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Suddenly DM

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
epikthered
Jan 27, 2012 22:05:20 I have been interested in D&D ever since my grandmother picked up that old incompleate boxed boardgame. Which started promtly in the middle of a HUGE anti D&D push in my church. This now forbidden topic still interested me but had been pushed to the back of my priorities. Fast forward 20 years. I tell my wife "forget it. I am going to stop fighting my inner nerd. I'm gonna buy the 4E players Handbook. I'm gonna play D&D!" She promtly gives me that "whatever" look and resumes reading her magazine. 2 years later and I CANNOT find an active game in my town. SO after much debate (with my wife) I decide to DM my own game even though I have never played. I ask several friends to come over and even find one who has alot of playing experiance. I figure that more than half the players will flake on me so I over invite. Oops, now I am running a game with 9 active players and at least one more wanting to join.

SO here I am; inexperianced, a little scared, DMing for my first D&D experiance. Everything goes smoothly enough. Everyone has fun. And I breath a sigh of relief. I get on the computer and go to facebook to post my success. Only to find that every member of my group has beat me there. And they are all chatting and expressing their desire to play more often (than once?) and how excited they are to be in this game!

What have I done.

I jest (a little) I am super freaking excited to have this go so well. But, if there is anyone out there who can give me advice on how to run a 9+ player game as my first D&D experiance. PLease HELP me! Advice, ridicule, jokes, anything!
#2
Andrekan
Jan 27, 2012 23:15:16 Well first thing for a large group is to give everyone a chance. Charisma, intimadate, diplomacy you will see in the actual players. Some players will naturally lead the group even if their character scores don't match. For me as a 30 year DM that means the person with the character who does have the highest charisma, diplomacy, etc should be crucial in decision making for a group. I actually have that over dominant player have to work with the quiet player who doesn' naturally lead but their character does have the most appeal to all within the game. Maybe that player decides the other player's idea isn't so great and challenges that player's idea. The Character stats are important. Perhaps you as a DM decide Player X doesn't get a chance to voice his idea and it is working more to your game plot. Drop an Artifact or magic item that will allow that player more pull in your game.... Now, I laugh when I hesitate saying some of these things but that is what a DM does. At least in 1st edition. These games are about challenging your players to work together or work out conflict. I went though an era of evil player characters. We would have a party of Merc type characters and someone would always take the path of evil and the characters would fight it out. Always remind your players, it is just a game, the die don't lie, and it is all about having a good time. Whether you are playing cards or playing Monopoly conflict will occur and it should be a good death if such should occur. Though I can say I remember some of my best players when they were first learning the game made poor decisions when dealing with lethal traps or tricks (Greed warning before the game: Character goes for treasure chest illusion fails save or attack and plunges though false floor into 50' Pit with Green Slime pool, ah those early years were so fresh deadly and somehow just! Keep the game moving, avoid over detail if it destracts, and everyone needs equal time to give player input take a turn or make crucial decisions. Biggest thing I have to deal with is what I call table talk. Conversations about something that really has nothing to do with the game. It will happen if you are DM or a Player. If you are the DM throw the Heavy Metal on those who spawn off game conversation. Pressure of death has a way of getting rambling mouths back on subject of the game which is why you are all really gathered together for. Table Talk should end before the game starts. Over the past thirty years of my gaming the best house rule I've heard to avert this is "What you say from now on is in the game unless you let us all know different." This is always great when that player slips up and speaks his mind thinking out loud to the other players and the NPC takes offense and everyone has to suddenly deal with those uncomfortable situation. How does the NPC King, Rogue, High Priest, Arch Mage, Dragon, Evil Spirit take such open disreguard of their presence. Have fun is the main thing. Not everyone will be able to make it all the time and be prepared for their character to wonder off, get captured, fall ill, etc. It will happen be prepare and flexible. Have Fun, that is what it is all about. Give someone a chance to be the leader, a main character, a suportting role, comedy releaf, a villain, and my favorite a casuality. We all know their is a chance when you are fighting you will eventually run into something that will beat you to death or all most that makes it realistic. Have Fun, Have Fun, Have Fun! and alway remind them it is only just a game and the Die Don't Lie!
#3
epikthered
Jan 28, 2012 9:57:37 Thak you! that is very helpful
#4
Mr_Miscellany
Jan 30, 2012 0:30:04 If you were able to make 9 players have fun, then something tells me you're pretty good at what you're doing already, even if you're new to the game.

Things I try to do:

1. Remember to have fun.

2. It's just a game. No need to get emotional or angry.

3. Keep play going. Try not to let play get stuck on rules discussions.

4. Be aware of what your players hope to do in the game. Give them opportunities but keep play challenging.

5. For Forgotten Realms D&D games: I tell my players that what is considered to be "canon" Realmslore is only what the players experience through their characters during play. What is in the novels and the sourcebooks might be true or it might not; the players need to explore the world through their characters to find out the truth of things.

Good luck!
#5
epikthered
Jan 31, 2012 16:39:38
I like the idea that I not stick to to many things as cannon. My friend and I came up with this idea of a drider lich as a repeating villan. I just wanna make him a high enough level that the players won't be able to beat him right away. (The story involves an alliance between Orcus and Lolth. Where Lolth is trying to kill off the other gods and is using Orcus as a double blind). Anyway I don't think the Characters will actually directly interact with him till Paragon tier. We shall see. I wanna keep it kinda loose.
Thanks though this advice helps!
#6
Mr_Miscellany
Feb 01, 2012 23:21:21 That sounds awesome. I did an Orcus vs. Lloth thing in my campaign too and it worked pretty good. Mixed that plot in with the adventure City of the Spider Queen for good measure.
#7
sfdragon
Feb 02, 2012 0:22:45 I would also advise you not to incluse any and I mean any of the iconic fr npcs....

some players start griping about they feal that said npc was the star of the show.

this does not mean you can't play in Shadowdale where ELminster and storm live, just make it so that they are not home....

this is ofcourse you cant play them properly.....(which I doubt most can)

#8
epikthered
Feb 02, 2012 10:19:43 Tats fair. I don't think I would want to play one of those guys anyway. This is gonna be FR by player team. So no story heroes unless I NEED it to futher the game. But I think that in increadably unlikely.

On a seperate note I have all the players writing backgrounds on thier characters. They have given me great story hook possibilities. I have a drow who through her background left Lolth and now serves the Raven queen. (She doesn't even know that I have Orcus and Lolth as villans!) A shifter who left his tribe and his childhood love behind. A warforged who was awakend for the first time a few weeks ago but was constructed almost 2000 years ago. And a Teifling running from his past. No one else has finnished thier background. But even just that is hours of of gaming possibility!
#9
epikthered
Feb 13, 2012 12:57:05 so we finally had our second session, and things seemed pretty good, everyone left happy and that is the best thing. I already have the next session planned out and this is more or less what i posted in our gaming groups FB page,

I think ED has my notes still. But quick recap: The party finnished off the wizard wo was after Eldra, got BTFU buy an irate party of strangers. After a sever pummling my Vaniris and some nasty magic casting by Erdan He was finnished off by two very professional crossbow shots to the face from Eldra. The wearrats that he was using as a rather efficiant sheild were very effectivly holding the parties melee combatants back, untill Erdan dropped the hevy end of the Magic Hammer on them and pushed them around like shufflebord peices. But still them came on. With some quick thinking Erdan riffled through the wizards belongings and found a glowing orb. Once he touched it the Wearrats stopped attacking and immediatly became to servants of Erdan. At least for as long as the magic of the orb holds out!

At this point an overly greatful but verbaly abused Ostran offerd to let the party members use his Bar/ inn as a base of operations. The following day he asked for there help. An Old 4 knives informant named Finnell had benn looking into a series of dissaperances in the blacklake district of Neverwinter. The party reluctantly agreed to look for Finnel and report back anything they found out, at least they agreed once Ostran offerd to pay.

At this point the party decided to split up (why?) to investigate various leads. The bulk of the party (Erdan, Eldra, Alduiin, Kagoogie, Kojak, and Valtamerii) went to the local market to ask questions and generally snoop around. Meanwhile Cal and Vaniris traveled to Mordi Veil's estate to see if the publicly Philanthropic Noble could help them. At first Cal and Vaniris met with resistance as the gaurds to Mordi's estate were less than cooperative, untill Call revealed that he is a noble. At which point he and Vaniris were rushed into an audiance with Mordi. The increadibly charismatic and popular Mordi was able to convince our heroes that he in fact knows nothing about this Finnel except that he is some kind of disreaputible criminal. So sorry, wont youe come to my ball? Oh you have a friedn who is a noble too? great bring all your friends! Carry on now, you will let me know if you need anything else wont you? Ta!

During this exchange The various party members in the market have uncoverd that the common people of the district are scared. In fact one person tells Alduiin, if it weren't for that very nice Mordi Veil helpin out the familes of them thats missing, well itd be worse. Fact is he shows up a day or two after every dissaperance.
Kojak is informed that in fact avery time one o them dissaperances happens... well peopl been saying they seen devils moving about the neiborhood!
Eldra gets pulled aside by a terrified looking woman, who tells her, They be them Ashmadi, me lady. A cult they are. Trafficing with devils and such vefry bad. them been stealing them people! When Eldra asked if they were the kind of cult that kills people the woman said, ive already said too much I must go!

At this point the bulk of the part decides that letting their friends go off by themselves to speak to someone who may be connected to a dangeroius cult was not the best plan, so the decide to intyercept them on thier return. The two groups caught up to each other in an allyway just north east of Mordis estate. They shared thier findings at which point a group of henchmen showed up and threatened them saying, you been asking too many quesdtions, we been sent to silence you! As combat began a large and terrifying specter ambled into the ally. The top half of its body was the rotting corps of a female elf and the lower half was the rotting corps of a giant spider. After a couple of the caracters were able to get in some shots on the Creature known as Boarii, and took out at least on of the lakeys, some dried out corpses with glowing eyes moved to block the enterance to a side alley. Due to some excellent roling by the players all of the humans were dispatched quickly. The Wights however proved more difficult. And after one full round of combat the characters relised they might have a hard time with these. And now it was Boarii's turn. She promptly raised the dead humans as ghouls! All the ghouls promptly attacked the front rank of heroes, immobilizing them. After a couple of rounds of combat the players were hurting and their enemys did not appear to be. Boarii enterd combat at this point and fubard the e party. In her first attck she felled 3 characters. Shortly only a few were standing. Having already pronounced something to the effect of "foolish little vermin, you have stumbeled into a game of gods! you not interfear!" She paused the combat and said "Bring them and thier allys! I have a use for them!"

Time passes, The characters wake up in a damp musty dungeon. Their gear has been taken from them. They find themselves in a comunal cell with all thier gear in a cell next to them. Strangely, Cal has been caged just across the way but he has all of his gear, and his shirt has been ripped open, there is a scar burned onto his chest....
What will happen next

#10
epikthered
Feb 13, 2012 13:02:11 oh wait characters are:
Eldra: halfling rogue fem
Alduiin: Dragonborn Paladin male
Vaniris: Genasii swordmage fem
Cal: Teifling Wizard male
Erdan Flamefist: Human Wizard male
Valtamerii: Drow Rogue fem
Kojak: Warforged Warlord neuter
Kagoogie: Shifter Ranger male
Mufasa: Halfling Warlock (absent) fem
#11
Mr_Miscellany
Feb 23, 2012 22:02:11 That's an interesting group of characters.

Was it difficult for you to keep play going while the party was split up?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 epikthered Jan 27, 2012 22:05:20	I have been interested in D&D ever since my grandmother picked up that old incompleate boxed boardgame. Which started promtly in the middle of a HUGE anti D&D push in my church. This now forbidden topic still interested me but had been pushed to the back of my priorities. Fast forward 20 years. I tell my wife "forget it. I am going to stop fighting my inner nerd. I'm gonna buy the 4E players Handbook. I'm gonna play D&D!" She promtly gives me that "whatever" look and resumes reading her magazine. 2 years later and I CANNOT find an active game in my town. SO after much debate (with my wife) I decide to DM my own game even though I have never played. I ask several friends to come over and even find one who has alot of playing experiance. I figure that more than half the players will flake on me so I over invite. Oops, now I am running a game with 9 active players and at least one more wanting to join. SO here I am; inexperianced, a little scared, DMing for my first D&D experiance. Everything goes smoothly enough. Everyone has fun. And I breath a sigh of relief. I get on the computer and go to facebook to post my success. Only to find that every member of my group has beat me there. And they are all chatting and expressing their desire to play more often (than once?) and how excited they are to be in this game! What have I done. I jest (a little) I am super freaking excited to have this go so well. But, if there is anyone out there who can give me advice on how to run a 9+ player game as my first D&D experiance. PLease HELP me! Advice, ridicule, jokes, anything!
#2 Andrekan Jan 27, 2012 23:15:16	Well first thing for a large group is to give everyone a chance. Charisma, intimadate, diplomacy you will see in the actual players. Some players will naturally lead the group even if their character scores don't match. For me as a 30 year DM that means the person with the character who does have the highest charisma, diplomacy, etc should be crucial in decision making for a group. I actually have that over dominant player have to work with the quiet player who doesn' naturally lead but their character does have the most appeal to all within the game. Maybe that player decides the other player's idea isn't so great and challenges that player's idea. The Character stats are important. Perhaps you as a DM decide Player X doesn't get a chance to voice his idea and it is working more to your game plot. Drop an Artifact or magic item that will allow that player more pull in your game.... Now, I laugh when I hesitate saying some of these things but that is what a DM does. At least in 1st edition. These games are about challenging your players to work together or work out conflict. I went though an era of evil player characters. We would have a party of Merc type characters and someone would always take the path of evil and the characters would fight it out. Always remind your players, it is just a game, the die don't lie, and it is all about having a good time. Whether you are playing cards or playing Monopoly conflict will occur and it should be a good death if such should occur. Though I can say I remember some of my best players when they were first learning the game made poor decisions when dealing with lethal traps or tricks (Greed warning before the game: Character goes for treasure chest illusion fails save or attack and plunges though false floor into 50' Pit with Green Slime pool, ah those early years were so fresh deadly and somehow just! Keep the game moving, avoid over detail if it destracts, and everyone needs equal time to give player input take a turn or make crucial decisions. Biggest thing I have to deal with is what I call table talk. Conversations about something that really has nothing to do with the game. It will happen if you are DM or a Player. If you are the DM throw the Heavy Metal on those who spawn off game conversation. Pressure of death has a way of getting rambling mouths back on subject of the game which is why you are all really gathered together for. Table Talk should end before the game starts. Over the past thirty years of my gaming the best house rule I've heard to avert this is "What you say from now on is in the game unless you let us all know different." This is always great when that player slips up and speaks his mind thinking out loud to the other players and the NPC takes offense and everyone has to suddenly deal with those uncomfortable situation. How does the NPC King, Rogue, High Priest, Arch Mage, Dragon, Evil Spirit take such open disreguard of their presence. Have fun is the main thing. Not everyone will be able to make it all the time and be prepared for their character to wonder off, get captured, fall ill, etc. It will happen be prepare and flexible. Have Fun, that is what it is all about. Give someone a chance to be the leader, a main character, a suportting role, comedy releaf, a villain, and my favorite a casuality. We all know their is a chance when you are fighting you will eventually run into something that will beat you to death or all most that makes it realistic. Have Fun, Have Fun, Have Fun! and alway remind them it is only just a game and the Die Don't Lie!
#3 epikthered Jan 28, 2012 9:57:37	Thak you! that is very helpful
#4 Mr_Miscellany Jan 30, 2012 0:30:04	If you were able to make 9 players have fun, then something tells me you're pretty good at what you're doing already, even if you're new to the game. Things I try to do: 1. Remember to have fun. 2. It's just a game. No need to get emotional or angry. 3. Keep play going. Try not to let play get stuck on rules discussions. 4. Be aware of what your players hope to do in the game. Give them opportunities but keep play challenging. 5. For Forgotten Realms D&D games: I tell my players that what is considered to be "canon" Realmslore is only what the players experience through their characters during play. What is in the novels and the sourcebooks might be true or it might not; the players need to explore the world through their characters to find out the truth of things. Good luck!
#5 epikthered Jan 31, 2012 16:39:38	I like the idea that I not stick to to many things as cannon. My friend and I came up with this idea of a drider lich as a repeating villan. I just wanna make him a high enough level that the players won't be able to beat him right away. (The story involves an alliance between Orcus and Lolth. Where Lolth is trying to kill off the other gods and is using Orcus as a double blind). Anyway I don't think the Characters will actually directly interact with him till Paragon tier. We shall see. I wanna keep it kinda loose. Thanks though this advice helps!
#6 Mr_Miscellany Feb 01, 2012 23:21:21	That sounds awesome. I did an Orcus vs. Lloth thing in my campaign too and it worked pretty good. Mixed that plot in with the adventure City of the Spider Queen for good measure.
#7 sfdragon Feb 02, 2012 0:22:45	I would also advise you not to incluse any and I mean any of the iconic fr npcs.... some players start griping about they feal that said npc was the star of the show. this does not mean you can't play in Shadowdale where ELminster and storm live, just make it so that they are not home.... this is ofcourse you cant play them properly.....(which I doubt most can)
#8 epikthered Feb 02, 2012 10:19:43	Tats fair. I don't think I would want to play one of those guys anyway. This is gonna be FR by player team. So no story heroes unless I NEED it to futher the game. But I think that in increadably unlikely. On a seperate note I have all the players writing backgrounds on thier characters. They have given me great story hook possibilities. I have a drow who through her background left Lolth and now serves the Raven queen. (She doesn't even know that I have Orcus and Lolth as villans!) A shifter who left his tribe and his childhood love behind. A warforged who was awakend for the first time a few weeks ago but was constructed almost 2000 years ago. And a Teifling running from his past. No one else has finnished thier background. But even just that is hours of of gaming possibility!
#9 epikthered Feb 13, 2012 12:57:05	so we finally had our second session, and things seemed pretty good, everyone left happy and that is the best thing. I already have the next session planned out and this is more or less what i posted in our gaming groups FB page, I think ED has my notes still. But quick recap: The party finnished off the wizard wo was after Eldra, got BTFU buy an irate party of strangers. After a sever pummling my Vaniris and some nasty magic casting by Erdan He was finnished off by two very professional crossbow shots to the face from Eldra. The wearrats that he was using as a rather efficiant sheild were very effectivly holding the parties melee combatants back, untill Erdan dropped the hevy end of the Magic Hammer on them and pushed them around like shufflebord peices. But still them came on. With some quick thinking Erdan riffled through the wizards belongings and found a glowing orb. Once he touched it the Wearrats stopped attacking and immediatly became to servants of Erdan. At least for as long as the magic of the orb holds out! At this point an overly greatful but verbaly abused Ostran offerd to let the party members use his Bar/ inn as a base of operations. The following day he asked for there help. An Old 4 knives informant named Finnell had benn looking into a series of dissaperances in the blacklake district of Neverwinter. The party reluctantly agreed to look for Finnel and report back anything they found out, at least they agreed once Ostran offerd to pay. At this point the party decided to split up (why?) to investigate various leads. The bulk of the party (Erdan, Eldra, Alduiin, Kagoogie, Kojak, and Valtamerii) went to the local market to ask questions and generally snoop around. Meanwhile Cal and Vaniris traveled to Mordi Veil's estate to see if the publicly Philanthropic Noble could help them. At first Cal and Vaniris met with resistance as the gaurds to Mordi's estate were less than cooperative, untill Call revealed that he is a noble. At which point he and Vaniris were rushed into an audiance with Mordi. The increadibly charismatic and popular Mordi was able to convince our heroes that he in fact knows nothing about this Finnel except that he is some kind of disreaputible criminal. So sorry, wont youe come to my ball? Oh you have a friedn who is a noble too? great bring all your friends! Carry on now, you will let me know if you need anything else wont you? Ta! During this exchange The various party members in the market have uncoverd that the common people of the district are scared. In fact one person tells Alduiin, if it weren't for that very nice Mordi Veil helpin out the familes of them thats missing, well itd be worse. Fact is he shows up a day or two after every dissaperance. Kojak is informed that in fact avery time one o them dissaperances happens... well peopl been saying they seen devils moving about the neiborhood! Eldra gets pulled aside by a terrified looking woman, who tells her, They be them Ashmadi, me lady. A cult they are. Trafficing with devils and such vefry bad. them been stealing them people! When Eldra asked if they were the kind of cult that kills people the woman said, ive already said too much I must go! At this point the bulk of the part decides that letting their friends go off by themselves to speak to someone who may be connected to a dangeroius cult was not the best plan, so the decide to intyercept them on thier return. The two groups caught up to each other in an allyway just north east of Mordis estate. They shared thier findings at which point a group of henchmen showed up and threatened them saying, you been asking too many quesdtions, we been sent to silence you! As combat began a large and terrifying specter ambled into the ally. The top half of its body was the rotting corps of a female elf and the lower half was the rotting corps of a giant spider. After a couple of the caracters were able to get in some shots on the Creature known as Boarii, and took out at least on of the lakeys, some dried out corpses with glowing eyes moved to block the enterance to a side alley. Due to some excellent roling by the players all of the humans were dispatched quickly. The Wights however proved more difficult. And after one full round of combat the characters relised they might have a hard time with these. And now it was Boarii's turn. She promptly raised the dead humans as ghouls! All the ghouls promptly attacked the front rank of heroes, immobilizing them. After a couple of rounds of combat the players were hurting and their enemys did not appear to be. Boarii enterd combat at this point and fubard the e party. In her first attck she felled 3 characters. Shortly only a few were standing. Having already pronounced something to the effect of "foolish little vermin, you have stumbeled into a game of gods! you not interfear!" She paused the combat and said "Bring them and thier allys! I have a use for them!" Time passes, The characters wake up in a damp musty dungeon. Their gear has been taken from them. They find themselves in a comunal cell with all thier gear in a cell next to them. Strangely, Cal has been caged just across the way but he has all of his gear, and his shirt has been ripped open, there is a scar burned onto his chest.... What will happen next
#10 epikthered Feb 13, 2012 13:02:11	oh wait characters are: Eldra: halfling rogue fem Alduiin: Dragonborn Paladin male Vaniris: Genasii swordmage fem Cal: Teifling Wizard male Erdan Flamefist: Human Wizard male Valtamerii: Drow Rogue fem Kojak: Warforged Warlord neuter Kagoogie: Shifter Ranger male Mufasa: Halfling Warlock (absent) fem
#11 Mr_Miscellany Feb 23, 2012 22:02:11	That's an interesting group of characters. Was it difficult for you to keep play going while the party was split up?