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Acora
2010-09-13, 03:19 PM
And even though this is my first time participating in a campaign, much less constructing one of my own, I'm pretty excited. I mean, I've already got my villians figured out, I've already figured out how I want it to end, and I've got plenty of other things worked out. Unfortunately, I can't think of a good scenario to get it started.

Anyone have any suggestions? Or even any advice for a first time DM?

Thatguyoverther
2010-09-13, 03:22 PM
What's the setting like?

For a first time game it might not be a bad idea to start the characters in media res, so you don't have to deal with first time interactions.

As far as suggestions for a first time DM. Try and put yourself in all the NPC's shoes. Try to think what a normal person would do in a given situation. Not everyone is going to fight to the death for example. Poorly paid mooks probably start running away if the fight starts to look too tough. Even master villains will run away if they think they can salvage the situation.

I always try to make NPC reactions as lifelike as possible. From there it's easier to set up a more believable world.

Piedmon_Sama
2010-09-13, 03:26 PM
Don't be, like, a conversation nazi but try not to let your players waste too much time talking about Futurama or whatever. Take a 5-10 minute break every hour of playing. Be descriptive. Don't be like, "oh, you see a ghoul," be like "you see this emaciated and hairless humanoid, hunched like an animal with its face in a hungry growl, a powerful stink of rich mud emanates from it." (It may help to have pre-written descriptions if you're not great at doing this extemporaneously, but don't make them long). When employing description, remember nonvisual details like smell, temperature, air-quality (sweet and refreshing in forests, musty and thick in dungeons etc.)

It may help to practice speaking in-character as an NPC before the session. Just get up in front of the mirror and work on using voice and body language a little to get the character of an NPC across. You don't have to be a great actor or impressionist, but a little bit goes a long way--if you go that extra mile, you can often get your players to relax and get into their characters a little more and speak in character, too.

Have fun and good luck!

Acora
2010-09-13, 03:32 PM
If I had to describe it, I'd probably say that it's something sort of like the world of Neverwinter Nights.

Kinsmarck
2010-09-13, 03:37 PM
My gut reaction to this can be summed up in the word "NO."

That said, you're in the position you're in, and I doubt anyone here is going to change that. First question: How long do you have until your first session? You're going to have a LOT of reading to do (namely, pretty much the entire DM's guide and most of Player's), so you'd best get on top of that now.

Second, how long is this campaign expected to last? If it's short, this could work, and could be a great learning experience for all involved. If it's long...color me jaded, but I just don't see a first-time DM keeping tight enough reins on a group of people that I'm guessing have about as much familiarity with the rules (and thus how to nerf them) as you do.

This should go without saying, but I'm going to make it clear anyway: for your first campaign, as both player and DM, you should really keep content to Core-only material. Any more than that and all involved will become overwhelmed with rules and options.

Lastly, the best piece of advice I can give after DMing for eightish years: Don't ever let your players talk you into something that your gut tells you shouldn't work; you should know the rules better than them if you're DMing, else they will walk all over you, and your campaign will fly off the tracks like a Tressym on catnip.

Skorj
2010-09-13, 03:37 PM
The meta-stuff is important. Both the "keep the game focused" stuff that Piedmon_Sama describes, but also: be clear up front what kind of game you plan to run, and ask your players if that's the kind of game they want to play. Humorous or dark? Realistic or rule-of-cool? Combat heavy or social-heavy? Most of the ways campaigns fail are rooted in players becoming bored, then disruptive, because the game wasn't what they wanted and they don't know how to talk about that.

Set your ground rules up front for rules arguments - find a way to avoid rules arguments during game time.

Finally, use a module or prepared setting to get started with. Ask your players out-of-character to color within the lines: don't deliberately break the game, or leave the area you have prepared. No one reasonable should have a problem with that, given it's the first game you're running, but you can't expect them to comply if you never ask them.

Good luck getting started, and don't be afraid to wing it!

DabblerWizard
2010-09-14, 08:20 AM
I wanted to counter a point made previously on this thread.

The suggestion that new DMs should only use official campaign modules, instead of trying out their own creations, is unfair.

It's perfectly reasonable to assume that some people are creative enough, and motivated enough to successfully pull off homebrew (home-made) settings and plots the first time they DM.

Official materials can provide a nice structure to people who need or want some sort of creative reinforcement, but I myself, for instance, am aversive to using them.

I would much rather create a story from scratch, and have my players be surprised and caught off guard with its novelty, than to depend on established, and possibly worn out plots.

Tyndmyr
2010-09-14, 08:23 AM
I wanted to counter a point made previously on this thread.

The suggestion that new DMs should only use official campaign modules, instead of trying out their own creations, is unfair.

No, it's quite reasonable. New DMs have a lot on their plate to get used to already, using an established world will save them no end of trouble, and help them more quickly learn how things work.

Sure, you CAN learn these things the hard way, but why?

Psyx
2010-09-14, 10:00 AM
I've already figured out how I want it to end....

Anyone have any suggestions? Or even any advice for a first time DM?

Yeah: Try to forget about how you want it all to end. You have to be utterly and completely flexible.

Those villains you might have spent the week-end statting: Don't get attached. Don't worry if the party one-shot them. Or if they never meet them. In fact: It might be a good idea for you to tear those sheets up right now just to get used to the feeling! It doesn't matter if they die, suffocated in faeces in round 1: You have a universe-full more of them.

Don't have any preconceived ideas about how anything can be 'solved' or 'has' to be done. What you 'want' out of the campaign really isn't as important as giving your players freedom and free will. A game does not belong to or revolve around the GM in a vacuum.

When you want to say 'no' think 'Am I saying that because it's not possible, or simply because I don't want it to happen that way?'

Er on the side of making encounters easy, rather than too hard. An easy fight doesn't loose the party anything. You don't get 'backsies' on a hard one after TPKing them. If you have to fudge dice constantly to keep them alive, then step it down. Players know when you're fudging, so try not to.

Give the players (mostly) what they want... but make' 'em sweat it a bit first. Let them make choices and let them live with the repercussions of those choices. Don't guide them ('that's not a good idea, killing the Prince - the guards are all 20th level'*) or force their hand all the while. Sometimes, the things they want are unobtainable or unreasonable... they can't have those things!

Don't assume that handing the players everything that they want or ask for means that they are having fun. Nothing easily won is appreciated or has value. You ARE going to upset players sometimes. Don't let them take it personally, and don't take their potential sulking personally, either.

As regards rules, play with what you are comfortable with. Restrict options and splat books if it makes it easier. NEVER be afraid of saying 'no'. You need to have a strong hand where required.

Another tip is not to build a reputation for being either too hard on them (you all die. Again!) or too soft (err...you survive the magma...and find a +5 sword). Be fair. It's supposed to be fun, but it's supposed to be a challenging game as well.


But... have fun.


*And don't use 'meta' and OOC information in descriptions... Ever!

BRC
2010-09-14, 10:23 AM
Are any of your players experienced with the ruleset? It might be a good idea to recruit one of them to help you out with the rules. Asking them what you do in a given situation is much faster than flipping through the books to look up the rules.

Nick_mi
2010-09-14, 10:30 AM
Having your ending "planned", unless it's like a 3 session game is a bad idea.

BRC
2010-09-14, 10:36 AM
Having your ending "planned", unless it's like a 3 session game is a bad idea.
Well, it depends on the level of "Plan".
If you plan for the PC's to defeat the villain, that's probably a safe bet. If you plan for them to defeat the villain, but then decide to destroy the evil amulet he was drawing power from, you're getting abit risky.

If you plan for the PC's to defeat the villain, but have only one party member survive, so he seeks to use the amulet to resurrect the rest of the party, resulting in their corpses being possessed by demons, you're probably assuming too much.

Dr.Epic
2010-09-14, 11:13 AM
First campaign and you're the DM? You sure you don't want to wait a few campaigns until you DM? As for getting the quest started, just say these bad guys have been doing bad stuff and they need to be stopped. Getting PCs to follow a plotline is like throwing a bone down a hall and watching a dog run after it.

Shenanigans
2010-09-14, 11:20 AM
My gut reaction to this can be summed up in the word "NO."

That said, you're in the position you're in, and I doubt anyone here is going to change that. First question: How long do you have until your first session? You're going to have a LOT of reading to do (namely, pretty much the entire DM's guide and most of Player's), so you'd best get on top of that now.

Second, how long is this campaign expected to last? If it's short, this could work, and could be a great learning experience for all involved. If it's long...color me jaded, but I just don't see a first-time DM keeping tight enough reins on a group of people that I'm guessing have about as much familiarity with the rules (and thus how to nerf them) as you do.

I agree as far as the idea that a short campaign would be easier to manage as a first time DM.

Personally, though, I think that even if you and your friends are in the same boat as far as little rules knowledge or system experience, you can still have a great time. Some of my best gaming memories come from times when my buddies and I were learning a new system together.

For example, when we started playing Rifts, one character played a Glitter Boy pilot(already overpowered in the eyes of many). While an average laser rifle in the game does 3d6 or 4d6 damage, the Glitter Boy main gun does 3d6x10 damage. The description, however, says something along the lines of "The Glitter Boy Boom Gun fires 200 flechettes that deal 3d6x10 damage" which we interpreted as 3d6x10x200 damage. Needless to say, the party was taking over cities until we came to our senses.

akma
2010-09-14, 11:39 AM
There is a thing called rail roading - when you force the players to go thru a certain route.
Don`t do it.

Severus
2010-09-14, 11:45 AM
Great games are great because the GM orchestrates, but does not dictate. Your job is to challenge and entertain your players, however that ends up happening is all good. As others have said, don't get too attached to your plot, or your bad guys.

As for starting, I've seen good results by dropping the characters directly into combat. You can have the place they are in attacked, or for an advanced style you can 'flash forward' to the battle and then after the battle where they've cooperated, go back to the inn where they met and have them hook up.

DabblerWizard
2010-09-14, 12:05 PM
No, it's quite reasonable. New DMs have a lot on their plate to get used to already, using an established world will save them no end of trouble, and help them more quickly learn how things work.

Sure, you CAN learn these things the hard way, but why?

Difficult endeavors can be seen as worthwhile challenges. That really should be a quote. I call dibs.

Personally, the first time I was a DM, I ran my own campaign world. It definitely was challenging, but I survived, with breathing room to spare. It was a worthwhile experience. I prefer relying on my own creative outlets.

I agree, Tyndmyr, that some people will prefer saving themselves the trouble of coming up with their own complex, coherent, original world, but some of us like challenges.

Radar
2010-09-14, 12:05 PM
Obligatory link to an obligatory thread. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76474) I does help.

Constructiong a scenario: first thing would be to think, who the PCs should be in the world and why are they traveling together?
Are they a bunch of full-time adventurers, who end troubles for other people (rat infested sewers, nasty wolves near a village, caravan escort etc.), town guard recruits or just a bunch of random people winding up together due to unexpected circumstatces (waking up in a city jail with a nasty hangover, their town/village got assulted and they had to escape, teleported away by the power of PLOT)?
As can be seen, answer to this question doubles as a plot hook. :smallsmile:

Loren
2010-09-14, 12:07 PM
be ready to improvise. I like having a DM screen or sheet with the common DCs so that I can adjudicate plays I don't expect. Every time I don't use it I regret it.
I like to write up my encounters before hand so that I have all the monsters and their relivant info in one place I can look at. I often role their initiative and place their entries in their order with spaces between so that I can write in the PC's order when they role. This way I can just go down the list in combat.

It is often recomended to have a list of random NPC names and maybe some personality points with them. You can use these when the players try to interact with a person you didn't anticipate. What, you want to visit the university and talk to a professor? Of course I have one prepared. Oh no, it's a carpenter you want instead? no prob.

I'd try and start small. Try one adventure that you can expand into the campaign. If things go wrong you can restart the campaign with other characters and another adventure. This is particularly good advice if you have new players as either the players or the DM can mess things up really back at the start (beginnings are very delicate times).

RebelRogue
2010-09-14, 12:22 PM
What system do you use? If it's a level-based game like D&D, be sure to let your players start at level 1 (or close). How well are you versed in the rules? Rules are not everything, but getting a solid grasp of the basics helps. Using a (free) short pre-written adventure might be an idea - that way you will get an idea of how to organize things and how to build story/encounters/NPCs. You can always branch out and do your own thing from there.

dragonfan6490
2010-09-14, 05:48 PM
Everyone here has given great advice, and I could give advice of my own, but what I know is the culmination of articles that I've read, particularly The Alexandrian (http://www.thealexandrian.net/creations/creations.html). It's a great resource that's helped me become a better DM.

Morph Bark
2010-09-14, 05:52 PM
Considering this is only your first, I presume most players are also new to DnD.

For this reason, I give only one advice: Don't worry, just have fun as you go along and slowly figure out the rules.

That's what I did when I started DnD, and I've been DMing 95% of the time.

Zhalath
2010-09-14, 08:07 PM
I've learned from 4ish years of DMing that it's good to relax and not be too serious about it. Your players may end up doing some stupid or ridiculous things. Don't be afraid to give takebacks sometimes, especially to new people. At the same time, do be ready to draw a line with silliness, and keep going.

It's also a good idea to keep track of how your players themselves are doing, and keeping that in mind when planning. Sleep deprived players tend to get cranky fast, and can make bad decisions that lead to death or disability with their characters, leading to more crankiness.

Jallorn
2010-09-14, 08:37 PM
I dunno if anyone's said it yet, but having a set ending in mind can be very bad. There's no guarantee that the Players will think your ending is so cool, so often DMs who have an ending in mind will try to railroad their players a bit.

Endarire
2010-09-15, 12:07 AM
I've made this its own post here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9359750#post9359750)!

D&D is a time sink! Learning the rules, being a manager of players and characters, and preparing scenarios worth experiencing may as well be a part-time if not a full-time job. If you aren't ready to spend 2 to 3 hours per week planning (and in some cases, per day) then most likely, you are not ready. You can try to improvise, but the game is so much better when it is thoroughly planned!

One of my friends compared D&D prep time to doing homework. Writing area and creature descriptions, talking with your players, drawing maps, and making the game will take a long time. It's like making a commercial RPG, but for your friends and with fewer graphics.

Start with a solid premise! If you aren't sure what you want in your campaign world, or/and you don't throughly know the world like your favorite hobby, expect the campaign to fail. Floundering around only works so long, and improvisation can only cover so much. Like with most things, you need a compelling reason to spend so much time setting up a game for your group to play, and if something of your heart isn't overflowing with eagerness, you are not ready.

Your players will look to you for leadership. If you aren't enthused, don't expect them to be either. If you are enthused, they're more likely to be hooked.

It's a game, not a story. A game, being interactive, is not like a novel where the plot is fully predetermined. As DM, you can reasonably have goals and desires for the players, but the best DMs let the characters' actions determine event outcomes. Maybe you didn't intend for Baron Farknock to die by a stray fireball, but if that's what the dice declare, you have one flambed baron and the plot adjusts accordingly.

Let your players learn to trust you. I roll in the open, in plain view of all. I don't like fudging dice as that obviates the purpose of rolling. In doing so, my players have learned to trust what happens. Victory is earned honestly, and so is defeat. My adherence to the rules has earned me the title of "Rules Lawyer," but my rulings are consistent.

Know the D&D 3.5 rules (http://www.d20srd.org/index.htm) (Pathfinder version (http://d20pfsrd.com)) and plan for scenarios where characters can use their abilities! Your first order of business should be to fully read through the Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide. You can skim the stats for sample NPCs in the DMG, but know what the abilities do! Pay particular attention to rules regarding attacks of opportunity and to what spells do.

Work within the rules to make interesting scenarios. A fly spell may seem like a cheap win, but expect a level 5 Wizard to learn it. It's just his character. Likewise, Divinations, Illusions, and Enchantments offer potent options for creative players. If you make your story with the expectation of characters using their abilities (teleport, scrying, charm person, dominate person, find the path, silent image, speak with dead, detect thoughts, modify memory) then it's more enjoyable for everyone. If you haven't realized it by now, magic wins D&D.

In general, players like being told what to do. As one of my friends put it, "I play games to relax." Most people don't come to the game table after a week of researching the rules and say, "Show time!"

Plot-wise, assume you will need to spell out every available option. Withholding any of this information will likely cause confusion and lack of motivation for your group.

World-wise, D&D is a game of medieval superheroes. Heroic fantasy is closer to Lord of the Rings than D&D. By level 6, characters can fly, heal most painful maladies, and 'mess' with the world as a bunch of fledgeling superheroes. Crowd control spells (grease, glitterdust, color spray, slow, solid fog, Evard's black tentacles...) will usually force a save versus uselessness. Every creature (your side or theirs) is one failed save away from uselessness, usually for effects lasting 1 round per level or more.

Talk with the community. Brilliant Gameologist people (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?board=9.0) are friendly and knowledgeable about the system. Learn what works well in the system and advise your players likewise.

The core rules have the greatest density of the most powerful options. Iconic spells like polymorph and teleport are core. As mentioned above, spells that quickly end fights or require special planning are core. Two of the game's best feats, Leadership (Dungeon Master's Guide 106) and Improved Initiative (Player's Handbook 96), are core.

Splatbooks (accessories, sundries, supplements) provide more options, but in general are nowhere near as powerful as stuff in the core rules.

Almost all sources (the core rules especially) contain many 'newbie trap' options. +1 AC some of the time (Dodge) probably isn't worth a feat. +4 initiative all the time (Improved Initiative) probably is.

I heard the designers did this so players would learn to scout out the best options and optimize. It rewards research, in short. I also believe this is a bad game design philosophy.

Pathfinder, at its heart, is a slightly modified D&D 3.5. Pathfinder doesn't fix the fundamental balance issues of 3.5. Classes change in power, but most the core spells are unchanged.

Listen to your players! They may not come out and say it, but if they're more interested in dozing off, checking MySpace, or playing video games, that means you need to seriously consider your position as a DM. What do they want and what do you want? Maybe you can reconcile the two.

I advise awarding experience based on story progress, not on kill. That way, people are likely to play smarter and less violently, and you control when people level. Tell your group in advance if you do this. Also, nix XP components on spells (usually require an item worth 5x the XP cost) and nix the XP cost from crafting magic items. Pathfinder already does this.

Learn why each class is in its tier (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=5256.0). Overall, casters alter reality and non-casters hit stuff. There is no reconciling the two. Casters get more options more cheaply than non-casters, and casters are generally regarded as being more fun.

This split in class power and options is only a problem if the players don't like things as-is!

Remember, the CR system is a guideline. WotC assumed a 4 person party of blaster Wizard, healbot Cleric, skillsman Rogue, and tanky Fighter made with a 25 point buy and moderate optimization. This is in part why I recommend using a level-as-the-story-deems-it-wise approach.

Most fights are pushovers if the characters are prepared, but quite difficult if they aren't. There's very little middle ground, and very little chance of a 'tug of war.' Battles are more about smart blitzkrieging than outlasting an enemy or repositioning him.

Often, battles are "Contain then mop up." A caster (usually a Wizard) uses a crowd control spell with a high DC (or even no save) to disable the opposition while the rest of the party smacks down the most threatening things.

Be very careful about changing a rule! Some DMs try to change things they don't understand. Seek expert advice first. If you must make a snap decision without expert advice, be prepared to rescind it or rule differently next time.

Game aids (background music and props) can add to the game if done well but are secondary to a scenario worth playing! Most people need something obvious so they can relate to your room and creature descriptions. Otherwise, it's a forgettable wall of text.

Background music, if appropriately chosen, sets a proper mood. Music can be for battles, character theme songs, or areas in general. Maybe an important castle has an eerie theme, or a boss battle has a riveting orchestral track.

Share what you love! If the game scenario interests you so much that you're eager to share it with your friends, it's usually worth playing. That's the major thing. The previous advice is how to practically get there.