New GM questions

[Labanther]

Hello all, I've just started playing tabletop RPG's, and have a few questions on some basic GM things I should know, if you don't mind taking a look:

1) When should I be performing checks? The module I picked up has some starving wolves, and the PCs can make a Knowledge (Nature) check to realize this and then can choose to feed them, etc. Is this something I would roll secretly, or would I ask the PCs to roll? Or would they have to state they would be using that skill to make the check?

2)Once a PC gains this knowledge can they immediately tell the other PCs? In the above example, would each PC have to make the check on the wolves? If one PC failed would the others get a chance to check?

3) On a similar thought, when facing enemies, can the PCs make any type of check to get more info on the monsters they are facing, and how much detail should I give about the monsters as GM? (Describing weapons carried, abilities they have, health etc)

4) On a separate note, where is all the gold coming from to craft items/purchase items? I'm seeing some costs of 100,000 gold, and with the PCs starting at 140g it doesn't seem they'll be getting that anytime soon. Is it mainly loot, or should all the PCs have Professions?

5) Finally, one of the PCs is a cleric, and bless water takes 5 pounds of silver...where are they supposed to come by this? Do they buy it at a store in town, or is it a loot item? I guess that question applies to other material components as well.

Thanks very much for your time.

[Snorter]

1) In general, if you're playing with experienced players, they'll be prompting you to let them roll Knowledge checks (or have you roll them) for every critter they meet, since they know to go for every bonus they can get.

If you're players are new to the game, or quiet, they might forget, but they shouldn't be penalised for not speaking up.
Knowledges are passive skills, unlike, say Acrobatics, which they have to decide to use.

So if they don't ask, it's good form to remind them.

As to whether payers roll, or GM, it depends on individual style of play.
Having players roll for Knowledge, Stealth, Perception, Sense Motive, etc can result in metagaming; if they roll poorly, they'll know not to trust the result, and can try to get a second opinion (from a second check), go with the PC they know rolled highest, or just flat-out ignore the info.

[Lord Zordran]

First of all welcome to the wonderful world of tabletop RPGs. Second of all well done on jumping in at the deep end and wanting to be a GM. It can take a bit of effort, but it is also very rewarding and good fun.

1) When to call for skill checks depends on the situation. Normally it is in response to a player stating that his character wants to perform a certain action that requires a skill check i.e. climbing a wall, picking a lock, bargaining with a merchant, etc. Occasionally, players (especially if new to the game) will not realise that they can ask for a skill check to gain more information, in which case you can happily tell them that they can make a certain check and then give them the extra information if they succeed. Some GMs prefer making certain checks in secret (Perception, Sense Motive, etc.) to avoid players from noticing that something more is going on in case they do not succeed on the check.

2) Whether a character can immediately tell others about what he has learned really depends on the situation and the amount of information and time available. Shouting out "the guard captain is the traitor" after making a successful Sense Motive check does not take much time and is easy to do. Relaying detailed information about the weaknesses, strengths, and lifestyle choices of annis hags in the middle of combat will take more than one round so you can rule that only one piece of information can be shouted out each round.

3) Each monster type has a corresponding Knowledge skill that allows players/characters to gain extra information about that type of monster i.e. Knowledge (religion) covers Undead. The DCs are listed in the Knowledge skill description (if I remember correctly). The amount of information you hand out should depend on how well the players roll. You should, of course, always describe any visual, audible, and olfactory details that characters would perceive i.e. players do not need to roll to find out that the guards are carrying swords (unless they have concealed weapons, of course, in which case a Perception check is called for).

4) The gold is coming from loot, payments, rewards, ancient treasures recovered, etc. When and how much to hand out is entirely up to you, but the gamemastering chapter of the Core Rulebook has some guidelines on how much wealth characters should have per level and such. PCs can, of course, use the Profession or Performance skills to earn extra money.

5) This depends entirely on how detailed you want to be. Most GMs I know simply handwave non-costly material components and such (unless they're running a particularly harsh and "gritty" game). Anything costly, characters would either have to buy it in town, or acquire it through some other means (theft, scams, loot).

I hope this helps.

[Labanther]

Thank you both very much for responding; it helps clear things up a lot! I'm used to playing RPG video games so I take for granted how much more input the players have, and how much deeper the game world is with Pathfinder. Look forward to bugging you again soon ;) Thanks again!

[lord_void]

As has been pointed out, the choice for players or the gm to roll checks like perception and stealth etc. is a matter of style. I personally like to do both. I'll prompt players to make skill checks such as perception when there is nothing really significant to find but on larger things i'll roll for them. I've found it instills a healthy level of paranoia in my players. This is a bit of a hold over from the first campaign I sucessfully ran. It was a conspiracy setting and after a couple games the players were into the story but werent really invested in the game emotionally (like how a good horror story drags you in and scares the hell out of you). So I started using the rules to drag the characters in and by the end I had them checking everything and jumping at shadows in the room we were playing in.

It's a matter of style but I've found if you can make the rules of the game work in your favor for creating an atmosphere just about anything you do is worth it in the end, after all the rules are there to help tell the story not confine it. If a rule is in the way of story, throw the rule out.

I hope that at least kind of helps you out.

[NeoFax]

1) I as well do both. For many of the passive skills, I roll in secret and if the character ask's to roll then let them. I also like to use the 4E way of having passive perception/sense motive outside of combat(basically the character is taking 10). I would like to know how many other DM's do this as well? I think it helps to speed up the game.
2) Yes, IIRC speaking is a free action which can happen outside of the PC/NPC's initiative.
3) d20pfsrd.com has many of the monsters/creatures with Monster Lore included in the write up. Also, there is a huge database on the WotC forums with Monster Lore. I use it all the time as my players know more about the creatures than I do being as I am new to Pathfinder and 3rd edition D&D.
4) Not certain what you mean by this, but my assumption is that you are using a module or AP that has the gold/items the PC's find. The biggest worry when it some to this that I have is some AP's by Paizo are loot lite and I have to add some and they are wrote for 4 players when I DM for 6 so I have to change it for this as well.
5) I use if the PC acquires the Eschew Materials feat, I don't sweat the small stuff and work with the PC on what the small stuff is before the game begins. Normally like 20gp worth of material per purchase. So, if the PC buys stuff from the market today and doesn't buy stuff for a week, but blows thru 40gp, when he hits the 20gp limit he cannot cast a spell that requires material.

[W. John Hare]

Welcome to being a GM!

1) Generally if using a set module I let the PCs roll to find out specific knowledge that could help them during the encounter. How the party does the check is 1 of 2 ways.
a) everyone rolls (hoping for the high value)
b) the person with the highest bonus rolls with everyone trying to assist him.

Either way works as they are either making use of their individual strengths or they are pooling their knowledge.

2) Depends on what is happening, if they PCs are in combat, then I would have to have the PCs 'shout' out their information to the rest on their initiative. If they aren't in combat they can pass/share their info freely. Generally when we have checks everyone makes them at once with the highest check either getting the knowledge or not (see 1).

3) All the knowledge skills have associated monster types (ie Knowledge - Religion insight vs undead). At the beginning of a fight (or if they think of it later during the fight), the PCs can announce trying to dredge up knowledge about the monster. Depending on their result should determine how much info you give out. Really good results (DC 25-30) should IMO give most special attacks/defenses & vulnerabilities. (there is probably a chart somewhere that gives examples)

4) As the party progresses thru an adventure they will pick up gold here and there. It does slowly accumulate (although I have known parties that avoid looting due to other considerations) and the party will given enough encounters/modules as they level up will have considerable loot worth. Generally I don't bother having the PCs make profression checks (since it means a week of doing their profession instead of out adventuring) but there are times when it makes sense (ie considerable down time for crafting and such).

5) Generally if the PCs mention they are buying supplies I let them find most normal items (and if they have silver pieces then I would let them convert the silver pieces into the item in this particular example). If the item is rare or very expensive... depends on whether you want to hand wave the party going and buying it, or make it an rp event of some sort.

Good luck!