Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Metaldays 07-10-06, 08:30 AM	Hi guys, Im running my first adventure tommorow. What should I hyave ready ? What if the players do something I havent prepared ( heading to the mountains, etc)...should I improvise ? Ahhh !!!! IM SOOO NEW !
Stumm_Dolch 07-10-06, 08:44 AM	Have all your bad guys written up including skill points. Keep all your plot points written down in one location so you aren't sifting through different books/pages while you are trying to remember what should happen next. Pregenerate maps and room descriptions as best you can without going mad. Write up your NPCs atleast so far as conversational skill ranks (Sense Motive, bluff, diplomacy and the like) Have a list of Random Names handy to assign to the people your adventurers run across. This could easily turn into a 1001 post. That's a few I can think of atm, but now I gotta go back to work.
Senevri 07-10-06, 08:47 AM	Prepare some encounters. Non-combat ones don't need stats, just a name, maybe a general appereance. On encounters, make a note of them where you write down their init, HP, AC and attack modes - and saves. Leave enough space to record wounds. If you have multiple critters of same type, number them! For an example, I make a list (on paper) like so: Name|Init|hp |ac |saves |attack M1 |+1 |24 |18 |4/1/1 |+6/+6/+3 (claw 1d4+2, bite 1d6+2) M2 |+1 | | | | M3 |+1 | | | | M4 |+1 | | | | The Init usually varies, and HP when I've rolled it, instead of using the average. With sets of multiple critters, I generally don't re-fill stats which don't change. Of course, it's good to also have their grapple check, touch and flat-footed AC accessible, as well as special options. Attack block usually has good space to write in.
So-Keher 07-10-06, 08:53 AM	Hi guys, Im running my first adventure tommorow. What should I hyave ready ? What if the players do something I havent prepared ( heading to the mountains, etc)...should I improvise ? Ahhh !!!! IM SOOO NEW ! lol don't freak out dude it will be fine. I assume that you are running your game for players of 1st level? If not BIG mistake. Get a general map of the area around the adventure sight, maybe a town, a small forest, etc. Outline two or three of the most important NPC's like the shopkeepers that the PC's will encounter. just names and occupations, maybe a little bit of something cool about them. Don't worry if the players want to go too far, but always have some names for mountains, rivers, etc ready so if they do you have something to call those great blue peaks in the distance. Just know your adventure. If you are using a published one, rea dit over a couple times and highlight what is most important. If it is your own, make sure everything connects and don't challenge them too much (keep it EL 2/3 AT MOST and only during 1-2 encounters). Mostly, keep it a little too easy so it boosts the PC's confidence. Ask the players what they expect, what they liked/disliked and incorporate that into your future adventures. Remember have fuN You are entertaining people and playing a game. Have fun, chillax and it will all go fine. Good luck! :D
Senevri 07-10-06, 08:54 AM	Have all your bad guys written up including skill points. Although, if they're statted, they can be killed. I'm of the school, "Stat 'em before you need 'em" Keep all your plot points written down in one location so you aren't sifting through different books/pages while you are trying to remember what should happen next. Probably a good idea. A simple "todo" list of plots is often all that is needed. Pregenerate maps and room descriptions as best you can without going mad. Hmm. Agreed. At least if you _know_ some location is going to be used the next session. One method of mapping is to start simple, and complexify from there - just start with something nice and simple. Do note that the newer splats (Heroes of books, and at least Fiendish Codex) have locations ready-to-use. However, don't rely on looking at book - you need to _know_ these places. Write up your NPCs atleast so far as conversational skill ranks (Sense Motive, bluff, diplomacy and the like) Probably a good idea. Have a list of Random Names handy to assign to the people your adventurers run across. Oh, yes. Everything should have a name. I made a list of names, with blank space on the right side, and just wrote down who they are afterwards. Worked like a charm - no more nameless NPCs! Helps immersion quite a bit, too. Prepare, but don't over-prepare is my opinion. Then again, I'm lazy.
Xykon 07-11-06, 11:52 PM	Stumm_Dolch and Senevri pretty much sums up what you need adventure and plot-wise. However for encounters you would also need a "battleboard". Note that its not a "product" that you buy, but rather its a set of cardboards with 1 inch x 1 inch squares in it. What you need 1. white cardboards (pre-cut into letter / A4 size preferably). Illustration boards would be perfect. 2. Pencil 3. Cello-tape or scotch tape 4. plastic cover (those used in covering books). How to do: 1. Draw 1 inch x 1 inch grids in the cardboard using pencil. 2. If you're using a large cardboard, you may need to cut it down to 4 or more pieces. If you're using pre-cut letter / A4 size then all you need is to cut off the excess in the grid. 3. Wrap them up with the plastic cover and cello-tape. 4. Make about 4-6 of these. When making the grids, make sure that when you put the boards side-by-side the grids more or less match up. You would need to get some water-based NON-PERMANENT markers. Get 3-4 colors of them. You would also need to get some toilet paper. There you go, you have a set of battleboards where you can put character miniatures in, and using the markers "draw" the environment in (i.e. walls, trees, etc). And as the adventurers "progress" just connect the cardboards in the direction they are walking. If you run out of boards, just "erase" the 1st board toilet paper. If there are any residual smudges just apply some water and wipe away, that should completely wipe them away (thats why i insist on water based markers) As for miniatures We use characters from D&D miniatures set, but if you don't have any, just find any reasonable sized bottle caps / coins, apply some tip-ex and write names on top with a pencil and it should work as well. There you go, it should cost you less than USD 5 to get this all arranged. Of course if there are anything which hobby shops sell that accomplishes this, you may buy those instead. Hope this helps and have fun.
RecycledDM 07-12-06, 01:59 AM	Metaldays, You don't say whether you've had any experience as a player, or if your players have had any D&D / RPG experience of any kind...so we don't know what level of expectation your group might have. Also, are you beginning a long-term campaign, or just DMing a few sessions to get some experience/knowledge of the game? Whatever the case, the one fear you expressed is something to the effect of, "what happens if they go somewhere off-map / I'm unprepared for?" While you don't want to "force" them down any particular path (also known as railroading), you likewise shouldn't let the players force you into anything you're uncomfortable with...a wrongly improvised encounter can easily turn out to be a total party kill (aka TPK), or an "oops, I shouldn't have given them THAT magic item" situation. With DMing experience, your improvisational skill will improve, and your campaign "world" will become better fleshed out. Until then, if the players insist on going somewhere or doing something you just aren't prepared for or feel comfortable making up "on the fly," simply tell them that's going to end the session early because you will need some between session time to prep for it. And remember, if the party is starting out at first level, and especially if the players aren't experienced either, then it's pretty darn likely that they're going to be looking to be led by the nose!
Dragonsblood 07-12-06, 02:51 AM	For your mountain problem - if you can't think of a way to steer them back on the spot, just tell them out of character that you haven't prepared anything for that area, and that if they want to go to the mountains you'll need X amount of time to prepare. End of session. 9 times out of 10 they'll stick to what you have planned after you tell them this. And if you have that 1/10 group, find new players :p
SPEAR9 07-20-06, 10:34 PM	A rockslide has made travel through the Mts. impossible.It will be clear later. A messenger runs up to the PC's."You are needed at..." Create a situation that would make their choice of direction difficult,but not impossible.It allows you to save face while maintaining the direction you need for the game. It's a work in progress.Give yourself some room to move.Change it as you need.Use vague backgrounds to set encounter scenes.I like to use clearings in the forest,etc. You'll do great,just be prepared.Know the details for creature encounter,DC's, Skill checks,etc.If they get off the beaten path,throw in a random creature.Keep track of the XP so you have an idea when they should lvl up.Talk after the sessions to get feedback.It'll help you to make adjustments.
Algus 07-20-06, 10:44 PM	Always have a general idea of what's going on in the town. Presumably you're going right to the basics of having a dungeon nearby the PCs are going to be heading down into. Well, sometimes PCs dont WANT to head into the dungeon and there isn't anything wrong with that - but you do want to have some content ready to go. I usually know what the "important" people in my town are doing. For instance, when I took The Burning Plague from the WOTC website, after reading through the adventure, I statted a number of people that lived in the town and had a rough idea of the things they were up to. Just suppose that for whatever reason the players decided they didn't feel like going to the mine to investigate. That's their perogative, but when they find one of the NPCs in whatever direction they headed dying from plague and one of them CATCHES it ("No, no that 20 on your fortitude save wasn't good enough, sorry" >.>) then they might be more inclined to investigate. Since this is the first game you're running, you probably don't need to worry too much - if the group is new then getting them to the dungeon shouldn't be a problem and if you've played before and they know this is the first game you're running, hopefully they'll give you a break.