Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ace_of_time 10-31-07, 10:32 PM	Ok one day your DM comes to you and says that he is tired of being a DM and wants to play a little bit. No one else has DMed but he thinks you would make the best one from the group. Assuming you say yes, 1. What would you world be like? 2. Starting point for players? 3. House rules used if any? 4. Terrain type and monsters used? 5. core only? 6. Would you outlaw any thing that you always use but wouldn't want your players to use? 7. What character creation would you use? This is mostly for players who have never DMed but wanted to. But any posted will be fine?
JimProfit 10-31-07, 11:29 PM	1. What would you world be like? Steampunk fantasy where YOU'RE the monster! 2. Starting point for players? Inside a dungeon, and they be hungry. Blue valkyrie needs food badly! 3. House rules used if any? Free-form where the GM pretty much assigns you gear and abilities that might not make sense for the character. 4. Terrain type and monsters used? Any and more any. 5. core only? Nope, wouldn't fit the atmosphere. 6. Would you outlaw any thing that you always use but wouldn't want your players to use? Nope, will need that and everything else to make things diverse. 7. What character creation would you use? You are exactly as your monster manual counterpart. Unless I rule otherwise to kindof even things out, this may come in the form of new supernatural abilities granteed, PC levels, new badass gear, etc.
Kryptonite27 11-01-07, 01:34 AM	My God Jim! Dude, you need counseling.
Another_Poet 11-01-07, 11:52 AM	My God Jim! Dude, you need counseling. No way, I'd play in that campaign. Steampunk fantasy... where I'm the monster... hmmmm... :cloud9:
CCS 11-01-07, 05:41 PM	[Assuming you say yes, 1. What would you world be like? Well, I'd start off by asking the group wich "world they'd prefer to play in; Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, Ebberon, Dragonlance, Dark Sun, etc. or one of my own devising. If they chose Ebberon, Dark Sun or my own there'd be a slightly longer delay in starting the next campaign as I'd have some work ahead of me. But let's assume they went with homebrew.... 2. Starting point for players? I think I'd start them out in a small farming village suffering from a magicly induced blight. They wouldn't all have to be from there, but they'd have been sent by the local lord in response to petitions for aid. 3. House rules used if any? A few :) .1st level. .No psionics. .No drow. .No really wierd stuff - the longer your combo/concept the higher the odds of it being rejected out of hand. .No Tome of Battle. .For the most part races & classes are core only. But if you've got something slightly different in mind we'd talk about it. .No critical fumbles .No death by massive damage .No such thing as cross-class skills. pt costs are 1-1. .Off hand attacks don't suffer any type of reduced str bonus. A to-hit penalty, yes. But no penalty for damage. .Death occurs at a -# = to your Con. score, not -10. .Assume WoTC material only. .Divine casters MUST chose a paton. There's no such thing as drawing the energy from oneself in my games. .I have a slightly modified way to handle multi-classing XP wise. .There's no such thing as shopping for magic items in my games. Do not expect that just because you've got a book & x GP that you'll have access to whatever equipment you want. .Inititive is rolled per round, not per encounter - 1st & 2nd ed weapon/casting speeds may or may not be in effect, haven't decided. .Do not expect the minitures/battlegrid to be an integral part of play. .There's no such Meta-magic feat as switch energy. You'll not be casting sonic fireballs &/or conveniently switching up the "type" on damage spells. You chose lightning & that monsters imune to it? Too bad. .Scores are 4d6 drop lowest #, roll 7 sets, arange as desired. .Play will not likely reach epic level. Games I run are mostly player driven plot wise, action oriented with a dose of RP, from a goodguy PoV. Think action movie & you'll be okay. 4. Terrain type and monsters used? It'll vary through play. Expect a medevial European like region to begin with. But also expect trips to the frozen north, jungles, deserts, underdark, etc. Probably not going to have to worry much about planescape style adventures though. 5. core only? Yeah, mostly. See above comments in House Rules. 6. Would you outlaw any thing that you always use but wouldn't want your players to use? Drow. Psionics (though the most I'll really do here is maybe a few midflayers & abstract their psionics). The realy wierd mixes I wouldn't let you use as a PC. 7. What character creation would you use? 4d6 drop lowest #, 7 sets, arrange as you want. I don't believe in everyone needing to be equel, either in RL or in a game. Max starting HPs & $ though. In addition I encourage players to make whatever type of character (within the limits I outlined above) they want, regardless of what they think the party might "need". I'd rather DM for the oddest mix of characters run by happy players than a "balanced" party where someone feels stuck playing the role of____ . You need happy players. You do not need a cleric/fighter/wizard/etc.
Ace_of_time 11-01-07, 05:57 PM	No way, I'd play in that campaign. Steampunk fantasy... where I'm the monster... hmmmm... :cloud9: I wouldn't mind being a beholder just once. We play monsters all the time. also if every plays the same type you can do away with LAs. For the other post there are some house rules I have alway wanted to try in my game like no cross class skill.
Masakari4488 11-02-07, 04:13 PM	1. The most boring unremarkable town ever in my friend's campaign setting. 2. The tavern, because I want to be part of that statistic in many people's sigs. Also The Winchester comes to mind when thinking about the quest. 3. Keen and Improved Crit stack. Maybe others, if it increases the fun and/or lulz. 4. See number 1, and Zombie survival guide inspired zombie homebrew. They would not be fueled by negative energy, but by a virus. Immunity to turning, cure spells heal them, If you get bitten you turn into a zombie etc. 5. For the first quest, as it will be a test run. 6. No, because I wouldn't want that done to me. 7. Play as commoners on the first quest. :evillaugh
Sezarious 11-03-07, 10:02 AM	1. 4. See number 1, and Zombie survival guide inspired zombie homebrew. They would not be fueled by negative energy, but by a virus. Immunity to turning, cure spells heal them, If you get bitten you turn into a zombie etc. 5. For the first quest, as it will be a test run. I've been doing that in my campaign. A zombie has a faster movement rate, makes a grapple check, pins the opponent and does 2d4 con damage each round as it tears into the neck. Once all con is gone, NEW ZOMBIE! Starting in an NPC class is really fun. Developing a character is good because it's harder (you feel more afraid). Then eventually, when you find access to your PC class, each time you level up in that, convert one additional NPC class to the PC class.
Raynx 11-03-07, 09:48 PM	If its losing your DM v-card that you're concerned about, then I do suggest sticking to core. Tell your players that they're options include the following: Player's Handbook. They may not like it at first, but if you must then explain to them that you want to ease yourself into the idea of having to worry about an entire multiverse instead of a single creature (going from PC to DM can be difficult for some). After some coercion, the players may decide that its nice to get back to the basics for a relaxing, fun-filled game without intense mathematical headaches. As for house-rules, I recommend going with something equally simple as core: Crits hit, Fumbles miss. I also have a staple house-rule for newcomers at my table that you may consider: If you fall to negative hit points, you immediately fall unconscious, but you do not begin to bleed to death (standard rate of 1pt/round) until the beginning of the next round. Each time the initiative rolls over to you, roll a DC15 Fort save to stabilize. If you fail, you take the bleeding damage of 1 point. If you succeed, roll another DC 15 Fort save to regain consciousness. Once conscious, you move half speed and may take only action per round. The most important tip I can give you or anyone else DMing for their first time is this: Have fun, and have the players have fun. If your game derails, take command of the situation and arc them back to it, but in a friendly, considerate manner. Keep the flow flowing. The Calm is good.
Ace_of_time 11-03-07, 10:29 PM	I'll put this two ways. 1. Assuming you were talking to the board then you gave really good stuff and thoughts to think about and I agree with it all. 2. Assuming you were referring to me. I have been a DM since I was 16 and am now 28. never been a really player but I do take breaks enough to keep me sane. I have 2 players. One is my wife and the other is her best friend. My wife and I just play because it is something love and we can do it together. She is trained DM and I'm training her best friend as one now because she thought it might be fun. I do a basic 1 on 1 game when they think they are ready just to see if they have an understand on the basics of the rule and how thing should go. I tell them it is a test but It is not really. I just use it to see if the is anything they might need help with. I do these types of threads to help new DMs/ players out and it gets old fighting about rules on here all the time so I figure some people like a break from the same old grind. Being a new DM can be trying at times and any help we can give will help them more. Since I am a DM I didn't post answers to my post but can if people want me to. I can post My all time wanted to play PC. That would be a halfling thrown weapon specialist. Thought I would make him rogue/sorc. But then PHB II came out and now I have switch that to ninja/sorc. Don't know if this will help anyone. This is really just for us (online posters) to have fun with out worrying about fight and the like.