RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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I learned that no matter how many hints I give my players, they will still try their very hardest to not notice them.
I gave my party a free 1,000 gp spyglass. They have yet to use it and have lost at least 3 characters due to the fact. I even point to it on the appropriate sheet.
Player: Hey, what is that on the side of the mountain?
I point to spyglass on the party loot page and a couple players look at the sheet
Group: Let's get closer.
Me: Roll stealth...
I learned that my fellows don't actually listen to what I tell them.
"I'm not saying don't go in there. I'm just saying don't count on my wiz for much in any more fights today. I don't have any combat spells left except acid splash.
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.
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That's an avanced wraith that is mauling us! Why are you using that stupid d3 spell?
I SAID I DON'T HAVE #@#$&*#$@..."
I learned that some of my group is very, very, VERY good at playing a low wisdom character... without even trying... no matter what it says on their character sheet.
I learned that no party is able to beat a foot of real world snowfall...
I learned that, if something is expensive but still mundane, you should buy and use it. I was scouting without a spyglass (not related to the above post) and wound up being chased by an army. It was not fun.
I have previously learned that, no matter what is going on in the bar/city/5 foot square occupied by a PC, the most important, attention demanding things are always The bartender and the bar maids.
Ask the characters if they realize a spyglass is a telescope, not a magnifying glass.
==Aelryinth
I learned that the battles you worry about are the ones your players will steamroller. The battles you expect to be a cakewalk will turn into a slugging match. And an open field battle after a dungeon crawl lets everyone shine in there own way.
Last night, two players learned heavy encumbrance + bestow curse + Swim checks =
I learned how quickly they can pull out their next fully filled out character sheet. I then taught them items from their last character don't automatically go onto said sheets...
Especially if said equipment is at the bottom of the lake!
I also learned that my dice only roll natural 20s on saving throws.
Dayum!!! I want those dice!
They couldn't possibly think that. Could they?Ask the characters if they realize a spyglass is a telescope, not a magnifying glass.
==Aelryinth
Yes.
Also I've learned that when a 7 str bard is throwing logs on fire, you need to find another player for your party. Tyler why, WHYYYY.
An Adventure Path is better used as detailed guidelines on how to run the adventure within it than as the only way to run that adventure.
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Dayum!!! I want those dice!I also learned that my dice only roll natural 20s on saving throws.
My problem is that for the adventure to continue the way it was supposed to, the PCs needed to lose the fight. but since the monsters rolled good on saving throws and not attack rolls, I now have some serious troubleshooting to do.
I learned that saying "That's pretty cool..but what if..." after my DM decides the results of a Nat 1 often get the results changed...and horrible horrible things happen..to the rest of the party. I feel bad that my character is the GM's favorite.
Today I learned the difference between "roleplay-style" flat-footed and "knives-in-yer-throat"-style flat-footed.
Its a fist full of d6's, by the way.
I'll miss that fighter.
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Today I learned that if you lend dice to a new player they will roll better for that player than they ever did for you. Three of the first four bow attacks were confirmed critical hits ...
I also learned that a melee fighter, a ranged fighter, a bard and an alchemist makes for a pretty effective party.
Finally, I learned that grease can turn a "big encounter" into a one sided encounter that lasts all of three rounds.
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Pathfinder has taught me that Hero Points only excel at one thing: failing TWO Saving Throws.
Pathfinder has taught me that Hero Points only excel at one thing: failing TWO Saving Throws.
And that's why you save up two of them to cheat death . . . ;)
I learned that a certain player of mine needs to be watched closely when she rolls.
...Because placing the die on a natural 20 while simultaneously dropping a different die to make the die rolling noise does not count as a natural 20, regardless of how badly the party may want or need one.
Today pathfinder taught me that if you ever travel to the beautiful, friendly city of Trollheim, be very polite to the city guards - especially if you are trying to save their lives.
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I also learned that axe-throwing is the national sport in the Land of the Linnorm Kings.
I have a friend named Tyler that likes to play guitar in real life. So he thought a bard with a guitar, a short sword, and a short bow would be a good idea when having 7 strength. We came up to some annoying goblins that were pestering us with arrows. First round my paladin and a barbarian in our party(my best friend) ran behind some rocks to avoid volleys of arrows. Then next round I decked a goblin dog and so did the barbarian with us advancing at the archery tower. The barbarian wanted to knock down the pillars of the complex in order to kill the goblins. So I started to help him because my DM wouldn't acknowledge that goblins are smart in pathfinder. The bard also thought it was a good idea so he started to whack at the pillars. The pillars had a hardness of 5 and he did 1d6-2 damage. He kept that up for two rounds. Then the DM mentioned that the building was flammable so the bard picked up logs from a burning campfire with his bare hands. Then he started tossing the log 5ft at a time towards the archery tower in the attempts to set it on fire. Not only did he take fire damage but he also burned a pc alive that was captured in the tower. The pc would have been unconscious if we knocked the tower down, he killed the pc.
My DM ever since has been convinced that bards are silly and tyler has no idea what he's doing.
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Today (yesterday, actually) I learned that no Adventure Path plotline survives contact with the party.
I learned this a long time ago, but it is my favorite lesson: I've learned that the space between mentioned rules and unmentioned effects is the key location to pull humorous situations from.
I.E. "Teleportation" and "Damage From Falling Objects".
I learned this a long time ago, but it is my favorite lesson: I've learned that the space between mentioned rules and unmentioned effects is the key location to pull humorous situations from.
I.E. "Teleportation" and "Damage From Falling Objects".
Large size character + Cape of the Mountebank = Atomic Elbow from the Top Ropes?
This week I learned that when describing the size of the enemies forces I should never say a number less than 100 if I don't want my players to attack.
"There are only twenty of them. We can do this easy!"
-Steve level 4 sorcerer
It turns out that they could not in fact do it "easy".
Recently, players in a previous group learned that if I (as a GM) say "are you sure?" the answer should very, very probably be "no".
I learned this weekend that no matter how many alternative ways you hint at how the PCs can take down the Stag Lord... some groups of players invariably just go and kick in the door anyway...
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Recently, players in a previous group learned that if I (as a GM) say "are you sure?" the answer should very, very probably be "no".That's funny, because I've learned when a GM asks "are you sure?", half the time he's just screwing with the player.
For me as a GM it's ususlly a 30/70 split 'tween "no" and messing with the players.
I learned that normal everyday items such as balancing polls, spark powder, whistles, and others come in very useful and can even replace rogues, wizards, and alchemist to some extent.
Also a PC with high diplomacy and being a veteran in RP can talk his way out of almost every fight. Played one PFS sitting saw zero combat enjoyed myself thoroughly the whole thing at one point naked pink dwarf FTW! Got to love the spell prestidigitation.