(3.5) DMing help

[Zargodia]

Im going to be DMing a game soon and i need a bit of help. this will be my first time DMing (and my first time playing 3.5). everyone playing will be new to 3.5
and i volunteered to be the first DM. almost everyone in the group has some D&D experience though just not 3.5. the players are as follows:

a wizard specializing in abjuration with necromancy and illusion barred

a druid who says he might take levels in ranger

a neutral cleric who is going for rebuking and the evil and death domains

a pathfinder preservationist/vivisectionist alchemist

the fifth person as far as i know is going to be a ranger

and there is a possible sixth person who will probably be a TWF rouge if the person comes

[Gandariel]

alright, so what do you want exactly?
do you want us to optimize the players? give you general tips? i don't really understand.

Anyway you're all new to the game, you should be fine.

Basically, Druid, Cleric and Wizard are very powerful classes.
But, you're all new to the game, so there should be no problem (although the Druid might be too strong compared with, say, the ranger)

Wizard is actually the strongest one, but only when used by an experienced player. he'll be fine.

Anyway, you haven't actually asked anything, so if you want to explain better how do you want us to help...

[Zargodia]

I want general tips on building encounters and treasures etc. to help make the game fun

[nedz]

OK - you are still asking very broad questions.

Encounters
Do you understand the CR system ?
(It's broken BTW, but you will be fine - just avoid MM2 until you have a better grip on the system)

Treasure
There are standard tables in the DMG based on the CR of an encounter.
Monster descriptions have a Treasure entry which modifies this.
This is not hard to use, just try not to use too many monsters with no treasure.

[Gandariel]

As for treasure, i usually give them Money plus curious items.
By "curious items" i mean magic items which are actually interesting and could e cool (Immovable Rods, Horn of Fog, or others)
If the players like them, they can keep them, else they can sell them and get more money.

Also, in some moments, i give them charachter specific items (for example, after saving a powerful merchant's daughters, said merchant gave to each of my players a specific item: +1 greataxe for the Barbarian, Circlet of Intelligence for the Factotum, Rod of Extend for the Druid, etc. )

By doing this i make sure they have the necessary items, they still can buy whatever they want, and they also have the opportunity to make use of some interesting magic items.

As for encounters..
Well, for the first ones, go easy. Goblins, level 2 Sorcerers, level 1-2 Warriors, some skeletons and zombies.

As you understand better the game you can move on to better stuff.
Just remember, this is YOUR game, and YOUR monsters.
If a monster is too weak and is going to be killed by the party on the first round, just increase his HP. He'll last longer and give your players a better challenge.

At the same way, if a monster is proving itself too strong, lower his HP during combat, or give him some random weakness (That attack which took half HP from all the party? now he must wait 5 rounds before using it again.)

Also, don't be afraid to hurt your players and even killing them.
you don't want them to believe you only give them weak monsters and they're never in real danger.

[TheDarkSaint]

I think you're going to want to run a few games where you stretch out and learn the rules as a group.

When I start beginners in our School Sci Fi club, I have a rather basic type adventure for them to go on. I plan the following type wilderness exploration type game.


1. Group is asked by local baron to explore a new trade route possiblity to a far town. They are asked to map it. (your Druid/Ranger might want to take a rank or two in geography)

2. Group exercises in skill use.

a) Come across a deep river that is may far to jump. How do they cross? (Jump, rope use, swim, etc)

b) Come across goblin tracks/trap. if they scout ahead, find a whole camp, too many to take on at once. (Move silently, Hide, Survival (track), trap sense)

c) Food/water starts to run out (Survival, Diplomacy/intimidation with hamlet,)

d) Encounters with powerful wildlife, a bear. (animal handlling, climb (get to the trees!)

e) Getting lost (Know: Geography, Know: Nature, etc)

3) At this time, they come across some ruins with Zombies. Zombies are fun as they have DR 5/slashing, so the party gets an idea how Damage Reduction works as well as getting used to a tactical map and movement against a foe that isn't too dangerous.

4) Arrive at destination, make a Knowledge:Geography check to see how well the map turned out.

Good luck and let us know how your game turned out :)

[Zargodia]

thanks for the help! I might use that adventure.

[Ernir]

Relax, have fun, and don't worry too much about whether you're playing D&D wrong.