Looking for DM advice - Rushing through the session

[Elodan]

Hey all,

I'm a long time player who's working on being able to DM a long-term campaign (most of my previous attempts ended up a one-offs). So far, it's been going pretty well. We've just finished the second adventure in the Age of Worms adventure path.

My problem is that I feel like I've been rushing through sections or skipping areas of the adventures to "get to the next thing". I think it's that I'm still uncomfortable running certain aspects of a campaign; particularly NPC interaction and motivation. My players haven't complained but I think it's might be preventing us from fully enjoying the adventure.

Any advice on the best means of slowing down my pace and building up my confidence in running NPCs?

Thanks.

 

[Darkwolf445]

Index cards.
Small ones and Large Ones.
Put NPC basics on them, like appearance, personality, and names.
Or just start with blank cards with a number of pregenerated names on them so you have a name to go with that random NPC.
Pull them out as needed and store them for future use.

I also use NPC Essentials from RPG Objects, which helps with personalities and reasons for being in an interactive state with the pCs.

 

[SiderisAnon]

Any advice on the best means of slowing down my pace and building up my confidence in running NPCs?

It sounds a little odd, but a good way to get better at NPCs is to play them talking to each other. When you've got some time, sit down and have two NPCs have a conversation with each other. This can also help you work on your "voice" for the NPCs. (Having each have a different style of speaking so that the players can tell when each is talking.)

If you're not comfortable talking to yourself at first, you can try typing it out. Basically, you're writing a conversation. Don't worry about spelling and grammar. You're looking to get into a rhyme. After you've done this a few times (probably with different NPCs), you can move on to doing it out loud, which is really better practice for the game.

Then in the game, practice, practice, practice. Actually play the NPCs, don't just run away from them. The more you use NPCs, the more comfortable you will be running them.

If you can play a character, you can play an NPC. It's just that you have to switch roles much faster and more often.


If you're fine by yourself but you're just no good in front of other people, then you might want to have one of the players or someone else you know who is a good roleplayer come over and run conversations in character, with you as an NPC. This doesn't have to actually be scenes that happen in the game and it doesn't have to have any actual game effect. (Though you might give the player something extra for the extra help.) Have that person give you honest feedback. This will both hone your skill and give you a chance to get over any stage fright you may have.


As for slowing down your pace, the thing that I see most often in new DMs that effects pacing is learning when and how to listen to the players. Some DMs never listen to the players and just blow right through. Some DMs spend way too much time listening to every little thing that has nothing to do with the scene, so the game bogs down. Most of us are somewhere in between.

Watch yourself and your players. Does it look like they're wanting to do more with the scene? Is that more going to contribute to the game? Are you moving along before they can do it? If so, then you may want to slow down and call on specific people. "Hey, Joe, died Toruk want to do something else here?"