Because I don't trust my own judegement... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Because I don't trust my own judegement... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
shadowfox628
06-24-06, 10:18 PM I host a campaign during the school year (unfortunately), so I have plenty of time to come up with the answers.

All of the campaigns I've done before have been, in my opinion, dull (when I look at it from a "Not the DM" point of view). Yeah, I've had fun, but there are some things that I should have done.

Firstly, I didn't do puzzles, because I know none (and I suck at finding them out and creating them). My PCs are intelligent, and maybe they should be treated as such, instead of the "Kill everything in sight" style that I put them through. Secondly, the battles... I'm not complaining about how much time they took, but rather the scale. It was always half a dozen against 3 or 4 (usually), and when it came to a boss, it was just the party against a single person. I want to up the enemies, but the battles I've put them through have been... Rough. Lastly, there's always an issue of "too much of this, too little of that." For example, in my last campaign, there were 8 people. 6 were arcane spellcasters (one of which was a Bard), 1 was a Cleric, and 1 was a Rogue (which I was lucky to even have). I want to do something that will counter this.

Honestly, my DMing style has a bit more flaws than others (when comparing to RAW). I DM on the fly because I hate reading a script (though I love writing the script). Now, I'm not a railroader (well, I kinda railroad them to introduce the main NPCs, but after that it's freedom). I do plan what I want to do in a nutshell (quest options, characters to introduce, locations, etc.), but everything else is made up on the spot... Yes, even encounters, but please don't yell at me for that... I have my reasons. Also, during battles, I play intelligently when appropriate. The enemies will identify the threats and act accordingly (though they never live long enough to do a whole lot of damage).

So, anyway, my next campaign I'm trying to step it up a bit. Logical puzzles, many more enemies, introduction of vehicular combat (in a nutshell, it's a mix of D&D and D20 Modern, set in a game universe in the year 2164... Please, don't ask). I've been thinking about just telling them to make Gesaut (sp?) characters to make things fun for both me (the DM) and them. Most of them are powergamers anyway (well, the ones I know right now), so it doesn't really mind me if they're more powerful than normal. But, honestly, it doesn't really matter to me.

If I can get any advice at all, that would be nice. Just please don't tell me to do CRs... Please?
Kidthulu
06-24-06, 10:55 PM just look around the boards theres plenty of ideas....or buy some suppliments(the adventures)....tehre are some easy ones to get ahold of on the site too
Thomar_of_Uointer
06-25-06, 01:08 AM Scale can be an issue for a party of 8. Using miniatures saves time here, and makes it easier to deal with.
The fact that you have a deluge of spellcasters probably comes from a cenimatic combat problem. Describe tank-style monsters better on your end and that should clear up.
Gestalt is best for monster PCs, not to "spice up" a game. That's something you should be able to expediate on your own. However, it may be a solution to your 7 spellcasters problem. (Have you considered a story arc around the fact that you have 7 spellcasters in your party?)
revnk
06-25-06, 01:26 AM I'm not sure from your post that you need advice so much as you need a jolt of self-confidence. Your games sound fun. A mix of D&D and d20 Modern could work quite well and even hearkens back to classic adventures like Expedition to the Barrier Peaks from first edition. Or you could do it all sorts of other ways.

One question for you, one that might help out with the issues you talk about in your post: are your players having fun? Do they want riddles? Do they want more combat? I ask rhetorically, so that you can ask your players--it doesn't matter to me what the answers are, the answers are for you. If it ain't broke, as they say, don't fix it. But it's also true that anyone can stand improvement. Over the summer, call some of your players or e-mail them and ask 'em what made 'em happy about the adventure and what they didn't like--don't promise to hand everything on a silver plate, and you may decide not to change some of the things they don't like while abandoning a few of the things they enjoy, but consider their advice carefully and take it into consideration with what you're doing.

Another thing: there's no right way to play this game. Or, to put it a little differently, the fun way is the right way. If everyone's having a good time running things on the fly, stick with it. If things work better with obsessive planning, do that. Don't sweat the RAW unless you and your group enjoy that kind of thing. Riddles are great if players enjoy them, but there's nothing wrong with a hack'n'slash (unless no one wants to play one). Enjoy a game where no one looks at their character sheets and always speaks in character, do it! Prefer a game where everyone has their numbers tweaked to sweet perfection from the number of points in CHA to counting their characters' encumbrance to the third decimal so they're carrying the maximum weight possible without affecting their base move--go for it!

The folks around here will be extremely helpful. Heck, it's sometimes amazing. I got some swell help from a bunch of nice folks this very week. Ask away if there's anything specific you want to brainstorm about.

Don't be so hard on yourself, and have fun, okay?
Dragonsblood
06-25-06, 02:12 AM What's wrong with using CRs? I'm GMing a Shadowrun campaign right now and I'd kill for a CR system. Maybe you just need to give it a chance.
shadowfox628
06-25-06, 07:21 PM First, some answers:

1) I do use suppliment books. I love them, and I use things from them, but a few of my PCs tend to use them more than I.
2) Since I don't plan ahead, I consider calculating CRs on the spot as, at minimum, a small time consumer. Also, I tend to make up stats. I believe that as the PCs gain levels, the monsters shouldn't get a whole lot of HP increase (not always does damage dealt increase), but rather that the monsters should dish out more damage. Not the best philosophy, but it works for me.
3) As far as I know, the PCs have fun. I'm a self-proclaimed "Fun DM" in the sense that I put some stupid things into my campaigns (funny/stupid things). For example, the PCs were observing a chess match between a drunken Mind Flayer and a drunken Orc... And I had them playing with checker pieces. (Needless to say, the Orc won). I try to enjoy myself and let the PCs enjoy themselves, but if I tell them to quiet down, I expect it from thm.
4) In my last campaign I didn't use small-scale maps (I had a world map, but that was it). Again, my on-the-fly DMing brings me to a lot of random places... However, a friend did buy a map for the club that you can draw on with washable markers, so I'm going to use that. But by scale, I meant... More enemies.

Anywho... I just don't trust my own judgement, and I poke holes in lots of things (I'm a bit of a perfectionist). My campaign idea is going along pretty well with a few exceptions... Anyway, the gesalt idea came along when I played FFXI (free Beta Test for the 360!... It was pretty good), and I saw that there was a Main-Class/Sub-Class system, which I liked. My estimation of PCs is between 4 and 6 (after my last campaign, which, at its height, had 12 PCs, I'm refusing to do a big number again... Unless I have a co-DM), and I know gesalt is recommended with 3 people or less...
pierow37
06-25-06, 07:38 PM Wow, 6 spellcasters. Now that would be fun!
I like to torture my PC's, and i like to be tortured. It makes it more challanging if the DM throws EVERYTHING at them!
I love the chalange! And all of my PC's do too! In fact, almost everyone i've played iwht has loved to be tortured!

6 spellcasters! Are they just asking for punishment!?! Make circles in the boss room, and while in the circles, spells dont work, other than cantrips. Have the boss immune to sneak attacks, and to negative energy. Then have him be surronded by something simple, [bats?] [rats?] Have the minions guard and some attack.

A good puzzle is just something fun, exciting, and mysterious. I love to put things like one i will put below:

Room of mysteries.
Have a monster in a very very well hidden secret room drop a peice of paper that reads this. 8,9,3,6,1,3, 11, 7, 2. This is the key to the puzzle.
The room of mysters has 15 doors, door #1 is marked with a large 1. when you walk through one door, it leads to anohter room, that looks EXACTLY the same. It IS a differant room. but the doors are the same. If you walk through door #1 it leads to the hallway you entered.
Number each door, 1-15. one leads to the next room. If they try to guess, it ALWAYS fails. Unless they have the paper key. If they mark a door, the mark stays there. once all the doors are marked, the mark dissapres.
Roll 1d6 each time. a 1 gives a random monster, all other numbers gives nothing.
The only way out is through a vent in the 13th door you visit. Vent spot check DC 20.

If that doesn't make them confused, then i dont know what will.

Do something based off something else. that was based off scooby doo. all the doors they go though. It's simple stuff likei that.
I've also been inspired by paintings. and movies.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
shadowfox628 06-24-06, 10:18 PM	I host a campaign during the school year (unfortunately), so I have plenty of time to come up with the answers. All of the campaigns I've done before have been, in my opinion, dull (when I look at it from a "Not the DM" point of view). Yeah, I've had fun, but there are some things that I should have done. Firstly, I didn't do puzzles, because I know none (and I suck at finding them out and creating them). My PCs are intelligent, and maybe they should be treated as such, instead of the "Kill everything in sight" style that I put them through. Secondly, the battles... I'm not complaining about how much time they took, but rather the scale. It was always half a dozen against 3 or 4 (usually), and when it came to a boss, it was just the party against a single person. I want to up the enemies, but the battles I've put them through have been... Rough. Lastly, there's always an issue of "too much of this, too little of that." For example, in my last campaign, there were 8 people. 6 were arcane spellcasters (one of which was a Bard), 1 was a Cleric, and 1 was a Rogue (which I was lucky to even have). I want to do something that will counter this. Honestly, my DMing style has a bit more flaws than others (when comparing to RAW). I DM on the fly because I hate reading a script (though I love writing the script). Now, I'm not a railroader (well, I kinda railroad them to introduce the main NPCs, but after that it's freedom). I do plan what I want to do in a nutshell (quest options, characters to introduce, locations, etc.), but everything else is made up on the spot... Yes, even encounters, but please don't yell at me for that... I have my reasons. Also, during battles, I play intelligently when appropriate. The enemies will identify the threats and act accordingly (though they never live long enough to do a whole lot of damage). So, anyway, my next campaign I'm trying to step it up a bit. Logical puzzles, many more enemies, introduction of vehicular combat (in a nutshell, it's a mix of D&D and D20 Modern, set in a game universe in the year 2164... Please, don't ask). I've been thinking about just telling them to make Gesaut (sp?) characters to make things fun for both me (the DM) and them. Most of them are powergamers anyway (well, the ones I know right now), so it doesn't really mind me if they're more powerful than normal. But, honestly, it doesn't really matter to me. If I can get any advice at all, that would be nice. Just please don't tell me to do CRs... Please?
Kidthulu 06-24-06, 10:55 PM	just look around the boards theres plenty of ideas....or buy some suppliments(the adventures)....tehre are some easy ones to get ahold of on the site too
Thomar_of_Uointer 06-25-06, 01:08 AM	Scale can be an issue for a party of 8. Using miniatures saves time here, and makes it easier to deal with. The fact that you have a deluge of spellcasters probably comes from a cenimatic combat problem. Describe tank-style monsters better on your end and that should clear up. Gestalt is best for monster PCs, not to "spice up" a game. That's something you should be able to expediate on your own. However, it may be a solution to your 7 spellcasters problem. (Have you considered a story arc around the fact that you have 7 spellcasters in your party?)
revnk 06-25-06, 01:26 AM	I'm not sure from your post that you need advice so much as you need a jolt of self-confidence. Your games sound fun. A mix of D&D and d20 Modern could work quite well and even hearkens back to classic adventures like Expedition to the Barrier Peaks from first edition. Or you could do it all sorts of other ways. One question for you, one that might help out with the issues you talk about in your post: are your players having fun? Do they want riddles? Do they want more combat? I ask rhetorically, so that you can ask your players--it doesn't matter to me what the answers are, the answers are for you. If it ain't broke, as they say, don't fix it. But it's also true that anyone can stand improvement. Over the summer, call some of your players or e-mail them and ask 'em what made 'em happy about the adventure and what they didn't like--don't promise to hand everything on a silver plate, and you may decide not to change some of the things they don't like while abandoning a few of the things they enjoy, but consider their advice carefully and take it into consideration with what you're doing. Another thing: there's no right way to play this game. Or, to put it a little differently, the fun way is the right way. If everyone's having a good time running things on the fly, stick with it. If things work better with obsessive planning, do that. Don't sweat the RAW unless you and your group enjoy that kind of thing. Riddles are great if players enjoy them, but there's nothing wrong with a hack'n'slash (unless no one wants to play one). Enjoy a game where no one looks at their character sheets and always speaks in character, do it! Prefer a game where everyone has their numbers tweaked to sweet perfection from the number of points in CHA to counting their characters' encumbrance to the third decimal so they're carrying the maximum weight possible without affecting their base move--go for it! The folks around here will be extremely helpful. Heck, it's sometimes amazing. I got some swell help from a bunch of nice folks this very week. Ask away if there's anything specific you want to brainstorm about. Don't be so hard on yourself, and have fun, okay?
Dragonsblood 06-25-06, 02:12 AM	What's wrong with using CRs? I'm GMing a Shadowrun campaign right now and I'd kill for a CR system. Maybe you just need to give it a chance.
shadowfox628 06-25-06, 07:21 PM	First, some answers: 1) I do use suppliment books. I love them, and I use things from them, but a few of my PCs tend to use them more than I. 2) Since I don't plan ahead, I consider calculating CRs on the spot as, at minimum, a small time consumer. Also, I tend to make up stats. I believe that as the PCs gain levels, the monsters shouldn't get a whole lot of HP increase (not always does damage dealt increase), but rather that the monsters should dish out more damage. Not the best philosophy, but it works for me. 3) As far as I know, the PCs have fun. I'm a self-proclaimed "Fun DM" in the sense that I put some stupid things into my campaigns (funny/stupid things). For example, the PCs were observing a chess match between a drunken Mind Flayer and a drunken Orc... And I had them playing with checker pieces. (Needless to say, the Orc won). I try to enjoy myself and let the PCs enjoy themselves, but if I tell them to quiet down, I expect it from thm. 4) In my last campaign I didn't use small-scale maps (I had a world map, but that was it). Again, my on-the-fly DMing brings me to a lot of random places... However, a friend did buy a map for the club that you can draw on with washable markers, so I'm going to use that. But by scale, I meant... More enemies. Anywho... I just don't trust my own judgement, and I poke holes in lots of things (I'm a bit of a perfectionist). My campaign idea is going along pretty well with a few exceptions... Anyway, the gesalt idea came along when I played FFXI (free Beta Test for the 360!... It was pretty good), and I saw that there was a Main-Class/Sub-Class system, which I liked. My estimation of PCs is between 4 and 6 (after my last campaign, which, at its height, had 12 PCs, I'm refusing to do a big number again... Unless I have a co-DM), and I know gesalt is recommended with 3 people or less...
pierow37 06-25-06, 07:38 PM	Wow, 6 spellcasters. Now that would be fun! I like to torture my PC's, and i like to be tortured. It makes it more challanging if the DM throws EVERYTHING at them! I love the chalange! And all of my PC's do too! In fact, almost everyone i've played iwht has loved to be tortured! 6 spellcasters! Are they just asking for punishment!?! Make circles in the boss room, and while in the circles, spells dont work, other than cantrips. Have the boss immune to sneak attacks, and to negative energy. Then have him be surronded by something simple, [bats?] [rats?] Have the minions guard and some attack. A good puzzle is just something fun, exciting, and mysterious. I love to put things like one i will put below: Room of mysteries. Have a monster in a very very well hidden secret room drop a peice of paper that reads this. 8,9,3,6,1,3, 11, 7, 2. This is the key to the puzzle. The room of mysters has 15 doors, door #1 is marked with a large 1. when you walk through one door, it leads to anohter room, that looks EXACTLY the same. It IS a differant room. but the doors are the same. If you walk through door #1 it leads to the hallway you entered. Number each door, 1-15. one leads to the next room. If they try to guess, it ALWAYS fails. Unless they have the paper key. If they mark a door, the mark stays there. once all the doors are marked, the mark dissapres. Roll 1d6 each time. a 1 gives a random monster, all other numbers gives nothing. The only way out is through a vent in the 13th door you visit. Vent spot check DC 20. If that doesn't make them confused, then i dont know what will. Do something based off something else. that was based off scooby doo. all the doors they go though. It's simple stuff likei that. I've also been inspired by paintings. and movies.