Pens and Papers

[Ruki]

Don't plan too much....because players being players will either: a) ignore everything b) completely destroy everything.

Try and go with the flow, make up places on the fly if need be (in one of my previous games I've had to build a temple and a library all in a matter of seconds because the players wanted to go there and I didn't plan for that. Also, don't plan for future games too far ahead, because players can/will change your plans. I usually plan out my next game, write down some notes for future stuff, and only flesh out those notes after the session.

[thatblindgeye]

Yeah, I have to keep the "players being players" thing in mind. The normal D&D campaign we just wrapped up was meant to be three encounters, but we ended up getting past the first two with a Diplomacy check.

I think my main worry is keeping things entertaining/interesting and being able to think on my feet.

[Ruki]

Yeah, I have to keep the "players being players" thing in mind. The normal D&D campaign we just wrapped up was meant to be three encounters, but we ended up getting past the first two with a Diplomacy check.

I think my main worry is keeping things entertaining/interesting and being able to think on my feet.

Thinking on your feet will come with time. As for keeping things entertaining....think about what your party has....if it has a bunch of fighters and barbarians, more battles. Rogues and bards? More non-battle encounters. If there is a mix? Then a mix of things!

Also, engage the party members who seem to be holding back or not doing much. Let the plot hook fall into their hand, or have something happen to/around them.

[EWB's Best Poster.]

Pretty much that, yeah. After watching them play a few sessions, you'll see how they want to handle problems. Then just always have a back up plan or two for those routes. Keep your plan, keep it loose, but just stitch in a backdoor turnaround. Youll be able to just cut and paste them in soon enough in time.

[thatblindgeye]

Thanks for the advice . For now I'll try tossing out one off encounters to them to try and get an idea for how they actually portray their characters in the world, then I can hopefully plant some seeds for some sort of story arc. Trying to come up with this huge plot definitely wasn't wise when we haven't even started >_<

I'm really excited to DM simply because it's set in the world of Last Airbender/Korra, so there are custom classes/paragon paths and it opens up a new way for them to handle situations by utilizing their bending.

[EWB's Best Poster.]

Well like I said Exalted is a great system for that setting.

But Theres a kind if monk that uses elemental powers. Could look them up on net.

[thatblindgeye]

I kind of want to look into other systems for an Avatar based campaign as the stuff we've been using is set with the 4e D&D system. It works for what it is, but it makes me wonder if it wouldn't work better in some other sort of system. I think it's mainly that while the thing is a good base, there's definitely some stuff that needs tinkering or house ruling.

Finally managed to put together the encounters for the first session, and I like thinking of encounter ideas than I do actually putting them together with stats, powers, etc.

[EWB's Best Poster.]

Oh. Then yes. Exalted. Check out exalted

[EWB's Best Poster.]

Its pretty much an anime game set in a fantasy world. The main book explains a plot of the dragon blooded trying to overthrow and exterminate the Solars. Dragons are weaker than solars but vastly outnumbered them.

They also have abyssal, (demons) lunars (werefolk) seriel (star based) and elemental.

Basically if you just grab main book for rules, elemental book for them, boom you can have Avatar.

[thatblindgeye]

I'm going to have to check that out at some point and see what my group thinks of it. If it's something everyone would be interested in trying out I probably wouldn't do so until after I wrap up the first run with this campaign.

[thatblindgeye]

So first session went okay I suppose. I don't think I really had what NPC's make as much sense as I had in mind and I blanked on what to say when players started asking them questions a few times. Hopefully that I can get better at. I think it's mainly that I don't want to respond with something I'm not sure about because I feel like I would be kind of stuck with that decision, so if I can get over thinking about that that should help.

Even though one person couldn't make it, I'm starting to get an idea for how tough to make enemies for them. The only group encounter was the three of them (level 12) against a level 12 and two level 11's, and that didn't seem like too much of a problem for them. I have to tinker with damage output and enemy HP; when I made them I thought they had a little too much HP and they would do too much damage to the players. Now I know that isn't the case.

I have a small plot hook for them to go after, though, so I'm hoping that goes well. I have an idea for a larger plot hook to implement, but we'll see what happens. I'm going to end up taking the solo encounter I had for the person who couldn't make it last night and turning it into something that starts off as him against a few enemies, and after a couple of rounds the other players arrive to find him (played it off as the NPC who brought them together saying the fourth guy she found was supposed to be there, but might have gotten lost along the way or something). Like I said, I think my biggest problem is thinking of stuff on my feet and not getting nervous when it comes to that.

[Ruki]

Your first time DMing and you're doing a mid/high level campaign? You're crazy.

[theburninator77]

Do you play with a wall screen? It's always a good idea, also if you find that you didn't give your enemies enough HP and the battle is going super quickly, you can always fudge and add some HP to prolong the battle and make it seem more challenging than it actually was.

[Ruki]

The wall screen is great. Because, I admit, I have fudged numbers before....almost always in the players favor (don't want them to die to a goblin!)

[thatblindgeye]

Well, first time as DM without a module, but still only second time overall. I wanted to start them off at paragon tier so that they could have their path off the bat, mainly because it's a setting of a show we all really like. And yeah, I use a screen. I ended up adding some HP in the group encounter to have it last a couple more rounds. The first night I mainly wanted to just have them get used to their powers and also allow myself to have some sort of idea what could be too easy for them. Like I said, my main issue is just getting more comfortable with thinking of things on my feet as far as non-combat stuff and not getting nervous when it comes to that.

[EWB's Best Poster.]

Well if you're playing 4_Ed, you'll not have a problem with non combat.

[Ruki]

I've lost my first character! I am ok with it. He was being greedy and looting and was attacked from behind. While it is fun playing a smug, smooth talking prick.....nobody in the group liked him (players liked him, characters did not).

[Mick]

I've pretty much decided that from here on out, any character I play, I'm going to play the character and forget that such a thing as the metagaming even exists.

[Ruki]

Oh shit....three out of five players died.

Edit: ...it was an April Fools prank lol.

[Mick]

Except for your player.