D&D 5E New DM with New Players, looking for help!

[TartarSauce]

Hello all,
So I was at the game store with my son (9 years old) a few weeks ago and he was intrigued by some of the D&D products on display, so we decided to dive in and give it a try. We bought the Player's Handbook - it seemed like the place to start.

Anyway, now we are playing along with my wife - she has a druid and he has a ranger. I've recently created a rogue to join them for fights and stuff when they need a bit more muscle. In the story I'm running for them, they have retrofitted an ice cream truck with a rocket engine and are exploring a chain of small planets, hoping to eventually rescue a princess from the clutches of the evil empire. My son's character is an expert shot and defends himself with his Imperial Blaster and Nighthawk Pistol, but also can't resist the chance to bonk sharks on the head with his mace. He also has a pet anaconda that attempts to choke out his adversaries. My wife's character simply sets everything on fire with her spells. I've tended to play up the combat sequences as slapstick, frequently having the bad guys have coconuts fall on their heads or slip and fall. It's a good time.

My question is this: when they decide they are ready to play, I have to spend an hour or two coming up with a story idea, developing some bad guys for them to fight, and have a good idea of a puzzle or problem that they'll need to solve using their wits. It's a creative pressure. I've looked into some of the pre-created "adventures" and storylines that are for sale, and frankly I find them a bit too dark and gritty for my taste. (As you might tell from the previous paragraph, I prefer a more pulpy and comic storyline). Does anyone have a suggestion as to where I could find some easily-adaptable stories with the right tone that I could use with little prep time?

TLDR: We are having a great time, but I am under pressure to create good storylines and am looking for some shortcuts.

Thanks!

 

[HawaiiSteveO]

Sounds like a blast, glad ya'll are having fun!

Totally understand your need for adventures that fit your family.

If you pick up the starter box set it contains a great 64 page adventure called the Lost Mines of Phandelver. It would take your group quite a few sessions to work through it and contains all the monster stats etc you'll need for the whole thing. There's a lot to work with and you could really get slapstick with little effort.

The starter set is a great resource (sparks it's only $13 on Amazon!). Or support your local store

http://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Drag...id=1460053805&sr=8-1&keywords=d&d+starter+set

 

[TartarSauce]

Thanks, I've looked into that. The Lost Mines of Phandelver is whatever the opposite of gritty is?

Another question I just thought of: How do I set the difficulty of a task? If a player says, for example, I want to try to fly the ice cream truck through the meteor storm, what number do I need to tell them to roll? I know that low numbers = easier, but beyond that I'm completely in the dark. Is "15" a hard target to hit?

Something a bit more down-to-earth, perhaps: If someone wants to jump over a 10' gap, it's obviously easier than jumping over a 20' gap. But what are the target numbers for those jumps?

TLDR: How do I figure out how to set target numbers for task difficulty?

 

[HawaiiSteveO]

Lost Mines is a great starter adventure, it has a lots you can work with. You can change whatever you want if you don't like it, but it's not overly gross, grim, or dark.

10 easy
15 medium
20 hard
25 really hard!

I don't have my book handy, check out jumping in index of Player's Handbook. If memory serves 10 foot run allows a character to jump their strength score in feet standing jump 1/2 that. High jump 3 feet + STR modifier.

There's no wrong way to play - the goal is fun. You'll learn as you go and your game will be unique to you.

 

[Curmudjinn]

Well, you guys are playing a nice genre mash-up, so I wouldn't worry too much about sticking with D&D adventures. You are looking for stories first, right? Many adventurers for the Fate system are pulpy and fairly inexpensive.

With the style of game you're running, I wouldn't force yourself into a linear adventure module.

A setting that sort of matches what you are using is a a good start, and check out adventures made for it, even it's a different system.

 

[dmnqwk]

When it comes to setting DCs, there are 3 categories players can fall into:
1. Trained/Good. These characters are making skill checks in proficient skills they have a high attribute in. Examples include a Rogue using stealth or a Bard using performance. When you think to set a DC, add 1/2 the character's level to the table below.
2. Untrained/Good or Trained/Bad. These characters are either trained in a skill they have a low attribute for, or they are untrained but possess a high attribute. Examples include a Paladin trying to deceive (untrained/good) or a Bard attempting to use Arcana (trained/good). When you think of a DC with these in mind, add 1/4 of the character's level to the table below.
3. Untrained/Bad. These characters have no attribute and no proficiency bonus, pretty much entirely reliant on the dice roll. These include a Ranger making a History check or a Wizard trying to use Athletics. Add nothing to the table below.

Chance of success:
Very Easy = DC 5. 75-95% chance of success
Easy = DC 10. 50-75% chance to succeed.
Medium = DC 15. 25-50% chance to make it.
Hard = DC 20. 5-25% chance of succeeding.
Very Hard = DC 25. At best a 5% chance to make it.

To give some examples of how the modifiers would work:
1. Your 1st level players need to creep past the Ogre guard to rescue a rich noble's son. The Ogre is half asleep after eating a big pot of turkey stew, so you think the check should be easy for even an untrained player. You set the DC at 5, meaning a 1st level Rogue with a Dex of 16 has a +5 to the roll and cannot fail (1 and 20 are NOT automatic failures/successes on skill checks after all). The clanking cleric with a dex of 8 and wearing heavy armour has disadvantage on the roll, and a -1 from dex meaning they need to roll 6+ on both D20s to pass.

2. Your party has reached level 9, meaning a +4 proficiency bonus. The same Rogue and Cleric are trying to interrogate a rival Baron of their employer to find out where he has hidden his army. The Baron is a master of intrigue and has spent many years lying to everyone around him, making it very hard to tell. You set the DC at 15, plus 1/2 the PC's level because you only want a well trained interrogator to get to the truth. (So the DC becomes 15 + 4, or 19). The Rogue has a Wisdom of 12, but is proficient so adds +4 for a total of +5. The Cleric, who lacks Insight as a skill but has a Wisdom of 20, also has a +5. So the Rogue and the Cleric are both needing to roll a 14 or greater to see if the Baron is lying, but the Rogue's talent comes from hard work while the Cleric's talent is from natural ability.

So to summize:
I would recommend deciding how difficult you want the task, then modify it by whether you think it should be even harder for people who are untrained or not naturally gifted at it (If you think it should require proficiency, add 1/4 of the PC's level, if you think it should require natural ability, add another 1/4 too).

 

[KahlessNestor]

Read comic books. Steal liberally. Carry something you can quickly jot down any idea that pops into your head. Steal from cartoons.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

 

[Ancalagon]

Yes! You are having a great free flow anything goes imagination fest. Your son won't be able to enjoy this forever. No need for a structured dungeon.

Have them go to the moon to visit the Toast King. Maybe the Petit Prince needs help with baobab trees. Listen to your son's ideas and roll with it

 

[Tony Vargas]

TLDR: How do I figure out how to set target numbers for task difficulty?

One option is always to narrate the results without a roll. Another is not call for a roll but not state a difficulty, then narrate stunning/lucky success for a high roll, bare success for a modest one, and failure for a bad roll.

You can also go with the basic easy/hard/etc 5-point DC steps given in the book. It's still entirely up to you, however you do it. There's no formula.

 

[Gilladian]

Rather than make up plots, steal from old sources; Scooby-do cartoons, comic books, etc... As well as kids books. Read One-piece ( a graphic novel for teens) for other wacky ideas.