I am a new DM, I am just finishing up running the Crypt of Everflame and sequel adventure modules and my group is thinking about starting a proper AP.
I was hoping for some advice on which AP to run, and some general tips. The table wants to play something that leans into combat but has opportunity for roleplay. They've expressed a concern that they don't want exclusive dungeon crawling. They're somewhat ambivalent what level the AP ends. Knowing the table, they also have a dislike for strict railroading.
Additionally, our group has already played RotRL, and Kingmaker. (Also we started CotCT but had to pause that due to our previous DM not being able to DM).
At the moment the APs I'm considering running for them are:
Shattered Star (I've heard this is very dungeon crawly)
Mummy's Mask (I'm not sure how different from Shattered Star this is)
Giantslayer (Slightly concerned they might get bored with it)
Ironfang Invasion (I'm not sure how well the party will react to being underdogs, I'm also not sure how easy this is on a newbie GM)
Return of the Runelords (Seems like a good follow up to RotRL but apparently you need to know SS for this?)
Tyrant's Grasp (I'm leaning against this one because the ending is probably too divisive for our table and I'm concerned again about how difficult this is to run)
I was hoping for (...) some general tips.
● Use Combat Manager (discussion thread here). I'm using that program and I honestly don't know how I would be able to GM without it. A library of not only monsters (with templates addable), including probably all the ones from your AP, but also feats, spells, and rules. I've made characters for my PCs so I can roll stuff like perception without my players noticing. I also use the initiative roller, because while "roll initiative" at the start of combat can be cool, it a) wastes a lot of time, b) distrupts the flow of the game and c) prevents the GM from using initiative for situations that may or may not result in actual fighting (because when they have rolled initiative, the players will presume a combat is absolutely going to happen).
● Use some method to track initiative for the players. I'm using little folded pieces of cardboard with the PCs names (and numbers for monsters that the party knows about) on both sides that I put on the top of my laptop and move around so that the one farthest to my right (the players' left) is the the current character and the players can see who's next and so on.
● Don't rolls ability scores or hit dice! Both might feel like important RPG staples, but in reality, it's asking for trouble. A melee character that has less HP than the party Wizard is fun for absolutely no one. I'm using "average rounded up" for HD, and point buy for ability scores. I'd also suggest not using too low a point buy (nothing below 20), because a) it increases the inherent disparity, and b) usually leads to less rounded out characters. Higher point buy does not actually mean more powerful characters, because players react to the point buy.
● Always expect the unexpected, and learn to roll with it. Using an AP there are some limits, and it's relaly more an art than a science, but expect the players to always do something else than what you've thought they'd do. When in doubt, invent some NPC or use some quickly selected monsters (Combat Manager helps here) when the PCs really want to investigate that run down house that the AP description doesn't expect to be visited. Don't feel bad when you need to call for a short time out when the players catch you flat footed because they did something weird.
● Read ahead, and familiarize yourself with both the plot, and with the monsters the party will face, especially their special abilities (a monster/NPC uses some ability that fascinates? Read up on it!). Expect NPCs to be interrogated (friend and foe).
● Make the PCs create cheat sheets for their characters, where they have all the important statistics, including attack rolls and damage rolls under different sircumstances. Here are some examples. Calculating the currently valid attack roll(s) every round is probably the biggest time waste during combat. Likewise, have the players use Spell Cards and the likes for spells, active abilities (bardic performances, hexes, etc.), and printouts for complex on-the-fly choices like Summon Monster.
● Check everything your players selects (to see if it's actually legal, and to prevent imbalances, i.e. characters that are too weak or too strong in comparison to the other PCs). Try to familiarize yourself with every ability your PCs have. Asking for the spell/ability card in question (or looking up the thing in Combat Manager) can't hurt, you'd be surprised how ofter people overlook something semi-hidden in the description.
● Remember that very few creatures fight to the death. If a combat is too lethal, but the monster/NPC side has also suffered losses, having them retreat/cut their losses or use diplomacy even if they'd likely won the fight is a good and realistic alternative to fudging dice.
● Be honest and forthcoming with descriptions - the players only know what you tell them. Focus on information that is or may be actually important.
● Be willing to always listen to your players, but enforce rulings and decisions when necessary.
● When a rule issue come up, pick the solution that helps progress the game. When it could really go both ways and doesn't make much of a difference, just flip a coin!