Instant DM Needs Starting Module...Help!

[Palanan]

So, suddenly I've been "volunteered" to DM a group.

We're trying to get a new game going, and we had a dozen people show up for the first meeting. The original DM is now reconsidering the sanity of this plan, and now there's discussion of splitting the group into two sections. Eyes have turned my way.

I have a campaign in the works, but it won't be ready for months, and I need to have something ready by Sunday afternoon. The good news is that most of the players are either new or rusty, so the original DM decided on a Core-only game starting at second level. This at least simplifies the builds.

So, I need a module suitable for five or six players, ideally something I can jump right into. I could try Sunless Citadel or Forge of Fury, but I worry I'd have to do some adapting either way, and my time is really limited. Any suggestions for an appropriate module? Something ready-made for half a dozen second-level characters?

I really feel like Gandalf here: "Three hundred lives of men I've been developing my next campaign, and now I have no time!"

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[BloodyMartian]

You could look into Shattered Gates of Slaughtergarde.

You could just start with The Sunless Citadel and to lazily up the challenge give everything they encounter 1.5 to 2 times the HP or if an encounter calls for 4 or more creatures in one encounter just multiply the number of creatures by 1.5. Once they finish it move on the The Forge of Fury. By that time they should be a about the right level. If they are steamrolling everything give the enemies more HP and +1 to everything they roll. Overall it sounds like you have a large group making things take longer than normal and XP a very limited resource.

Both of the adventures you named take place around towns that could easily eat up a couple of sessions worth of play as well. Farmers daughter falls in love with a party member and follows them out one day only to get lost (Rescue the peasant from random forest/mountain encounter!) Local merchants being robbed in the night(Squash the beginnings of the new thieves guild) Local wizard dies town too scared to look into his estate(Kookie wizard tower complete with bound guardians extra-dimensional spaces and awesome treasure) Burying the wizard reveals vampire den(Find the enemy amongst us!) Do something random to sprinkle inklings of what you have planned for your campaign.

[Hurnn]

If you have access to them any of the 1st ed. starter modules would be great U1 sinister secret of saltmarsh is a fav of mine, along with the classic b2 caves of chaos, just update monster stats and you are good to go. Saltmarsh in particular is a lot more brains over brawn and most the old ones were designed for 4-6.

[Lokd0wn]

To be honest if you use The Sunless Citadel and play the enemies semi intelligently and give the more notable foes an extra HD or two it should be plenty challenging for a level 2-3 party. The final encounter versus a level 4 Druid and his entourage played smartly can be a real ball breaker.

[WbtE]

If you want to buy some time, then try running WotC's free adventure Wreck Ashore, by Robert Wiese. It's a one- or two-session adventure for 1st-level characters and quite a nice design. A 2nd-level party shouldn't have too much trouble, but it's OK to play on easy mode while you sort out a proper challenge for them. You can read my review (http://warbeneaththeearth.blogspot.com/2013/12/review-wreck-ashore-by-robert-wiese.html) or just go straight to a download page (http://web.archive.org/web/20040607035501/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20040430a)

[Khedrac]

If you have access to them any of the 1st ed. starter modules would be great U1 sinister secret of saltmarsh is a fav of mine, along with the classic b2 caves of chaos, just update monster stats and you are good to go. Saltmarsh in particular is a lot more brains over brawn and most the old ones were designed for 4-6.

The Caves of Chaos may have been the main cave area detailed are in the module, but it is called B2 Keep on the Borderlands...

Yes, low level needs the least conversion so B2 really is an excellent starter module, but I think you would want to do some conversion work before running it, to review treasure levels if nothing else.

Paizo's Rise of the RuneLords might work, but might also carry on longer than you want.

[Palanan]

Okay, thanks for the suggestions so far. Unfortunately the first edition modules wouldn't work, since I don't have time for converting things over.


Originally Posted by Khedrac
Paizo's Rise of the RuneLords might work, but might also carry on longer than you want.

Very tempted, but also concerned about potential hangups with back-conversion. I'm really interested in Pathfinder, but I'm not familiar enough with the conversion to do it on the fly. If someone's already done it somewhere, that would be worth a look.


Originally Posted by WbtE
If you want to buy some time, then try running WotC's free adventure Wreck Ashore.... You can read my review or just go straight to a download page.

Thanks for the links, that's very helpful, and a good review you've written. Not sure if this one is quite right for the group, but I'll give it a look.

Any other modules come to mind? Wreck Ashore might do in a pinch, but it would be good to have another ready-made option or two.



EDIT: Okay, clearly I'm naive. Rise of the Runelords was originally done for 3.5? Could someone explain this for me? Please?

...I'd make you banana bread?

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[Thalnawr]

Okay, clearly I'm naive. Rise of the Runelords was originally done for 3.5? Could someone explain this for me? Please?

...I'd make you banana bread?

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The first 4 Paizo adventure paths were published prior to the Pathfinder Core Rulebook.

[Palanan]

Okay, thanks. Were they published as stand-alone modules, or in later issues of Dragon?

I've only ever seen the hardcover omnibus edition, so didn't realize there was an earlier version--or at least hadn't realized it was 3.5.

[Thalnawr]

Okay, thanks. Were they published as stand-alone modules, or in later issues of Dragon?

I've only ever seen the hardcover omnibus edition, so didn't realize there was an earlier version--or at least hadn't realized it was 3.5.

I think they were published as part of the Pathfinder monthly subscription product, perhaps in order to pave the way for the current RPG. I've read somewhere that the adventure paths are their primary product, but I could have read wrong.

[Phelix-Mu]

Converting stuff might be easier than you think. If it says "four goblins are in the clearing," that still works. Goblins haven't changed much, especially relative to how much more survivable low levels are nowadays. Just open Monster Manual and plop 4 goblins down in that clearing. Similarly, if there is some kind of ooze that doesn't exist anymore, just look for an ooze of CR4 or less, and go with it.

An important consideration is action economy. While some modules are flexible, a six person party is going to have 50% more swings/spells than the assumed party used in calculating CRs. Don't hesitate to add waves of reinforcements, small-time spell support (barkskin or barkskin pots), and unexpected complications (this ogre has SR!) if the party is steamrolling stuff. Even mundane stuff like limited visibility or slippery terrain can add that extra edge that makes low-level play memorable.

Also keep in mind that treasures might not be big enough if they are pre-constructed for four players.

Overall, don't sweat it. New players are often immersed in their own character and awash in rules they don't quite understand. Keep your cool and make records of any ad-hoc rulings you make, and it's likely they won't even notice. Being able to explain stuff on the fly and have better system mastery than players is about 80% of the job description if you manage it properly, and I think you can.:smallsmile:

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Phelix-Mu
Overall, don't sweat it. New players are often immersed in their own character and awash in rules they don't quite understand. Keep your cool and make records of any ad-hoc rulings you make, and it's likely they won't even notice. Being able to explain stuff on the fly and have better system mastery than players is about 80% of the job description if you manage it properly, and I think you can.

Thanks for the advice and encouragement, it's much appreciated.

They're very new players, most of whom I've only briefly met--and on top of that, the original DM has some rather oddball house rules that I'm trying to work with, including a quasi-point-buy system I've never seen before.

This may be interesting, that's for sure.

[Khedrac]

EDIT: Okay, clearly I'm naive. Rise of the Runelords was originally done for 3.5? Could someone explain this for me? Please?
OK Paizo used to have the Dungeon and Dragon magazine licences so they were geared up to produce 3.5 material.
WotC announced 4th Ed and that they were pulling the licences - they wanted to go online.
Paizo had loads of 3.5 devs, a lot of experince, and knew there was demand, so yes thy announced Pathfinder, but the first modules published (like Rise) were published as 3.5 modules using the open content of the SRD.
Rise is set in the Pathfinder core world, but I think you need to convert it to run it with Pathfinder and not 3.5!

One thought though, I tried some of the early Living Pathfinder modules and Rise is living up to their promise - they are very good but can be very lethal.
I am playing Rise as one of 4 experienced players and it is hard. For novice player it needs a bigger group, preferably 6 I would think.