Help for a new DM doing a oneshot?

[lerg2]

I recently started reading the 'Goblins' webcomic and I decided that I'd like to do a oneshot based on it. For the first 3 sessions I'll randomly generate goblin character sheets and then it's survival of the fittest until we have a good size group. Then they all pick classes and I make a world that is wholly against them. I would appreciate some help with stats and suggestions if there are any. Pre-Thanking any and all helpful posters!

[Fenryr]

Is it 3.5 or 4?

If 3.5 to generate ability scores I recommend you point buy system. This will help with the numbers.

Now, for the adventure. You have any idea in mind? A deathmatch, a dungeon, survive a raid, something? You will throw the goblins to what danger? You may use Goblins original idea and make the party fight a couple of adventurers.

[Kol Korran]

well, first of all, you can try and ask Thunt himself (the maker of goblins) for advice. from what i understand he DMed for a long time, so maybe he could offer advice. just expect for a long time to pass till he (or Daniel) answer. they are swamped with emails...

my ideas, let's see:
1) you can go as the goblin plot went- all of your beginning players are part of a goblin warcamp, that is attacked by some adventurers. some things to consider:
- you need to tell the players in advence that only the survivors get to continue the game. this may add a thrill, but may anger some. but it's better to tell them at first, then later.

- however, they then might decide to do one of two things (the sneakier ones at least)- to kill other goblins, or just find a place to hide till it's over. so i suggest basing who gets to play further forming the adventuring party on two criteria: survival is a requirement, but the survivors are graded by their deeds: killin an adventurer gets 5 points, wounding one gets 2, rescuing a gobling is 3 and so on...

- classes: i suggest the goblins all pick from the NPC classes (maybe not aristocrat) but the main thing is to enable some resources for clever thinking: digging pits, making traps, having archers, making cover, maybe some slightly better weapons/ armor, maybe even very minor magic items?
you must understand that such low level basic monsters have very very low survivability, and few options. you'll have to be quite lenient with ideas, as mostly ingenuity will win this.

i suggest maybe giving a free "toughness" feat. maybe a legacy of their clan? a bit more durable.

- opponents: the PC party in the comic are supposed to be level 1. in a real game, they would have been probably butchered by so many goblins. so i suggest one of three options: either many 1st level characters, or few higher level (3rd?) or a combination. if possible, make them come in waves, about 3 waves should do it, with the goblins able to reset traps, devise new ones, interogate prisoners, and so on (perhaps even heal little?)

- you need to somehow explain the option of running away before (or during) the 3rd wave. as most players will be mostly the "fight till the end" kind of people, especially when awarding points for bravery and succes in the challenge.

2) as to later, the actual campaign? depends highly on your own interests,and the players. can't help you there.

one last note: Goblins begins as mostly humor, but it evolves into something more serious, more dramatic, and quite frankly- pure awesome. enjoy!

[lerg2]

Thanks so much! I don't need anymore ideas, but thanks!