A question of newness [Archive] - Wizards Community

A question of newness [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
h3ndrix
07-30-07, 11:00 AM Hello all,

I am very new to the forums and fairly new to the game. I attempted to play AD&D long ago but found every group I was with chunked the TSR rules aside and played on strictly house rules.

Well now some time has passed and I am forced to organize the game myself and bring some coworkers and in-laws in for the journey. I obtained the three core books and I am about to invest in the realms campaign setting book.

My question is: Can I start DMing immediately on the campaign setting or is it advised to use the generic dnd adventures first? I've never used a published adventure before so I would like some insight on to how those work (like if you read the whole thing and make notes, or you read along with the group, etc). I appreciate your prompt replies!
TwiddleStootch
07-30-07, 11:39 AM I'll admit, I started with Homebrew adventures in a Homebrew world.
But I would suggest using some pre-published material to get your self started.
Once you are comfortable with it, maybe start working on some Homebrew stuff.
h3ndrix
07-30-07, 11:41 AM Yeah I am trying to not do homebrew stuff at all. I can not find any level one Forgotten Realms adventures though.
Onikani
07-30-07, 11:56 AM FR is essentially designed for high level play.

For low level stuff you may want a look at eberron.

EDIT - i completely miswrote that!
h3ndrix
07-30-07, 12:15 PM So I can do some homebrew stuff in the Realms world until the group is high enough to do some of the published works?
Onikani
07-30-07, 01:41 PM of course!

There is nothing stopping you form starting the pc's in a small homebrew village. Have them run a few low level adventures, and when they get around level 3-4 have them journey the hundred or so miles to a major town or small city, where the game really gets going...
:D
KismetRose
07-30-07, 04:23 PM If you feel like you've got the hang of things and you've got some ideas flowing, then you can start making your own adventures right away. You can start small and work your way up without needing published adventures, or you can use published adventures if you think they'll make things easier on you. When I started running I had very defined ideas in mind for NPCs and story arcs and whatnot, so I didn't feel the need to use published adventures. All I had to do was learn the rules even better and learn how to gauge combat so that my players were challenged but not outright slaughtered. It wasn't that difficult, either. The Realms campaign setting book has tons of information in it that you can use; even if you don't use the adventure seeds scattered throughout, sometimes just the descriptions will yield fun ideas. I started my first campaign in the Realms and we've had tons of fun, even at low levels.
h3ndrix
07-30-07, 04:57 PM That's probably the most uplifiting reply ever. It's exactly what I was hoping for. The only reason I shy away from doing my own adventure is the work that's involved in it (I used to just make it up as I went along) and I am trying to have something solid enough to convince the potential players to want to play.

Any suggestions for doing that and tying in Realms?
KismetRose
07-30-07, 05:22 PM Here's what I suggest:

Making your own adventures isn't that difficult and can be a lot of fun, but if you're afraid of the work, try to go easy on yourself.

Try to find a place in the Realms that excites you the most, first off. Read all you can stand and then if one place keeps sticking out, you might want to use it as the starting point of your game. Then, see if there's a town that you want to use within that region. If there is, great. You can start there. If not, you can make your own town and stick it wherever you think would make the most sense. You can then start to generate ideas for adventures. The different regions have different things going on. Keep an eye out for which races are the most prevalent, as well as monsters and organizations. If you set your game in a place with Zhents, for example, then you've already got an organization you can use for good or ill. Take the terrain into account and any tidbits the book might give you. You can start local with low level encounters, especially since first level characters don't tend to travel well (they're so fragile!). If you want to move on later, then you can explore other places in Faerun.

When I started, I made my own town and placed it carefully. I tied it in quickly to its neighbors for a sense that the town really belonged there, but I didn't have to spend loads of time on it. Since the town had an academy, the characters were all students and so they'd at least seen each other before. That helped to quickly establish common ground between the characters and to get them working together. I was able to use the nearby lands for encounters easily and I added any extra creatures I really wanted. The beginning didn't take a horrible amount of planning and we were able to have fun pretty quickly.

Concentrate on those things that the PCs are most likely to encounter and care about - any NPCs that will be regular and important, creatures they're likely to run into, and so on. You can give some underlying structure to the campaign for yourself but don't make more work for yourself than necessary and don't get caught up on details that really won't matter to anyone. If it will be important to the story or to the PCs, go ahead and outline how the garbage gets taken out of the city. If it won't be important, then feel free to leave it or to gloss over it quickly: "The city stinks today because it is the day for the workmen to gather trash. The difficulty will be increased to track anything by scent."

Get the basics out and get playing. You don't need to write a novel or to have extensive plans. Things will develop as you go.
Some_call_me_Tim
07-30-07, 05:46 PM Can I start DMing immediately on the campaign setting or is it advised to use the generic dnd adventures first?
I would advise starting with a pre-made adventure. It is just one less thing you have to worry about when starting out. You may want to look at Scorge of the Howling Horde as it it designed for 1st level characters and novice DMs.

Dungeon magazine...(moment of silence)...adventures included information for transplanting the story arc adventures to the Realms or Ebberon. I loved the last two story arcs that you can still get as back issues.

Even some of the free adventures on wizards site tell you how to incorporate them in the FRCS. Low-level generic adventures are fairly easy to convert from one setting to another as they usually don't deal with major kingdom events and personalities.

At higher level you will probably want to start writing your own, plus you can see from the lower levels what interests your players the most and tailor the adventures to suit.

I've never used a published adventure before so I would like some insight on to how those work (like if you read the whole thing and make notes, or you read along with the group, etc).You should always read the entire module first. Make notes about important events and what triggers what. The adventures come with read-aloud text clearly marked so you know what to read and when.

What I do is read the module. Go back and highlight things like skill checks (search, spot, listen). I highlight (using different colors) things the PC can learn and those that they shouldn't know about but that are important to running the module. I also highlight the various options that the PC may perform. This may sound like a lot of work but it doesn't really take that long and makes the game flow much smoother.

If the adventure uses obscure rules (such as underwater combat, weather effects, etc.) I usually make a marginal note about the major points and where to find them in the DMG
PsychotropicDog
07-31-07, 04:11 PM The SRD has a lot of resources that can help, including some encounter calculators.

http://www.d20srd.org/index.htm

The Forgotten Realms Campaign book is not a set of adventures - it is a setting, a world. Many a time I have been woken up by it's heavy weight on my forehead.

You can drop in whatever adventures you like, or use the information to create your own, or both. Some of the free adventures available from WoTC are quite good.

Once your party starts to travel Faerūn...
I like to have some random encounters ready, various dungeon and urban maps, a few free adventures, and work more details into the areas I think the party is going to travel. Still, they will surprise you and go somewhere you did not expect every so often, which is where having a random monster supply comes in handy. I'd really only 'finish' an area if it is certain that they are going there.
Blackened_Blade
07-31-07, 10:55 PM There is an pre-published adventure arch that goes from 1-18. Its Mysteries of the Moonsea. Starts of well enough in Melvaunt and takes you through two other cities till you wind up at Zhentil Keep. Just remember, if you decide to adventure in the Moonsea region, its gona get tough once you head to Zhentil Keep. Overall, I liked the book, and the adventures could be adjusted for something outside the pre-designed campaign arc.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
h3ndrix 07-30-07, 11:00 AM	Hello all, I am very new to the forums and fairly new to the game. I attempted to play AD&D long ago but found every group I was with chunked the TSR rules aside and played on strictly house rules. Well now some time has passed and I am forced to organize the game myself and bring some coworkers and in-laws in for the journey. I obtained the three core books and I am about to invest in the realms campaign setting book. My question is: Can I start DMing immediately on the campaign setting or is it advised to use the generic dnd adventures first? I've never used a published adventure before so I would like some insight on to how those work (like if you read the whole thing and make notes, or you read along with the group, etc). I appreciate your prompt replies!
TwiddleStootch 07-30-07, 11:39 AM	I'll admit, I started with Homebrew adventures in a Homebrew world. But I would suggest using some pre-published material to get your self started. Once you are comfortable with it, maybe start working on some Homebrew stuff.
h3ndrix 07-30-07, 11:41 AM	Yeah I am trying to not do homebrew stuff at all. I can not find any level one Forgotten Realms adventures though.
Onikani 07-30-07, 11:56 AM	FR is essentially designed for high level play. For low level stuff you may want a look at eberron. EDIT - i completely miswrote that!
h3ndrix 07-30-07, 12:15 PM	So I can do some homebrew stuff in the Realms world until the group is high enough to do some of the published works?
Onikani 07-30-07, 01:41 PM	of course! There is nothing stopping you form starting the pc's in a small homebrew village. Have them run a few low level adventures, and when they get around level 3-4 have them journey the hundred or so miles to a major town or small city, where the game really gets going... :D
KismetRose 07-30-07, 04:23 PM	If you feel like you've got the hang of things and you've got some ideas flowing, then you can start making your own adventures right away. You can start small and work your way up without needing published adventures, or you can use published adventures if you think they'll make things easier on you. When I started running I had very defined ideas in mind for NPCs and story arcs and whatnot, so I didn't feel the need to use published adventures. All I had to do was learn the rules even better and learn how to gauge combat so that my players were challenged but not outright slaughtered. It wasn't that difficult, either. The Realms campaign setting book has tons of information in it that you can use; even if you don't use the adventure seeds scattered throughout, sometimes just the descriptions will yield fun ideas. I started my first campaign in the Realms and we've had tons of fun, even at low levels.
h3ndrix 07-30-07, 04:57 PM	That's probably the most uplifiting reply ever. It's exactly what I was hoping for. The only reason I shy away from doing my own adventure is the work that's involved in it (I used to just make it up as I went along) and I am trying to have something solid enough to convince the potential players to want to play. Any suggestions for doing that and tying in Realms?
KismetRose 07-30-07, 05:22 PM	Here's what I suggest: Making your own adventures isn't that difficult and can be a lot of fun, but if you're afraid of the work, try to go easy on yourself. Try to find a place in the Realms that excites you the most, first off. Read all you can stand and then if one place keeps sticking out, you might want to use it as the starting point of your game. Then, see if there's a town that you want to use within that region. If there is, great. You can start there. If not, you can make your own town and stick it wherever you think would make the most sense. You can then start to generate ideas for adventures. The different regions have different things going on. Keep an eye out for which races are the most prevalent, as well as monsters and organizations. If you set your game in a place with Zhents, for example, then you've already got an organization you can use for good or ill. Take the terrain into account and any tidbits the book might give you. You can start local with low level encounters, especially since first level characters don't tend to travel well (they're so fragile!). If you want to move on later, then you can explore other places in Faerun. When I started, I made my own town and placed it carefully. I tied it in quickly to its neighbors for a sense that the town really belonged there, but I didn't have to spend loads of time on it. Since the town had an academy, the characters were all students and so they'd at least seen each other before. That helped to quickly establish common ground between the characters and to get them working together. I was able to use the nearby lands for encounters easily and I added any extra creatures I really wanted. The beginning didn't take a horrible amount of planning and we were able to have fun pretty quickly. Concentrate on those things that the PCs are most likely to encounter and care about - any NPCs that will be regular and important, creatures they're likely to run into, and so on. You can give some underlying structure to the campaign for yourself but don't make more work for yourself than necessary and don't get caught up on details that really won't matter to anyone. If it will be important to the story or to the PCs, go ahead and outline how the garbage gets taken out of the city. If it won't be important, then feel free to leave it or to gloss over it quickly: "The city stinks today because it is the day for the workmen to gather trash. The difficulty will be increased to track anything by scent." Get the basics out and get playing. You don't need to write a novel or to have extensive plans. Things will develop as you go.
Some_call_me_Tim 07-30-07, 05:46 PM	Can I start DMing immediately on the campaign setting or is it advised to use the generic dnd adventures first? I would advise starting with a pre-made adventure. It is just one less thing you have to worry about when starting out. You may want to look at Scorge of the Howling Horde as it it designed for 1st level characters and novice DMs. Dungeon magazine...(moment of silence)...adventures included information for transplanting the story arc adventures to the Realms or Ebberon. I loved the last two story arcs that you can still get as back issues. Even some of the free adventures on wizards site tell you how to incorporate them in the FRCS. Low-level generic adventures are fairly easy to convert from one setting to another as they usually don't deal with major kingdom events and personalities. At higher level you will probably want to start writing your own, plus you can see from the lower levels what interests your players the most and tailor the adventures to suit. I've never used a published adventure before so I would like some insight on to how those work (like if you read the whole thing and make notes, or you read along with the group, etc).You should always read the entire module first. Make notes about important events and what triggers what. The adventures come with read-aloud text clearly marked so you know what to read and when. What I do is read the module. Go back and highlight things like skill checks (search, spot, listen). I highlight (using different colors) things the PC can learn and those that they shouldn't know about but that are important to running the module. I also highlight the various options that the PC may perform. This may sound like a lot of work but it doesn't really take that long and makes the game flow much smoother. If the adventure uses obscure rules (such as underwater combat, weather effects, etc.) I usually make a marginal note about the major points and where to find them in the DMG
PsychotropicDog 07-31-07, 04:11 PM	The SRD has a lot of resources that can help, including some encounter calculators. http://www.d20srd.org/index.htm The Forgotten Realms Campaign book is not a set of adventures - it is a setting, a world. Many a time I have been woken up by it's heavy weight on my forehead. You can drop in whatever adventures you like, or use the information to create your own, or both. Some of the free adventures available from WoTC are quite good. Once your party starts to travel Faerūn... I like to have some random encounters ready, various dungeon and urban maps, a few free adventures, and work more details into the areas I think the party is going to travel. Still, they will surprise you and go somewhere you did not expect every so often, which is where having a random monster supply comes in handy. I'd really only 'finish' an area if it is certain that they are going there.
Blackened_Blade 07-31-07, 10:55 PM	There is an pre-published adventure arch that goes from 1-18. Its Mysteries of the Moonsea. Starts of well enough in Melvaunt and takes you through two other cities till you wind up at Zhentil Keep. Just remember, if you decide to adventure in the Moonsea region, its gona get tough once you head to Zhentil Keep. Overall, I liked the book, and the adventures could be adjusted for something outside the pre-designed campaign arc.