How to get a game going. Advice for a new GM.


Advice


I really want to play roleplaying games. I don't have anyone to play with me, so I will probably have to.... coerce people into playing with me. I don't know anyone who games and the nearest PFS games are an hour in either direction. I still don't how this area can be so dead as far as RPGs are concerned. Okay back on topic. I need experience GMing. So while I am getting the basics of my own setting finished I was going to run an Adventure Path. Now I know that the majority of players I have met in the past despise canned adventures, but I need something to run so I can focus on learning to GM without the added stress of creating a world around the PCs my first time out. I have done some research and it would appear that the two front runners for best APs are Rise of the Runelords and Kingmaker. My questions:

1: Which of those two should I run?
2: Which is easier for a first time GM?
3: What kinds of GM reference tools should I have at the table with me? See my current list below.
4: How do I get players? Note: No nearby gaming stores, colleges, or even malls. Online meetup groups for RPGers don't show any local gamers. Online gaming requires a regular internet connection that I don't have. I only have access at work.

Updated GM Kit List
- Core Rulebook
- GM Screen (I want to use one)
- Monster stat blocks (either on reference cards, on paper, or worst case from my Bestiary PDFs.)
- List of names to use for unexpected NPCs.
- Notecards or Post it Notes.
- Notebooks
- Pencils & Paper
- Bestiary Box Pawns, Bestiary Box 2 Pawns, NPC Codex Pawns
- Gaming Paper Rolls & Wet Erase Vinyl Mat
- Dice

Sorry I am all out of patience. I shall run my game like the soup nazi from Sienfield. NO GAME FOR YOU!!!!

I now open the floor to you for constructive suggestions. Thank you for your interest and your time in answering my inquires.

Edit: I updated the GM Kit Items.


Rise of the Runelords is pretty easy to run, that was the first "canned" adventure I tried as a new GM and it went well.

I have not played Kingmaker, but from what I've heard it is a lot more "sandbox" than most adventures, which might not be ideal for a beginner GM because there can be a lot to keep track of and it is even harder than usual to predict what the players will do. But I'm just guessing here, I haven't played or GM'ed it :-)

For reference purposes I find it easiest to use a laptop with access to the PFSRD for rule references (A Gm screen is probably even better, but I don't know much about those). I also like to have the Core Rulebook and the Bestiary in physical form just in case. I also strongly recommend a physical copy of the adventure path module, it's much more convenient than pdfs in my experience.

For getting players I'd generally suggest starting at your workplace or school, depending on life situation. Then seek out those with a general interest in fantasy and/or games. It's usually much easier to find someone with experience playing D&D-style videogames, and in my experience they are often eager to try out the other thing too (I know I was). My current group consists mostly of newbies (well, perhaps they aren't really anymore since we've played quite a bit) whom I convinced to try out PnP, most of them found at my university.


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If you've got beginner players with you as a beginner GM, I'd go Rise of the Runelords. The plotline and action are pretty self-contained which in my experience translates to "easy to follow" for new players. Giving a bunch of newbies a big empty sandbox to play in (Kingmaker) might lead to "So...what are we s'posed to do?" type moments.

Another thought would be: why not grab the beginner box? It has canned adventures in it, is reasonably priced, and is ideal for, well...beginners.

As to how to get players well...that's a pickle. It came easy to me in HS and college, but nowadays I'm expected to watch football, pay my taxes and not be so weird (at the place I work and in my particular suburb at least). I have found most of my players through threads here on the Paizo Forums. I also REALLY lucked out years ago, when I first moved here. Turned out 1 guy in my wife's Mom's club she joined was into board games. I started out board gaming (something I had never been into) and then through conversation w/him found he'd been into RPG's years ago and wouldn't mind jumping back in.

Anyway, start a thread here, bite the bullet and drive out to those far away games, and maybe play online in the forums. Also find some local coffee houses, games stores, comic shops, sandwich places or other spots you think gamers might frequent and see if they'll let you post a notice. Finally, if you meet some folks that have the interests you do but aren't gamers, chat them up and see if they're into a 1-shot. Make up your own or run a canned adventure, and see if you've hooked anyone.

Resources:

Notecards - they are the "towel" of my gaming supplies (ref: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy). I use them a lot; print a pic of an NPC, paste it to a card w/their name and stuff, then their stat bloc on the other side; they're great for keeping initiative or doing quick math, they can be props or impromptu map canvases, chase scene cards...the list goes on.

Websites:
Abulafia Generators
Obsidian Portal for online campaigns
Open Game Art
Deviant Art
Donjon online generators
Hexographer free mapping software

These boards: use them, absorb them, become them...ok, maybe not THAT much, but surf around here for ideas, games and help

Hardware: you'll need notebooks, pens & paper, minis and terrain/maps/graph sheets/flipmats etc (if you want; many people don't use minis and just talk out the scenes), dice and a flat surface, and a lot of patience.

Good luck brother, and happy gaming!


Definitely go for the Beginner Box! Really nice, easy way of starting out as a GM, especially if the people you're playing with are newbies as well. It kind of guides you through the game but with enough scope for the players to think about the encounters laterally. As the GM you'll need to read through the material beforehand but apart from that there's no necessary preparation. You'll learn the mechanics together, which is great!


It did not occur to me that I might not want to do a AP right off due to the initial instability of a starting group. I am not familiar with any adventures that are not AP. Which ones are good? Looking for something that a group of players getting together for the first time can play.

Updated GM Kit List
- Core Rulebook
- GM Screen (I want to use one)
- Monster stat blocks (either on reference cards, on paper, or worst case from my Bestiary PDFs.)
- List of names to use for unexpected NPCs.
- Notecards or Post it Notes.
- Notebooks
- Pencils & Paper
- Bestiary Box Pawns, Bestiary Box 2 Pawns, NPC Codex Pawns
- Gaming Paper Rolls & Wet Erase Vinyl Mat
- Dice

Sorry I am all out of patience. I shall run my game like the soup nazi from Sienfield. NO GAME FOR YOU!!!!


A good place to start looking at adventures might be here. Look specifically at the "First Steps" scenarios. To Delve the Dungeon Deep is basically an intro to exploring a dungeon. It is for the Pathfinder Society, so where it gives you PFS instructions you could just ignore these directions.

Liberty's Edge

Also, check out the Great Golem Sale, going on now, for quite a few super cheap PF modules. There are several for levels 1-3 available for $2/ea.

I'll second the above, having played both Rise of the Runelords and Kingmaker...skip Kingmaker to start. It's an amazing AP, but if you're new to GMing, you'll be lost. New players will be even more lost. That will probably lead to all of you disliking the game and walking away. If you're playing RotR, though, you may want to consider the Anniversary Edition (if it's still available), as the original was written for D&D 3.5 and NOT Pathfinder. They're compatible, but you'll have situations calling for checks that don't exist any more, like Spot, Search, or Listen.

The Beginner Box is probably the best way for a bunch of rookies to get into the game. I was at the Paizo presentation at GenCon where Lisa announced the BB. In their playtest, they had people with no knowledge of RPGs building characters and playing the game without instructions other than the information in the box in about an hour. Seriously look into it if you have no previous experience. After that, pick up a Core Rulebook, a Bestiary or four, and some more dice. Overall you list looks pretty good.

Something else to consider, if you're recruiting new players who are into video gaming: d20 pro (Google it) is a fantastic piece of software that allows you to game over the internet, moving your tokens around on the map and submitting actions for the GM to approve or disapprove. The map creation system is a bit wonky (at least it was last time I tried it), but it can add a familiar interface for players who are into PC gaming, and console gaming to a lesser extent.

Finally, Lone Wolf makes a piece of software called Hero Lab for character creation. While I recommend learning to create characters the old fashioned way, first, Hero Lab checks all your choices and won't let you break the rules (inadvertently).

Other than that, jump in and have fun. Keep checking these boards. There are always plenty of people willing to offer advice and help out however they can.

Shadow Lodge

Go to meetup.com, and join (or start) an RPG group in your area. Post their you're looking for gamers. Hang a "tear-off-a-tab" sign-up sheet in a local game shop (if they have a gaming area, as many do, they're also ideal places to play; ask the staff how they allocate table space, and what their event schedules are like).

Lantern Lodge

if your going to do one of the APs that has pawns for it, I wouldn't recommend for a new GM to immediately go out and jump on buying ALL of the pawn sets. If your new, give yourself the time to really figuring out your own play style.

Theres also the Combat Manager instead of stat cards. I've just started using it, but its my new favorite (and free!) toy.

I would suggest maybe some modules to get started with as well, Dragon's Demand comes to mind. OR running your players through Thornkeep from the Online Kickstarter, which you can buy as a PDF. I would probably recommend something like Thornkeep, its a huge dungeon, really straightforward with enough roleplaying hooks to let yourself and your players ease into the comfort of roleplaying while also giving you some excellent examples of dungeon and encounter design.

As for players, invite people you know. Almost everyone I know who I play with, I introduced to gaming. Just get your friends interested, if they're into video games, MTG, fanfiction, anime/manga, acting, etc. This game takes all sorts to be great. You gotta be the ambassador!

Lastly, I think I was GMing for about a year before I got any good at it, and Im still learning. Its an ever evolving skill, something you hone and work on always. One of the best things i did to really learn how to GM was listen to some live play Podcasts, listen to excellent GMs do their thing, take their good ideas and make them your own!

Ps- where is it you live? I've lived in major cities for the last several years and have had a fairly easy time connecting to players


First I wanted to thank everyone for all their input and advice. I also wanted to clerify that I have been playing pen & paper RPGs for years. I just have little/no experience as a GM. I myself am not a beginner to RPGs, but I am a beginner to Gming.

Second I wanted to remind everyone that an online game is not viable for me. I do not have access to the internet except at work, and my boss would frown on my gaming hobby while on duty. Nor do I have enough space in my budget to afford internet service for my house. Side Note: I have been interested in Hero Labs for several of the games that I play, but since the $29.99 price tag plus extra per additional game beyond the first would be almost my entire MONTHLY gaming budget I have not been able to justify the purchase over a new gaming book.

Someone asked me if I would be teaching new players. The answer is yes. The only gamers I know live an hour from here and I only just met through PFS. Everyone of them that I have asked about local gaming groups acts like I'm a leper. Now I don't blame them for this as in my experience most gamers are very xenophobic about who they play with. “If I haven't known you for several years then I don't want to let you game with me”. I think it is a fear of ruining the game they already have. I will have to find and teach new players that I don't even know yet. In my experience gamers tend to be an exclusive lot.

Sir Thugsalot wrote:
Go to meetup.com, and join (or start) an RPG group in your area. Post their you're looking for gamers. Hang a "tear-off-a-tab" sign-up sheet in a local game shop (if they have a gaming area, as many do, they're also ideal places to play; ask the staff how they allocate table space, and what their event schedules are like).

As far as online group finders go, none of them have any groups nearby. Meetup.com has one group that is for Warhammer 40K. A game that is not really my style not to mention that I could never afford on $10 a week.

There are no local gaming stores. The local coffee shop is McDonalds. The Local Mall is Wal-mart. I got no response from fliers at the library.


Revenantdog wrote:

As for players, invite people you know. Almost everyone I know who I play with, I introduced to gaming. Just get your friends interested, if they're into video games, MTG, fanfiction, anime/manga, acting, etc. This game takes all sorts to be great. You gotta be the ambassador!

Ps- where is it you live? I've lived in major cities for the last several years and have had a fairly easy time connecting to players

I don't have any friends. I have lived here for 6 years and I made one friend, but she had to move away for work about 2 years ago. I do know one guy I work with who plays WoW and similar games, but he absolutely hates any kind of tabletop/pen and paper roleplaying games. I don't know anyone else here that plays any other kind of games. The nearest magic players I know of are an hour away like the other roleplayers.

I live in Bay Saint Louis Mississippi 39520 which is next to Waveland Mississippi 39576. Combined population is 14,817. This area was wiped out by Katrina. We have to drive 45-50 minutes to go to the nearest movie theater. Heck our UNEMPLOYMENT office was shut down last year because they said they could no longer afford to fund it. Few have any interest in anything that is not drinking, or the saints or LSU football.

I don't mean to sound so negative, I'm sorry. I asked my questions here because I can't think of a solution short of moving far away from here. 1,000 miles at least. From what I can gather up north has tons of gaming. The south has Atlanta as its only major gaming hub. Oddly enough is is also considered the largest gaming community in the U.S. Followed by Seattle and Portland. Those are 2 and 3, but I don't remember which is which.


Can you cook? Is there is good local take away?

Ask your local friends if they want to come round for Dinner and a Game. Emphasize the Dinner.

Don't try to start a campaign. Have a con style one off, one session scenario ready to go with pre-rolls and everything. Try to catch their interest and see if anyone wants to make it a regular thing.

Make sure that the food is really good. And keep the beer flowing enough to remove the inhibitions.

Don't try this on the night of the big game.


I like to cook. I am guessing that a "take away" is some kind of pot luck. A meal where everybody brings something and then shares the food?

In addition If I were to offer beer. I don't drink, and thus know nothing about beer, except that it tastes nasty. What kind of beer would you recommend and would be appropriate?

....Getting people drunk to play roleplaying games. ....I guess that strategy would be consistent for most guys.

Edit: Ooooh! You mean takeout. Like a bucket of chicken or Pizza. I thought about that. I would prefer to cook, but I like to cook.

Liberty's Edge

The Dragon's Demand module seems good for a 1st time GM. I just started it and it looks pretty easy to GM while still interesting and not TOO railroady for the players.


Honestly, moving away sounds like a pretty decent idea... :/


How hard is it to game online? I might be able to swing internet at my house in 5-6 months, but I won't have any gaming until then.

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