Pathfinder can be a complicated game for new players, and you've openly said that you have no time to read the book. If you don't have time to read the rules of the game, how will you have time to prepare the game and play it? This is a time-heavy hobby, and you're going to need at least a few hours every time you sit down and play; my advice for you is to take the first few times you'll be setting aside as playtime and instead read the book.
If you find the Core Rulebook daunting, and too big to read, then try the beginner box. It is designed for people new to the hobby, and so it is written in simpler language with lots of examples and many of the more complicated rules left out. The disadvantage is that the Core Rulebook is available for free online as part of the PRD, while the Beginner Box must be purchased.
Unfortunately this is not a games that can be explained in short phrases.
It requires either sitting down with the book and learning it, or learning it by playing. Even the latter will require you to read at least a little to get the basic rules down.
Running the game requires more effort.
Nothing new to add to the overwhelming chorus of 'learn to play first'.
I've been playing for several years, and I GM regularly, and I am still, constantly, learning new rules things... because Pathfinder has a LOT of rules. It's far better to start immersing yourself in them as a player then to just expect a Cliff's Notes of how to GM when you have said you can't/won't read the rules (which are available to be read, for free, on the PRD).
If you do not want such a rules-heavy system, you might want to try a different system that focuses heavily on a story, and has less tactical aspects, than Pathfinder. (Not that Pathfinder can't tell good story, but it is rules-heavy). I am fond of a system called Unisystem for this, but other people can likely make good suggestions.
If you want to know how to be a Good GM (of any system), then... you still want experience as a player first. You're basically asking for people to tell you how to be a quarterback of a football team, and then saying you've never played a game of football or watched it on TV.
My personal rules for being a good GM:
1) Be willing to invest time. Your game is only as good as YOU prep for.
2) Be interested in stories and why they work-- what creates drama, and what creates fun heroes and fun villains
3) Find a group of good friends whose company you enjoy to play with-- if you game with people you find personally obnoxious, your game will die. Always.
As far as for how to get experience as a player or as a GM: try looking up your local Pathfinder Society chapter. It's a good way to get experience.
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There just isn't any equivalent to PFS for other systems like Unisystem. There's D&D Encounters but that's for 4th Edition which is at least as rules heavy and tactical as Pathfnder. I can't think of anything else besides maybe Mind's Eye Society which is for LARPing and has an entirely different style of play. Unisystem or Roll & Keep or Storyteller or what have you are fine and I have run all of them but you need a home group.
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There is no way to teach GMing in short, easy lessons. The only way to learn is through trial and error. As the other have said, I strongly recommend being a player first. I've been GMing (obviously not Pathfinder, but in general) for over 30 years, and this is the best advice that I can offer.
That said, I began my gaming career as a GM, so it can be done. However, you will need to acquire a copy of the Pathfinder Core Rules, at a very minimum (and it wouldn't hurt to pick up the Bestiary and the Gamemastery Guide).
As has been noted, the Beginner Box is a wonderful resource, designed for new players and GMs. I suggest you start there.
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Allow me to channel my inner Barbarian:
GM need player.
GM need know rules.
GM need have story.
GM need keep player interest.
GM need time prepare for above.
GM need settle rule dispute.
GM need have fun.
(I also suggest being a player first, it takes less of an investment.)
Player need find group.
Player need know rules.
Player need have fun.
I think I know what you're asking but keep in mind role playing games like D&D and Pathfinder will take an investment in time not just by you alone but your entire group. So, if I had to shortcut the learning process, I think my strategy would be something like this:
1) Acquire the rules - buy the book or PDF (there is no way around this)
2) Learn/read - How to create a character (and character advancement with experience points)
3) Learn/read - How combat works
After that I would read the samples of game play, get ideas from modules (not for creativity but for the layout - in the modules they tell you when to make checks and things like that). I feel like if you're having fun, you'll find yourself investing more time to the game. Right now, I imagine your looking at a 578 page book and are overwhelmed. But after a while as situations arise, rules will be learned - I'm still learning new things and message boards are a great resource.
For me I played D&D 1st edition and began to GM very soon after playing because I was creative. Just to explain, 1st edition wasn't as rule intensive as the newer additions and Pathfinder (not to mention we didn't play with all rules). As it has been already mentioned a few times have fun and as things come up like a rule question, make your best judgement call and then after the session look it up. And if you get stuck there, ask here.
In closing I would like to give you this bit of wisdom on the design of the game:
The game is not designed to be GM vs Player. As you present challenges to you players you should be as happy as they are when they triumph over it (but don't make it too easy, lol).
Yep.
Read the books. Read the Core Rulebook, at least most of it... the spells can usually wait but you should look up whatever spells your PCs and NPCs that are in the game can use. The rest can wait. Browse the environment rules, but read the combat chapter, any classes that will feature as PCs or NPCs, the skills chapter, etc. Read the Game Mastering chapter.
For further reading, browse the Bestiary (volume one is fine) and the Game Mastery Guide.
Or, if you want to go the easy way, buy the Beginner Box and leave all the above reading until later. The beginner box literally has a booklet that says "Read this to GM".
GMing is harder than playing, but more rewarding. Especially once you master it. Good luck to you!
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Yeah, exactly how it sez. I want to know how to become a GM in path finder, even though I have never played any dungeons and dragon or pathfinder at all. but I do get how it works but not in to the detail like say stats, events, GM limits. I am creative but I have no idea how this whole GM thing goes. I was just intrusted to be a GM in pathfinder, and I wanted to be at least a player first.
Side note, I have no book, nor the time to read all that. I would try at least but I would rather wanted to hear the summary to it. I have interest in the game but lack the knowledge and time.
If you are a GM, you need a copy of the rules, first and foremost. They are entailed, for free, in the Pathfinder Reference Document.
If you have been "entrusted to be a GM" -- I assume other people wanting to play have asked you to learn to be a GM and run a game for them -- then I would hope the players giving you this challenging job would be willing to pitch in for at least a $10 copy of the .pdf if not the hardcover book, or, alternately, the Beginner Box, which would be a great place for someone like you to start (the Beginner Box contains a simplified version of the rules and everything you need to learn to GM and run the game). For the Core Rulebook or the Beginner's Box, of course they're expensive enough you should pitch in too.
But, say, if there are five of you (four players, you as the GM), you could each pitch in $10 so you have enough to buy a hard copy of the rulebook for the table, or @ $7.00 each to buy the Beginner's Box. That is not unreasonable.
If everyone can pitch in extra so you can get a $10 .pdf of the Game Mastery Guide, that will also give you much better advice than what we can try to sum up in a message board post.
YOU MUST TAKE THE TIME TO READ AND LEARN THE RULES.
If you "don't have the time to read," you should not be a GM, period, end of story, done. GMs don't need to know everything, but they must do their best to be familiar with the rules and must be willing to take time to prepare for the game.
I am hoping to hear from other GMs on how to teach a newby in short phrases if possible. or let me try as a player first
For examples of play, I would suggest you look at the online campaigns section of the message board. While they do not have the same feel as playing at a table, you can get a sense of how the flow of play works.
You could also see if there are Pathfinder games run at your local gaming store. Check to see if there is a Pathfinder Society Coordinator near you -- maybe you and all of your friends could join an existing Pathfinder Society game rather than try to jump in without much knowledge.
If you want to plug forward, after getting a copy of the game and reading the rules--which in themselves will give you lots of advice about , if you are not using the Beginner's Box (which comes with adventures for you to run), I would suggest buying a module (yes, you are going to have to spend more money) and using that so you do not have to design your own adventure from scratch. Especially if you feel you have a lot of time constraints, this will save you time.
If time and money are great concerns, I would again go with the Beginner's Box which has everything you need and is very reasonably priced, especially if you split the cost between your friends.
The only nutshell to GMing I can otherwise offer:
- You make sure you have a copy of the rules everyone can reference (I would suggest 1 hard copy and make sure everyone knows where the free PRD is).
- You are the rules adjudicator. You teach others how to play, and you make calls on difficult rules decisions and questions about the rules (which there will be). This is why reading and learning the rules first is absolutely non-optional.
- You are the narrator and the player of the villains and background characters. The players are the heroes. It is your job to let the heroes win without them realizing that's what you're doing, by throwing lots of cool challenges (monsters, traps, etc.) at them, which they should overcome, but after great risk and hardship. This doesn't mean that if they happen to die, you try to undo it per se--there should be high stakes at times--but that the point is that they should be facing reasonable challenges they should have fun trying to beat (see also the final point).
- You provide the adventure by either writing one yourself or using a prepublished module or Adventure Path.
- Your most important job, above everything else, is to make sure everyone is having fun. This includes yourself.
Welcome to the game and good luck!
Yeah, exactly how it sez. I want to know how to become a GM in path finder, even though I have never played any dungeons and dragon or pathfinder at all. but I do get how it works but not in to the detail like say stats, events, GM limits. I am creative but I have no idea how this whole GM thing goes. I was just intrusted to be a GM in pathfinder, and I wanted to be at least a player first.
Side note, I have no book, nor the time to read all that. I would try at least but I would rather wanted to hear the summary to it. I have interest in the game but lack the knowledge and time.
I am hoping to hear from other GMs on how to teach a newby in short phrases if possible. or let me try as a player first
Ok, So, first and foremost. In the long term, you will HAVE TO READ. Seriously. RPGs involve TONS of reading. Whether its reading the rules, reading adventures, reading forums. You are going to read. You have to have at least a few hours other then the game session to prepare, and bone up on what you need to know for the game. If you cant commit to that you cant gm for very long.
That said, there is a shortcut if you want to just see how it is to gm and decide if you want to invest the time and effort.
Buy the begginer box here. It is specifically designed for new people to jump into the game, even new gms. According to reports people with no experience can pick it up and be playing in 15-20 minutes. This is probably your best route. Grab four friend, pick up the begginer box and try it out. It is specifically designed to do what you are looking for, show you the ropes of GMing, and it does it fast and easy.
I would recommend buying the beginner box.