Help

[slr112977]

Im a single mom with a son that want to play Pathfinder. I love my boy and am willing to learn how to play so at least i can be the game master and set it up for him. I've read the beginner box and am confused. What id like is how to even start on making an adventure.

[Ninja_Prawn]

You may want to post in the Pathfinder subforum (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?59-D-amp-D-3e-3-5e-d20) (well, technically it's for D&D 3.5, but there tends to be a lot of overlap) for specific help on this; this area is for technical issues with the forum itself.

Good luck!

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Im a single mom with a son that want to play Pathfinder. I love my boy and am willing to learn how to play so at least i can be the game master and set it up for him. I've read the beginner box and am confused. What id like is how to even start on making an adventure.

(Working under the assumption that this thread will be moved to the appropriate subforun, rather than simply reposted)

A few pointers to get you started:
Pathfinder, like all role-playing games, is best thought of as shared, structured storytelling. You and your son are collaborating in creating an exciting adventure. Unlike, say, pretending, however, the challenges should feel outside of his control (i.e. he cannot just say "and then I beat my enemy" - he needs to roll dice, use the abilities of his character, etc.). But outside this key characteristic, it is effectively a pretend game. Thus, as the game master, you want to direct the story in such way that he is challenged and has fun.

The rules themselves, serve as a way to frame the above and give a solid foundation to determine what happens, and how often it succeeds... but ultimately, they are a tool, and not the purpose of the game. As the Game Master, you can and often should override the rules (sometimes openly, sometimes without letting him now) so that fun is had. The trickiest part, I have always felt, is learning to read your players - to understand how challenging they want the game, how real the stakes. Figure out what story he wants to tell, and help him tell it, and you'll do well.

As to the practical part of all this? I'd recommend finding a pre-made adventure, so you don't have to do all the heavy lifting involved there. Pre-made adventures are a bit like Choose Your Own Adventure books, and are a great way to learn to run the game without having to learn to set it up at the same time.

Grey Wolf

[Rerednaw]

paizo.com actually has several adventures with generated characters that are free.

Another thought: with 1 player and 1 GM you may want to consider more story-driven systems like Dungeonworld or FATE.

However, if you really want Pathfinder it is doable with a bit of work.

Are there any gaming venues/stores nearby? If there are that may be a way to facilitate learning.

Good luck and happy gaming!

[Andezzar]

Will it just be your son and you or will others be joining you? Most roleplaying games (including D&D and Pathfinder work best with groups of 4-6 people (that includes the game master). Especially premade adventures might well simply stop with only one player character (PC). E.g. if the only way to progress the story is to pick a lock and the PC does not have the skill, you will have a problem. There are of course ways around it, but by that time rewriting a premade adventure for one PC may be about as much work as starting from scratch.

Trying to find a more experienced gaming group can be a blessing and a curse. It will certainly make the task of learning to play easier but you might also learn the idiosyncrasies and houserules of that group without even recognizing them for what they are.

If there are more specific things you would like to know about, feel free to ask. Answering clear-cut questions is a lot easier that trying to figure out exactly what you need to learn to play pathfinder quickly.

[GilesTheCleric]

As to the practical part of all this? I'd recommend finding a pre-made adventure, so you don't have to do all the heavy lifting involved there.

I'd second this. Using a pre-made adventure should help both of you to be comfortable with the game. Wizards of the Coast released a number of free adventures; someone has helpfully compiled them all here (http://www.albinjohnson.com/d&d/resources/downloaded%20adventures/).

I'll also echo the others saying that finding a few more folks might be nice, too. It's not required that you have a group of four -- I've run groups of just one or two -- but with a few more folks, there's more interactivity and problem solving.

[flappeercraft]

I third using a free premade. That way its easier to start out. Also, I would recommend probably trying both as players on an online game with more experienced people so that you can learn how to play faster and better. Also experienced people are usually better with the storytelling part of the DM although not always the case but regardless I would try that out.

[ngilop]

I third using a free premade. That way its easier to start out. Also, I would recommend probably trying both as players on an online game with more experienced people so that you can learn how to play faster and better. Also experienced people are usually better with the storytelling part of the DM although not always the case but regardless I would try that out.

Yes a premade takes a LOT of the work out for one. Something that tends to be at times overwhelming for novice players and DMs alike.

I am not sure if Pathfinder has a full on made-to-be starter adventure at all like 3.5 did

But, on that note I have heard of Crypt of the Everflame and Master of the Fallen Fortres for complete newbie players to Pathfinder.

[Calthropstu]

Do you live near a major city?

It sounds like this might actually be a good person to direct to the PFS if it is available in her area. Look up "Pathfinder Society [Your City]" You should be able to find a location close by you can visit. They tend to meet up weekly in my area.

[kgato503]

You mentioned a beginner box. Would that be the Starter Box set that comes with some pre-made characters and a pre-made story? If it is, I would recommend giving it a shot to start with. It comes with everything you need for a relatively short adventure (I think my group managed it in one session, although you will probably need to buy more dice), and you can use it as a jumping off point for more adventures. It also would allow you and your son to test drive the rules system, and understand each other's playing style. That being said, I would recommend reading the GM script in advance, lest you accidentally read something out loud that you really shouldn't have...Not that I ever did anything like that :smalltongue:. And that probably applies to any other pre-made adventures.

You might also look into local groups that would welcome you and your son. In my opinion, it is easier to GM once you have run a few characters using the system you want to use. And, by observing and talking with another GM, you can get ideas on how to make your own adventure.

When it comes to coming up with your own adventures, the best place to start (in my opinion) is with a story idea. Get an idea of what you want your adventure to be about, get an idea of what your world is like, maybe even some ideas about challenges along the way. Go from there, craft your world, and hammer out some of the details Then watch as your son takes a left turn at Albuquerque and you don't get to use any of it enjoys it and follows your plans for him to the letter :smalltongue:. Remember, part of GMing is improvising when things don't go quite as planned. How much you prepare in advance is up to you, although having a few contingency plans wouldn't hurt.

When making your own adventure, you will also need to understand character strengths. Each class and race have different strengths and weaknesses, and character level will also mean a lot. You don't want things to be too easy, but you also don't want it to be impossible. Again, this is were having experience as a player would probably be helpful to you. Even playing a computer RPG game could help, and most of those have multiplayer. If you have two computers at your disposal, you and your son could play together that way first. It most likely wouldn't be Pathfinder, but it would still give you an idea of your son's playing style, and could give you ideas for designing your own adventures, as well as giving you a feel for RPG.(To those who are wondering, I am thinking of Neverwinter Nights, which is fairly inexpensive anymore)