A Tutorial

[Pootisman]

I'm a DM of 6 players, they've been playing pathfinder for several months (at least once a week) but they still miss out many mechanics that they could use in order to struggle less in fights and while exploring, they just seem to "forget" such things exists.

For example, they got a rogue with trapfinding that doesn't go ahead of the party and look for traps in a dungeon, he also doesn't even try to scout ahead in search for dangers.

So i thought about running a "tutorial" session next week in order to teach them a thing or two.

Basically this is the setting:

The PC's must convince they're strong enough to bring with them the lost relic that 2 paladins are keeping safe without getting killed by evil forces.
In order to demonstrate that the paladins demand the party to explore a dungeon and then fight a mirrored match (i will use their character sheets and items) in an arena.

The mechanics:

Basically every action they will do can add or cut points from a "total party score", they must reach a certain party score in order to get the relic, else they must face another dungeon with a very dangerous monster inside.

I will rate every significant action they will do, i will reward generously teamworking and particularly intelligent moves while punishing egoistic moves or the stupid stuff they do (such as attempting to do something that has low chance of success and dire consequences on failure).

Also, i will cut points when they don't do something they should do, such as sending the rogue ahead or forgetting to add bonuses to their rolls (i try to remember them but frankly i can't always pay attention on 6 PC's + 4 pets and also my NPC's)

Teachings i plan to insert:
- mechanics of flanking, charging and sneak attack
- Basic roles they should have in battle
- Use of the environment at their advantage
- Use of their spells and abilities
- Use of rogue out of battle
- Coordination and pre-planning
- No gambling except when it is necessary

What do you think about this idea? Do you have any suggestion to improve it? There is a mechanic you suggest i should teach?

[Name Violation]

AoOs. Let a group of something fodder (skeletons or zombies maybe) move and provoke.

use combat maneuvers.

Aid another. Make checks that need the +2 or have the enemies use it to boost ac or hit

Cover, shooting into melee penalties. They stack. Have them engage a guy in melee so archers take the -4 without precise shot then add 4 ac for cover

[Mark Hoover 330]

Two things. First, human beings forget things. I'm playing with a group that has been using PF1 mechanics for over a decade and they still forget that Higher Ground is a thing, or to use Cover.

Second, experience is the best teacher. If there are rules you want to remind them of, show them the value of that rule. Scouting ahead is something my players now do with military precision, but for a while it was the opposite; they'd purposely bunch all together in dungeons and move into areas with no knowledge whatsoever.

Monsters were constantly able to hear them coming and use that knowledge to their advantage. Traps were a constant threat. Ironically it was prepared spellcasters that made them slow down and start scouting. When one player's wizard constantly had the wrong energy damage for the wrong monster, he finally suggested the party slow down and let his familiar look around so that, using the Fast Study ability he could change a spell if he needed to.

So my advice would be to just keep playing. Remind them, between games, what rules they could've taken advantage of in the previous game and the harder fights get, the more your players will adjust their tactics to accommodate.

[Hugo Rune]

Try writing a crib sheet for them or pointing them to some online articles that give good advice.

I really wouldn't coach them on 'the correct way' to play. Although well intended, it is likely to come across poorly, with you demonstrating superiority over them.

If you are playing at low level, you may be able to get away with demonstrating good tactics with weak opposition. The damage is sufficiently low that negative hp makes the difference between a death and being out of action for one encounter. If the players see good tactics in operation they may well copy them themselves.

One final note, some of your 'best practices' are situational. It is not always a good idea to have the rogue scouting ahead. If they fail to spot the trap or an ambush then they may not be able to alert the party and even if they do, the party may not be able to move to support or rescue the rogue in time.

What I find to be better practice is a reconnaissance and strike model. The party usually performs reconnaissance, avoiding engagement and retreating if there is any significant resistance. They then return to strike a target. This way they can equip and buff themselves appropriately.

[Oli Ironbar]

I’ve put together scenario sets when my friends were forming high level PFS parties to complete each of the Seeker arcs.

We didn’t run them with a GM, but we did each script out what our characters would do in situations that tend to creep up more consistently at high levels.

Perhaps the party meets a grizzled veteran who poses similar hypothetical situations to the party for a small fee or in exchange for their adventuring services.

[yukongil]

I'd suggest taking it more of a "monkey see, monkey do" approach. The scenario you suggest is a good starting point, but the flaw I see is that if they don't already do these things, they aren't going to suddenly start doing them to earn those points.

Instead, show them the advantages of these in "test" encounters. Have the baddies of the scenario, pull all of these tricks first, and then set up encounters to let them turn the tables with them. Make it obvious what the training "dummies" are doing, even go so far as to pop the hood and show them around the mechanical side

For instance, let them know that the spectral knight is only +3 to hit, but when he starts flanking and two other spectral knights aid him, he goes to +9!

Describe a "cutscene" where a kobold spy hears them planning or readying themselves for the day and then scurries back to tell the others that the cleric prayed for resist fire that day and to prepare the acid flasks.

Things like that. Show them how effective these things are in a non-lethal scenario and that may help them pick up on it.

[Mark Hoover 330]

Have three kobolds surround one PC armed with longspears. 2 of these move into a Flanking position while the third just seems to haphazardly harass the PC (granting Aid Another to one of his buddies). When it turns out that the Aid Another warrior 1 has Extra Traits and grants his friend +3 to hit with Aid Another, then thanks to the flank bonus the 2 flanking both hit and their Precise Strike Teamwork feat kicks in and the PC takes 4d6 -2 damage for the round, the player might think about using Flanking or Aid Another themselves once in a while.

Several years ago my players weren't as meticulous as they are today, all relying on melee attacks primarily for damage. Then I started running smart encounters with either flying or ranged attacking monsters. Suddenly when they were taking multiple Acid Flasks to the face they were like "maybe WE should get some of those."

I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'...