Hey guys,
My local gaming store is running an RPG Games Day late next month, and I'm volunteering to run one of the games.
The format is a four hour gameplay session, that is meant to be a self contained game. Basically the idea is to give people a chance to try different systems and genres of games. I'm pretty sure that in addition to Pathfinder, there'll be a few World of Darkness and Warhammer games running, along with some lesser known systems (I know one of my friends is planning an Unknown Armies game for the day).
Anyway, I'd like to run an introductory Pathfinder module, preferably a low level one. I've been looking at Murder's Mark, since it appears to be a nice straight forward one to run, but still looks like it would hold plenty of interest for the players. The fact that it's a 1st level module is also an appealing factor, as it helps prevent people that are unfamiliar with the sytem from becoming paralyzed with choice when deciding what to do.
My only concern is whether or not I'm likely to be able to move it along quickly enough to finish it within the 4 hour time limit while still keeping it interesting for the group. So what I'm asking here is whether anyone has run, or even played, this moduled yet, and what their experiences with it were like? How long did it take you to get through it? Were there any parts that you got stuck on, or bits you feel could be streamlined to help it fit into a tighter schedule? I have over a month until I need to run it, so I have the time to learn it back to front, and to tweak it as needed, but I'd find it really helpful to hear other people's experiences with it.
Thanks in advance guys.
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You might want to try a Pathfinder Society Organized Play Scenario.
These are short adventures designed to run in a 4-5 hour time slot. I would recommend First steps part 1: In service to lore. This scenario is designed to be an introductory adventure to the Pathfinder Society Organized Play campaign, but it could also serve as a good introductory adventure. The assumption the Scenario makes is that all of the player's characters are part of the Pathfinder Society although that could be changed.
It has four small quests.
In one of the quests the players have to investigate an orphanage for a paladin to see if her aid money is being well spent.
in another quest the players have do a favor for a "questionable" merchant. They have to retreve a box from a ramshackle ware house at the end of a pier without falling into the water. there are giant rats to deal with.
In another quest they have to work through a series of trapped boxes to get a key to open the locked room they are shut in.
In another quest they have to do a favor for an infernal ambassador. they have to retrieve a small box from an angry imp.
Finally there is a mugging, where another band of adventurers attempts to mug and steal from the party.
Oh also its free to down load. If this scenario isn't to your liking, there are lots more to choose from. Oh I almost forgot here is a link to the Pathfinder Society Organized Play site. I hope this helps.
You might want to try a Pathfinder Society Organized Play Scenario.
These are short adventures designed to run in a 4-5 hour time slot. I would recommend First steps part 1: In service to lore. This scenario is designed to be an introductory adventure to the Pathfinder Society Organized Play campaign, but it could also serve as a good introductory adventure. The assumption the Scenario makes is that all of the player's characters are part of the Pathfinder Society although that could be changed.
It has four small quests.
** spoiler omitted **Oh also its free to down load. If this scenario isn't to your liking, there are lots more to choose from. Oh I almost forgot here is a link to the Pathfinder Society Organized Play site. I hope this helps.
Thanks for the advice. I'll definitely have a look into some of the Society scenarios. They were actually my first thought when I decided to volunteer, but my concern is that there's actually a Pathfinder Society group running here at the moment, and I suspect they're likely to be running their own games.
The other option I've been considering is using the event as a playtest for the introductory adventure for my homebrew campaign. It uses the Pathfinder rules, but is a new setting. I've run the opening session before for a couple of groups and they've all really enjoyed it, but I've rewritten some of it recently. It wouldn't take long to give it a proper ending rather than having it lead into a full campaign.
Dot in case. I'm actually potentially running a three hour thing, while riding in the car (with a seven-and-a-half hour break in between and a guy who hasn't played since the 80s), so I'm probably going to have to make it rules-lite and edit anything down to barebones of barebones (and cut a few parts out even so), but I figure this'd be a good spot to look for ideas.
Oh yeah: if I run it, I'm running it tomorrow. Wheeeeeeeeeeee!
Dot in case. I'm actually potentially running a three hour thing, while riding in the car (with a seven-and-a-half hour break in between and a guy who hasn't played since the 80s), so I'm probably going to have to make it rules-lite and edit anything down to barebones of barebones (and cut a few parts out even so), but I figure this'd be a good spot to look for ideas.
Oh yeah: if I run it, I'm running it tomorrow. Wheeeeeeeeeeee!
By hellfire and damnation, you don't believe in making things easy for yourself, do you?
I'm not sure what I can suggest for that kind of situation... as you said, rules-lite and simplicity is key. Depending on the people involved, I'd be inclined to run it as a completely free-form systemless RP, where you just lay out the bones of a story and help guide the players into developing it. My housemate and I have been known to use a similar system when we're trying to figure out ideas for games or fiction that we're writing.
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5 posts and no one has said "Run We Be Goblins!" yet? HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?
It's from the 2011 Free RPG Day, so it's intended as something of an introduction for new players. There's four pre-made level 1 characters for the players to choose from, and they get to fight everything from druids to spiders to evil, rabid horses. Lots of fun, and only 16 pages!
5 posts and no one has said "Run We Be Goblins!" yet? HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?
It's from the 2011 Free RPG Day, so it's intended as something of an introduction for new players. There's four pre-made level 1 characters for the players to choose from, and they get to fight everything from druids to spiders to evil, rabid horses. Lots of fun, and only 16 pages!
... Agnelcow, you're a freaking genius. I'll take a look at it after I've had some sleep so I can get a feel for it, but I think this could be perfect.
5 posts and no one has said "Run We Be Goblins!" yet? HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?
It's from the 2011 Free RPG Day, so it's intended as something of an introduction for new players. There's four pre-made level 1 characters for the players to choose from, and they get to fight everything from druids to spiders to evil, rabid horses. Lots of fun, and only 16 pages!
This. I was going to suggest as well. We Be Goblins is a very fun, short, single slot adventure that can be run in 2~4 hours depending on how into the initial festivities you get. It's also free as a download.
If you want something a little more orthodox, the Master of the Fallen Fortress is another Free RPG Day offering that's a short 16 pg. module that can easily fit into a 4 hour time frame and has a variety of encounters to give you a feel for Pathfinder.
Unfortunately, any of the 32 pg. modules really need at least 8 hours to do them justice in my opinion. They put lots of backstory and plugs in their products and it seems a waste to shorten them so much. YMMV though.
Good luck!
If you want something a little more orthodox, the Master of the Fallen Fortress is another Free RPG Day offering that's a short 16 pg. module that can easily fit into a 4 hour time frame and has a variety of encounters to give you a feel for Pathfinder.
Unfortunately, any of the 32 pg. modules really need at least 8 hours to do them justice in my opinion. They put lots of backstory and plugs in their products and it seems a waste to shorten them so much. YMMV though.
Good luck!
I'll check out Master of the Fallen Fortress as well. I totally agree about the 32 page modules needing more time, I tried to run The Midnight Mirror as a one-shot when there was a gap week in one of my groups, and no one wanted to miss a session... admittedly some of it might have been due to my being so rusty (it was my first time behind the screen in a few years), but I did find it really difficult to shorten it down, and it did feel like I was cheating the players out of some really cool stuff.
You beat me by 9 minutes Agnelclow.
The only answer is of course "WE BE GOBLINS!"
And when you finish, you have to burn the character sheets, it's canon.
While I am quite fond of fire (I used to do fire dancing/twirling at a lot of the festivals on the South Coast of New South Wales before I finished school and got a job), I think the owner of the store might have something to say about me setting stuff alight in his store. Still, I'm sure I can work something out. Though I will admit to curiousity as to how this became a part of the canon?
If you move the goalposts one more time, I'm going to uproot them and smack you with them! :)Dot in case. I'm actually potentially running a three hour thing, while riding in the car (with a seven-and-a-half hour break in between and a guy who hasn't played since the 80s), so I'm probably going to have to make it rules-lite and edit anything down to barebones of barebones (and cut a few parts out even so), but I figure this'd be a good spot to look for ideas.
Oh yeah: if I run it, I'm running it tomorrow. Wheeeeeeeeeeee!
Heh, only if you can manage to get them because they're moving so faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaast! :D
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I have run a few scenarios in short convention slots (3.5 hours). The main thing that I find helps is reducing table size to no more than 5 players. More players = longer time.
Also lots of new players = longer time. So if you think there will be mainly new players, then limit players to 4.
Of course prep it to death, including pre-drawn or pre-printed maps, handouts, etc and pre-filled chronicles.
A handout of key goals and names can be useful to avoid misunderstandings and to help keep them focussed.
I have run a few scenarios in short convention slots (3.5 hours). The main thing that I find helps is reducing table size to no more than 5 players. More players = longer time.
Also lots of new players = longer time. So if you think there will be mainly new players, then limit players to 4.
Of course prep it to death, including pre-drawn or pre-printed maps, handouts, etc and pre-filled chronicles.
A handout of key goals and names can be useful to avoid misunderstandings and to help keep them focussed.
Thanks for the advice :)
I'm definitely thinking I'll be running We Be Goblins!, seems like it'll be an easier one to run for it. I've run plenty of games before, but this is the first one I've run on a time limit. Thankfully I've got plenty of time to get maps and stuff ready in advance.
As far as I'm aware this is the first RPG day that this store has held (they do have regular gaming groups that come in on a weekly or fortnightly basis though), so I'm not sure what kind of turnout to expect. I believe they're doing player registration well in advance, so I should at least have an idea of numbers and so on before hand too. Hopefully we can make it a success and make it a regular thing.
So, an update!
... it didn't happen. The new guy needed to work on something else for his doctorates at the last minute instead (while still in the car, because I was chauffeuring him and my wife to a necessary-to-continue-their-jobs type of training).
In any event, I do appreciate the advice, and I'm keeping "We Be Goblins!" as a "trick up my sleeve" in case something similar happens, though I think it's more likely that if I do get this guy to play, it'll be through a slightly more traditional one-shot.
Anyway, God bless you guys (and this thread is still both golden and useful).
Quick question for those of you who have run We Be Goblins! before. I know that there are only the 4 pregenerated characters for it, but has anyone tried creating an extra character (or two) for it? I'm just curious as to how it runs with 5 - 6 players, I need to let the organiser of the event know what my max numbers are.
In any event, I do appreciate the advice, and I'm keeping "We Be Goblins!" as a "trick up my sleeve" in case something similar happens, though I think it's more likely that if I do get this guy to play, it'll be through a slightly more traditional one-shot.
Don't let him get away! All must learn the joys of role-playing! In all seriousness though, it's funny how often I've managed to convince people who dismiss RPGs as kids stuff to come to just one session to try it out (normally in an attempt to get me to shut up about it), only to find that they end up becoming dedicated gamers. Not saying that your friend is like that, as he's obviously played before based on your first post, it's just interesting to me.
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Quick question for those of you who have run We Be Goblins! before. I know that there are only the 4 pregenerated characters for it, but has anyone tried creating an extra character (or two) for it? I'm just curious as to how it runs with 5 - 6 players, I need to let the organiser of the event know what my max numbers are.
Search the forums for the title and you'll find something. I ran this recently and came across it in my research. I ran it for both new and old players and it went marvelously. I added a house rule that if anyone wanted a reroll they had a one time chance to do so (taking the second roll no matter what) if they sang (not talked) their theme song. 3 of the 4 did it and it was so amazingly silly.
Fair warning, once you've run this you'll never live it down if you DM for anyone at the table. I hear all the time "you'll never top that game" from my players and everything else seems pale in comparison.
Search the forums for the title and you'll find something. I ran this recently and came across it in my research. I ran it for both new and old players and it went marvelously. I added a house rule that if anyone wanted a reroll they had a one time chance to do so (taking the second roll no matter what) if they sang (not talked) their theme song. 3 of the 4 did it and it was so amazingly silly.
Fair warning, once you've run this you'll never live it down if you DM for anyone at the table. I hear all the time "you'll never top that game" from my players and everything else seems pale in comparison.
Man, I am totally stealing the one free reroll idea.
I'm looking at just limiting this one to four players, a lot of the alternate characters people have put up for this module look like they just skew the power curve too much.
Haha, yeah I've heard it's a pretty amazing game, the odds of me DMing for anyone who plays this one again are slim though. I've got 4 regular gaming groups formed from various combinations of my group of friends, and it's rare that we actually pull anyone else in purely because we can usually put a game together when we need to. None of them are likely to be playing at this game either, so I'm not too worried about it becoming my one shining moment that will haunt me forevermore.
Don't let him get away! All must learn the joys of role-playing! In all seriousness though, it's funny how often I've managed to convince people who dismiss RPGs as kids stuff to come to just one session to try it out (normally in an attempt to get me to shut up about it), only to find that they end up becoming dedicated gamers. Not saying that your friend is like that, as he's obviously played before based on your first post, it's just interesting to me.
Hahah! Actually, I think he's slightly scared to get into it because he knows how much he'd love it (kind of like how some people - that'd be me - avoid MMORPGs for exactly that reason)... and he really did need to work on his doctorates degree.
In any event, he used to be super-into it "way back when" (I think it was back in the 1st Edition, before Advanced came into being, from what he's said), but hasn't played since, though he loves the idea of it.
Still, I've left the door open for him (and his wife) to join us, and they like the idea in theory (considering both of us are parents of toddlers, however... time is a thing).
Anyway, good luck to you, and enjoy!
Hahah! Actually, I think he's slightly scared to get into it because he knows how much he'd love it (kind of like how some people - that'd be me - avoid MMORPGs for exactly that reason)... and he really did need to work on his doctorates degree.
In any event, he used to be super-into it "way back when" (I think it was back in the 1st Edition, before Advanced came into being, from what he's said), but hasn't played since, though he loves the idea of it.
Still, I've left the door open for him (and his wife) to join us, and they like the idea in theory (considering both of us are parents of toddlers, however... time is a thing).
Anyway, good luck to you, and enjoy!
I'm one of the "scared to play an MMORPG for fear of addiction" crowd myself. At least with games like Pathfinder I get the odd night off when a group can't make it, or schedules clash. As it is my current schedule has me playing 4 nights a week if no one cancels. Combine that with 6 to 8 hours in the gym each week, my job, writing and attempts to also maintain some semblance of a social life, and the thought of adding a game I could log into and adventure in at any time is enough to make run screaming for the hills.
I hope you manage to work something out with the timing, but I understand how toddlers can constrain your time. I'm not a parent myself, but I do often get roped into helping look after my younger cousins. I actually really enjoy it, they're a lot of fun and I think most of them consider me more as an uncle a cousin(there's a minimum of 10 years between us). Some of them are hitting the stage where I'm considering talking to their parents about trying them out on some RPGs actually, I feel like it's time to pass it on to them.
It's been a pleasure chatting with you, I'm sure I'll see you around on the boards here sometime :)
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I'm one of the "scared to play an MMORPG for fear of addiction" crowd myself. At least with games like Pathfinder I get the odd night off when a group can't make it, or schedules clash. As it is my current schedule has me playing 4 nights a week if no one cancels. Combine that with 6 to 8 hours in the gym each week, my job, writing and attempts to also maintain some semblance of a social life, and the thought of adding a game I could log into and adventure in at any time is enough to make run screaming for the hills.
I was in that crowd once... Then I played one. Suddenly it was 2 years later almost. Don't do it.