Tips for new DM& group?

[phil500]

I used to read a lot of DnD books but didnt play regularly very often. Ive never DM'd.

I have a group of friends who are interested. 2 of them are former WoW addicts, 3 others arent really gamers but are fairly down.

I will start with Keep on the Shadowfell and its pregens.

My biggest question is: how should I encourage RPing? more specifically:

1) am i forcing it if i pull the cler and pally aside and say a bit about why they should distrust the warlock?

2) do pregen chars come with backgrounds or RP tips? should i have them make a backstory and "introduce" themselves in character to the others, or will this be awkward?

some questions about combat:

3) Should i RP the monsters in combat, as in, a buncha kobolds would likely think the guy with the big sword is the real threat, but a dragon would be smart enough to worry about the warlock 1st.

4) how should i convey to them they need to use tactics?

 

[delericho]

1) am i forcing it if i pull the cler and pally aside and say a bit about why they should distrust the warlock?

Yes. It's not the DM's place to enforce character traits. If the player of the Paladin decides his character trusts the Warlock implicitly, then that's his prerogative.

2) do pregen chars come with backgrounds or RP tips? should i have them make a backstory and "introduce" themselves in character to the others, or will this be awkward?

No idea, ask WotC. If the character's don't have pre-written RP tips, and you're dealing with newbie players, then it would certainly be a good idea to write short backstories for the characters.

3) Should i RP the monsters in combat, as in, a buncha kobolds would likely think the guy with the big sword is the real threat, but a dragon would be smart enough to worry about the warlock 1st.

Yes. That's exactly right.

4) how should i convey to them they need to use tactics?

If they don't use proper tactics, have your monsters kill their PCs. Experience applies to the players as much as to the characters, and the best way to learn this lesson is by experience.

 

[Cadfan]

1: Yeah. Just let them read the pregenerated character's notes, and engage them with NPCs.

2: Usually yes, they do. If there are no backgrounds or other notes, then just spend 5 minutes coming up with a "why are these guys together" story. It can be as simple as "they grew up in the same village, went out to see the world, and are doing this for hire" or "they're problem solving agents of the Queen sent to this village to fix whatever problems are present." Each of these suggest different outlooks (the first is more mercenary, and more concerned with monetary reward, the second with duty and honor). Chances are the booklet will have a section for "hooks" to explain why the party is here.

3: Yeah. Except I wouldn't underestimate kobolds. But definitely, have monsters like skeletons and zombies just shamble for the nearest breathing opponent, while thinking monsters act in character.

4: They'll work it out on their own, most likely. Also, using tactics of your own will show them the need. Chances are that a pregenerated adventure will start with an easy fight or two. Use those so that the characters learn the ropes.

 

[The Lost Muse]

A couple of other tips that you can feel free to disregard.

1) Start each session off with a bang! I started every game in my last campaign by asking for a roll for initiative. Brings everything into focus nicely and ends the out of character chat that was typical. If possible, end each session with a cliffhanger.

2) For monsters that use tactics, plan those tactics out in advance. Especially for larger combats, this will help you to have more exciting combat (At least at first.)

3) Try and focus on a sub-plot for each character and rotate these. Gives something neat for the players.

 

[bramadan]

Don't encourage them to be suspicious of each other. Inter-party conflict can wreck the game even with very experienced players. With newbies it can leave everyone unhappy and bitter. Give them solid back stories but make it so that they really have a reason to trust and like each other.

 

[malraux]

My biggest question is: how should I encourage RPing?

One technique that one DM I played with used was to start every session off with a RP session to flesh out the world. It didn't have to occur in context with the adventure, ie it could be introduced as occurring a few months before the adventure started. It also could involve one or several characters. It worked really well because it gave a way to bring up parts of the world that might not be seen in the course of a normal adventure, but helped to have experience with.

Also, while RP is good if everyone can enjoy it, there's nothing wrong with just going for a hack and slash game either, if that's what people like. Some people will really dig the RP aspect, others the tactical combat; don't force people to pretend to like something they don't.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

If the game is just "kill stuff and take their loot," there isn't a ton of room for roleplaying. Encourage roleplaying by giving the characters a reason to care about the setting and story that is being told. The backstory can be a key piece to it. If the players are given a backstory, keep it simple and open and encourage the players to flesh it out some more. Tie some plot hooks back to one of the PCs backstories somehow.

If everyone is pretty new to the game, be confortable with the likelyhood that there will be little to no roleplaying during combats early on as everyone is getting comfortable with the rules. Make time for roleplaying "encounters" with NPCs to bring that aspect back to the game after a series of combat encounters.

If you want more roleplaying in combat, as DM, do it with the opponents to encourage the players to join in.

Last, talk with your players about the roleplaying aspect so you all have realistic expectations. Not everyone is an immersive roleplayer. Some people just are not comfortable with it and won't get into it, while others may really go off. If you end up with both types, they need to be able to accept the other's style of play.

 

[invokethehojo]

I like to start off sessions of new games or environments by making the PC's wake up with no memories. I give them a few minutes to try and figure out what's going on and then I shake things up with a combat or some type of challenge. This works perfectly with pregens as it allows the Players to make up the characters as they go. It also gives you some time to adjust because the players will be asking a lot of simple questions from the start. At the end of the session(s) you can decide to give them back thier memories, or parts of them, or make a long (possibly conspiracy like) campaign to make them learn who they were and why crazy stuff is happening to them, like how they lost thier memories.

just an idea

 

[calvinNhobbes]

4) how should i convey to them they need to use tactics?

I've always been a fan of using wisdom/intuition or intelligence/knowledge checks to help players out, especially new ones.

A player may not know that being flanked is bad, but his WIS 16 character probably does. So if what the player wants to do is tactically bad, have them role an appropriate check. If they succeed, point out why the move could be detrimental. However, if they still want to do it then that is ok, it is their character after all, but now they as a player are informed of the consequences to the extent their character would know.

 

[Bayonet_Chris]

Encouraging roleplaying

And now for my two cents. The key, from my perspective, is to get the players invested in the story. To do that there has to be a few things:

1. A clear goal - what is the specific thing they are trying to accomplish?
2. Clear stakes - what happens if they fail and how does it impact them?
3. Conflict - what is trying to stop them from achieving their goal?

Once you establish that, everything else will fall into place. I've played in many games where you show up and the first thing you ask is "What were we doing again? Why are we here?"

1. We need to storm the Keep and stop the cleric before he opens the gate to Shadowfell?
2. If we don't, shadow creatures will overrun Winterhaven and destroy everything and everyone the characters know and love.
3. In their way is an evil cleric and his minions who will do everything to stop them.

Your hook then, based on that, is some link to Winterhaven that matters. Family and friends are the best hooks for that, because they are not something easily abandoned. If you want to increase the tension, attach a timeline to this (he will open it at the stroke of midnight after the third day, or something).

As for reasons to distrust the warlock, it's always been my policy to show and not tell. Instead of pulling them aside, have NPCs react poorly to the warlock and perhaps seek the paladin and cleric out for advice about warding off the evil eye. Maybe have a peer in the church question their judgement by consorting with such a foul practitioner of dark magic. Peasant superstitions (not making eye contact, making the sign of the evil eye, getting out of the warlock's path) will also keep it fresh in their mind.