Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
D&D Older Editions
New to 4E, New to DM, New to EN
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Neonchameleon" data-source="post: 5784062" data-attributes="member: 87792"><p>Welcome aboard! Always good to have a new person, especially a new DM.</p><p> </p><p></p><p> </p><p>Possibly. They've added themes. And there are <em>far</em> too many feats in the game.</p><p> </p><p>Honestly, I'd make your first feat Expertise with whatever weapon or implement you chose (Heavy Blade Expertise, Light Blade Expertise, Orb Expertise, or Master of Arms if you like mixing weapons) and your second a multiclass feat.</p><p> </p><p></p><p> </p><p>Perversely most people who vocally dislike 4e prefer a fiddlier alternative (Pathfinder).</p><p> </p><p></p><p> </p><p>It's fun! And you've picked an excellent system to learn to DM on. (Actually I'd say that this is where 4e truly shines). A few tips that might help:</p><p> </p><p>1: Roll the Dice or say Yes. The game is about the PCs and they should be given as much freedom to act (for good or ill) as much as possible. (Note: does not apply to violating the laws of Holywood Physics - which is what 4e runs under).</p><p> </p><p>2: Don't introduce DMPCs, however tempting it is. You get the world. Getting a party member too is just <em>greedy</em>. Likewise don't have many of the NPCs cooler than the PCs. The story is about the PCs. (Of course a boss as cool as Darth Vader is a good thing, but he shouldn't get too much screen time and should be defeated).</p><p> </p><p>3: Never give the PCs only one route to success. Give them the problem - the solution is in their hands. Far more fun for all concerned.</p><p> </p><p>4: A decent answer right now is much better than the "correct" answer three minutes later for keeping the game fun.</p><p> </p><p>5: 4e has formulas for dealing with daft PC stunts (damage by level) and daft PC plans (skill challlenges). Use them. If you want to encourage stunts, use the high damage by level expressions. To penalise give penalties to the actions and use the low expressions.</p><p>5b: Remember the "bag of sand" rule. If sand in the face worked every time then fighters would carry bags of sand around rather than swords.</p><p> </p><p>6: Skill Challenges. First a skill challenge is not a skill roll. If it's pass/fail (e.g. picking a lock) use a skill roll. And never tell the PCs they are in one or just ask them to roll dice. Instead ask them what they are doing, and then tell them what to roll based on that. Keep the outcome on a couple of tally charts - and mark failures by introducing narrative complications (like a guard going alert or a child asking what's going on). These complications often open up more ideas for PCs to use skills. Skill challenges are especially good for "I'll distract the guards while you go round the back" plans.</p><p> </p><p>7: PC Plans. Your PCs will come up with insane plans from time to time. Roll with it. Just make a quick assessment about the level of PC you'd expect to try that idea and how complicated it is. So "Level 5, Complexity 3" or whatever. And ask them what they are doing and say what the world's doing, with occasional skill rolls when they call one out. The skill challenge will handle the difficulty and the pacing well - taking a lot of pressure off you.</p><p> </p><p>8: Fights. Any fight needs three things. 1: A reason. 2: At least two types of monster (or a solo). 3: An interesting piece of terrain to use somehow (tables and chandeliers, pits, ropes, rivers or ponds, and others all work - something to use rather than to just stand there and hide behind). But after a few sessions you can do this on the fly.</p><p> </p><p>Note that I presented them as rules. They are guidelines and I've broken all of them on occasion - but that comes with experience.</p><p> </p><p></p><p> </p><p>Make them pregens. I'd suggest a knight and a thief - those being two simple but cool classes to play. The other three essentials martial classes (Slayer, Scout, Hunter) would also be good. Seriously, you can play either of the two I named while barely looking at your character sheet.</p><p> </p><p>I hope some of that helps <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Neonchameleon, post: 5784062, member: 87792"] Welcome aboard! Always good to have a new person, especially a new DM. Possibly. They've added themes. And there are [I]far[/I] too many feats in the game. Honestly, I'd make your first feat Expertise with whatever weapon or implement you chose (Heavy Blade Expertise, Light Blade Expertise, Orb Expertise, or Master of Arms if you like mixing weapons) and your second a multiclass feat. Perversely most people who vocally dislike 4e prefer a fiddlier alternative (Pathfinder). It's fun! And you've picked an excellent system to learn to DM on. (Actually I'd say that this is where 4e truly shines). A few tips that might help: 1: Roll the Dice or say Yes. The game is about the PCs and they should be given as much freedom to act (for good or ill) as much as possible. (Note: does not apply to violating the laws of Holywood Physics - which is what 4e runs under). 2: Don't introduce DMPCs, however tempting it is. You get the world. Getting a party member too is just [I]greedy[/I]. Likewise don't have many of the NPCs cooler than the PCs. The story is about the PCs. (Of course a boss as cool as Darth Vader is a good thing, but he shouldn't get too much screen time and should be defeated). 3: Never give the PCs only one route to success. Give them the problem - the solution is in their hands. Far more fun for all concerned. 4: A decent answer right now is much better than the "correct" answer three minutes later for keeping the game fun. 5: 4e has formulas for dealing with daft PC stunts (damage by level) and daft PC plans (skill challlenges). Use them. If you want to encourage stunts, use the high damage by level expressions. To penalise give penalties to the actions and use the low expressions. 5b: Remember the "bag of sand" rule. If sand in the face worked every time then fighters would carry bags of sand around rather than swords. 6: Skill Challenges. First a skill challenge is not a skill roll. If it's pass/fail (e.g. picking a lock) use a skill roll. And never tell the PCs they are in one or just ask them to roll dice. Instead ask them what they are doing, and then tell them what to roll based on that. Keep the outcome on a couple of tally charts - and mark failures by introducing narrative complications (like a guard going alert or a child asking what's going on). These complications often open up more ideas for PCs to use skills. Skill challenges are especially good for "I'll distract the guards while you go round the back" plans. 7: PC Plans. Your PCs will come up with insane plans from time to time. Roll with it. Just make a quick assessment about the level of PC you'd expect to try that idea and how complicated it is. So "Level 5, Complexity 3" or whatever. And ask them what they are doing and say what the world's doing, with occasional skill rolls when they call one out. The skill challenge will handle the difficulty and the pacing well - taking a lot of pressure off you. 8: Fights. Any fight needs three things. 1: A reason. 2: At least two types of monster (or a solo). 3: An interesting piece of terrain to use somehow (tables and chandeliers, pits, ropes, rivers or ponds, and others all work - something to use rather than to just stand there and hide behind). But after a few sessions you can do this on the fly. Note that I presented them as rules. They are guidelines and I've broken all of them on occasion - but that comes with experience. Make them pregens. I'd suggest a knight and a thief - those being two simple but cool classes to play. The other three essentials martial classes (Slayer, Scout, Hunter) would also be good. Seriously, you can play either of the two I named while barely looking at your character sheet. I hope some of that helps :) [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
D&D Older Editions
New to 4E, New to DM, New to EN
Top