Would anyone be willing to share thier DM template?

[Nick_mi]

I'm assuming some people have a lot of things planned. I know I keep my plans on a forum I created and have them labeled accordingly.

I'm a fledgling DM on my first campaign trying to make it especially epic for my friends who are very naive, and never played with anyone but the couple of kids in my town, so they've never had someone actually put effort into looking up new things, and such. Essentially they've played out of 4-8 books until I started playing and showing them new things.

Basically what I am looking for is people who have old word documents on them with lots of ideas. I have the drive and will to put a lot of effort in and do a lot of research, but I feel without playing more then I have(just started this summer, and still yet to have a DM that wasn't one of the above mentioned people. Like seriously, they didn't even realize having 5 ranks in a lot of skills gives you a synergistic +2 bonus) that I will be missing out on some sweet ideas and elements.

Sorry for the long rambleing, but just looking for some help. Also, 3.5 is what I am running, but regardless of edition, ideas are still ideas.

Thanks. =)

[GoatBoy]

Well, I don't have ideas or rules on my DM template, but what I did do is create a chart and copy the XP per CR and avg party level chart from the DM guide. I also have the average treasure value per CR, starting XP, average starting gold, average NPC equipment by CR, good and bad save progressions, all 3 base attack progressions, average hit points for all hit dice from d4 to d12, effects of size increase and decrease on stats, attack and AC, and weapons/natural weapon damage, gp limits and ready cash by town sizes, and the BAB, saves, hit die, skill points and class skills for every single base class from any official WotC D&D 3.5 supplement.

But that's what I use. I suggest just downloading the free SRD files and copy-and-pasting whatever rules or charts you use frequently.

[Nick_mi]

What's SRD?

[GoatBoy]

System Reference Documents

You can download them as document files, but I find it to be most helpful when they are formatted for your convenience in website format, like this:

http://www.systemreferencedocuments....sage/home.html

[Savannah]

Not quite sure if this is what you're asking for, but if you're looking for ideas and inspiration (and want to feel totally inferior as a DM), you should check out the SilverClawShift Campaign Archives. It's about 2 1/2 campaigns that SilverClawShift did with her real life group that she typed up. Her DM is awesome. (I should warn you, it looks like there won't be any more updates and posting in that thread would probably count as necromancy. But it's awesome, so you should read it.)

[Yahzi]

Basically what I am looking for is people who have old word documents on them with lots of ideas.

Click on my sig for some ideas. You can download them from DriveThruRPG for free.

[Nick_mi]

What savannah posted is kinda what I am looking for. I am enjoying this quite a bit, but I was hoping to see it from a DMs view. Maybe some stats of his encounters, etc. Haven't checked above guys sig yet.

[Savannah]

If you check out the links to SilverClawShift's original threads, there's a few spots where she mentions talking to her DM about how he does his stuff. You won't get his stats, however, as she's pretty clear that he changes stuff as he goes in order to keep them on their toes.

There are more campaign journals out there, some by DMs, but I don't know of any other good ones off the top of my head (as I rarely read them).

[Endarire]

My preferred 3.5 SRD is http://www.d20srd.org.

Also, this is my explanation to my most recent DM on how I believe the game is expected to flow. Seymour is my character's name. This doc deals with challenging people of various tiers, and how I kept sane during a high level game.

[potatocubed]

I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for, but the only game I kept any kind of computer-based written notes for was my old 4e campaign:

Here are the notes I made for the very first 4e adventure I ran. It was a 'go there, kill goblins' dungeon with a side order of ancient gods returning and magical mind control shenanigans.

Later, the characters did this adventure.

Then this one.

Then some undocumented dungeon crawling, followed by this one and this one.

Later adventures had even sketchier notes - the only one I wrote up in significant detail was the one the party entirely circumvented by punching out a member of the nobility, raiding his house, and going on the run.

[valadil]

I'd be happy to share my notes, but I don't use a computer when I GM and I'm not really interested in buying a scanner at the moment.

It sounds like you're mostly worried about statting encounters. Do them by the book, at least when you first start out. 3.5's CR system varies from wonky to broken, depending on who you ask but it's a good starting point and it will mostly work at low levels.

Make a few encounters at the standard CR. It's okay if there are a variable amount of enemies. Keep 2 or 3 guys back to use as reinforcements. If the battle is hard, don't bother with the reinforcements. If it's easy, deploy them.

For the first couple levels you can probably play at CR. If the game ever gets too easy, increase the CR of the monsters you use. Up until level 6 (aka when melee characters get an extra attack) I usually use a CR of +0 or +1. Past that I go to +2. Bosses are +2 above the standard. I can't generalize past level 10 because my parties vary a lot at that point. Some are still content fighting creatures near their CR. Some optimize more and go as high as +6.

Bottom line is that you should react to how your players are handling fights. If you decide that there's a CR 12 purple worm that they're going to fight 8 months down the line, you're doing it wrong.

[Fax Celestis]

There's also AKA Bait's DM's guide.

[Nick_mi]

wooooooow

So after reading basically those epic novels of campaigns, I Gotta say, I'll gladdly take many more of those because that was almost as good as reading a book for me, but I Was more looking for like what potatoecubed posted, but with just a little more detail. Other then that, his post was exactly what I had in mind for answers when I asked this question, but I am still looking at other alternatives and keeping an open mind. Thanks for the help! :)

[Nick_mi]

rather bump this topic then make a brand new exact same topic.

[Tyndmyr]

If you really need ideas of any kind, I'd suggest delving through WoTCs free modules, and reading wikipedia's summaries of different campaign settings. Find out what you like, then you can narrow your search to a more manageable focus.

[Nick_mi]

I've read some modules and they all appaered to be too detailed and specific. I'm really just looking for hooks so when I'm DMing and they want to deviate from my planned story, I have something. That and I get general enjoyment out of reading other DMs masterplans/journals if you will.

[Tyndmyr]

Campaign journal's are aplenty on this site.

As for hooks, plenty of D&D books have long lists of hooks. Or, you can just swipe the typical hooks used from the beginning of modules.

[Nick_mi]

Where? I tried to find some others, but I was only able to find the one by silversomething.

[valadil]

I've read some modules and they all appaered to be too detailed and specific. I'm really just looking for hooks so when I'm DMing and they want to deviate from my planned story, I have something. That and I get general enjoyment out of reading other DMs masterplans/journals if you will.

The best hooks are the ones players make. Get a backstory from your PCs. Go through it with a highlighter. Mark anything that could potentially be used to pull a character into a plot. Then write a plot about it.

[Greenish]

Where? I tried to find some others, but I was only able to find the one by silversomething.

Google powah!

[Hzurr]

The best hooks are the ones players make. Get a backstory from your PCs. Go through it with a highlighter. Mark anything that could potentially be used to pull a character into a plot. Then write a plot about it.

One thing I've found that I really like is the 10 minute character background I've found it's a good step-by-step way to get people to flesh out hteir characters, and it's designed to create hooks for the DM. I tried it with my RL group last week, and it went over very well.