DMing: from fun to work

[TarionzCousin]

A few people mentioned stat blocks. Can anyone be more specific? Is it creating NPCs? Advancing monster HD? Something else?

Adjusting stat blocks really sucks. If there were a simple formula, such as +1/2 AC +1 HD and +1d6 per level, that would help tremendously.

If only there were something called "The Spine" that we could see and use for all PC's and monsters....

 

[DrunkonDuty]

Stat blocks can get pretty annoying. And I say this as a HERO system player. I like pre-published stat blocks. It's easy enough to make small changes to keep it interesting but those times you need to start from the ground up... ugh.

But my main thing is when high level play gets out of hand. You know, when the characters are all virtual demi-gods and the difficulty in preparing a fun challenge that this creates. Designing challenges becomes a real chore, less for the monster bashing (easy enough to add a few numbers or change a special effect) but much more so for plots. A good mystery plot is easily derailed by even medium level spells.

And then there is just time. Even with a campaign I'm enjoying with fun characters I can get to the point where I just want a change of style. pace, system.

 

[Celebrim]

Adjusting stat blocks really sucks.

I have this really nice file of 3 line (1st edition style) stat blocks for all 3e srd monsters. I just cut and paste the stat block into my notes (hurray for word processors!).

My theory of stat block adjustment is, "I'm just publishing this for my own personal use, small errors are acceptable and if it comes down to it, represent the natural variation in real world creatures."

The only hard parts of stat block adjustment are skill allocation and spell listings. HD adjustment is usually pretty quick, especially when you've done it enough that you've basically memorized the base saving throws. Skill adjustment is usually irrelevant anyway. Besides a handful of skills directly related to combat that might come up, most definately won't come up (or if they do, you can assign them then). My general theory when I want to allocate skills is to figure out how many skills the critter has, and how many points that they have and list those skills that are relevant as if points/skills evenly. As for spells, odds are the creature won't last more than 6 rounds. Listing more than six or so spells (plus some maybe some buffs) is generally gratuitious.

My theory of 'balance' is simply, "Go with your gut.", and if any 'checking' is required to see if you got the balance right, "Go with the math (simulate the combat), not with the rules." A few quick checks to see how much damage the creature is expected to do per round and how long it can stand up to the PC's is much more important than properly calculating CR according to the rules formulas.

If stat allocation did start to consume alot of my time, I'd probably create a tool (excel, C#, something) to do it for me. And, before I'd do that, I'd probably look around and discover that such a tool already exists because I can't be the first DM to think that.

 

[amerigoV]

A few people mentioned stat blocks. Can anyone be more specific? Is it creating NPCs? Advancing monster HD? Something else?

In 3.5, it is all that and a bag of chips too. Adding a template, adding classes, advancing HD was all a pain. High level stat blocks were just too big (honestly, I do not have to know if a 15th level NPC has profession skills or feats that have static adjustments to the numbers (like Toughness/Weapon Focus). The other big issue is creatures that could self buff or had a buffer around (say a BBEG cleric). All the fiddly adjustments were painful to track.

Lastly for 3.5, non-monster NPCs needed a set amount of gear to be at CR. So there were some good random NPC generators, but you still had gear them up. No biggie at low level. PITA at medium to high levels.

I HAD to use a computer to run the game (with Savage Worlds, I rarely need a pencil at the table non-the-less a computer).

I love 4e's approach that just "builds in" an assumed amount of magic item buffs, advancements, feats, etc. Easy adjustments, easy templates. Good stuff.

My groups overall did not take to 4e from the player side, so I did not get to fully explore 4e's changes to prep, but they looked good. So for Trailblazer, my recommendation is take the 4e approach to monsters - a streamline system with smaller stat blocks.

 

[nedjer]

Once upon a time stats blocks hardly figured. Then I did stats blocks and more stats blocks until I hated stats blocks. Now stats blocks hardly figure.

 

[Guest 85555]

When you get burned out. I know it is a simple response, but eventually, you need a break. In my experience I eventually get burned out with a campaign and from GMing in general, and need to take a hiatus to recharge.

 

[Votan]

Lastly for 3.5, non-monster NPCs needed a set amount of gear to be at CR. So there were some good random NPC generators, but you still had gear them up. No biggie at low level. PITA at medium to high levels.

This got even more complicated if you wanted to be sure that party wealth per level would be respected and used appropriate numbers of lower power items rather then a few higher power items to speed up the process.

I also find DMing gets a lot harder when the players get massive mobility options (always flying with greater invisibility, teleporting, plane shifting) as this massively increases the ways that the adventure can go and dramatically increases preparation time.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

For me it's not generating the statblock per se that's the problem, especially since there are now some pretty good electronic resources available to do the first 95% of the work for you.

The biggest time sink is rendering the statblock down to something that's easily referenced at the table. If i'm cut'n'pasting from another source, frex, the statblocks are invariably structured differently. And if I'm doing my own stuff, layout can be difficult because the most relevant stats change from monster to monster and there's just so much to pick through to distill it down to that most relevant stuff.

 

[Reynard]

The biggest time sink is rendering the statblock down to something that's easily referenced at the table. If i'm cut'n'pasting from another source, frex, the statblocks are invariably structured differently. And if I'm doing my own stuff, layout can be difficult because the most relevant stats change from monster to monster and there's just so much to pick through to distill it down to that most relevant stuff.

This.

I am in the process of putting together a number of encounters/short scenarios for a campaign we just converted from 3.5 to Pathfinder and even with the online PFSRDs, getting those statbloks over and formatted to take up less spae so i can fit more info per page is a bear.

I am not really complaining, though. Prep is fun for me (if time consuming) and more importantly having to go through the stat blocks in order to format them means I am really looking at them, far more than i would be if I was just checking page numbers.

 

[Garmorn]

When there is no connection (spark/click) between the DM and the Players. When the game expectations don't match.