Upcoming Campaign for a 1st time DM, Advice needed

[Chrisasaurus_Rex]

Well howdy there.

Let me start by saying I found this message board infinitely helpful. I’m brand new, wet behind the rping ears sorta speak, and have been playing pathfinder only for about 2 months. Thanks to the forum my first few character builds have been quite enjoyable to play. My Urban Ranger’s arrows were scary. Unfortunately he was put in a Save or die type will save vs a succubus..So there might be tieflings for our party to fight soon enough. My current Paladin is shaping up nicely, especially with his Keen elven curved blade..

My group’s DM is really looking forward to the Ultimate Combat and especially looking forward to playing a gunslinger. So I went ahead an volunteered to start dming. Its my first time, and although I already have a very solid idea about the start of the adventure. I was just looking for some advice for building the encounters, the pacing of how many challenges a party can face in one day or so.

Here’s a summary of what my plans are. The party is going to be either 4-5 people all starting at lvl1.

The Setting:

With at least one character playing a gunslinger I think a little adjustment to the tech in the world needs to be tweaked. Its either that or he’s going to have to make his own ammo, otherwise his bullets will become very scarce. I have a few different thoughts on this, but would love to hear some ideas.

The starting region is little backwater kingdom that had been conquered two generations ago. The adventure will start in the ruins of the old capital that has become the grounds of a grand fair for the local communities. during the festivities a diplomat from a neighboring kingdom is killed. And lo and behold the party is blamed. Either they escape capture right there, or break out of the makeshift jail. They learn that the only way to clear their names is to travel to the current capital, a two week journey or so away.

This is where the adventure really kicks off. I want to give the players a tough choice of how they get there. Prior to the diplomat’s death, I want them to meet a traveling circus/menagerie as well as merchant train. Giving them the option to join either, travel with them to the capital, or forgo that route and hoof it on their own. I have different game-play mechanics. The Circus I was thinking of giving them a chance to “perform” using their skills and make some extra money. Where as the merchant route might give them access to a mine or trading post they can invest in.

The on foot approach is more “typical” DNd adventuring, though its also the only path i currently have that has a more loot driven reward quest.

There will be four main roads/paths to the Capital, and on each path are different “quests” they can encounter. So even if they decide to go with the Merchant there will be two different ways they can get there.

I like the idea of adding “achievement” like mini-feats that are rewarded as the players progress. “Gilded tongue” might be a +2 bonus to Diplomacy checks if a character has in the past succeed against 10 Dip checks with a DC 15 or higher. For example. Of course all of these involve me tracking them in secret.

I would really appreciate any advice, or insights that you all may have.

[Azure_Zero]

I recommend using a module first, takes most of being the DM off your back.

Their are a few free modules here, Hallows last hope, Revenge of the Kobold King, and Master of the Fallen Fortress.

I highly recommend these modules and you can modify as needed.

And building your own campaign from scratch is very hard at first, My first campaign only lasted 2 sessions, I used that feedback for the next one and I continue this cycle of using feedback.

Don't add the achivements it'll break the game at higher levels,
but I had a friend who did run an award system, that had an achivement feel without breaking the game.

A hint is to get a general plot done, with some wiggle round for character's freedom and things not going as planned, but enough plot to make a story and keep things going.

[Genova]

I just started using "Achievement" mini-feats in my game and they work pretty good. If the PC's do something that is unusual for a game (like not slaughter a goblin tribe, but find a peaceful way to get rid of them), they'll get a mini-feat.

[meabolex]

Chrisasaurus_Rex wrote:

With at least one character playing a gunslinger I think a little adjustment to the tech in the world needs to be tweaked. Its either that or he’s going to have to make his own ammo, otherwise his bullets will become very scarce. I have a few different thoughts on this, but would love to hear some ideas.

He might be able to find an NPC expert (maybe a fireworks crafter?) who can help make ammo for him. Sounds like a possible adventure to me. . . .

Quote:

And lo and behold the party is blamed. Either they escape capture right there, or break out of the makeshift jail. They learn that the only way to clear their names is to travel to the current capital, a two week journey or so away.

What about simply standing trial? If the PCs are truly innocent, they have no need to escape. What will happen if the PCs decide to simply be lawfully tried?

Quote:

There will be four main roads/paths to the Capital, and on each path are different “quests” they can encounter. So even if they decide to go with the Merchant there will be two different ways they can get there.

Giving "multiple routes" is a choice that isn't a choice -- in fact, from the players perspective, it's simply "do you want box A or box B"? *How* that choice is made is another matter. For instance, going with the circus or with the merchant caravan is a legitimate choice.

The "easier" way to do this is to have a handful of encounters available. Periodically while traveling, an encounter from the pile happens. Some encounters might depend on other encounters, but that's easy enough to do (pull one out of the pile, put another in). This equals the same thing you're doing -- you just have to do less organization (roads/paths/etc).

Quote:

I like the idea of adding “achievement” like mini-feats that are rewarded as the players progress.

I like the idea of giving the PCs an item instead of a permanent character attribute. A +2 to a skill might not seem like a big deal, but it can be meaningful over time. Maybe instead of a +2 to diplomacy, you give the PC an "elixir of the smooth tongue" (+10 competence bonus to diplomacy for 1 hour) as part of a treasure.

[Kolokotroni]

Ok so the best advice I can give to a new Idea is to read some of the articles on thealexandrian.net.

Specifically Getting your players to care, The Three Clue Rule and Dont Prep Plots.

These were written for 3.5 but they still hold true for pathfinder, expecially the DMing stuff. I wouldnt expect you to agree with everything he writes, but it is worth giving the topics some thought.

Edit:
Node Based Design is a good read as well for a new dm writing their own material.

[Chrisasaurus_Rex]

Thanks for the quick responses.

I am basing my little mini adventures on some material from pre-made modules. And my current DM said he's more then happy yo guide my through those first few stumbles.

Now to a few specific notes..

meabolex:

Quote:

What about simply standing trial? If the PCs are truly innocent, they have no need to escape. What will happen if the PCs decide to simply be lawfully tried?

Nothing is stopping them. But I wanted to perhaps either have the evidence stacked against them, either through circumstantial evidence, or an overzealous Inquisitor who will act as the first act's main antagonist. The idea being that the PCs are all strangers and this is what binds them together. I think it acts as a good bridge for just about any alignment. Finding the Truth,clearing their names, or punishing those who would try to use them. Whatever the motivation.

Also noticed that there is strong recommendation to stay away from achievement feats, but I see them very similar to the way traits work. I do think they could be very game breaking when the characters get to mid level or higher. What about making them more specific. Taking the Gilded Tongue example, maybe it would only be good against a specific race?

Also the links are much appreciated. Plenty of reading material for the weekend.

[Azure_Zero]

Chrisasaurus_Rex wrote:

Thanks for the quick responses.

Also noticed that there is strong recommendation to stay away from achievement feats, but I see them very similar to the way traits work. I do think they could be very game breaking when the characters get to mid level or higher. What about making them more specific. Taking the Gilded Tongue example, maybe it would only be good against a specific race?

Traits are like 1/2 feats, if one collects enough they effectively have a real head start over the others and also effectively start drifting the CR system off.