GMing for PFS

[Feeroper]

Hey everyone,

I've been recently asked to GM PFS games once in a while at my flgs. It won't be until Feb 16th, so I thought I'd start looking for advice now.

I was hoping anyone could give me some general GM advice for PF (this will be my first attempt at GMing PF). Also, any advice you might have for running PFS games as opposed to just general GMing.

I'm comfortable running a table in a public play game (I DM 4E Encounters regularly) its more the system I need to adjust to, as I don't know any GMing tricks that might be system specific. I had never DMed 3.5 before, just played.

I'll be running shades of ice pt1, which I have played before, so that's a bonus.

Anyways, any advice at all is appreciated! Thanks!

 

[coastiemike]

After reading through the scenario, make notecards for each faction mission. This will allow you to record page numbers and sections were a PC can complete a faction mission. This will also let you place it to the side when the faction mission is complete.

For Pathfinder rules, read up on CMD and CMB.

For Shades of Ice, Pt. 1:

Act 1 -- The boss thug at the higher tier has a special attack and a SQ to note. Also, know how demoralize works for several of the bad guys.

Act 2 -- Can be very fun and roleplay heavy. When I ran this, I made note cards of each NPC. Again, this let me place them to the side when I used them. It also let me make roleplay notes on how I wanted to run each NPC.

Act 3 -- Fairly straight forward. Just look at the higher tier boss and his domains.

Act 4 -- First half is straight forward. Nothing unusual or out of the ordinary. Second half, definitely make note cards for the enemies. Lots of different domains, SQ, and SA for each one. This can be a very challenging fight if the PCs are run correctly. There is a lot to remember for this final combat so the more organized and more notes you have, the better you can pull this scene off. Finally, make sure you note the special terrain conditions in 4d.

Hope that helps.

 

[Fooly_Cooly]

Definitely want to take a look through the classes if your coming out of 4E. Big difference between the encounter and daily powers those chars have and pathfinder chars. Also might want to take a look at cmb and cmd like coastiemike said. Probably want to take a look through the whole combat section as well.Good to be familiar with 5 ft step grapples and other combat maneuvers .Gl with your game man

 

[Steel_Wind]

My advice is a little different from those above.

All of it is fair advice and I don't disagree with it per se, but I advise my starting GMs to just read the scenario and above all, be polite and civil and concentrate on making sure people are having fun in a social setting.

If you don't know a rule, ask for advice at the table. If someone at the table knows the rule, use it.

If nobody does, make a note of it and explain that for now, you are going to rule "X" and move things ahead in a manner you consider fair, but players should know that might not be the correct ruling per RAW. Assure them that you will look it up for next time and move on.

There are 1200+ pages of rule in Pathfinder RPG. A new GM simply can't know them all and it doesn't help much to cram for a GM session like it was an exam. You'll end up hating it, not having fun and you won't want to do it again. Your local Venture-Lieutenant (and your local Venture-Captain, I 100% guarantee it !) would FAR prefer his GMs had a good time and you came back to GM again after having a positive experience. Jeff had confidence enough in you to ask you to do this after he watched you play. So chillax, ok? It will be fine.

Make sure you do the common sense things you CAN control to make sure people have a good time. Make people feel like they had a chance to make a real decision when one was called for, that you paid attention to them when the spotlight was on them -- and that you make eye contact and smile, when you need to. If they make an odd choice? Confirm that's what they intended and then confirm their action to others at the table like it was the most obvious and AWESOME of choices for that player to make and move on with your game. You job as a PFS GM is to ensure to the greatest extent possible that your players have a good time so they'll come back, too. Nothing is more important than that.

That doesn't mean cheat to fudge that result. It simply means that when you don't know, then you don't. Worry about the stuff you CAN control, ok?

The rest comes with time. What is CERTAIN to not come with time is when time itself runs out. If people don't come back? Or you are so stressed out by it so that YOU don't want to come back? Then there will not be time later to fix "it", whatever "it" is.

I'd rather everybody had a good time and three important rules were ignored and one rule completely applied incorrectly, than a rules perfect game was held where nobody had fun.

Two general tricks:

1 - Buy a GameMastery combat Pad and use it at the table t track initiative, status and hit points;
2 - Buy a set of Condition Cards and use them during play.

Those two suggestions alone will solve 90% of all rules issues that will arise during play.


My $.02

*ahem* and seeing as I appear to be your local VC -- I can assure you that Jeff feels the same way I'm certain you will do well.


Pathfinder Society Venture-Captain (Ontario)

 

[Fooly_Cooly]

Woah. Well seems you have some one who knows you better so I would take the advice given. Also didn't mean to make you cram rules. Just a few pointers that will save a little book searching if a player trys an action. But I agree. Its taken me over a year of play to know just the bits I know. Its best to learn at your own pace.

 

[Feeroper]

Well thanks for the vote of confidence Steel_Wind, and thanks to everyone for the advice!

Thankfully, I already have a GameMastery Combat pad for my Home games and I just picked up the PF Condition Cards tonight while at my Encounters game. I figured those would be a pretty useful aid.

I'm looking forward to GMing for PFS as the groups Ive played with have been really fun and everyone seems very laid back/down to earth/just eager to have fun, so that certainly makes it easier. Not to mention that Jeff was kind enough to put together a package that included alot of helpful info for 1st time GM's in PFS - very much appreciated!