I'm a rather new DM, about to start the fourth session of my first DMed game ever and I've been starting to wonder things. My characters often ask me if they can do such and such things, all reasonable demands. But then I see that 90% of the time there is no skill check associated with what they want. It's in one of the skills, but there is no rule, no DC. I'm at a loss at trying to see if they fail or lose. For now I've been giving them a success on normal tasks if they get over 15, but I'm at a loss for anything else.
I'm also not sure of what to give in terms of bonuses. One of my characters recently invested around 500g in a masterwork ring and masterwork fancy pricey looking explorer's outfit. I decided that after his entire week of shopping, finding a place, roleplaying the buying and basicaly embesling some party funds, his outfit, seeing as it's extremely well done and expansive, get's him a +1 or +2 diplomacy check with upper crust-types of people, as well as with well-off shopkeepers, is this sort of thing a good choice?
And lastly I'm having trouble figuring out loot, what to give them after an encounter, and the price value of gems in general (seeing as according to the book, diamonds, rubies and the likes are worth a minimum of 5000g, but there's no size ratio, etc)
Can someone please give me some insight on some of my problems?
I'm a rather new DM, about to start the fourth session of my first DMed game ever and I've been starting to wonder things. My characters often ask me if they can do such and such things, all reasonable demands. But then I see that 90% of the time there is no skill check associated with what they want. It's in one of the skills, but there is no rule, no DC. I'm at a loss at trying to see if they fail or lose. For now I've been giving them a success on normal tasks if they get over 15, but I'm at a loss for anything else.
Anything that is not a skill check, but is of that general nature, is typically resolved as a stat check using the most relevant stat. DCs are, quite obviously, a bit lower. Generally speaking, though, you can ask players for the most relevant skill to the task (what they're trying to shoehorn in as a substitute).
I'm also not sure of what to give in terms of bonuses. One of my characters recently invested around 500g in a masterwork ring and masterwork fancy pricey looking explorer's outfit. I decided that after his entire week of shopping, finding a place, roleplaying the buying and basicaly embesling some party funds, his outfit, seeing as it's extremely well done and expansive, get's him a +1 or +2 diplomacy check with upper crust-types of people, as well as with well-off shopkeepers, is this sort of thing a good choice?
A "Masterwork Tool" gives +2 to a single skill check and costs 50g per the CRB. There is no definition given beyond this for the sort of thing you've described. I'd probably Rule of Cool for +2 Diplomacy and some RP hooks (say, for instance, being a target for thieves, but also having a bonus to starting attitude for some NPCs).
And lastly I'm having trouble figuring out loot, what to give them after an encounter, and the price value of gems in general (seeing as according to the book, diamonds, rubies and the likes are worth a minimum of 5000g, but there's no size ratio, etc)
Can someone please give me some insight on some of my problems?
Sizes aren't mentioned because the assumption is that gems are being used as a form of currency that's lighter than platinum. The size and such is at your discretion, largely for the sake of ease.
Well, your DC15 for success on a normal task is quite reasonable. Look at it this way. a DC15 is something an average human succeeds on about 25% of the time, assuming they havent trained to do it before. Use your best judgement and adjust up and down from there.
A lot of DMing is making those judgement calls, and you seem to be on the right track. Theres not a lot of hard and fast rules about what to do when it isnt in the book, but the important thing is communicating with your players, and staying consistent.
In terms of your players diplomacy bonus, a +2 with nobility is entirely reasonable. There any many masterwork 'tools' (for lack of better word) that provide a +2 competence bonus, like MW thieves tools, pathfinder guides that give +2 to knowledge checks, etc.
Now, if the 500gp was spent on a magic item, using the formula of Bonus Squared x100gp (found in the pfsrd, under estimating magic item gold piece values) a +2 permanent diplomacy magic item would be 400gp, and usable on anyone. That however, requires Craft Wonderous Item as a feat to make, etc. So I'd be comfortable adjudicating as you did.
for your last concern, I'm going to give you a link from the PFSRD.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering
This tells you how to build an encounter, what the appropriate treasure is for it, and gives gem values too. Give it a read :)
hope that helps
Yes well he has a rather impressive ruby signet ring + adventurer clothes made of silk and other comfy/pricey stuff :p
For the skills, it's because one of my players has a character with 6 wisdom and 12 int. He plays his character as extremely naive, absent minded and with defective/bad memory. A result of too many hits in the head from his gladiator days. While he is quite dumb, his expertise in combat and ability to actually think of plans on the fly in battle is a credit to his 12 int. The guy even took some Profession : Lawmaker points in an attempt to better learn how to read and write adventuring contracts. He's scared of being double-crossed, so whenever he is given a task that pays him in some form, he makes somoene sign a contract he writes to legally bind the person. While his contracts are bad, it does add to flavor.
Now I can see that I lost track of my subject. The wisdomless guy often makes survival checks so as to not get lost, even in a city. I give him basic 15-20 DC checks depending on if he has instructions, knows the place, etc.
Thats entirely fine. Thats entirely optional on his part in the first place, and you should encourage his roleplaying by playing along. He doesnt need to make a check at all, but its how he sees the character, and provided he's happy with what you're doing, then win/win all around
I fully expect him to die in 1 or 2 game sessions and he does as well, seeing as all of his combat and feats are based on bullrushing, throwing people unto other people, he's reckless :)
I love the rules of the game so trying to go outside of the rules, while not making things chaotic is hard for me. Like giving the party oracle actual visions to further the plotline, the androgynous bard some moment to shine and become the face of the group, and let the half-orc find out the clues as to why so many half orcs and orcs have an incurable disease in their life.
I've been looking for an orc god, but I can't find any. Like Torag is the Morradin of this setting, and the bee-queen elf is the big elf god. I made it so the dead orc god's death troes cursed his race forever to randomly gain weakness, and only if they detach themselves and gain their own spirituality can the desease be removed/cured.
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I'm a rather new DM, about to start the fourth session of my first DMed game ever and I've been starting to wonder things. My characters often ask me if they can do such and such things, all reasonable demands. But then I see that 90% of the time there is no skill check associated with what they want. It's in one of the skills, but there is no rule, no DC. I'm at a loss at trying to see if they fail or lose. For now I've been giving them a success on normal tasks if they get over 15, but I'm at a loss for anything else.
I'm also not sure of what to give in terms of bonuses. One of my characters recently invested around 500g in a masterwork ring and masterwork fancy pricey looking explorer's outfit. I decided that after his entire week of shopping, finding a place, roleplaying the buying and basicaly embesling some party funds, his outfit, seeing as it's extremely well done and expansive, get's him a +1 or +2 diplomacy check with upper crust-types of people, as well as with well-off shopkeepers, is this sort of thing a good choice?
And lastly I'm having trouble figuring out loot, what to give them after an encounter, and the price value of gems in general (seeing as according to the book, diamonds, rubies and the likes are worth a minimum of 5000g, but there's no size ratio, etc)
Can someone please give me some insight on some of my problems?
Giving + or - 1 or 2 on any particular check is a great dm tool. It sounds like you are on the right track.
As far as skill checks. Avoid them if there is no consequence for failing or if you want them to have a certain piece of information.