DM'ing my first adventure by myself!

[dragonis111]

Hey guys, I will soon(next month) be running an adventure by my self with 4 players. I have no ideas yet for anything, as to what adventure to run, their characters will be level 5 and I am making their characters for them, they know how to play but aren't good at making characters, so they will be giving me their character ideas. As the final encounter for the adventure I will be playing a 5th level half giant psychic warrior with some later to be determined friends. I was wondering if anybody knew of a good adventure for 4 5th level adventurers.

Also I am asking if anyone has any tips for running an adventure as this is my first game I am running on my own.

Things I know so far:
I have and will use a dm screen.
I have plenty of extra dice.
I know how to do most rolls for things like attacks and saves.

 

[dragonis111]

Any help at all? I really just need a good adventure!

 

[darjr]

You could take a look at RPGA adventures.

I will often stand at the table. Doesn't sound like much, but you'll be a more commanding presence if they are seated.

Also I get a little stage fright. I burn it off by hamming it up a bit with the RP.

You don't have to go all out for each NPC, if you just RP the important ones and give each something a little different (pace and limp for one, use a funny non-annoying voice for another, use terrible grammar for a third) for each one. Just one thing for each should do. Everyone else you can talk in third person and quote them.

In your language about what they see and hear and feel and smell, show don't tell. Describe things don't name them.

The orc isn't carrying a sword, he is gripping a rusty blood stained hunk of stolen steel. Don't over do it, a little bit goes a long way and you can try to save the best for the important stuff and important NPCs.

 

[darjr]

Oh. Consider winging a lot of things.

Take notes. Consistency is king and hard to do from session to session if you don't. Little notes as reminders is enough, the players will forget things to, just not the same things. After a session consider asking what they liked, those are the things they'll remember the details about and so should you.

 

[darjr]

for a 4 hour session consider doing 6 encounters. Make at least half of them RP or skill challenges.

Since they are new go with the old tricks and tropes.

You'll have to flesh it out but...

Encounter 1 have them meet in a bar and deal with being in a D&D bar and introducing themselves to each other. Maybe a drunken dance contest as part of a skill challenge... maybe not...

Encounter 2 have them meet a mysterious stranger that has info about a dungeon. How and why is up to you. Consider making it a skill challenge.

Roll up a random dungeon from your DMG. Roll up two random encounters from your DMG. Place them and treasure in your dungeon. Put your last encounter in the Dungeon. That's three combat encounters.

Make the entrance trapped in various ways and a skill challenge to get through. Or make the traveling to the dungeon a skill challenge against the wilderness. Or move one of your in dungeon encounters so it happens in the wilderness on the way and put the trap in the dungeon.

Just a note, I run skill challenges without telling the players and with prompting them to tell me why they would get to roll any skills or take other actions or use powers to over come the challenge. Let them collaborate.

Finally look for when they might have clever ways to overcome any encounter and let it be, don't hand them success on a silver platter though. It might shorten your planned adventure and you might have to wing new stuff, but I think it's worth it.

 

[dragonis111]

Thank you Darjr, I really like your idea of starting in a bar, pretty good place to begin quests In my opinion, and who doesn't like a good skill challenge.

 

[Quartz]

Don't just give them character ideas - give them the characters pre-built. Otherwise you'll spend the whole session creating characters.

And don't use the 'you meet in an inn' cliché. Making up their characters for them allows you to pre-set the scene. Maybe two of the characters are brothers, for instance.

 

[Nifft]

If your players aren't good at making PCs, I suggest you try to make their PCs simple to play. It sounds like you're playing 3.x here, so I recommend [Reserve] feats for the spellcasters.

And don't use the 'you meet in an inn' cliché. Making up their characters for them allows you to pre-set the scene. Maybe two of the characters are brothers, for instance.

Rather than this, I suggest asking the players how their characters know each other.

Cheers, -- N

 

[nopantsyet]

Here's a thought: Stat out the characters covering each of the roles, but leave the personality and motivation to the players. Start the session off by handing out the sheets randomly and let players trade if they want. Give them a few minutes to come up with their name and a sentence or three that sums up their character, then go around the table and let everybody "introduce" their character. Next, give them a few minutes to "recall" a sentence about their most recent adventure and one about the role that the PC of the player to their right (or whatever) played in that adventure. Presto! Your players have characters that they are invested in and who know each other.

That done, kick the game off with action. A "mop up the floor" sort of combat is perfect. Meeting at the inn/adventurer's guild/fill-in-your-favorite-cliche talking about "what to do" gives you very little momentum or excitement to work with and it can be tough to jump-start the pace from there. Action, on the other hand, pulls your players in immediately and gets them thinking about "what to do next," which will make your life much easier.

And my one bit of formal advice: When stuck between two options, choose the one that will be more fun for the players. Let your players ideas trump your own and you just worry about ways to make it blow up in their face.

Good luck and most importantly, have fun! The DM has the best seat in the house! Don't let stage fright, rules or anything else distract you from your purpose: fun for all.

 

[amethal]

Apologies for falling into the "I want to do X. Why don't you do Y instead?" trap.

However, it is generally easier as a new DM to start with first level characters. There are fewer class/monster abilities to worry about, and the level appropriate monsters are less likely to run amok if you accidentally underestmate their capabilities.

Having said that, if you run a 5th level game (despite the advice of a random stranger on the internet ) then don't be afraid to have a re-boot if things go horribly wrong. The players know it is your first time, and are normally extremely receptive to the DM saying something like, "Sorry, my mistake. It doesn't kill you, it leaves you stabilised on -7 hit points."

I don't think you mentioned which edition you were playing. Assuming it is 3rd edition :-

Paizo's D1.5 Revenge of the Kobold King is a 5th level adventure which is a free download from their website.
http://paizo.com/store/paizoExclusives/v5748btpy83w1

Alternatively, Carnival of Tears is an excellent 5th level adventure but it isn't free.
http://paizo.com/store/downloads/pathfinder/pathfinderModules/35E/v5748btpy7x86

If you wanted to start off at first level (yes, I know you don't!) then I recommend the (also free download) prequel, Paizo's D0 Hollow's Last Hope
http://paizo.com/store/paizoExclusives/v5748btpy82qz

Or there is the classic 3rd edition introductory adventure, the Wizard's Amulet, from Necromancer games - free download (need to scroll down the page) at
Necromancer Games: Free Stuff!