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Hi I'm a guy in high school who wants to get into pathfinder. While I was visiting my dad(divorce)I went down to the game store and a group of guys was hosting a pathfinder beginner box bash. I joined in and enjoyed it. I have some previous experience with dnd 3.5. So when I got home I immediately began looking for a group in my area. I was saddened to find there was none. So I'm gonna get the beginner box. I'm planning on hosting a beginner event at my high school and if that goes well ill try to start a group. So I just want to know if there's any advice people can give me.
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Remember that it's not adversarial with the BB, just have fun with them. The BB is pathfinder simple, remind them that if they like it they can try the RPG as a homegame or the PFS and remind them they can customize a character for PFS. Also let everyone know where you are because you may have a group there that isn't listed or is sporadic, but looking for more players. You may have received a boon for playing it, but those will be going away very soon. Have fun with this and if things go well look at starting you own chapter, good luck.
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Thanks. I believe boons end on the 18th and I'm not going to being doing think until at least after holiday break. So sadly there will be no boon but its still a good way to get people into it. And I'm kinda trying to keep this on the down low as I would be ridiculed unendingly if one of the jocks found out I was a "DND nerd". So is there a way you think I could advertise it and somehow keep my identity a secret(except for the people in the group obviously).
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Umm whats PbP. I actually moved last year so I have very few friends and I doubt any of them would like to be in a role playing group. I dont even know if I can trust to tell them I'm starting the group without telling the entire school. So I'm probably just gonna put a few posters. Ill have people sign up beforehand so I know how many people I'm dealing with and stop anyone who I think might ruin the whole thing from coming. Id simply send them an email saying that there isn't enough room for them to join in. That may actually be true as Id be the only person running it.
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Thanks. I believe boons end on the 18th and I'm not going to being doing think until at least after holiday break. So sadly there will be no boon but its still a good way to get people into it. And I'm kinda trying to keep this on the down low as I would be ridiculed unendingly if one of the jocks found out I was a "DND nerd". So is there a way you think I could advertise it and somehow keep my identity a secret(except for the people in the group obviously).
I meant what city on the board
Start small. With people you know mostly. Anyways, all you need is around 4-5 people. Once word gets big, you gain more and more people. Hopefully enough to start a local Pathfinder Society. Depending on luck and marketing, This process may take fast or seemingly unmoving.
Personal advice: Learn how to defend yourself. A little knowledge on martial arts and social climbing comes a long way in highschool. I've been there.
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Start small. With people you know mostly. Anyways, all you need is around 4-5 people. Once word gets big, you gain more and more people. Hopefully enough to start a local Pathfinder Society. Depending on luck and marketing, This process may take fast or seemingly unmoving.
Personal advice: Learn how to defend yourself. A little knowledge on martial arts and social climbing comes a long way in highschool. I've been there.
Just for the record I'm not a wimp. I can down most people in my school with one punch. I just chose not to because I dont want to get expelled. I dont have to fear physical violence. I dont even care much about verbal attacks but if it became an all the time thing it would piss me off. It wouldn't be the end of my life if people found out if I played pathfinder but my life would be just a little harder than it was before.
. . . All this talk of prejudicial violence aside,
Are you sure that there are already 0 groups or clubs in your new high-school that are into gaming/RPGs? Some schools have a list of clubs that are available, and if one of them is already RPG centered, then may be checking it out wouldn't be a bad idea.
As an aside, don't be afraid of getting caught playing D&D. I know shifting to a new highschool is the worst thing that can happen to someone during that period of time in their life, so decreasing the potentially infinite number of things that *could* make you a pariah might seem like a good idea, but honestly, most people don't care about your hobbies enough to ridicule you for them.
I would suggest looking for people who are into related activities or hobbies and approach them individually. You are looking for things like playing World of Warcraft or other Fantasy MMO's, Magic: the Gathering or other collectible card games, or even who like to read fantasy books or even watch fantasy movies.
If you can find 3-4 who are interested you are golden, but it even possible to get things going if you only find one.
Since you don't want this to become public knowledge, don't actually hold it at the school. Most schools will have policies that anyone can join any clubs being held there, so you may or may not want to deal with that right away. So just play at your or another members help.
The big selling point is getting them to understand it is a game that more like a novel where you can choose to have your character do whatever you want them to.
Hrmm... what else... I guess the last piece of advice would be to embrace who you are... people will tend only tease people about things that they think bothers them, if you aren't bothered by being called a D&D nerd, then they likely won't bother. Finally, it is called Pathfinder, so it isn't as likely people will connect it with D&D unless they actually know something about it... which means... yeah...
Sean Mahoney
... but honestly, most people don't care about your hobbies enough to ridicule you for them.
I'm sorry to butt in with negative vibes, but as someone who works as a high school teacher and therefore deals with teenagers on a daily basis, this statement is patently untrue in a high school setting. Many teenagers will look for any excuse to ridicule their peers, hobbies included.
A more accurate statement would be that most people that are worth talking to and bothering to keep in touch with at high school don't care about your hobbies enough to ridicule you for them.
To the OP: If they do judge you based on your hobbies, they're not worth your time. If there's no physical danger based on your interest in Role-Playing, then shut them down verbally and walk away. If they don't get a rise out of you, they're not likely to keep it up. Just do what you want to do, and hang on until college when you're surrounded by more people who are less judgmental.
As A High School gamer from way back, and father of middle school twins who started a gaming club, I have two words for you.
"Be Yourself."
If you want to run a game, do it, if others ridicule you for it, whatever their loss...besides you'd be surprised how many girls are into gaming these days...especially if they get to play a bad-ass character. Check out the clubs in your school, chess club, audio/visual etc for recruiting. Also band, drama people tend to be gamers...
I played D&D in high school, I was also a skater punk, all the jocks still wanted me to join the football team etc. Mom wouldn't sign the permission slip....(whew dodged that bullet, no blown out knees for me these days.)
As far as the kids middle school gaming club, there were 22 kids there on Tuesday, 7 were female (2 are on ASB.)
Remember that it's not adversarial with the BB, just have fun with them.
This statement implies that once you start playing the full on game, it becomes adversarial?
If you want to get a pathfinder game started WITHIN your school your first step is to find a teacher you like and get them to sponser it. This is a club, you should make sure at least officially you dot all your i's and such. Once you get a teacher on board to sponser it, you can if you are concerned about ridicule create an email address for the club. Then include only the email addy in flyers or posters or what have you, that way communication will be anonymous until people actually get to the game.
That said, if you are worried about ridicule, you should face it sooner rather then later. Eventually people will learn of your club, highschools love rumors and the more you try to keep it a 'secret' the more likely it is to be publicly known. Trying to keep it secret will just provide ammunition for anyone who wants to ridicule you, as by keeping it a secret you are showing (whether true or not) that you are ashamed of it. Which ofcourse you should not be.
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I think I said this before but just to address it. There is no pathfinders group in my area. I checked at the game stores already. I live in pretty much the middle of nowhere. If I did create flyers I would put an email address rather than a name. If people did end up finding out somehow then it really wouldn't be a big deal but still Id rather not announce it. There is a Magic the gathering group that I attend. I suppose that might be a good place to start looking for players. I know A science teacher that would probably be willing to give a us a place to play from 2:45-5pm after school once a week. I couldn't host something like this at my house because 1. there's not room 2. My little brother is insane and would ruin the game. So yeah I'm gonna try to host the beginner game after holiday vacation.
A magic group is a GREAT place to start. That is more or less how my gaming started. In middleschool we played magic at lunchtime and one day one of the group broke out the Adnd rulebook and said hey...wanna try this out? The rest as they say was history.
Also check with the science teacher on the school policies for things like that. Many teachers will be nice about it, but often administrators get very unhappy if the proper 'school club' channels are not followed. Find out what those are. Heck some schools even provide a small budget for approved clubs (which you can use to provide refreshements or ofcourse gaming materials).
Razqua I'm in highschool and I play pathfinder. People that will try to make fun of you aren't worth your time. If you want to play something, play it. It makes you more of a person to do what you want rather then do what other people want you to do. As for starting up a game I suggest talking to your mtg group there will definitely be someone in there that wants to play. Remember if you run a game make sure that you have encounters and other things ready before you play. Now go roll some dice and have fun man.
I second Kilokotroni's advice. While I enver ended up gaming with them (I didn't start until College) there were several players who were already into D&D.
Hi Razqua,
Have you tried using "gamer connection" here on the message boards? I was able to find a second game using them and it's working out pretty well. Also you may want to talk to someone at the local game/comic store to leave you fliers.