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<blockquote data-quote="fba827" data-source="post: 4675253" data-attributes="member: 807">I think you did a great thing to limit it to core. No need to get caught in a trap of something unexpected when trying a new ruleset for the first time!The biggest thing I would have to say to a DM for 4e is, combat can grind and/or get repetative - terrain features and tactics plays a huge role in variety. So when designing encounters always try and toss in some terrain feature, and pay attention to the mix of bad guys (maybe some controller types to slow the PCs while artillery types that can strike the slowed PCs before they even get to them), and so on.4e monster stat blocks are clean and standardized. If you have time before any game though, just glance at the monster stats and look at any terms you don't know... i.e. a monster has phasing, or is insubstantial, or can dominate, or has some strange swallow ability - and then look up what those things do so that you'll know it at a glance when you see it at the session.As a general comment (not limited to 4e but as a role as a DM in general) - keep combat and any other potential slow point moving to keep everyone's interest. That means reminding a player taking _way_ too long to act that they should act soon, or that everyone has their attack stats precaulcuated (rather than readding each and every time).&nbsp; And try and keep everyone as involved as they want to be (this means if person A has been talking a lot, be sure to just look at player b every once in a while and ask what does his PC do while this is going on )...different PC roles favor different types of enemies. if you have a party of strikers, then mininons would be unsatisfying. if you have a party of defenders and controllers, then a a fight against several big brutes will take forever...&nbsp;&nbsp; that's not to say you can't mix it up! it just means try not to have &quot;the typical encounter&quot; be one that will frustrate or annoy the players.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="fba827, post: 4675253, member: 807"] I think you did a great thing to limit it to core. No need to get caught in a trap of something unexpected when trying a new ruleset for the first time! The biggest thing I would have to say to a DM for 4e is, combat can grind and/or get repetative - terrain features and tactics plays a huge role in variety. So when designing encounters always try and toss in some terrain feature, and pay attention to the mix of bad guys (maybe some controller types to slow the PCs while artillery types that can strike the slowed PCs before they even get to them), and so on. 4e monster stat blocks are clean and standardized. If you have time before any game though, just glance at the monster stats and look at any terms you don't know... i.e. a monster has phasing, or is insubstantial, or can dominate, or has some strange swallow ability - and then look up what those things do so that you'll know it at a glance when you see it at the session. As a general comment (not limited to 4e but as a role as a DM in general) - keep combat and any other potential slow point moving to keep everyone's interest. That means reminding a player taking _way_ too long to act that they should act soon, or that everyone has their attack stats precaulcuated (rather than readding each and every time). And try and keep everyone as involved as they want to be (this means if person A has been talking a lot, be sure to just look at player b every once in a while and ask what does his PC do while this is going on )... different PC roles favor different types of enemies. if you have a party of strikers, then mininons would be unsatisfying. if you have a party of defenders and controllers, then a a fight against several big brutes will take forever... that's not to say you can't mix it up! it just means try not to have "the typical encounter" be one that will frustrate or annoy the players. [/QUOTE]

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