready to go head-long into the deep end of the pool, tell him that you'd love to run something, but you need it to be your idea and on your terms. If he still wants to finish the campaign they're in, ask if he'd be willing to let you drop in as another PC. Barring that, the only suggest I have is to be ready to walk away.
I hate to say this, but it's easy to get drawn into a bad role-playing group (I should know, I have), and I'd hate for your first experience to be something that might be sub-par. I'd be leery about any group who tried to pull that on me. I could be completely wrong though, they could be an awesome group of people, and frankly only you're going to be able to tell if this is a good fit for you.
In any case, good luck, and if you're going to DM, listen to the advice of the fellow DMs in this thread, they're all giving you solid advice.
I think at this point, there's a lot of us just willing to get together late one night and have a talk with this "friend" who wants to hand the DMing off to you at a very difficult point. Just post his name and address in this thread and we'll take things from there. ;)
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I think at this point, there's a lot of us just willing to get together late one night and have a talk with this "friend" who wants to hand the DMing off to you at a very difficult point. Just post his name and address in this thread and we'll take things from there. ;)
We'll rough him up for ya. Turn him upside down and shake out the silver shillings, and electrum he's got in his pocketzees. lol
One thing to keep in mind is the illusion of choice. Just like in life, many of our choices are illusions. As a DM you may construct an encounter for the party if they are in a city that involves getting attacked by a group of gang members. Let's say the group instead of sticking around in the city decides to leave before this encounter occurs (they have no knowledge of it, just decide they want to go "adventuring"). Does that mean you toss the stats and all the hard work you did? No. Instead the party later gets attacked by a group of highwaymen that just happen to have the stats you made for that group of gang members that never occurred.
There is no reason for the players know that you just reflavored that encounter, and so they believe that their choice lead to it. Now that doesn't mean that allow choice is something that should be avoided. Let players make choices, but don't throw your hardwork out of the window either.
Another thing to keep in mind is that there are more players than the DM, which means occasionally they will come up with ideas that you won't have considered. Most problems should be pretty open ended, you should avoid making puzzles and such that can only be bypassed in one specific way, and try to stop players from finding other ways around it. For example, there may be a door that requires a special key to open. A PC might have the stone shape spell and decide just to make a hole in the wall beside the door. You should not say, "The wall is immune to this magic." Let them do it. Maybe there was nice fatz loot with the key that they missed out on, that is their loss.
Also allow plenty of table talk, you'd be surprised how useful that is for a DM. Say the party is asked to look into a bunch of robberies that are occuring. The latest place that was robbed was a cheese shop, one of the players jokes to his buddy, "Hey it was probably Mickey Mouse that did it, ha ha ha." Mickey ... Mouse ... were-rat thieves! Later the party finds the hidden den of the theives and finds out they are were-rats, "See I told you it was Mickey Mouse!" The player thinks that they are insightful and makes them enjoy the game more.
Of course my problem is my wife plays in my group and she knows me to well. There was one session when the party was defending a group of pilgrims. They party was a bit away from the camp engaging a group of foes. At the end of one round I said they heard from the camp, "ding --- ding --- ding", at the end of the following round they heard, "ding - ding - ding - ding - ding". My wife quips, "Sounds like a halfling with a dinner bell ringing it in alarm." To which I shot her a look of How the Hell Did You ... She saw my look and busted out laughing, "It is!" The camp was getting attack by a second group of foes and the halfling cook was ringing his triangular dinner bell for help.
Also I think you should sit down with the group and talk to them. Explain things from you side, let them know how you feel. let them know you really want to be involved but have never run before etc. Then ask them what they want to see and experience in the game and get feedback and use that.
I agree with that one, and not only for newbie DMs. DivineRight if you are still reading this tread, I'd consider this advise if you haven't done it already.
Between friends, those little talks can go a long way! And DMing is really fun! Good luck!
'findel
My concern with the "2nd Level" group you have here is scaling an adventure to be challenging and rewarding. I'm assuming the other DM will roll up a suitably comparable character to the others. Lower level modules like Harrow's Last Hope might be a cake walk for this particular group.
I agree with the advice to "start small" as they say with a newly rolled up group of characters or something from a more traditional vein. I myself keep to a very Tolkien-esque style of play and forego the more bizarre character concepts. My world tends toward a more George R.R. Martin style of grit and realism and although they exist, I keep a tight rein on non-human races, as well as arcane and divine magic so as to keep a sense of the fantastic. My logic is that if you can't play a multi-faceted and deep character using the Players Hand Book, no amount of weirdness can help you.
I guess the real thing to focus on here is the need to keep your players and world in check as you yourself wade in. An experienced group will test your knowledge of the rules as well as your adventure design with things that they have figured out through play and you are just now learning to use. You could be a great DM, but you will still be testing the waters, so to speak.
This group has a high potential to railroad you into things they want for their characters instead of you using the game as a medium to tell the story you want. There needs to be an even mix of the two and it seems a bit unfair to throw you in head first like this. As has already been said, play first. Get used to the game and the group, then by all means, get behind that screen :)
Game on!
Always plan for about twice as many encounters than the party is likely to handle in a single session. This gives you some leeway to adjust things on the fly. The party avoids the lake, well that shark encounter has to be tossed, but likely you have an extra grimlock encounter to toss at them. Usually this doesn't require that much extra work in the long run since any encounters you don't use are just pushed back to the next session potentially.
Also keep in mind that one way to "boost" encounters is by increasing the number of foes.
A loose rule is that if you double the number of a foe, that raises the EL (encounter level, it is like CR, challenge rating, but for groups versus individuals) by 2.
1 CR 1 foe = EL 1
2 CR 1 foes = EL 3
4 CR 1 foes = EL 5
8 CR 1 foes = EL 7
Going farther than that won't really be meaningful. In fact I seriously doubt 8 CR 1's are EL 7, but I'm just trying to show how the idea roughly works.
So if you are running a slightly lower module, you can just bump the number of foes up to help better balance it for a party.
Pres Man: Actually, that rule doesn't kick in until CR 2. Below CR 2, you just add up all the monsters' CRs. Two CR 1 monsters are a CR 2 encounter. Three CR 1/3 monsters and a CR 1 make a CR 2 encounter. Above that, the standard rule of thumb applies. However...
1 CR2=EL2
2 CR2=EL4
4 CR2=EL6
8 CR2=EL8
And so on.
A tip for the long term in planning out encounters; never throw away a statblock, and keep statblocks handy. Every time you stat something out, stick it in a binder.
If your campaign centers around a small town at war with the orcs and the goblins, copy down the statblocks for orcs and goblins and keep it handy, then stat out a normal town guardsman real quick, probably just some simple level 1 human warrior with, say, Weapon Focus: Halberd and Toughness (if they're human), and some cheap, crummy gear. Stat out a normal merchant, just a level 1 Expert with, say, 13 Int, 12 Wis, 11 Cha, cruddy physical stats, such-and-such barely-relevant combat stats, and (most importantly in this case) these various skill modifiers, with points set aside for a couple Craft or Profession skills. Probably Skill Focus: Appraise and Skill Focus: Profession/Craft for feats if they're human.
Maybe stat out a generic orc chief as a level 3 Barbarian, and a generic goblin shaman as a level 2 Druid.
This way, you have the tools available to make things up on the fly. If they go out to hunt goblins near the end of a session and you weren't expecting to get that far, you have the tools at your disposal to throw together a small goblin platoon swiftly.
This resource won't start out very big, and you'll probably end up statting out quite a few NPCs early on just to bolster it (though you may want to start out with mostly fights against straight MM monsters, just to save yourself the statting time up front), but it will grow. If you make a level 3 gnome illusionist that you need some NPC in Scenario X, file the serial numbers off when you're done with him and stick him in the binder, in case you need another level 3 gnome Wizard in the future.
In time, this resource will grow, and you'll get better at using it. You'll be able to be taken completely by surprise and need a mercenary troupe to face the level 6 party on the spot, then just take five to plan, crack open your binder and pull out, say, six CR 1/3 skeleton swordsmen controlled by a CR 2 evil Cleric, with four CR 1/2 human Warrior archers, two CR2 human Barbarians as elites, an ogre, and a CR 4 mounted human Fighter as the commander. Total effective encounter level of 8, liable to give the party a good fight. Get your standard treasure amount and XP for the critters (I prefer the encounter calculator for this) and you're ready to roll within a few minutes.
Almost forgot...
My one piece of DM related advice?
Tell them you play with the PH, and the DMG nothing more. Do not allow ANYTHING from any of the other books until you feel you're ready to adjudicate how they will impact your game. This will ruffle feathers, but you'll be a lot better off.
-1
A lot of the material from the splats is, in fact, much simpler than core material. A Warlock or a Warmage is simpler than a Wizard or a Sorcerer. A Favored Soul is simpler that a Cleric. Don't ban the splats; just make K.I.S.S. a rule.
After all, a new DM is liable to have a much simpler time ruling over the finer points of Eldritch Blast and Brutal Throw than Wild Shape and Natural Spell. Though the book load should be kept limited, it does not necessarily complicate the game to have them in, so long as the players work with the DM, and in fact, the splats can help simplify things and create characters that are easier to adjudicate.
Okay, let me just say that some of these well meaning people are blowing things out of proportion, DMing isn't hard. Yes I said it, DMing isn't hard, I started out as DM and recruited my friends to play. Doing it well will take time. If you can play as a player to observe other DMs in action then do so but the best way to learn how to DM is jump right in and get your feet wet.
I believe the OP has never really played before, if I understand what s/he is saying.
I might also point out that you didn't say you owned the 3.5 Monster Manual. You should really try to get a copy of that if you are going to DM (or even play if you plan on being a summoner at some point). Worst case, get a copy of the 3e MM and then use the SRD to make updates in it for the 3.5 stats.
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I'd like to echo guy Humual's notion:
DMing isn't hard.
Just get your feet wet.
There isn't any fantastic first experience you need to pine over, as along as you're prepared to get some practice and continually improve.
That's it.
DMing isn't really hard.
One way to have the most fun, is to go with your gut. The game, played well, is a natural exercise of expanding the mind, and releasing one's imagination. Have fun. You already know how to do that!
Gary Gygax once said, "What we must never tell the dungeonmaster is that he doesn't need any rules." LOL
Maybe Guy Humaul is trying to say, "don't overthink it" or make it out to be difficult rather than fun!
Enjoy.
You're honor, I'd like to redirect:
DMing isn't hard. Good DMing is hard. ;P
NB: I don't intend to discourage the OP. We all had to start somewhere!
I think most of us were reacting to the fact that the OP had been put in an unnecessarily difficult, and perhaps even booby-trapped, situation for his/her first DMing experience.
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A lot of the material from the splats is, in fact, much simpler than core material. A Warlock or a Warmage is simpler than a Wizard or a Sorcerer. A Favored Soul is simpler that a Cleric. Don't ban the splats; just make K.I.S.S. a rule.
After all, a new DM is liable to have a much simpler time ruling over the finer points of Eldritch Blast and Brutal Throw than Wild Shape and Natural Spell. Though the book load should be kept limited, it does not necessarily complicate the game to have them in, so long as the players work with the DM, and in fact, the splats can help simplify things and create characters that are easier to adjudicate.
Hardly,
Your argument makes absolutely no sense for a new player. The game is designed to be played effectively with two books, and you HAVE to play with those two books (the PHB and the DMG). Now, the DM needs to know everything that's going on in his game, which means knowing the PHB and DMG to the best of his/her ability. Adding anything to the core rules complicates things, even if (in your opinion) those things are simpler than what's in the core book. For a DM that has never run a game before, this is a terrible idea, especially since the splats include a lot of information that even experienced DMs outright prohibit because they don't scale well, are overpowered, or are just plain clunky. Asking somebody to learn the core rules of the game who's never played (and is now being asked to DM) and combining that with even more rules is a TERRIBLE idea. I've been playing for over 20 years and I still have trouble sometimes splitting the wheat from the chaff when it comes to the content of those books. This player has also stated that with the exception of the BoVD, he doesn't own anything else, which only makes understanding these rules that he doesn't own even more difficult.
We get that you like the info in these other books and that optimization/player rights is huge for you, but frankly if he lets them walk over him now, they'll just keep doing so. People still play with just those two books, and suggesting for even a second that somehow adding in a stack of splatbooks will make his life easier is a little inconsiderate towards this new DM.
Your argument makes absolutely no sense for a new player. The game is designed to be played effectively with two books, and you HAVE to play with those two books (the PHB and the DMG). Now, the DM needs to know everything that's going on in his game, which means knowing the PHB and DMG to the best of his/her ability. Adding anything to the core rules complicates things, even if (in your opinion) those things are simpler than what's in the core book.
You need to know the most basic rules presented in the PHB/DMG. That doesn't mean you need to know all the content. If there are no Monks or Bards or Paladins or Rangers in your game, and you have no intention of making any as NPCs, you don't need to know anything at all about Monks or Bards or Paladins or Rangers.
If there are four party members playing four different races with four different classes, five feats among them, and twenty spells among them, then the DM needs to learn four classes, four races, five feats, and twenty spells in order to adjudicate the party. That does not change whether those classes come from book A or books A, B, and C. The DM does not need to know Spirited Charge, as it's not in the game in any capacity. The DM does need to know Brutal Throw, because the Barbarian took it. The DM does not need constant access to the book because Brutal Throw is a simple feat, the player copied it down, and has it available on request and can easily give the DM a copy of her character's abilities. The DM does not need to understand Lyric Spell, even though it's in the same book as Brutal Throw, because no one in the game is taking it.
And mind, K.I.S.S. is a rule. I'm not suggesting letting the players make Pun Pun or pile on twelve classes by level thirteen. I'm suggesting actually working with the players and trusting them to help you by making characters that are easier to adjudicate. If you can't trust your friends, you have a problem.
Keeping in mind that these people are friends and worthy of trust, the difference is that between, say, Cleric and Favored Soul. If there's a Favored Soul in the party, the DM needs to understand seven spells and zero class features at level one. If there's a Cleric in the party, there are upwards of thirty spells that could see use that the DM must know, as well as turning/rebuking. That the Favored Soul came from another book is irrelevant. It's simpler.
And it is the player's duty to have all information regarding their character's abilities on hand and available within seconds. That means cards for all their spells, all their feats laid out neatly, and either their class bookmarked or (more appropriately, in this case) printed out at least up to the level the party is currently at with all class abilities stated. If you're actually organized, books are irrelevant, because all the information is on hand.
For a DM that has never run a game before, this is a terrible idea, especially since the splats include a lot of information that even experienced DMs outright prohibit because they don't scale well, are overpowered, or are just plain clunky.
Compared to the PHB, which includes a lot of material that doesn't scale well, is overpowered, or is just plain clunky? The PHB is the most borked and broken splat in the entire game. And again, that there is weird and broken stuff in the splats is irrelevant (after all, you seem quite eager to ignore Druids, Polymorph, and candles of invocation). That's what K.I.S.S. is for. The players are to actively avoid that stuff in favor of what is simple.
We get that you like the info in these other books and that optimization/player rights is huge for you, but frankly if he lets them walk over him now, they'll just keep doing so. People still play with just those two books, and suggesting for even a second that somehow adding in a stack of splatbooks will make his life easier is a little inconsiderate towards this new DM.
Optimization has nothing to do with it. I'm just opposed to the completely bunk, "new DMs shouldn't use splats because it makes the game more complicated," myth.
Something isn't automatically any more complicated just because it's from Book A instead of Book B. Something is complicated if it is complicated. There is complicated stuff in core, and there is simple stuff in core. There is complicated stuff in splats, and there is simple stuff in splats.
And if you're just learning the game, there's no real difference which classes you learn. Borrow Complete Arcane, learn Warlock instead of Wizard. No big difference in difficulty, but Warlock is simpler due to less accounting and a more limited range of options.
It's the misdiagnosis that I'm opposed to. If the objective is to keep it simple, you advise someone to keep it simple. That curtails a lot of core material, too. After all, Wild Shape and Polymorph and even Alter Self can be extremely complicated.
The entire argument is built on fallacies like, "splats automatically complicate things," and, "the DM must know everything in allowed books," when in reality, the DM only needs to know the things that are actually going into the game.
lots of mostly agreeable stuff
Okay, we're yanking on different parts of the elephant. I was probably too tired last night too respond, but did anyway: I had the original situation strongly in mind, and your post only partially penetrated. I just wish all this lycanthrope/dragon/etc nonsense would go away so the kid would get a fairly straight shot for his/her maiden voyage. I can think of groups that would yank that rubber arm off and beat the love of the game out of a good-natured newcomer with it. I wish I didn't think that they represent a disproportionately large part of the gamer population. Also, I can easily imagine being so desperate to game that I'd agree to something stupid. All too easily...
Well, hang in there, virgin DM. We'll try to support you after as well as before. Hopefully, it will be a great first time experience for all involved.
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Let me describe my perspective briefly...
Its not an ideal situation, and from experience I can list all the negatives, but the bottom line is the OP has a shot at getting a gaming group where before he had none. It might turn out okay.
After 27 years of playing, if I were put into that situation, I would be familiar with the pitfalls the OP is walking into, and try to address many of them - but, going in completely fresh, I'm not sure its worth trying to spend more energy on those issues, than just focusing on having fun and getting the experience...
1) Arrive on time, be early. Pick a place to GM from that makes you feel most comfortable. Set up your stuff. Have a few ideas written down in a loose outline. Have a list of page numbers for monster encounters. Flag the page with NPC class/stats on it for human incidental NPCs.
2) Bring blank character sheets, or arrange to have a friend make some copies for you. Given your situation, ask the players to write up a copy of their characters for you to take with you when you go. Seems like they want to play established characters, but having a copy will immediately put the ball in your court, since you can review these at home before the next session. Ask them to do this before you play - review them briefly, noting which players seem to have "all the stuff" or "all the wealth" or "all the high scores". More on this later....
3) Your first "minute" will be important. Don't start until you have complete attention, and don't let the group cause a false start. Ask them to get any drinks, take any breaks they need before you start. Let them know that once you start, you'll need everyone at the table for 30 minutes with no exceptions. (this is a complete trick) Its just to see how they react, if they respect you, and to give you the space you need to start strong. Again, ask this before you begin. Gain their agreement. This approach will serve you well.
4) Describe, describe, describe. As a game master - you have TRUE SIGHT. You see all things that are, and are not, or will be, and have been. There can be no group so established, nor so powerful as to be able to do the things the Dungeonmaster can do. Use this to your advantage. Describe a place they have not been, describe it in a way that sparks their imaginations! Allow your spontaneous thoughts to channel into descriptions as you look at the game with "the mind's eye." BIG ADVANTAGE: This will make you seem very knowledgeable, prepared, and creative - all the characteristics of a good GM!
5) Remember that very little of a great game has to do with the rules. Never feel a need to explain your rolls behind the screen. Begin by getting the characters talking in-character. Have them interact. Allow them to play for a few minutes before any story hooks are thrown. Listen well to their interests. React on-the-fly to their interests. Make their interests part of the story if possible. Listen well - watch eye contact to know who the alpha-male (or female) is. Observe what they say in-game and out of game. This will tell you what they like the most..... story, battle tactics, rewards....
More to come later...... let me know if this was either interesting or helpful...