
Freehold DM |
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Huh.
This job is...interesting.
There are long stretches where I get paid to simply sit and wait, but I'm not allowed to use my phone, read a book, or even write on paper while I'm on the clock, to look "professional". There's sports on TV, but it's got no subtitles or sound, and I really don't care, and so I have next to no stimulation.
When it's busy it's pretty damn easy, but enough constant simple math that it keeps my mind active, and time flies by.
So you know, low stress. That's excellent.
AWRIGHT

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I wrote a pathfinder kit that you might find handy. The post was done on July 17, 2013.
Back then Psychic casters weren’t out yet – so I suspect you’d use the arcane list or whatever that’s applicable.
Of course this is compiled from my numerous…GM and play runs. If you find it too cheaty to look, then don’t.
Note that a lot of the list is to help your teammates if they get into trouble – like a scroll of protection from evil isn’t very helpful since by the time you’re dominated in solo play, its too late.
Some of it is also more for adventuring and not applicable to arena runs...like you probably shouldn't need that 10 ft pole. Also for you - since you're flying you'll need to watch your encumbrance.
I'm noticing a distinct lack of wands in your kits. In Ireland, the first 2 prestige is usually always spent on a wand of cure light, no matter what class you are. I also see a lot of players carry wands of mage armour rather than bothering to prepare it, or monks that carry it hoping for an arcane caster in the party. The starter kit is nice, but I'd also add some chalk and string to it, to mark the way through dungeons.
Also shakes your paw thanking you for the congratulations.

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Be careful with Baby GMs. They are fragile and not very confident of their judgement. Players who wish to take advantage of Baby GMs lack of knowledge and confidence can possibly cause a cause of GM Burnout, or Baby GM giving up their GM hat altogether.
I was pushed to run Before the Dawn (Part 2). Now I was new to Pathfinder (no character above level 5), but had played a few sessions of Pathfinder Society. I had no prior tabletop experience to this (Betrayal on the House on the Hill doesn't count, does it?). So the fight was supposed to take place in a forest, but I didn't know jack sh*t about the charge rules so I declared it took place in a forest clearing (hey that's still in the forest, right?), and all the trees on the map were stumps and not considered as DT. So when I got the BBEG to charge them with spirited charge, the players cried foul saying that the trees should have blocked his charge lane. But I told them earlier it was a clearing and you can charge around for free if you like, right? And someone died.
That experience nearly made me give up my GM hat. Technically for PFS scenarios you're not allowed to change the scenario. But I really didn't understand the charge rules back then...
Of course, on hindsight now, I realize why the encounter had to take place in the forest. Or there'd be bodies hitting the ground if the BBEG was allowed to charge for free.

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Everyone always gets a CLW wand. I don't bother remind people of things they know already or they'll say I'm a nag. In fact, they already do say I'm a nag. Geez.
Mage armor...I personally don't believe in it, since I rather hide behind the party meat shield =D
You see - when I do party play, I deliberately do not cover everything so that someone can cover my @ss and feel good about themselves. Maybe it's just a quirk of mine.
I never play monks, finding them underpowered. I may change my mind if I do play a Zen archer, but my preference is for casters.
Chalk and String for dungeons - well no one's asked for survival checks to navigate through a dungeon yet so we never bother to pack it.
Usually if you need something it's just a 1/scenario thing so I don't really bother about wands...though at higher levels, I pass my wand of grease to my mephit familiar so my familiar can grease anyone who gets grappled.
For solo play I will also factor in for a wand of grease in case I get black tentacled. We will not talk about that incident where I got grappled and murdered in black tentacles.
But I think the things I need to cover first will be against incorporeals(Lesser Evolution surge for magic weapon evolution, but later I will put it as one of my evolutions - I should also get shadowblend at some point of time), and against swarms (Swarmbane clasp is bloody freaking expensive).

captain yesterday |
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Out of fear of not being able to finish the campaign before school lets out, one of the Rainbow asked if I would be okay if she took over DMing over the summer.
Yesssss they have an interested baby GM so they can keep playing past graduation without being weird and coming back to high school
Make sure you get dice that are big enough that they won't accidentally swallow when they put them in their mouth.
And when she wants a nap, make sure she gets a nap!

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Ah my first 5e experience GMing...
Complaint: Could you FREAKING GIVE ME MORE TO WORK ON?!
The scenario. Players have to get into the cellar of a tavern which has been taken over by pirates. And the thing? They didn't even tell me how many pirates there were...
Hey look, I don't homebrew on the spot ok?
At least say what you want about Pathfinder stuff - they do give you numbers to work on, so you just run the encounter.
I don't think I'm too keen to GM 5e if I have to spin up yarn on the fly.

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I don't think you'll need to worry about swarms for the arena, unless someone summons one. However, soloing versus black tentacles, yeah, not fun.
Baby GMs are good. Just watch out for when one ends up being the GM for that group foreevvver. I have only literally just managed to persuade someone else in my online group to try GMing so I get to play for once outside of PFS.

NobodysHome |
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I'm pretty wide open, but everything is subject to review.
I started that way, but then Champions of Purity came out and I just had to start saying, "No," to a lot of stuff, so to avoid arguments I just said, "Anything on the Paizo PRD". Saves me all kinds of grief arguing with players as to why they absolutely need Greater Angelic Aspect as a 4th-level paladin spell for their roleplaying.

John Napier 698 |
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Out of fear of not being able to finish the campaign before school lets out, one of the Rainbow asked if I would be okay if she took over DMing over the summer.
Yesssss they have an interested baby GM so they can keep playing past graduation without being weird and coming back to high school
You have done well, Sensei.

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Saves me all kinds of grief arguing with players as to why they absolutely need Greater Angelic Aspect as a 4th-level paladin spell for their roleplaying.
I just refuse to argue once I've said no.

Scintillae |
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Scintillae wrote:is it more or less than one scint of snow?Scintillae wrote:Amendment: theeeeere's the snow. And ice. And I'm not going outside.Snow day! Snow not included.
I think this is the first time since I was hired we've had one.
I don't think it's started to accumulate yet beyond some ice, but...given that we just lost a student to a car accident, I'm glad they're playing it safe today.

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Freehold DM wrote:I don't think it's started to accumulate yet beyond some ice, but...given that we just lost a student to a car accident, I'm glad they're playing it safe today.Scintillae wrote:is it more or less than one scint of snow?Scintillae wrote:Amendment: theeeeere's the snow. And ice. And I'm not going outside.Snow day! Snow not included.
I think this is the first time since I was hired we've had one.
*nods*
*offers more hugs*
*and cocoa*

lisamarlene |
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Looking at the news coming out of So Cal last night with Whingey Wizzard...
Me: First the Thomas Fire and now 17 dead in the mudslides. At least if you get a full-time position there, housing will be cheap because of folks deciding to cut bait and flee.
WW: Actually, last time I was there, I saw a big warehouse space that was available; dojo out front, build a house in back...
Me: OVER MY DEAD AND WRITING CARCASS. NO EFFING WAY.
WW: You wouldn't even consider...
Me: I'd rather move to British Columbia. The worst thing they have up there is random feet washing up on the beach.
WW: WHAT?!?
Me: The corpse-feet-on-the-beach-thing. You don't know about this?
WW: You're kidding.
Me: Official count is thirteen in the last decade. There's a map.
(I pull up a news article I'd saved a few weeks ago when #13 was found and start reading aloud.)
WW: I really don't need to hear any more, thanks.
Me: 'Kay. G'night.
ALL TALK OF MOVING TO SO CAL OFFICIALLY DERAILED.
BY CORPSE FEET IN CANADA.

Freehold DM |
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Freehold DM wrote:I don't think it's started to accumulate yet beyond some ice, but...given that we just lost a student to a car accident, I'm glad they're playing it safe today.Scintillae wrote:is it more or less than one scint of snow?Scintillae wrote:Amendment: theeeeere's the snow. And ice. And I'm not going outside.Snow day! Snow not included.
I think this is the first time since I was hired we've had one.
damn. My deepest condolences.

Freehold DM |
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Looking at the news coming out of So Cal last night with Whingey Wizzard...
Me: First the Thomas Fire and now 17 dead in the mudslides. At least if you get a full-time position there, housing will be cheap because of folks deciding to cut bait and flee.
WW: Actually, last time I was there, I saw a big warehouse space that was available; dojo out front, build a house in back...
Me: OVER MY DEAD AND WRITING CARCASS. NO EFFING WAY.
WW: You wouldn't even consider...
Me: I'd rather move to British Columbia. The worst thing they have up there is random feet washing up on the beach.
WW: WHAT?!?
Me: The corpse-feet-on-the-beach-thing. You don't know about this?
WW: You're kidding.
Me: Official count is thirteen in the last decade. There's a map.
(I pull up a news article I'd saved a few weeks ago when #13 was found and start reading aloud.)
WW: I really don't need to hear any more, thanks.
Me: 'Kay. G'night.
ALL TALK OF MOVING TO SO CAL OFFICIALLY DERAILED.
BY CORPSE FEET IN CANADA.
i will have to use this in the empire today thread.

NobodysHome |
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Most of the time, I find The Onion comes up with good headlines, but then produces mindless, obscenity-laden not-all-that-funny articles. Kind of like Saturday Night Live.
But I personally liked this one. (Warning: Mildly political)

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I'm sorry Scint.
I don't think you'll need to worry about swarms for the arena, unless someone summons one. However, soloing versus black tentacles, yeah, not fun.
Call me rather play it safe then sorry. If I need to prepare myself to fight everything in the bestiary, I will.
John - I am sure black tentacles make good Takoyaki, but when they're squeezing the life out of you, Takoyaki is the farthest thing on your mind.
I don't mind being GM to a group forever. Because I don't get along well with people and of course running a recruitment openly on the boards will flood my poor sensitive ears with too much information and cause me to have a nervous breakdown.
I actually GMed a bunch of monkeys almost from 1-12 on PFS. I mean if you follow the rules, whatever cheese you want to indulge in is your business(as long as allowed by additional resources). I'm happy cos if you murderhobo faster I get to go home earlier =)

lynora |
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Most of the time, I find The Onion comes up with good headlines, but then produces mindless, obscenity-laden not-all-that-funny articles. Kind of like Saturday Night Live.
But I personally liked this one. (Warning: Mildly political)
Funny article. I kept scrolling down after I read it until I got to horoscopes.
“Aquarius: You firmly believe that everything has a soul, which is why you think your tape dispenser is a bad person”Welp, that’s the most accurate horoscope I’ve ever read... ;)

NobodysHome |
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Out of fear of not being able to finish the campaign before school lets out, one of the Rainbow asked if I would be okay if she took over DMing over the summer.
Yesssss they have an interested baby GM so they can keep playing past graduation without being weird and coming back to high school
Lucky.
My kids? "Hey! Since Deady quit, doesn't that mean there's room at the table for a new player?"
NobodysHome: No.
Impus Major: But what about <names two of the most annoying kids in his entire circle of friends>?
NobodysHome: Especially no.
I just don't understand how you can already have 6 people at the table, be constantly bellyaching about how long turns take, and then ask whether you can add more people. Exactly HOW is that going to help!?!?!?
But yeah, I had 7 players in the kids' game, and none of them are willing to step up and GM with the exception of Impus Minor. But after 3 abortive attempts, I just don't think he has the patience to actually do it, and he certainly doesn't want to do it for the current group.
That's the problem with big groups: They're too unwieldy for good roleplaying with the NPCs, so unless they interact with each other there's virtually no roleplay at all (that's our table), combats take forever, and everyone sits there thinking that it's a mediocre, tolerable game.
But no one's willing to leave.
So we have enough people to have two really fun groups. Instead we have one overcrowded group. Feh.

lisamarlene |
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My all-time favorite Onion article is still David Mamet directs Diary of Anne Frank

Freehold DM |
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Black pudding saves butcher trapped in freezer
this is a good day for the Empire Today thread.

NobodysHome |
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Black pudding saves butcher trapped in freezer
Love the story, but, "with the door-release button frozen shut" on the INSIDE SAFETY SWITCH OF A FREEZER, if I ruled the world, the manufacturer would be going to jail right about now...