Experienced GM looking for advice on getting into PbP.

[Lazyclownfish]

I've been GMing 3.5 and Pathfinder for almost 16 years over the table, with some online over Roll20 with voice chat more recently. In all of my experience, there's one story that I've run for multiple groups and anytime I come across a new gaming group, my first instinct is to run the same game. It's weird because I've run many APs and none of them really strike me the way this one does.

It's called The Age of Worms.

Anyway, my situation now is that I really enjoy the groups I game with, but all my players already know the story. They lived it. GMing the story for me is a lot like picking up a favorite old book again. And while it's been a few years since I've run it for them, playing in it again would just fall flat I think.

So, my hope is to use PbP gaming as an outlet to experience my favorite AP again. I know the story inside and out. I've run multiple groups all the way through it, levels 1-21. Plus, I've read through the multiple guide threads stickied at the top of this forum. I'm just hoping to get some further advice for how to get things going.

1. When I went to build the recruitment thread, there didn't seem to be a way to save it without posting it. I wanted to take some time to build the post thoroughly. How is this typically handled?

2. I typically run my games with the players being allowed to use any official paizo content as long as they clear it with me, giving me the option to veto anything that is either inappropriate for the setting or that would unbalance the game. This works pretty well with my home group who are familiar with my style and have a pretty good idea of what I will and won't allow. For a group of strangers, I'm not sure this will work as well. Running a game in the Greyhawk setting will require me to limit a good amount of content based on setting alone. Are there any issues with doing something along the lines of Core only, with additional rules subject to GM approval(with the intention of allowing a good amount of additional material)? My main concerns are a variety of spells that I'd either have to disallow or start having enemies cast to keep things interesting and certain well-known builds that tend to steal the show.

3. Does anyone have any advice for running this campaign specifically in a PbP setting? I've read about some of the challenges of running a dungeon crawl in this format and I have some decent plans for handling that issue, but I'd love to hear from anyone who has run it themselves this way.

LCF

[GM Rednal]

1) Write your recruitment post up in a wordprocessor, like Notepad or Microsoft Word. Edit the text as much as you want - and remember you can only edit it for an hour after posting.

2) Around here? There are no issues at all with limiting sources, aside from turning away people who would've wanted to use them. Just say something like "Core, Advanced Guides, Ultimate books only, excluding these bits. No 3PP."

3) I haven't run it myself, but do push people forward all the time. Like, if you know there's nothing in the room, just say so and advance them to the next place they'll do stuff.

Also, read Painlord's guide for GM's here in this subform. It'll help. XD

[Lazyclownfish]

GM Rednal wrote:

2) Around here? There are no issues at all with limiting sources, aside from turning away people who would've wanted to use them. Just say something like "Core, Advanced Guides, Ultimate books only, excluding these bits. No 3PP."

Cool, I might try that. I was hoping to avoid having to do an exhaustive look through a bunch of content, but if I don't, I'll possibly miss something and have to disallow someone's build somehow. Is it common for GMs here to have to limit characters after they're built?

Also, as a follow up question:

4. I use the Crew app to manage my team for work and I thought about using it as a way to keep in touch with my players and answer quick questions throughout the day. The only downside I see is that you need phone numbers to add people which limits anonymity a bit. Does anyone have experience using this app specially? Is it worth looking into other options?

[GM Rednal]

Most GM's have a pretty good sense for what they want and don't want from characters. I wouldn't say it's common for someone to say "I'll be reviewing builds after you're accepted" - because many recruitment threads have people provide their initial character sheet, and you can just not pick someone if you don't like their build - but it's not totally unknown either.

If you want to make it easier on yourself, you can just set some limits - numbers have to remain in a certain range, etc. - and then simply verify people are in line with that.

Given the number of fun supplements, though, I do recommend saying something like "Content from other Paizo books available with permission." Lots of it is available online (either at d20pfsrd.com or the Archives of Nethys) for easy reference, and it's much easier to review what people bring to you than it is to go through every option beforehand. Also, having them ask about it before they build their character means nobody has to do too much work before a decision is made. XD

4) I haven't used it myself, though I do have a game that uses the chat app Discord. At the very least, staying in touch "outside" the game has been done.

[Magabeus]

Welcome to PBP gaming Lazyclownfish!

2: Be open to your players about what you want to achieve with limiting content. You could do this either by saying your reserve the right to veto anything or by limiting material from the start. An explanation what is appropriate for the setting would probably help.

3: Get a marching order, a first possibility right (or left), take 10 on perception checks normally and take 20 at obvious trap spots (doors / stairs etcetera) agreed upon and you are good to go.

4: You can also use Google Hangouts for this

[motteditor]

I think you've got good suggestions so far. Most people are eager enough to get into games that they're willing to accept limits, I think especially if you explain why. I would include a lot of your first post in this thread in your recruitment post, as that'll make it easier for folks to understand.

Beyond that, as others suggested, if you say this is the kind of thing you're looking for, but feel free to ask about specific exceptions, you should be fine. You may get a LOT of questions early on, but that should help you figure out more about your potential players, I think.

[GM Lazyclownfish]

Thanks for the advice everyone. It's been very helpful.

I've had the recruitment thread open here for almost a week and I've learned a lot just talking with the applicants. You're right about learning about them through the questions they ask. I wish they would ask more. I'm having a blast developing their understanding of the setting by answering.

I already have a bunch of good submissions. I'm honestly worried about how I'm going to narrow it down. If anyone has any advice on that matter, I could definitely use it!

[GM Rednal]

Actually, I do. XD This is just my personal method, but I find it's worked well.

Step 1: Make a list of all applicants and remove any that, for whatever reason, you know you aren't going to pick. (Maybe they didn't obey the creation rules you set, or you just don't "feel" like they're a good fit. I ain't gonna tell you what criteria to use here - that's your choice. ^^)

Step 2: Pick the single best submission from among those that remain. I usually go by background here - whoever I personally find to be the most generally interesting and well-written submission.

Step 3: Build the party around the first submission, aiming for a good balance of classes and abilities as you try to ensure they can cover every role and challenge as a team.