So tomorrow, at 10 am ish, is my first time DMing. Tomorrow being 06-05-2018. Any tips I should have in the front and back and center of my mind? I'm going to try my best and stick to the "Player freedom" rule. I don't wanna force anyone into anything. But other than that, tips for a 1st timer?
- Don't be afraid to prompt for actions, and assume things happen unless your players stop you or tell you different. You don't need them to tell you "I walk forward to the end of the hallway you just described". If it's obvious what they're trying to do, keep the action flowing until they interrupt you, and remind them frequently that they can and should interrupt you if you assume something they don't actually want to do, or if they want to do something else. This is the biggest way to avoid things dragging on forever, and counterintuitively will keep your players interest much better.
- The other place things will drag on is combat. Remind people when they're next "on deck", unless they're also new to the game encourage them to think about what they want to do before their turn comes and be ready for their turn immediately when it comes up unless they have a question. If some people are dragging things down, encourage them to work with players next to them to figure out what they can and should do as other people are taking their turns. Perhaps most importantly, don't take forever yourself! Have pre planned "basic AI" ideas for what the enemies should want to do and what their targeting priorities are.
- Speaking of your turn in combat and keeping it organized: Have cards of enemy stats and have a sheet of paper with the initiative order, as well as the HP of damage taken by all enemies. Have an easy way of marking them, which is easier if using Minis, which is highly recommended for a new person, it helps avoid misunderstandings regarding the combat sphere between you and the players, helps them plan out their turn better without you redescribing the theatre of combat every turn to everyone, and helps you keep track of what enemies where have taken how much damage. Using plastic rings, different colored bases, painted rings around bases, or if not using minis and using something like coins, colored dots, whatever. Just use SOMETHING so you don't get overwhelmed and lost in the weeds.
- Remember, you are your players eyes and ears in the world. Give them clues when things are up! Bloody smears near a smashing wall trap should be pointed out. Similarly, if they are vastly outclassed by their opponent, who is barely winded even as they've taken massive damage, they should be able to see that. If they should be able to see that, tell them it. Don't make them roll for every little thing. Tell them what they need to know. If something is Not immediately obvious, and could potentially be missed by an observant individual, then let them roll for it, or base it on their passive perception, but even then, give them a chance.
- Don't let your NPCs be monochromatic. If your NPCs all react to the world the same way, it won't be a surprise when the players do as well, and next thing you know you'll have a bunch of murder hobos. Keep in mind that the #1 priority for 90+% of NPCs out there should be survival. Don't have them suicide into the players on the regular, or refuse to do things when the other alternative is obvious death. At the same time, have them meaningfully different, with different motivations and fears and personality traits etc.
- Speaking of needs and fears: Flesh out the world around your players (starting with the area immediately around them) with NPCs, you can generate meaningful enough ones with just that- a name, a race, a class (maybe, if appropriate), a want, and a fear. Have a list of names handy for unexpected PCs, and if you can, a generic list of wants and fears, and mix and match to make NPCs that are unexpected (who can plan for them seeking out a basket merchant, for example), and if you use those things, be sure to record those details somewhere to add to your permanent NPC pool in the future and be able to have consistency in remembering who that was, in case they go back. Make up races, descriptions, and other details on the spot, but similarly record what you described. Don't be afraid to pause the action for a sec if you need to, you're new at this, it's ok.
- Your PCs know their characters better than you do, or should, and you should know virtually everything else better than they do. If they say one of their abilities works a certain way and it doesn't sound right but you're not 100% sure, go with it for the moment. Then later, look it up, and if need be correct them before the next time you start playing. Similarly, if someone ever calls out a rule or something you're not doing "correctly", say the following: "We'll have it work as I just described for now, but after we're done playing I'd be happy to have a look at that with you". Then, when you look it up, if it turns out you were "wrong", you have the choice of doing it by RAW in the future, or just saying "Meh I prefer the way I was doing it, I'll make a note of the fact we're houseruling that so it's clear going forward". You are the DM after all :-)
- Speaking of houserules: Record everything you're houseruling. And I mean *everything*. That list will likely grow as you keep playing. Keep a copy of that list readily available for all players to reference when and where they want. It's important they feel the world they're in has consistent rules and isn't arbitrary, and that they understand what they can and can't expect to work by RAW. You can houserule everything you want, which can be a TON, but they deserve to know what that is.
- This ties into a more basic point, which is probably the MOST IMPORTANT Tip: SET EXPECTATIONS! Talk with your players! Know going into it what they're looking to get out of the game. Some groups want to kill stuff in combat. Some want to talk in funny voices. Some want to explore a fantasy world. Some want to sell their fellow PCs drugs, get them addicted, and enslave them. Figure out what they want, and if it's not the kind of campaign you want or doesn't work with what others want, figure that out up front and Address it. Better to figure it out now than 6 months from now, Trust Me. Also clearly set boundaries, about what is and is not ok to do in game or talk about as the game progresses, and what you have as base expectations of them as players, and what they can expect from you in turn. It matters. Take the time.
Finally, Have Fun! It bears reminding new DMs :-) It's a game after all. Don't worry about it if things fall off the rails within 5 minutes, the PCs have killed half a town and are now fugitives in a jungle and are currently trying to turn wild boars into mounts to make good their escape. If everyone is having fun, you're doing great. If they're not, then you probably didn't set expectations well. At any time you can always say too "look I apologize, I wasn't ready for this course of action at all, let's pause here so I can properly prepare and give you a great experience where you're going", if you're not comfortable making stuff up on the fly yet. You can always too feel free to say "yeah this isn't working for reason X, we need to figure out how to resolve this, or just scrap this campaign and start over", and that's totally ok. You need to have fun too. Just don't feel like it HAS to go a certain way or the players NEED to do a certain thing or that your job is to trick them into following any given adventure hook. As long as everyone is having fun, it's fine.
Hope that helps! Yes I freely recognize far more than 10 tips are encompassed in there, hope that wall of text wasn't too overwhelming, I can't help but paint in broad strokes, it's a failing of mine. Good luck and have fun!
If everyone is new, hand-holding is gonna be necessary. My biggest thing when first started was getting in the heads of NPCs, and thinking about how they’d react to different stimuli.
Like for instance, what would Sildar Hallwinter do if a half-orc barbarian threatens him for money in exchange for searching for Gundrun Rockseeker?
That really helps! Even though I probably should have checked back here for a while ago, sorry! But thanks!
I recently got a group that hopefully wanna play a campaign so many of these tips there help out! ^^ I'm not using dwarven forge like CR sadly.... I'm not rich enough to buy the need amount of both minis or maps. But I have a small like school math folder that I use as a grid. But I'm hoping that when I find (if I do) the group that wanna set so much time into this I might just say **** all my money and buy dwarven forge out the ass! xD But thanks! ^^ again. Really help! Best list of tips I've gotten yet! ^^
Well. Probably very weird. Because if he threatens him to take his service he would probably be confused and frightened. Unless of course the barbarian rolls a natural 1 on intimidation. ^^
*faint evil laugh*
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So tomorrow, at 10 am ish, is my first time DMing. Tomorrow being 06-05-2018. Any tips I should have in the front and back and center of my mind? I'm going to try my best and stick to the "Player freedom" rule. I don't wanna force anyone into anything. But other than that, tips for a 1st timer?
Thanks in advance!
Here's my personal "top 10 tips"
- Don't be afraid to prompt for actions, and assume things happen unless your players stop you or tell you different. You don't need them to tell you "I walk forward to the end of the hallway you just described". If it's obvious what they're trying to do, keep the action flowing until they interrupt you, and remind them frequently that they can and should interrupt you if you assume something they don't actually want to do, or if they want to do something else. This is the biggest way to avoid things dragging on forever, and counterintuitively will keep your players interest much better.
- The other place things will drag on is combat. Remind people when they're next "on deck", unless they're also new to the game encourage them to think about what they want to do before their turn comes and be ready for their turn immediately when it comes up unless they have a question. If some people are dragging things down, encourage them to work with players next to them to figure out what they can and should do as other people are taking their turns. Perhaps most importantly, don't take forever yourself! Have pre planned "basic AI" ideas for what the enemies should want to do and what their targeting priorities are.
- Speaking of your turn in combat and keeping it organized: Have cards of enemy stats and have a sheet of paper with the initiative order, as well as the HP of damage taken by all enemies. Have an easy way of marking them, which is easier if using Minis, which is highly recommended for a new person, it helps avoid misunderstandings regarding the combat sphere between you and the players, helps them plan out their turn better without you redescribing the theatre of combat every turn to everyone, and helps you keep track of what enemies where have taken how much damage. Using plastic rings, different colored bases, painted rings around bases, or if not using minis and using something like coins, colored dots, whatever. Just use SOMETHING so you don't get overwhelmed and lost in the weeds.
- Remember, you are your players eyes and ears in the world. Give them clues when things are up! Bloody smears near a smashing wall trap should be pointed out. Similarly, if they are vastly outclassed by their opponent, who is barely winded even as they've taken massive damage, they should be able to see that. If they should be able to see that, tell them it. Don't make them roll for every little thing. Tell them what they need to know. If something is Not immediately obvious, and could potentially be missed by an observant individual, then let them roll for it, or base it on their passive perception, but even then, give them a chance.
- Don't let your NPCs be monochromatic. If your NPCs all react to the world the same way, it won't be a surprise when the players do as well, and next thing you know you'll have a bunch of murder hobos. Keep in mind that the #1 priority for 90+% of NPCs out there should be survival. Don't have them suicide into the players on the regular, or refuse to do things when the other alternative is obvious death. At the same time, have them meaningfully different, with different motivations and fears and personality traits etc.
- Speaking of needs and fears: Flesh out the world around your players (starting with the area immediately around them) with NPCs, you can generate meaningful enough ones with just that- a name, a race, a class (maybe, if appropriate), a want, and a fear. Have a list of names handy for unexpected PCs, and if you can, a generic list of wants and fears, and mix and match to make NPCs that are unexpected (who can plan for them seeking out a basket merchant, for example), and if you use those things, be sure to record those details somewhere to add to your permanent NPC pool in the future and be able to have consistency in remembering who that was, in case they go back. Make up races, descriptions, and other details on the spot, but similarly record what you described. Don't be afraid to pause the action for a sec if you need to, you're new at this, it's ok.
- Your PCs know their characters better than you do, or should, and you should know virtually everything else better than they do. If they say one of their abilities works a certain way and it doesn't sound right but you're not 100% sure, go with it for the moment. Then later, look it up, and if need be correct them before the next time you start playing. Similarly, if someone ever calls out a rule or something you're not doing "correctly", say the following: "We'll have it work as I just described for now, but after we're done playing I'd be happy to have a look at that with you". Then, when you look it up, if it turns out you were "wrong", you have the choice of doing it by RAW in the future, or just saying "Meh I prefer the way I was doing it, I'll make a note of the fact we're houseruling that so it's clear going forward". You are the DM after all :-)
- Speaking of houserules: Record everything you're houseruling. And I mean *everything*. That list will likely grow as you keep playing. Keep a copy of that list readily available for all players to reference when and where they want. It's important they feel the world they're in has consistent rules and isn't arbitrary, and that they understand what they can and can't expect to work by RAW. You can houserule everything you want, which can be a TON, but they deserve to know what that is.
- This ties into a more basic point, which is probably the MOST IMPORTANT Tip: SET EXPECTATIONS! Talk with your players! Know going into it what they're looking to get out of the game. Some groups want to kill stuff in combat. Some want to talk in funny voices. Some want to explore a fantasy world. Some want to sell their fellow PCs drugs, get them addicted, and enslave them. Figure out what they want, and if it's not the kind of campaign you want or doesn't work with what others want, figure that out up front and Address it. Better to figure it out now than 6 months from now, Trust Me. Also clearly set boundaries, about what is and is not ok to do in game or talk about as the game progresses, and what you have as base expectations of them as players, and what they can expect from you in turn. It matters. Take the time.
Finally, Have Fun! It bears reminding new DMs :-) It's a game after all. Don't worry about it if things fall off the rails within 5 minutes, the PCs have killed half a town and are now fugitives in a jungle and are currently trying to turn wild boars into mounts to make good their escape. If everyone is having fun, you're doing great. If they're not, then you probably didn't set expectations well. At any time you can always say too "look I apologize, I wasn't ready for this course of action at all, let's pause here so I can properly prepare and give you a great experience where you're going", if you're not comfortable making stuff up on the fly yet. You can always too feel free to say "yeah this isn't working for reason X, we need to figure out how to resolve this, or just scrap this campaign and start over", and that's totally ok. You need to have fun too. Just don't feel like it HAS to go a certain way or the players NEED to do a certain thing or that your job is to trick them into following any given adventure hook. As long as everyone is having fun, it's fine.
Hope that helps! Yes I freely recognize far more than 10 tips are encompassed in there, hope that wall of text wasn't too overwhelming, I can't help but paint in broad strokes, it's a failing of mine. Good luck and have fun!
If everyone is new, hand-holding is gonna be necessary. My biggest thing when first started was getting in the heads of NPCs, and thinking about how they’d react to different stimuli.
Like for instance, what would Sildar Hallwinter do if a half-orc barbarian threatens him for money in exchange for searching for Gundrun Rockseeker?
That really helps! Even though I probably should have checked back here for a while ago, sorry! But thanks!
I recently got a group that hopefully wanna play a campaign so many of these tips there help out! ^^ I'm not using dwarven forge like CR sadly....
I'm not rich enough to buy the need amount of both minis or maps. But I have a small like school math folder that I use as a grid. But I'm hoping that when I
find (if I do) the group that wanna set so much time into this I might just say **** all my money and buy dwarven forge out the ass! xD
But thanks! ^^ again. Really help! Best list of tips I've gotten yet! ^^
Well. Probably very weird. Because if he threatens him to take his service he would probably be confused and frightened. Unless of course the barbarian rolls a natural 1 on intimidation. ^^
*faint evil laugh*