Suggestions for a new DM's first ROtRL Game tonigh!


Advice


Hey all, tonight I will be leading a good group of friends though their first pathfinder game (outside the beginners box).

We are starting Rise of the Rune Lords. Can you guys give me a few things i should have on hand and be prepared with prior to the start of tonights game?

THANKS and Happy New Years!

Adam


Speaking as someone who has never run RotRL (but who has run other games before), I would say you probably want the stats for the goblins handy. You'll probably want to look over their tactics, the essential stats (AC, attacks, damage, etc.), so that you know them without having to look back at the book every few seconds. This is all on the mechanics side of things, because I don't know how much your group is into roleplaying and how much they would want to just have their characters hang out at the Swallowtail Festival prior to the attack.

Beyond that, what sort of players do you have? It really depends on what sort of things you think they would enjoy.


Hi, and thank you for GMing because that takes a lot of confidence and is a lot harder than playing. There aren't enough GMs in the world. Here is some advice in no particular order.

Firstly, if it is their first game then characters are important. If they're bringing their own then you should look each one other and examine them. If you're making them during game time expect it to take at least an hour. Try to nudge them to a balanced party but don't worry too much about the exact composition.

Secondly, make sure you've read the book. I assume you've done this step.

Thirdly, bookmark all monster stats and any other rules you need quickly. If you have a bestiary, use stickeys. If you have internet bookmark webpages. If you have no internet during the game, print it out.

Dice for everyone. Seriously.

A positive attitude.

An open mind. Players who are new to the game tend to try things the rest of us find disturbing.

At some point this went from advice to a pregame stuff to have list. Whoops.


That is an AWESOME list. Thanks for thanking me, I've been a fantasy fiction reader since I was young. This feels like a smooth transition to allow my friends who aren't readers to enjoy the rich world that we have all loved of Fantasy. All they have ever known is what's in a video game or tv/movies.

That being said I have made a big binder with a ton of tabs, clips, high lighted NPC's and notable areas. I've done my home work to figure out where everything is located in this new adventure of Sandpoint and the world Golarion.

I own the Inner Sea World Guid, 3 different Bestiary's, NPC Guide, Ultimate Equipment, Advanced Players guide, Core Rule Book, Giant Chessex Play mat, Dry eras markers up the butt, the bestiary pawn and NPC pawn boxes. Also Rise of the Rune Lord pawn box. My pawns are organized via card sleevs so I can find them in a timely manner.

Different maps to use and more I am sure I can't remember. The biggest concern is there are 1k and one rules to remember.

Adam

Scarab Sages

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, PF Special Edition, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Check out the GM thread for the AP. There are a ton of fantastic resources. I especially got a lot out of the NPC document someone put together; it was good to have everything in one place and it called out relationships you can easily forget.

I've run RotRL twice (both in progress) and it's tough to find the right balance between jumping right in vs. spending time at the festival meeting people. I'd lean toward the latter. It's great to see the group make theories and connections on their own because they have some understanding of all the history. So know the timeline and let them meet townsfolk and learn about the Late Unpleasantness.

Spoiler:
Also, look at the second chapter and figure out how you can throw out alternate suspects for the Skinsaw Murders. I didn't do this adequately the first time and the party almost immediately jumped to Aldern as the culprit. Spend a little time to try and make them befriend him a bit.


Thanks Tom! That helps me a ton. I am not being sarcastic.

Best
Adam

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