When a DM Starts the Campaign off on the Wrong Foot

[Retreater]

A couple of months ago I started a Pathfinder campaign. Now about a half dozen sessions in, I've realized that I didn't carefully plan out the campaign enough and I think that things are going to implode.

Can you offer some advice to help me dig out of these holes?

1) A player really wanted to try a playtest character class. Since the class doesn't really have the mileage in, I don't know how to properly reward or challenge him. The rules are also a little fuzzy. I feel like every time the character interacts in a combat I have to make up special rules.

2) The campaign setting is not a good fit for our group's playstyle. I choose Ptolus just because I had spent a lot of money on it. Now the thing is a mess. The group is already being pulled in several different directions with different loyalties, will abandon missions/adventures at the midpoint because it doesn't "fit" their characters, and expect every higher level NPC or organization to bail them out of their trouble.

3) As a connected problem to #2, the party is too well equipped. They can buy any armor or weapons they want. They have AC 23 at 3rd level, and nothing can touch them except on a Natural 20. (I'm afraid that if I work too hard to bypass their armor with spells, touch attacks, etc., that they will complain.)

4) I don't care for the system. Not knocking Pathfinder - I just don't like DMing it. I'd rather be running or playing a different system. (The way we're playing it, with the players using Pathfinder and me using a 3.5 campaign setting with 3.5 monsters feels like a patchwork system that is a "mess.")

My gut reaction in planning this week's session is to 1) send rust monsters and gray oozes to destroy a lot of their equipment; 2) to destroy Ptolus in a monstrous apocalypse; and 3) to introduce a villain so terrible that the party will get past their petty squabbling and work together.

Is this too heavy-handed? Is there a better method to salvage this campaign without having to reset everything?

A couple of caveats: two of the players are new to the hobby. I don't want to scare them off. Another player is a little immature and tends to take things very personally (he is one of the players whose character has an impenetrable AC.)

Retreater

 

[Morrus]

4) I don't care for the system. Not knocking Pathfinder - I just don't like DMing it.

I think this point overrides the others. If you don't like running a system, then you really need to not run that system - because you'll end up not enjoying your game. And when the GM doesn't enjoy the game, it's unlikely that anyone else will, either.

 

[MatthewJHanson]

I would take the honest approach. Tell them how you feel and give them the reasons you listed here (many of them may feel the same way).

I would suggest that you then restart the campaign over from scratch. Maybe start the new characters at the same level so they feel like that time was not "wasted". Also talk with them during the character creation process so that the setting and the characters are a better fit (there can be give and take in both directions).

 

[ExploderWizard]

I think this point overrides the others. If you don't like running a system, then you really need to not run that system - because you'll end up not enjoying your game. And when the GM doesn't enjoy the game, it's unlikely that anyone else will, either.

Wisdom here. Tell them up front that you are not having much fun with the game.

 

[Jeffrey]

Life is too short, my friend, to spend your leisure time doing something you dislike.

Sit everyone down and talk about the issues. Heck, they may be as unhappy as you are. Offer a re-start. Different rules, maybe a different setting.

You guys are all there to have fun. If you don't, then stop and try something else.

 

[Crothian]

Everyone gets a mulligan once in a while. Do a do over and learn from this experience to make it better for all.

 

[kigmatzomat]

While I agree with killing a campaign you don't enjoy running, many of the problems could occur again.

Between 2 & 3, it looks like your players aren't concerned with consequences. The best possibility is they, too, are not invested in the campaign. The alternative is that in other campaigns they will continue to be reliant upon your unwillingness to beat them up.

In your next campaign have NPCs do essentially what your PCs did in this game (getting involved in events and bailing, expecting others to protect them, being tough due to gear) and then have the NPCs brought down. Possibly use the PCs to bring the NPCs down.

Have the powerful patrons publically disavow the NPCs which frees up anyone harmed/wronged/angered from prior incomplete misadventure to come after the NPCs. Attacks come at all hours of the night so they can't sleep, food gets poisoned, their gear gets stolen, and any possibly criminal acts are brought to light. At the end the NPCs should wind up dead, in jail, or forced to flee, penniless, from the city.

Hopefully the PCs take the hint so you don't have to beat them directly.

 

[Cerebral Paladin]

I agree with what most people have said: be upfront, tell your players why, and start over with a fresh start. Being apologetic can't hurt, and you should ask them (and listen) what they like/don't like about the game, because this is an opportunity to fix that as well.

That said, I wouldn't do the in-game deus ex machina "now I break your stuff and transform the world to fix the problems I see," unless the players specifically want that. I would probably react to that with anger and resentment and "what's that about?" if I were a player. In contrast, while I might be disappointed by a campaign reboot, I would understand and go with it.

(BTW, if you are near a satisfying resolution point, you might consider offering to run a big wrap-up session, just to avoid the "everything's left hanging" feel. But I think that's up to your players--they might want to start a new game now, to not waste time on a campaign that isn't going anywhere, or they might want a big blow out battle to make that campaign feel finished, even if it's shorter than planned.)

 

[ReeboKesh]

3) As a connected problem to #2, the party is too well equipped. They can buy any armor or weapons they want. They have AC 23 at 3rd level, and nothing can touch them except on a Natural 20. (I'm afraid that if I work too hard to bypass their armor with spells, touch attacks, etc., that they will complain.)

Ok there are some good suggestions mentioned above but before you do anything or start afresh you need to ask yourself how did the problems in point 3) occur? Did you give them too much treasure or magic items?
There's no point in changing campaigns or systems if this happens again.
Reebo

 

[Steel_Wind]

Honstly, AC 23 isn't that bad. One of the rangers in my current Pathfinder campaign has that AC at 4th level.

He's still being hit a lot!

The Game Master's Guide for PFRPG is out in three weeks. It has a huge section on stat blocks and NPCs encounter groups in it. That can take all the work out of dealing with that aspect of the game for you if you are finding it to be a pain in the ass. Conveting on the fly from Ptolus can be a little off-putting, I'm sure.

You might consider increasing the threat CR level by a considerable amount. That will either serve to force your players to work together, improve the quality of combats and make you feel as if you can more reasonably challenge your players.

Or... or it might be a TPK. Which at this stage seems to be a "reset" by other means.