[Play Report] DMing for Middle/High Schoolers

[Rechan]

So here's an update.

I went by Saturday with a signup sheet, just so I could get an idea of Names, Ages, and if they'd played before, along with some rules printoffs. The coordinator told me they had done a signup themselves, and that 12 kids(!) had signed up. But not all may be available due to rides/interest/whatnot, but that a few had in fact played.

Today I picked up my signup sheet and the rules packet.

Oddly, the signup sheet only had 5 names on it, all experienced boys 13, 14, 14, 15 (a fifth boy could only make it sometimes). I don't know what happened to the other 8 who initially signed up, don't know if they will show up.

Inside the rules packet there was a letter inside written by two of the experienced players. I want to say that I was impressed with the letter. It had a professional tone, it used words like "approximate"; I honestly thought it was written by the program coordinator until I noticed the names at the bottom matched two of the names on the signup sheet. I already like these kids.

The first paragraph asked - since there was a large number of people interested - if I'd be willing to split the experienced and unexperienced kids into two groups (each group max 6), and play alternate weekends. Not a bad idea - the coordinator and I had talked about having two groups and doing them on separate evenings, and I had considered splitting them up based on experience (and possibly gender).

Then I came across this paragraph:

Also, we were wondering if we could, instead of playing 4.0, play 3.5e or Pathfinder. This is because most of our experienced players have played 3.5e and not 4.0. If you wish, you could play 4.0 with the younger players since they have not played D&D at all before. We understand that it is hard to switch from DMing one edition to another, but it would just be easier for most of our players since we are used to .5e system, and the Pathfinder system is the closest, most balanced edition of 3.5e

This puts me in a bit of a spot. I don't own any PF books (and the 3.5 books I own are mainly fluff/setting stuff) so making characters as well as running will be tough, unless I fork over cash. Furthermore, I've put more work into designing the 4e adventure/Pcs/etc. It's also a pain, having two copies of the same adventure/printing off MORE pregens, etc.

What I notice though is that they are saying "Run that, because most of us have played 3.5, we haven't played the other edition", not "We don't like that other edition". Also they are saying "most", so that means one has played 4e. These two are just inexperienced with 4e. IMO the core rules are not that different (yes, classes & healing are different but the mechanics of attacking, skills, moving on a grid, etc are the same), therefore they should not have a real problem learning it.

So this is my plan of action: I'm going to tell the experienced players that I have pregens, let me show you the rules and we'll play a session or two. If you still don't like it after that, then I'll try to do PF. If you do like it, then I'll help you design a character (my plan all along had been to run pregens and for those who still liked it after two sessions, they'd get to make characters).

What do you guys think?

The first session is this Sunday. Whatever happens, I'll post a play report here. Also as soon as I finish the pregens (this evening or tomorrow), I'll post those.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Your response sounds reasonable, but you might also ask the experienced players:

1) what books they have. If they have the books to run 3.5Edor PF, you might not have to buy anything.

2) if any of them would like to help you teach the newbies.

 

[Flatus Maximus]

Well, since they specifically asked, I'd run 3.5/PF. If it's just a matter of having the books, then PFSRD is really all you need, at least to get started:

Pathfinder_OGC

Among the six people in our gaming group, we own most, if not all of the Pathfinder books. However, I can't think of anything in them that's not on the PFSRD.

By the way: This is so awesome of you. I wish someone like you had been around when I was growing up. I saved up my allowance as a little kid, bought the Mentzer Basic and Expert boxes, but couldn't find anyone to play with. I didn't get to actually start playing until college.

 

[Rechan]

@Dannyalcatraz not a bad idea - I had thought of asking if any of them wanted to learn how to DM.

@Flatus Maximus One thought that crossed my mind was simply buying and giving one of the players a PF Beginner Box, along with a link to the PF SRD. I'd hate to come across as "If you want that, do it yourself", but if they don't have the books and are just really into it, I'd want to give that opportunity (besides, I hear the PF Beginner Box is just a really good intro product). If I could get one of them to DM it, that would be a gift far greater than just running the game for them.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

It's not just learning to DM, it's learning 4Ed. It's learning the joy that you're going to be experiencing- introducing others to the game. It's an extra set of hands to help you field questions and create/run PCs.

 

[buddhafrog]

yeah, I think that's a little tough. I agree with the advice given. Either:

• Ask which books they have - you really only need the Core book for you. The great thing is that all the Pathfinder info is free online, so all the kids can access it.
• Tell them that you have all the 4e stuff you need, that you are more comfortable with 4e, and ask if they're willing to give it a try - it's very similar and they won't need to learn much at all. I'd not set a "2 week" period but leave it open ended.

I think it's very fair for you to say you want to run 4e if that is what you really want. If you don't care, than hey, why not Pathfinder/3.5?

With 5 signed-up players, it looks like you won't be breaking it into two groups. I think new players can be just as good as the experienced players after a few sessions. I think that won't be a problem for the players.

 

[S'mon]

So this is my plan of action: I'm going to tell the experienced players that I have pregens, let me show you the rules and we'll play a session or two. If you still don't like it after that, then I'll try to do PF. If you do like it, then I'll help you design a character (my plan all along had been to run pregens and for those who still liked it after two sessions, they'd get to make characters).

What do you guys think?

Seems reasonable, but I advise strongly against running a game you don't want to run. You could try the Pathfinder Beginner Box, very simple to pick up and play, but you may have trouble with rules-lawyers going: "What about Attacks of Opportunity?" and "My Wizard wants to cast in Combat! This sucks!"

So, I think:

1. Try them on 4e.
2. If they hate it, try running Pathfinder BB, see if you like it. Make clear that you're using it as-is, not Pathfinder Core.
3. If they hate that too, either you run Pathfinder Core, if you want to, or you'll have to withdraw or get the unhappy players to withdraw.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I also would be very wary of runnig a game you do not find fun.
If you enjoy running 3.x/pathfinder then ok but otherwise your issues with the system will contaminate the game.

 

[nedjer]

They sound like ideal future GM material and acting on their preferences gives you a player choice halo from the off. The 9.99 or similar for a Pathfinder PDF and the ease with which you can switch between sets would maybe make it money well spent.

 

[riotshieldnation]

My thoughts are this:

1.) You have everything set up for 4e already.

2.) You may have kids that have never played, and IMO 4e is friendlier than 3.5 to people who have never played any rpg before.

3.) Fourth ed. is still similar enough to 3.5 that it won't take any effort to learn, and if those other kids don't show up (or you decide to run alternating weekends) and the experienced ones don't like it, you can always change systems.

So basically, I'd say do what you planned on doing anyway. There's always room for change later.