Howdy-
I'm just about to start DMing my first game of any RPG. I've gone through about a dozen 3.5e/4e D&D sessions, so I don't think the Pathfinder rules will trip us up too much.
I've settled on Crypt of the Everflame because it seems pretty popular for getting the hang of Pathfinder.
Most of the "reviews" I've seen of it, however, have parties of 4-6 players, and we'll have just two.
I could ask my friends to each make two characters, but this might not be the best path, especially since this is my first time DMing.
Other things I've considered:
- start off characters at level 2 instead of level 1
- use the fast character progression, start at level 1
What would you guys suggest? My goal is to make this be fun and challenging without having a party wipe.
Do you have the module yet? For if not then I would definitely get it and read it before deciding how to approach this.
This is definitely a good module and I highly recommend it but for 2 characters you may need to tone it down some. Or adjust some of the encounters, especially the ones near the end of the module. The reason I say this is I ran 3 players through this module and could of killed them easily several times but had to adjust it to keep it interesting for them as well as challenging.
Shouldn't be difficult to do especially if you have the core rule book so you can reduce the number of creatures encountered but still keep it interesting.
Also I wouldn't use the fast progression I would maybe consider the medium progression to keep it so they don't level to much so you can continue the series, Masks of the Living God, and the Golden City.
Here is what I suggest. Read module first, keep them 1st level, do it at medium progression, a lot of the encounters you can just reduce the number of creatures. Do the series.
Do all of this and I think your group will have a good time.
Noteleks wrote: Do you have the module yet? For if not then I would definitely get it and read it before deciding how to approach this.
This is definitely a good module and I highly recommend it but for 2 characters you may need to tone it down some.
...
Here is what I suggest. Read module first, keep them 1st level, do it at medium progression, a lot of the encounters you can just reduce the number of creatures. Do the series.
Do all of this and I think your group will have a good time.
Hey! Thanks for the advice =)
Yeah, I have the module. I've read the first half and skimmed over the rest.
I've never DMed before so while I can definitely reduce the # of creatures (since the rulebook makes it simple to do), my goal isn't to continue the series. The three of us have never done a purchased module together - all of my friends make up their own campaigns. We're doing this because none of us have done Pathfinder and I've never DMed.
I suppose if they really like it we could continue the modules, though.
Reducing the # of monsters does seem like a good way to do it - should even out to the same amount of XP/person if done right, right?
Quick question... if the stat block (on p9) says 6 skeletons which are .3 CR each, that should make it CR 5.3... why is that section rated at CR3 then?
Ok, how they figured that out is on page 398 of the core rule book. They took the xp for one creature=135 and multiplied that by 6 to come up with 810. Then if you look on Table 12-2, in the 2nd column under xp, you go down to 800 then go across to the 1st column to get the CR which is CR 3.
Hope that helped.
Remember GM'ing isn't a science it is an art and takes practice. But to give you a clue how I would run this specific encounter, I would reduce the number of skeletons down from 6 to 4 and if it was too easy add more as they kill the skeletons off. If it seems to difficult then maybe have the skeletons just stop attacking, or walk away, or even fall animated.
This was designed for 4 1st level characters so if you cut the encounters in half then add one as a general guideline I think you will be ok. You will get a feel for it.
If it helps you any this module was also my first attempt at GMing and the players want me to continue with the next module. So I take that as a good sign.
I threw all the creatures at my group of 3 and they survived. Of course I threw in a few hints like for the encounter on page 12. I had them roll a perception check to see if they noticed anything. You could have your group stumble upon that and do the check before the creature appears to help them out.
Good luck hope this helps.
Noteleks wrote: Ok, how they figured that out is on page 398 of the core rule book. They took the xp for one creature=135 and multiplied that by 6 to come up with 810. Then if you look on Table 12-2, in the 2nd column under xp, you go down to 800 then go across to the 1st column to get the CR which is CR 3.
Hope that helped.
Remember GM'ing isn't a science it is an art and takes practice. But to give you a clue how I would run this specific encounter, I would reduce the number of skeletons down from 6 to 4 and if it was too easy add more as they kill the skeletons off. If it seems to difficult then maybe have the skeletons just stop attacking, or walk away, or even fall animated.
This was designed for 4 1st level characters so if you cut the encounters in half then add one as a general guideline I think you will be ok. You will get a feel for it.
If it helps you any this module was also my first attempt at GMing and the players want me to continue with the next module. So I take that as a good sign.
I threw all the creatures at my group of 3 and they survived. Of course I threw in a few hints like for the encounter on page 12. I had them roll a perception check to see if they noticed anything. You could have your group stumble upon that and do the check before the creature appears to help them out.
Good luck hope this helps.
Ahh, so it's based on the XP given and not the CR (table 12-3 on the same page). That makes more sense!
Yeah, that helps a lot! Thanks a bunch :)
k, I think I'm getting the hang of planning this stuff :) thanks again for the help!
One more question... say they're facing off against a single creature (like the CR3 Shadow on p12). If I want to make that a CR2 creature (or at least feel like one), should I just take off 1/3 the HP (or 1d8 I guess) or something? I don't see rules for that kind of thing.
Ok, as for the Shadow, how I approached that is I had my three fight it and during combat had them do a perception check. In your case I would have the shadow delay its attack, thereby allowing the players to notice the fire, I would have them then make perception checks once they notice the fire. If they notice the magical dagger in the fire and attempt to put out the fire that is when I would have the shadow attack them. This allows them to get a magical weapon that can affect the creature before facing off against it. It only has 16 hp if I recall so someone using the dagger and another casting spells should be pretty easy for them to down.
Even with my party taking some strength damage from this battle it wasn't enough to make much of a difference. There is a fountain somewhere that restores the ability damage that was done and it made it very interesting.
NOTE: This is probably the worst encounter they will have the whole game in my opinion.
Be creative, I hinted to my group that they could run away, for the shadow won't follow them out of the room, but then I knew they wouldn't and that is when I allowed the perception roll to notice the dagger.
I also let my players know that this was designed for 4 characters and a balanced party which the party was far from being balanced. I warned them they may die and worked it into the story at the beginning to add flavor. It all worked out in the end.
I am sure you and your group will do fine.
Noteleks wrote:
I also let my players know that this was designed for 4 characters and a balanced party which the party was far from being balanced. I warned them they may die and worked it into the story at the beginning to add flavor. It all worked out in the end.
I am sure you and your group will do fine.
Cool, thanks so much for all the tips ^^ It's making this a lot less intimidating, plus things will go more smoothly now!
Just wanted to say thanks again Noteleks ^^ we got pretty far in in a 5ish hour session. Didn't need to scale back a whole lot, but "fudged" it a bit following some of your suggestions.
Best moment was when our dwarf cleric passed out just below the surface of the pool with the keys =]
I'm trying to get my change-resistant friend to like Pathfinder (so that he'll DM instead of me =P He's very hardcore-3.5-only-and-4.0-sucks-and-I-don't-like-change), and he's bored being a level 1 Paladin, so I think I'm going to try to rework the rest of the campaign (basically the lower level of the dungeon) to be a higher CR, and just retroactively raise the player level and XP gained so far.
That should give me some experience towards making my "own" campaign, too, and make me more comfortable with Pathfinder mechanics.
Thanks again for all the advice!
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