Some pre-campaign questions

[Silus]

So after like...a solid year, I'm finally DMing a group again. Buuuuuut during that time I fear that I've lost some of what little DMing mojo I had and humbly request advice from the Playground.

Facts:
-There will be 4-5 players and a DM (Me)
-We're playing Pathfinder with some 3rd party elements and converted 3.5/D20 elements (nothing insane)
-We're doing a homebrew setting (found in my signature)
-As of yet, there's no current plot. Just turn the players loose and let them explore.
-We're starting at level 1 and I plan to take this as far as I can (ideally to level 20).

So questions:

1) ~2-3 of the players already have characters in mind, and those that don't have a concrete idea of what class they want to play at least have an idea of the role they want to fill. Alas none of these are healers, or classes with an extensive array of healing capabilities. One of the guys offered to, somewhat grudgingly, play a healer (he's rather play, I believe, a Warlord from Path of War). How critical is a dedicated healer for a party, and would an NPC healer attached to the party be an acceptable thing? I want the players to make characters that they want to play for an extended campaign and I'm none to keen on players playing characters that they're not into.

2) Short and sweet, any ideas on how to get the party together? I want to avoid the cliche "you all meet in a tavern". Want to give the players some sort of reason to legitimately be together as opposed to "Oh I see you guys answered the want ad as well".

3) One of the things I want to focus on campaign-wise is character development and RPing. While resolving encounters via RP and social skills count as encounters (last I checked) and give out encounter XP, what's a good range for "Man, that was some good in character RPing there" type things? Part of me says like 50-100xp but another part things that's far too low. Maybe do it by a percentage or something?

4) As characters are not actually made yet (we're doing that this Saturday), what's a good way to encourage backstories with hooks? Like little things as a DM that I can use to give the player/character a few moments in the spotlight and an opportunity for some character development.

5) As the homebrew stuff we're using hasn't really been extensively tested (this is a trial run of the material/setting), what is a good policy for if things need to be changed? For example, a player makes a character of X race. A few levels in, we realize that said character's race gets stupid broken and we need to tone it down. Should there be some sort of compensation for the player for having their character nerfed mid-campaign?

6) I've the feeling the general answer to this will be "talk to them", but what's a good way to nip player on player conflicts in the bud?

I thiiiiiink that's all the major questions I have right now. Answers are, as always, greatly appreciated. Hopefully with experience I won't have to make threads like this in the future.

[Maglubiyet]

1) That's what healing potions are for. Seriously, I'm currently running a 3.5 campaign where all the PC's are fighty types -- not a single spellcaster. Part of the rewards they get from the town they're currently working for is a steady supply of healing potions. I've considered adding an NPC cleric to the group, on loan from the local temple. So far, though, they get by with magic items.

2) Working together seems to be a legitimate reason.

3) This might have to scale with the ECL rather than be a fixed number. Otherwise the incentive to RP wanes as they level up.

4) Provide a checklist of things they need to fill out. Like, three people they have relationships with: one family member, one friend, one business contact/professional relationship, and/or one rival/enemy.

5) Add a caveat that if you play a certain race you'll be the playtester. Ask for feedback and ways to improve (i.e. balance) the race as you go along. I imagine this will work itself out as you go, assuming you have mature players.

6) Metal dice to the head.

EDIT: I want to play an Arctien!

[Eisenheim]

Do character creation all together as part of the first session. Let the players, with your input, work out connections between the characters that give them either an overarching goal that they all share or good reasons to work together towards their individual goals. If you want an adventure driven by character goals and concerns, give the players as much information about the world as possible and let them/make them tie their characters to the world as much as possible.

[dream]

So after like...a solid year, I'm finally DMing a group again. Buuuuuut during that time I fear that I've lost some of what little DMing mojo I had and humbly request advice from the Playground.

Facts:
-There will be 4-5 players and a DM (Me)
-We're playing Pathfinder with some 3rd party elements and converted 3.5/D20 elements (nothing insane)
-We're doing a homebrew setting (found in my signature)
-As of yet, there's no current plot. Just turn the players loose and let them explore.
-We're starting at level 1 and I plan to take this as far as I can (ideally to level 20).

So questions:
1st things 1st: You should make sure everyone is aware of group gaming expectation. This is more important than anything else. Check out the Same Page Tool (https://bankuei.wordpress.com/2010/03/27/the-same-page-tool/) for starters.


1) ~2-3 of the players already have characters in mind, and those that don't have a concrete idea of what class they want to play at least have an idea of the role they want to fill. Alas none of these are healers, or classes with an extensive array of healing capabilities. One of the guys offered to, somewhat grudgingly, play a healer (he's rather play, I believe, a Warlord from Path of War). How critical is a dedicated healer for a party, and would an NPC healer attached to the party be an acceptable thing? I want the players to make characters that they want to play for an extended campaign and I'm none to keen on players playing characters that they're not into.
The party can hire a healer or you can include an NPC healer. Making sure they have someone skilled in Healing can't hurt. They should buy Healing kits as an option to having a healer. Plenty of options. What is important is players getting to play what they want.


2) Short and sweet, any ideas on how to get the party together? I want to avoid the cliche "you all meet in a tavern". Want to give the players some sort of reason to legitimately be together as opposed to "Oh I see you guys answered the want ad as well".
Take the hooks you get from question #4 & apply those to your beginning. Ex.: Rangor the Warlock is searching for his missing relative, Maradin the Monk needs money to get his friend out of jail, Zurwolonis the Summoner needs a rare component for a spell & Bill the Barbarian just wants to slay monsters. So, Rangor hears tale of his relative being seen in XYZ, where Maradin can find money, Zurwolonis can find his rare component & rumor has it Bill can find plenty of monsters stalking around XYZ.

Take what they give you and build up from there. Quickly. If they don't give you the hooks you need, you can always have them arrested or kidnapped or brought before the King/Queen/High Priest or offered a ridiculous amount of gold by a patron or have monsters/bandits/pirates/zombies/ninjas/orcs/dragons/whatever attack their region.


3) One of the things I want to focus on campaign-wise is character development and RPing. While resolving encounters via RP and social skills count as encounters (last I checked) and give out encounter XP, what's a good range for "Man, that was some good in character RPing there" type things? Part of me says like 50-100xp but another part things that's far too low. Maybe do it by a percentage or something?
By definition, anything players do with their characters in-game is roleplaying :smallsmile: but I get you want more social interaction. If the players are looking for the same kind of game, it's up to you as GM how much. Some GMs give more for social encounters than successful combats. A point though; when players level-up, they get noticeable combat improvement. Getting better at fighting because the PCs were a chatty bunch is questionable. But, again, it's your game. Just make sure your players are wanting that kind of game, because if they want combat & you give them a soap opera, they might be :smallmad:


4) As characters are not actually made yet (we're doing that this Saturday), what's a good way to encourage backstories with hooks? Like little things as a DM that I can use to give the player/character a few moments in the spotlight and an opportunity for some character development.
Reward them; extra gold, X.P., or Hero Points (if you're not using HPs, check them out). Give them an incentive to add hooks, but also, make sure you give them a strong setting and examples of hooks they can use. The more you give them, the more they will take.


5) As the homebrew stuff we're using hasn't really been extensively tested (this is a trial run of the material/setting), what is a good policy for if things need to be changed? For example, a player makes a character of X race. A few levels in, we realize that said character's race gets stupid broken and we need to tone it down. Should there be some sort of compensation for the player for having their character nerfed mid-campaign?
Establish pre-game that "this is homebrew and while we're doing Y in setting X, there will be quick adjustments if things get broken". As long as players know up-front, there shouldn't be any major problems later.


6) I've the feeling the general answer to this will be "talk to them", but what's a good way to nip player on player conflicts in the bud?I suggest taking a short break when it happens so you can address it with the players involved in the squabble. Let them discuss their issues in an adult manner & try to come to a quick compromise so the game can resume. I have this happen all the time when power-gamers clash with story-gamers in groups. It happens. Don't panic. People have bad days & some just don't see eye to eye. Most important thing is to never take a side unless a player is being openly disruptive. Use humor to deflate the situation, discuss calmly, find a fair compromise & move on with the game.

Hope this helps & good gaming!

[Ninjaxenomorph]

Hello again! Might as well say my two bits.

1) I don't think that's something you have to worry about, but increased amount of wands or potions would work. And hey, acquiring a steady source of healing can be a quest in and of itself. Otherwise,

2) Giving the players a starting scenario where we don't really have a choice but work together works.

3) Give XP as if they had completed an encounter at their CR. That's how social encounters work anyway.

4) I already linked you to the Counter Monkey episode this was brought up in (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNrU0_A-PFk), but a decent method is having players answer 'Why are you adventuring?' The example Spoony uses is Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride: "I want to find the six-fingered man and avenge my father." Simple, but effective as a character goal.

5) Difficult to say, because of differences in rolls, in class, and then finally the race.

6) You can actively dock XP if it ever gets out of hand. That's the first thing that comes to mind.

[Demidos]

Actually, my main comment is somewhat divergent from your questions -- while starting at 1st level is ''typical'', starting at 2nd (or better, 3rd) makes them have enough HP they wont die to a single regular damage roll, gives them enough abilities that they'll be notably different than each other, and allows their backstories to be more interesting (because really, its hard to have accomplished anything at level 1).

I've started at 3rd and I have to say its a huge improvement. YMMV, of course.

As to your original question, a wand of cure light wounds should be more than enough to meet their demands until they level enough. 50 uses of 1d8+1 is an average of 270+ hp, and by the time they`ve had that many encounters they should be able to afford a new wand. The wand is only 750 gp, but if you feel thats still a bit much, you could also give them a homebrew wand (or ''amulet'') of ''lesser cure light wounds'' which heals 1d4+1 per use. Give it to a player who is willing to help play medic when need be, and you'll be golden.

[Silus]

Actually, my main comment is somewhat divergent from your questions -- while starting at 1st level is ''typical'', starting at 2nd (or better, 3rd) makes them have enough HP they wont die to a single regular damage roll, gives them enough abilities that they'll be notably different than each other, and allows their backstories to be more interesting (because really, its hard to have accomplished anything at level 1).

I've started at 3rd and I have to say its a huge improvement. YMMV, of course.

As to your original question, a wand of cure light wounds should be more than enough to meet their demands until they level enough. 50 uses of 1d8+1 is an average of 270+ hp, and by the time they`ve had that many encounters they should be able to afford a new wand. The wand is only 750 gp, but if you feel thats still a bit much, you could also give them a homebrew wand (or ''amulet'') of ''lesser cure light wounds'' which heals 1d4+1 per use. Give it to a player who is willing to help play medic when need be, and you'll be golden.

The problem with the lvl 2-3 start is that 3 of the 5 players have never played a tabletop game. Figure starting at 1st level and giving them some wolves or mook bandits to fight would be a better intro instead of throwing them in the deep end.

[Surpriser]

The problem with the lvl 2-3 start is that 3 of the 5 players have never played a tabletop game. Figure starting at 1st level and giving them some wolves or mook bandits to fight would be a better intro instead of throwing them in the deep end.
You can still do that on level 3. Except that now there are twice as many wolves! And they have goblin handlers firing arrows!
Makes the whole thing a lot more exciting but not necessarily much more complex (save the goblins for the second encounter if you feel that melee and ranged combat at once is too much).
EDIT: To make it easier for the new players, you could also limit the options available to them in the first few encounter (e.g. combat maneuvers are simple opposed rolls, no AoOs, restricted spell selection, passive feats only) and allow them to retrain/expand their abilities after they have a grasp of the basics.

To answer your questios:
1) A healer PC is not really necessary. As others have said, any "NPC" healing option together with magic items can both privde the necessary healing and an incentive to make friends (i.e. not to slaughter everyone you meet).
2) Meet for character creation and straight up ask them: "Why are you working together? What do you want to accomplish?" This way, you enforce the sandbox aspect by giving the players control over what the campaign will be about (at least I assume from your opening post that this is what you want)
3) I never used roleplay XP in my games, so I have nothing to add here (except seconding making it relevant at all levels). Also, you might get a problem with inhomogenous PC levels if you aren't careful.
4) Prepare (or download) a few questions that will naturally introduce hooks. Then require each player to answer at lest half of the questions. That way, players get the option to leave out some things if they don't want to deal with that (not everyone has a plot relevant nemesis), whil still providing hooks.
You can have them decide these things all together or individually, depending on whether you want a really homogenous group with aligned goals and backstories or introduce a bit of secrecy/conflicting goals.
5) State upfront that things might change if they turn out to be broken (before everyone makes characters!) Then, if you have to change something, give your reason for it and enforce it from then on (no retroactively nerfing a character)
6) Before you start the campaign, tell your players about your PvP expectations (i.e. no killing or stealing from party members). If you see a violation of these expectations come up, talk to them as soon as possible and remind the participants of what you agreed on.

[Deaxsa]

So after like...a solid year, I'm finally DMing a group again. Buuuuuut during that time I fear that I've lost some of what little DMing mojo I had and humbly request advice from the Playground.

Facts:
-There will be 4-5 players and a DM (Me)
-We're playing Pathfinder with some 3rd party elements and converted 3.5/D20 elements (nothing insane)
-We're doing a homebrew setting (found in my signature)
-As of yet, there's no current plot. Just turn the players loose and let them explore.
-We're starting at level 1 and I plan to take this as far as I can (ideally to level 20).

So questions:

1) ~2-3 of the players already have characters in mind, and those that don't have a concrete idea of what class they want to play at least have an idea of the role they want to fill. Alas none of these are healers, or classes with an extensive array of healing capabilities. One of the guys offered to, somewhat grudgingly, play a healer (he's rather play, I believe, a Warlord from Path of War). How critical is a dedicated healer for a party, and would an NPC healer attached to the party be an acceptable thing? I want the players to make characters that they want to play for an extended campaign and I'm none to keen on players playing characters that they're not into.

2) Short and sweet, any ideas on how to get the party together? I want to avoid the cliche "you all meet in a tavern". Want to give the players some sort of reason to legitimately be together as opposed to "Oh I see you guys answered the want ad as well".

3) One of the things I want to focus on campaign-wise is character development and RPing. While resolving encounters via RP and social skills count as encounters (last I checked) and give out encounter XP, what's a good range for "Man, that was some good in character RPing there" type things? Part of me says like 50-100xp but another part things that's far too low. Maybe do it by a percentage or something?

4) As characters are not actually made yet (we're doing that this Saturday), what's a good way to encourage backstories with hooks? Like little things as a DM that I can use to give the player/character a few moments in the spotlight and an opportunity for some character development.

5) As the homebrew stuff we're using hasn't really been extensively tested (this is a trial run of the material/setting), what is a good policy for if things need to be changed? For example, a player makes a character of X race. A few levels in, we realize that said character's race gets stupid broken and we need to tone it down. Should there be some sort of compensation for the player for having their character nerfed mid-campaign?

6) I've the feeling the general answer to this will be "talk to them", but what's a good way to nip player on player conflicts in the bud?

I thiiiiiink that's all the major questions I have right now. Answers are, as always, greatly appreciated. Hopefully with experience I won't have to make threads like this in the future.

1. Well, healing isn't great anyways, but pots and wondrous items should keep you covered here. Also, I would not really worry about this; if the party finds themselves wishing for more healing, they will try and find more. Just don't make it too hard for them to fix (and definitely make it interesting, I'm a fan of "special(and ultimately powerful) magic items require individual quests" way of thinking)

2/3/4. Have a really extensive session 0. Find out exactly what the players want to play. And if they're not sure, make then commit to something (anything) and tell them that it will be fine. Then, when you/they know the personalities of the characters, the lot of you should hammer out how the party met. Make up an adventure that got you all to know each other (we defended the town we were in from raiding orcs, w/e) and then play it during some lull in the campaign. (The reason being that if you have them play it later, they will work very hard to be set things into motion as how they are in the game, aka they will put more effort into cooperative storytelling. Which is cool. Don't make it hard though, just a bonding experience.) finally, as far as back stories with hooks a plot, and rp goes, I'd honestly say that that is all your job. A)If the character does not put tins of effort into his backstory, he probably doesn't want to see it make a difference. If he does, then just add the characters from the backstory to the potential npcs to meet. I wouldn't make the story revolve around a backstory either. B) you need to come up with a starter plot. Why? Because the most important thing in ttrpgs is that people have fun. And if you don't give them (the characters) something to do, they will not have fun. A favorite of mine is "you find a ruined castle/town/cave/temple in a nice location. Start doing (interesting) repairs to turn it into your home." From there they can start exploring and whatnot, they should ask about the surrounding terrain and any neighbors, you have a starting point. And finally, for rp, I'd just try very hard to make the npcs as human as possible. That way they will be much more approachable. I'm still tinkering with the best way to have lots of rp in my games, but this seems to work well, as well as having things be very plot relevant, while staying away from convoluted. It's a tricky balance that I have not quite nailed yet.

5/6. Yea, talking to them is a good plan. However, don't worry too much about power, it's usually less of a problem than it seems. If it really does become a problem, your best bet may be to talk the player into retiring the character, so they don't have to see a canonically superpowerful guy get gutted by the universe, that just sucks. Otherwise, remake the character from the bottom up or tailor items to let the rest compensate (be careful with that last one).

However you choose to solve your questions, I wish you the best of luck! Also, let me know what you think of my ideas, I'm always looking for quick criticism myself. Oh, and let us know how it works out when you finally get things going. :)

[Lord Torath]

So after like...a solid year, I'm finally DMing a group again. Buuuuuut during that time I fear that I've lost some of what little DMing mojo I had and humbly request advice from the Playground.

Facts:
-There will be 4-5 players and a DM (Me)
-We're playing Pathfinder with some 3rd party elements and converted 3.5/D20 elements (nothing insane)
-We're doing a homebrew setting (found in my signature)
-As of yet, there's no current plot. Just turn the players loose and let them explore.
-We're starting at level 1 and I plan to take this as far as I can (ideally to level 20).

So questions:

1) ~2-3 of the players already have characters in mind, and those that don't have a concrete idea of what class they want to play at least have an idea of the role they want to fill. Alas none of these are healers, or classes with an extensive array of healing capabilities. One of the guys offered to, somewhat grudgingly, play a healer (he's rather play, I believe, a Warlord from Path of War). How critical is a dedicated healer for a party, and would an NPC healer attached to the party be an acceptable thing? I want the players to make characters that they want to play for an extended campaign and I'm none to keen on players playing characters that they're not into.

2) Short and sweet, any ideas on how to get the party together? I want to avoid the cliche "you all meet in a tavern". Want to give the players some sort of reason to legitimately be together as opposed to "Oh I see you guys answered the want ad as well".

3) One of the things I want to focus on campaign-wise is character development and RPing. While resolving encounters via RP and social skills count as encounters (last I checked) and give out encounter XP, what's a good range for "Man, that was some good in character RPing there" type things? Part of me says like 50-100xp but another part things that's far too low. Maybe do it by a percentage or something?

4) As characters are not actually made yet (we're doing that this Saturday), what's a good way to encourage backstories with hooks? Like little things as a DM that I can use to give the player/character a few moments in the spotlight and an opportunity for some character development.

5) As the homebrew stuff we're using hasn't really been extensively tested (this is a trial run of the material/setting), what is a good policy for if things need to be changed? For example, a player makes a character of X race. A few levels in, we realize that said character's race gets stupid broken and we need to tone it down. Should there be some sort of compensation for the player for having their character nerfed mid-campaign?

6) I've the feeling the general answer to this will be "talk to them", but what's a good way to nip player on player conflicts in the bud?

I thiiiiiink that's all the major questions I have right now. Answers are, as always, greatly appreciated. Hopefully with experience I won't have to make threads like this in the future.1) Letting the PCs hire a healer is a good idea. Once the players get attached to him/her, the healer can become a source of plot hooks. Or you can just give them easy access to a Staff of Healing (or equivalent items).

2) Don't trouble yourself over this one. Ask the players how they know each other and why they're working together.

3) Maybe 5% of the XP required for the next level? Make certain to let the player know they've earned bonus XP right as it happens, so they know why they're getting it.

4) Require each PC to have some kind of relationship with at least two other PCs. Dated this PC's sister, used to work as a guard for that PC's aunt's caravan, etc.

5) Tell them up front that homebrew/house rules are subject to change. There shouldn't be any need to compensate someone who's uber-race/class gets toned down mid campaign. They're not being penalized; you're just removing excessive bonuses that no one else is getting. Again, let them know this up front.

6) Resolving question 2 will go a long way towards preventing PvP. If everyone has a reason to work with the group, there will be less intraparty conflict. Get everyone on the same page as to what constitutes PvP, and what the group's position on it is. And revisit this as necessary.

[dream]

The problem with the lvl 2-3 start is that 3 of the 5 players have never played a tabletop game. Figure starting at 1st level and giving them some wolves or mook bandits to fight would be a better intro instead of throwing them in the deep end.
+1 this.

Skipping the early levels defeats the purpose of introducing players to the game (rules intro, players learning to make decisions using their limited options as to avoid overload, low-level foes to intro combat & tactics, ect.). Most important is the very threat of death and how that plays into the players' decision-making processes: they can learn when to fight & when to negotiate & when to run from early experiences like level 0-1.

Skipping those early levels is "Cheat-Mode" gaming, in my experience :smallwink:

[NRSASD]

I really only have a comment for #2, since most of the other spots have been answered. My favorite opening scene I've had was a heavily modified version of the module "A Dark and Stormy Knight". Basically, the players are traveling separately along a highway on their way to backstory relevant locations when a sudden storm breaks out. This is not just a little sprinkle, this is a really nasty thunder and lightning tornado-imminent tempest. The only piece of shelter nearby is an open barrow, where the first room has been re-purposed into a campsite. The whole party eventually stumbles inside and has a rather tense meetup, which of course gets interrupted. With the PCs' marvelous sense of timing, they happen to arrive on the one night when everything in the tomb gets a little restless. That, and the fact that a particularly bad lightning bolt collapses the entrance. The party then has to clear the barrow if they want to find the exit. It was a fairly low-level barrow; with just some goblin zombies, a few hobgoblins, and a couple spiders, but it had all the classic dungeon features and served as a really good intro for beginning players.

[Silus]

I really only have a comment for #2, since most of the other spots have been answered. My favorite opening scene I've had was a heavily modified version of the module "A Dark and Stormy Knight". Basically, the players are traveling separately along a highway on their way to backstory relevant locations when a sudden storm breaks out. This is not just a little sprinkle, this is a really nasty thunder and lightning tornado-imminent tempest. The only piece of shelter nearby is an open barrow, where the first room has been re-purposed into a campsite. The whole party eventually stumbles inside and has a rather tense meetup, which of course gets interrupted. With the PCs' marvelous sense of timing, they happen to arrive on the one night when everything in the tomb gets a little restless. That, and the fact that a particularly bad lightning bolt collapses the entrance. The party then has to clear the barrow if they want to find the exit. It was a fairly low-level barrow; with just some goblin zombies, a few hobgoblins, and a couple spiders, but it had all the classic dungeon features and served as a really good intro for beginning players.

I'll keep this in mind, though there'd need to be some monster changes (There's no goblinoids in the setting I'm running, so probably just replace them with zombies and skellies).

An idea I was kicking around (in a "Hey this would be sort of neat" way) was:


"Okay roll 1d4-2, that's when you come to."

The party's been traveling with a caravan and gets hit on or around the boarder of three separate territories by a handful of mook bandits (CR 1/2 or 1/3). The wagon they're on gets, well, blown up and the PCs are tossed out and temporarily knocked out (if they roll a 3 or 4). After the fight, be like "Okay, so where were ya'll headed?" and throw down the area map and show them where they are.

Might go with the barrow idea though. It'd be less trouble >.>

[Mendicant]

On player fragility at level 1: I generally give them 2hd worth of hit points at first level, ie a fighter gets 20+Con hp. It makes them much more durable at the beginning without really throwing things off that much down the stretch.

On Q 2: I'm of the same mind as Lord Torath. Let the players tell you how they know each other. I have each player pick two other players and come up with a personal connection, then present it to the others, who sometimes embellish it or use it to flesh out their back story.

[NRSASD]

I like your spoiler idea, but do you have any sort of plan after the intro? It might be a little too open for novice players. Giving them a tutorial and launching them on a small storyline is not the same thing as railroading.

If not, it'll work just fine; although it raises a few questions about how they survived it but not whatever kills them.

On question #3: I tend to calculate however much xp they would earn if they chopped their way through the monsters, then add anywhere from 30%-150% of that xp depending on the scene's relevance to the plot, and give them all of that xp regardless of how they solve the issue. Chopped that troll into hamburger? Lost it in a rockslide? Lured it into the wilderness and made off with its treasure? Full XP regardless. It encourages them to be creative in their methods of achieving the objectives, because they know they'll be compensated.

Glad you liked the barrow concept! Most of my other opening scenes have relied on player backstory to get rolling, which while good, are not readily applicable to your question at hand.

[Thealtruistorc]

For 2), here's a few examples of how my parties have met up:

-The lot of them are at a county fair before an explosion rattles the place and they all go investigating independantly, banding together to pool intel/strength once they realize what is happening.

-The party members all wake up in the same general area with no idea where they are or what is going on. A guide steps by and naturally they all flock to him.

-The team members end up in prison together under the yoke of a major antagonist. Realizing that they are the most powerful people there, they decide to combine their strengths and hatch an escape plan.

Hope this helps.

[GreatDane]

1) ~2-3 of the players already have characters in mind, and those that don't have a concrete idea of what class they want to play at least have an idea of the role they want to fill. Alas none of these are healers, or classes with an extensive array of healing capabilities. One of the guys offered to, somewhat grudgingly, play a healer (he's rather play, I believe, a Warlord from Path of War). How critical is a dedicated healer for a party, and would an NPC healer attached to the party be an acceptable thing? I want the players to make characters that they want to play for an extended campaign and I'm none to keen on players playing characters that they're not into.
Healing is one of those things in the game you can just spend money on - there's no need for a player to spend class features on it, which are infinitely more valuable and rewarding to choose. In a broader sense, there's no role so critical that filling it is worth playing a character you don't want to play.


2) Short and sweet, any ideas on how to get the party together? I want to avoid the cliche "you all meet in a tavern". Want to give the players some sort of reason to legitimately be together as opposed to "Oh I see you guys answered the want ad as well".
This depends on your campaign. I find what works best is if you have the players work a common goal into their character backgrounds. For example, in my current campaign, the PCs are rebels against an elven occupation. Part of the character creation guidelines was "make sure your character has a reason to join a resistance group."


3) One of the things I want to focus on campaign-wise is character development and RPing. While resolving encounters via RP and social skills count as encounters (last I checked) and give out encounter XP, what's a good range for "Man, that was some good in character RPing there" type things? Part of me says like 50-100xp but another part things that's far too low. Maybe do it by a percentage or something?
Depending on how well they did, I would award anywhere between half and full XP for an encounter of their level.


4) As characters are not actually made yet (we're doing that this Saturday), what's a good way to encourage backstories with hooks? Like little things as a DM that I can use to give the player/character a few moments in the spotlight and an opportunity for some character development.
See above; the best thing to do is come up with a list of hooks that are relevant to the campaign, pass it around the table, and tell everyone to pick a few. They don't need to be as specific as the one I noted above. If there's an adventure revolving around an abandoned asylum, put both "Formerly worked at a medical institution" and "History of troubled mental health" on your list. When you get the backstories, note the hooks and work out specifics ("The asylum's name was Mercyglade, you were committed before you made a deal with a devil and used your warlock powers to break out"). Players who don't need the list don't need encouragement.


5) As the homebrew stuff we're using hasn't really been extensively tested (this is a trial run of the material/setting), what is a good policy for if things need to be changed? For example, a player makes a character of X race. A few levels in, we realize that said character's race gets stupid broken and we need to tone it down. Should there be some sort of compensation for the player for having their character nerfed mid-campaign?
However you wind up working it out, make sure all of the players KNOW at character creation that there is a chance of certain things changing. Also make sure everyone agrees on the brokenness of an option before nerfing it.


6) I've the feeling the general answer to this will be "talk to them", but what's a good way to nip player on player conflicts in the bud?
Make sure everyone respects the metagame (http://angrydm.com/2014/05/respect-the-metagame/). Players and/or DMs who don't realize from the get-go that D&D is a cooperative storytelling/gaming experience will create problems. Remind people (if you need to) that characters with a "my way or the highway" attitude won't be fun for other people (unless you group is on board with that; I don't know them :smalltongue:) and that "my character wouldn't do that" is a pretty lame reason to grind the story to a halt.

[Janthkin]

-As of yet, there's no current plot. Just turn the players loose and let them explore.Sandbox can be a little too open-ended for brand new players sometimes; unless their characters start with very strong self-motivation, it's going to be tricky for them to just decide to go and do something.

But even in a sandbox setting, do try to have something(s) going on in the background, as it were. There might be a war on someplace, or some trade disputes escalating in that direction (perhaps a perfectly legal blockade?). The best thing you can do with a setting is make it come alive by having things happen that are not solely attributable to the interest of the PCs.

1) ~2-3 of the players already have characters in mind, and those that don't have a concrete idea of what class they want to play at least have an idea of the role they want to fill. Alas none of these are healers, or classes with an extensive array of healing capabilities. One of the guys offered to, somewhat grudgingly, play a healer (he's rather play, I believe, a Warlord from Path of War). How critical is a dedicated healer for a party, and would an NPC healer attached to the party be an acceptable thing? I want the players to make characters that they want to play for an extended campaign and I'm none to keen on players playing characters that they're not into.Not mandatory at all. Wands & potions can take care of a lot of out of combat healing; things like diseases, curses, or character death become plot hooks in themselves, as now they have to seek out a divine caster for assistance, and that may not be a purely monetary transaction - druids may need some assistance with purging unnatural intruders in their woods, clerics of gods always have an agenda, etc.

If you have a PC that does happen to have Cure spells on their class spell list (or good Use Magic Device), an item like a Runestaff could become a good piece of party motivation, after they've spent a lot of party gold on healing items. Or there's also the "Touch of Healing" divine feat from Complete Divine, which greatly cuts back on the amount of resources spent, but without requiring a whole build to use.


2) Short and sweet, any ideas on how to get the party together? I want to avoid the cliche "you all meet in a tavern". Want to give the players some sort of reason to legitimately be together as opposed to "Oh I see you guys answered the want ad as well".Make the players do this part, prior to session 1. It gives them reason to discuss & collaborate on their backgrounds, and usually kicks off at least half-a-dozen usable ideas for the DM. Most particularly, it gives them their first taste of agency in the collaborative story that you're crafting. Try very hard never to say "no" during this part, though you may carefully suggest tweaks that better fit the setting.


3) One of the things I want to focus on campaign-wise is character development and RPing. While resolving encounters via RP and social skills count as encounters (last I checked) and give out encounter XP, what's a good range for "Man, that was some good in character RPing there" type things? Part of me says like 50-100xp but another part things that's far too low. Maybe do it by a percentage or something?Do you require XP? Pathfinder largely did away with XP-based costs & penalties, which means you've got the option of scrapping XP entirely. The PCs level when the DM wants them to (which is pretty much the case in any system). If you want non-XP rewards for individual good roleplaying, consider something like (Eberron's) Action Points, or 5e's Inspiration. They're transitory awards (don't let them accumulate), and don't lead you towards situations where the quieter player may fall behind the more outspoken player in XP (and levels).


4) As characters are not actually made yet (we're doing that this Saturday), what's a good way to encourage backstories with hooks? Like little things as a DM that I can use to give the player/character a few moments in the spotlight and an opportunity for some character development.One embarrassing moment in the character's history. One secret they know about <something important to your setting>. One near-term goal. One hobby. Something that scares you. Favorite toy growing up. Basically, ask a bunch of first date questions.


5) As the homebrew stuff we're using hasn't really been extensively tested (this is a trial run of the material/setting), what is a good policy for if things need to be changed? For example, a player makes a character of X race. A few levels in, we realize that said character's race gets stupid broken and we need to tone it down. Should there be some sort of compensation for the player for having their character nerfed mid-campaign?Pure communication. Let them know up front your concerns, and if they would like to participate in this "experiment," they have to agree that it continues at your discretion. Don't take things away without discussion, either - let them know why being able to cast prismatic sprays at level 3 as a free action is a problem for the DM, and see if they have useful input. And if something does have to go, let them rebuild without it.


6) I've the feeling the general answer to this will be "talk to them", but what's a good way to nip player on player conflicts in the bud?Do you expect any? It helps to focus on the difference between the characters and the players. Where you can, avoid second person when talking to the players - it's not "Do you murder all of the paladin trainee children?" but "Does Anakin murder all of the paladin trainee children?"

[Honest Tiefling]

As for the healer, I'd ask the players. Not only am I being lazy with this response, but by asking them, you make it clear to the newer players that they have a choice with the NPC. While newer players are more likely to get their characters hurt, they might not realize they have a say in if the NPC sticks around. So the healing is more serious, but there's a good chance they won't have the right idea about the NPC.

I'd seriously consider some plot hooks to rescue a healy-type god's temple, so they can exchange money for healing items pretty easily there. It also gives a source for them to get not one, but several healers to pick from. First NPC not working? Try another acolyte.

[marphod]

Pathfinder has a bunch of non-traditional options for getting healers into the party.

Like 3.5, Bards can start filling that role, if necessary, at 2nd level. Paladins get their Lay-on-Hands then, as well. Sorcerers can have Bloodlines that grant them healing abilities (I assume there is one written, but if not, make one). Alchemists. Witches. The Magus, Summoner, and Wiz/Sorc spell lists even have some healing (Infernal Healing).

Then there are all the Archetypes that may also add some healing.

Or, as long as someone has a decent UMD score, or Cure Light on their class spell list, you're fine.


As for starting level, I'd split the difference with what some previous posters have said. Start at first level, but get them to 2nd by the end of the first session. Get them into a non-lethal combat (bar brawl, spooked livestock, child throwing a tantrum, etc.) for familiarity with the basics of combat and stick mostly to skill and social challenges. Give them max HP for second level, as well as first, for additional survivablity, and start the second session with 2nd level characters so they can begin to show more distinction from each other. (it also means that unless you have a purely-mundane party, someone should have access to healing magic.)