Getting Ready To GM Again

[D'karr]

I'd like to recommend two threads that have some good "wisdom" about 4e Encounters:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/d-d-4t...tion-aka-only-you-can-prevent-grindspace.html

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...combat-objectives-other-than-kill-em-all.html

These first thread has some very good insight into how to keep combat encounters interesting.

The second thread had some very cool ideas for creative combats.

 

[Irda Ranger]

Those tokens look like too much work for the benefit. Conditions don't last long ("save ends" or "next turn" being the two common durations), and the players that imposed the condition can (and should) remind you when necessary that the condition is in place. Even as a player I have easily tracked (mentally) who's subject to what. But YMMV, of course.

I agree that getting a feel for Skill Challenges is important before play. They're a little complex to just "wing it." You may also wish to consider Stalker0's alt-mechanics for Skill Challenges; they're good.

 

[Breezly]

Two things come to mind, that I seem to always forget.

1) Read the monsters and know what they can do. I always forget a shift here, and a slide there. Having that information at hand makes the game move more quickly.

2) Line/Area of effect seems to come up a lot and what constitutes cover and what area gets affected by what is good to know so you don't end up slowing the game down. Once you are used to it, you can easily 'eyeball' the situation and make the appropriate ruling.

A honorable mention goes to the effect/conditions already mentioned. If you ahve a way of dealing with it, great. If not, you will get bogged down.

--Breezly

 

[Zaukrie]

make sure the players know what the conditions they cause do.

We can never remember what prone does, for example, even though some PCs can knock an enemy prone. Either copy the page from teh PHB, or buy the DM screen or do something, but knowing the effect of conditions is big for us.

As the DM, make sure you look at the little things monsters can do, like shift, or immediates. I highlight those things on the stat blocks I print out, so I can remember them.

 

[malraux]

Yes, the DM screen is indispensable for both in game reference and out of game prep.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Three players today.

One was a former GM who was shocked at the amount of crunch each character had. I guess he hasn't actually played enough. He made a fighter.

One hasn't played 3rd ed at all. Last edition played was 2nd ed. Made an elf ranger.

One was so hamstrung by me not allowing anything outside of the core rules that he is going to make his character after rereading the PHB for inspiration.

We went through a few combat encounters just for the first two and myself. The third player used a pregenerated character and helped point out a few things.

I am still way into 3rd edition. I was thinking of shooting into combat and other issues that just didn't exist which is why I'm glad we had at least one player heavily experienced.

Should have more players for the next session.

 

[Filcher]

I have both of those sets. I also have the blood spats that I use for bloodied and the skulls I use for marks. I like them but sometimes they seem more work then not. Getting them under the minis in a close fight can be hard.

This.

I bought them, but afterwards it seemed like more hassle to use them. (Esp. with a monster that would be dead in 2 rounds.)