Advice for the New GM

[cranewings]

I wrote this up a few minutes ago. I'm handing over control of my game to a new GM. I wonder what you hostile gamers think of my advice. The game is being run for 5 level 2 characters: Rogue, Bard, Sorcerer, Fighter, and Paladin.

Adventure Types

Step One – Motivation

It is important to find a hook to attach the party to a story. It must promise material reward, help a good person, prevent a disaster, or be easy and on the way. Preferably, it should be two of these things.

Step 2 - Adventure Type

Select one of the following basic types of adventures:

Retrieve the Macguffin (plot device item)
Defend a Stationary Plot Device
Travel while Protecting a Plot Device
Assault an Individual or Group
Explore a Dangerous Local
Solve a Mystery

Step 3 – Detail Background

It is important to write down what you think all of the named NPCs in the area will be doing during the time of the adventure so that it is easy to determine how they will respond to the player characters and events of the story. The more you know, the better. If in an alien local, determine what the local bad guys and monsters are doing.

Step 4 – Prepare Clues

There need to be at least three clues that point the party towards the correct path; or at least a correct path. These clues can be in the form of actual clues or NPC advice, but should be rewarded to the party with very little work on their part. For example, these three clues, if relating to a murder scene, must be given up no matter what the party rolls on perception. A perception check can only be for additional information. If the clues have to do with NPC behavior, someone should tell the group upon meeting them. The party has a good enough reputation for this.

Step 5 - Prepare Encounters

The second level party of five members is capable of handling about 6 encounters of CR 3 per day. More or less encounters are fair although the difficulty should be changed to suit. The party can handle a CR 5, but barely. Enemies with good will saves are MUCH more dangerous because the main weapon the party has is the sleep spell.

NPCs with class levels are considered 1 CR lower than their level. For example, a sixth level fighter is a CR 5. The party can’t handle a CR 5 such as a 5th level fighter without suffering character deaths. A CR 2 is usually going to be very easy.

Doubling the number of creatures adds 2 to the CR. For example, a single level 2 guy is a CR 1. Two level 2 guys is a CR 3 fight. Four level two guys is a CR 5 (or so). Imagine 4 guys equal to the party – that’s a very hard fight. Keep in mind that wizards casting sleep, clerics channeling or casting fear, or druids casting entangle will raise the difficulty of the fight over the CR. Five fighters on the other hand, if they are just level 2, is very doable.

A good “balanced” set of encounters for this group is 3 CR 3 encounters followed by a CR 4 encounter. Likewise, 5-6 CR 3 or less encounters is likely to make the group seem very strong.

Step 6 – Completion

Each adventure should feel episodic as much as possible because it is difficult to exactly remember the events from one game to another, plus a sense of completion and reward adds to the enjoyment of the game.

The game world doesn’t include magic items either in treasure or for sale on a regular basis, and those found in treasure are usually not for combat. For that reason, it is ok to be freer with the gold rewards.

Notes on Writing a Mystery

Step 1) Write down everything about the crime that there is to know, including a step by step, minute by minute account of what happened.

Step 2) Generate a list of every clue that you can think of. There needs to be at least 4 good clues which can be found, not by die rolls, but by either walking into a room or talking to a witness.

Step 3) Generate a list of every suspect with a motivation to commit the crime.

Step 4) Use each clue to mark off several suspects. Give a reason for each mark off. Only one suspect should be left after all four clues are applied to the list. If there is more than one, one should be a better choice or have possession of some sort of smoking gun.

Step 5) Prepare the encounters. It is unlikely that there will be much reason for a high CR encounter unless the culprit is very dangerous, though there can be more than one if he sends thugs to attack the investigators or leaves traps. Keep in mind, if there is an investigation, it is common for the party to split up so even a CR 1 or 2 encounter can be deadly.

Step 6) Give them something else to think about. Side plots are your friend. Make a side quest up and let secondary players go after it. Hunt down a rogue, keep peace in a market, defend someone from something either dangerous physically or politically, let players participate in their side plots (Order of the Fox, selling weapons, making music). This has a double effect of keeping sidelined players entertained while splitting up the group so those low CR encounters can do some damage.

Step 7) Give them some closer.

Step 8) Keep the time line rolling. If the party starts to flounder, don’t beat a dead horse to death. Just say screw it and bring on the orcs. Always keep a go smash something / hunt the bad guy / random dungeon turned up adventure on the back burner incase this one isn’t working out. Don’t take it personally, just let it go.

Notes on Stating up NPCs

Keep it simple. Only list powers and feats they will actually use. Write their feat modifiers into their character sheets. For example, if you write up a fighter with power attack, put power attack’s modifiers into his sheet so you don’t have to think about it. NPCs with power attack ALWAYS power attack.

If you have buffs available for NPCs, put them on the sheet as well in a side bar. Don’t look it up in game. Have two sets of stats written down.

General Advice

Rule Zero – Don’t let the rules tell you what to do. If something is failing, it is failing and you can change it.

Turns – Keep them fluid, especially movement. Don’t let people talk their way out of the consequences of their actions, but at the same time don’t let the abstraction of the game rules let illogical, emersion breaking things happen. For example, don’t let people walk around the party fighter. Just because the rules allow them with their movement doesn’t mean it should happen in your game. The fighter can get in the way.

Let the Party Win – This isn’t a strategy game. If the party does a good job staying together and working as a team, they should generally prevail (unless the dice go way against them). It isn’t your job to deal a lot of damage or to play a game of chess. Your job is to organize encounters that have a 99% chance of being beaten if the party stays together and works together, though a dramatically harder time if they make bad decisions.

Picking Fights is Dangerous – if the players pick a fight out or go looking for a stranger to battle, there is no need to adhere to the CR system. Anything goes. For example, if the party is going to go through a string of necessary fights (like battle up a mountain and kill a bunch of dogs and thralls to get the Macguffin), you need to try and make it fair. If afterwards, they decide to fight a vampire that they didn’t need to fight, the vampires stats can be whatever you think a vampire should be.

Keep it real – Not every fight has to be a challenge. Sometimes, let the party fight a few zero level bandits or goblins because that is a real part of the game world. They should see that some problems are easy to handle because of their power.

[snobi]

It's good to have a list of D&D-sounding names for unnamed NPCs or they may blow off NPC Dave.

'Fun' should be mentioned too.

[wraithstrike]

cranewings wrote:

I wrote this up a few minutes ago. I'm handing over control of my game to a new GM. I wonder what you hostile gamers think of my advice. The game is being run for 5 level 2 characters: Rogue, Bard, Sorcerer, Fighter, and Paladin.

Adventure Types

Step One – Motivation

It is important to find a hook to attach the party to a story. It must promise material reward, help a good person, prevent a disaster, or be easy and on the way. Preferably, it should be two of these things.

I agree for the most part. Some type of motivation is important. Appeal to their logic, their emotions or their pockets.

Quote:

Step 2 - Adventure Type

Select one of the following basic types of adventures:

Retrieve the Macguffin (plot device item)
Defend a Stationary Plot Device
Travel while Protecting a Plot Device
Assault an Individual or Group
Explore a Dangerous Local
Solve a Mystery

I would have written is "these are good basic adventure" types instead

Quote:

Step 3 – Detail Background

It is important to write down what you think all of the named NPCs in the area will be doing during the time of the adventure so that it is easy to determine how they will respond to the player characters and events of the story. The more you know, the better. If in an alien local, determine what the local bad guys and monsters are doing.

I don't think detailed backgrounds are need, but basic motivations and outlooks on life are.

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Step 4 – Prepare Clues

I agree

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Step 5 - Prepare Encounters

The second level party of five members is capable of handling about 6 encounters of CR 3 per day. More or less encounters are fair although the difficulty should be changed to suit. The party can handle a CR 5, but barely. Enemies with good will saves are MUCH more dangerous because the main weapon the party has is the sleep spell.
NPCs with class levels are considered 1 CR lower than their level. For example, a sixth level fighter is a CR 5. The party can’t handle a CR 5 such as a 5th level fighter without suffering character deaths. A CR 2 is usually going to be very easy.
Doubling the number of creatures adds 2 to the CR. For example, a single level 2 guy is a CR 1. Two level 2 guys is a CR 3 fight. Four level two guys is a CR 5 (or so). Imagine 4 guys equal to the party – that’s a very hard fight. Keep in mind that wizards casting sleep, clerics channeling or casting fear, or druids casting entangle will raise the difficulty of the fight over the CR. Five fighters on the other hand, if they are just level 2, is very doable.
A good “balanced” set of encounters for this group is 3 CR 3 encounters followed by a CR 4 encounter. Likewise, 5-6 CR 3 or less encounters is likely to make the group seem very strong.

Some of this is incorrect. Two CR's that are equal adds 2 to the CR. As an example 2 CR 9's is a CR 11. A level 5 fighter is also a CR 4 not a CR 5.

CR for NPC class = NPC class levels - 2
CR for PC class = PC class levels -1

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Step 6 – Completion

The game world doesn’t include magic items either in treasure or for sale on a regular basis, and those found in treasure are usually not for combat. For that reason, it is ok to be freer with the gold rewards.

I would say that is how your group does it instead of presenting it as a "correct" way to do things.

Quote:

Don’t take it personally, just let it go.

This is very important. The players won't always like what you plan.

Quote:

Keep it simple. Only list powers and feats they will actually use. Write their feat modifiers into their character sheets. For example, if you write up a fighter with power attack, put power attack’s modifiers into his sheet so you don’t have to think about it. NPCs with power attack ALWAYS power attack.

I do agree with doing the math ahead of time. I don't agree with always power attacking. The NPC's are supposed to be thinking people not robots. If going for the "home run" is not working then change tactics. As long as the GM has the regular stats, and the PA stats it should not be an issue.

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If you have buffs available for NPCs, put them on the sheet as well in a side bar. Don’t look it up in game. Have two sets of stats written down.

I agree with having two sets of stats. When you get to higher levels write down exactly what each buff brings so that if the PC's start to dispel things you don't have to reverse engineer the character in the middle of combat.

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General Advice

Rule Zero – Don’t let the rules tell you what to do. If something is failing, it is failing and you can change it.

Turns – Keep them fluid, especially movement. Don’t let people talk their way out of the consequences of their actions, but at the same time don’t let the abstraction of the game rules let illogical, emersion breaking things happen. For example, don’t let people walk around the party fighter. Just because the rules allow them with their movement doesn’t mean it should happen in your game. The fighter can get in the way.

Use rule 0 sparingly. If you are going to change rules be consistent and up front about it. If someone happens to play in another person's games, and there is a rules difference, being thought of as a cheating GM won't help.

Quote:

Let the Party Win – This isn’t a strategy game. If the party does a good job staying together and working as a team, they should generally prevail (unless the dice go way against them). It isn’t your job to deal a lot of damage or to play a game of chess. Your job is to organize encounters that have a 99% chance of being beaten if the party stays together and works together, though a dramatically harder time if they make bad decisions.

Ask the party what time of game they prefer. Some people expect to win, and some expect to be given a chance to win(succeed). Experienced players can often tell when a GM is holding back, and if they have GM'd it will be more apparent. Of course the GM-Player also realizes what it is like to be behind the screen so they will be more understanding, most likely, if you allow the party to get by.

Quote:

Picking Fights is Dangerous – if the players pick a fight out or go looking for a stranger to battle, there is no need to adhere to the CR system. Anything goes. For example, if the party is going to go through a string of necessary fights (like battle up a mountain and kill a bunch of dogs and thralls to get the Macguffin), you need to try and make it fair. If afterwards, they decide to fight a vampire that they didn’t need to fight, the vampires stats can be whatever you think a vampire should be.

This is a good time to put the party in their place. As to whether or not they should die depends on your group, but at the least bring them to the brink of death. As to the idea of making up stats that don't exist be realistic if you have to do it at all.

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Keep it real – Not every fight has to be a challenge. Sometimes, let the party fight a few zero level bandits or goblins because that is a real part of the game world. They should see that some problems are easy to handle because of their power.

This is also true.

[cranewings]

Wraith Strike, true all that. I'll probably link him to this thread later on this week so he can read your stuff.

[cranewings]

snobi wrote:

It's good to have a list of D&D-sounding names for unnamed NPCs or they may blow off NPC Dave.

'Fun' should be mentioned too.

For sure.