randomling said:
want to run would be a high-swashbuckling, probably piratical campaign - think Pirates of the Carribean D20, with marauding seafaring orcs, merfolk and sirens, enchanted undersea caves, vanishing-and-reappearing islands, and cursed ships. Part of my worry is that "ordinary D&D" doesn't fit this style of game very well as a ruleset and reworking the rules would be interesting at best. I may steal some Conan ideas - I certainly like the Conan magic system better than standard D&D 3.5 for this kind of game.
First, if you think you lack confidence, be very careful who you DM for. Don't have any rules lawyers or brow-beaters who will argue you into submission. (You might even have some in your game and not realize it. Talk to the DM's already in your group, they'll know each player's gaming style). They can also tell you which players will be easyist to game with (most easy-going nature), and whch can help you the most (willing to stop the game while you look up rules, stay after to help you critiqu how you are doing. A beginning DM's best asset is an experienced DM to help you. From what you say you have 2, so you should be fine.
As for Pirates d20. Don't begin with that. Plan for it while your learning, revise plans, ask for help on forums like this one (I ran one pirate game for over a year & can help out some with tricks I found useful). But to first learn d20 start small.
Tips for 1st time.
1. No more than 4 players (the d20 system is based on 4 PC's, it works best that way.)
2. Only use the main 3 rulebooks (PHB, DMG, MM), the more books you let in, the more you have to learn. Also, don't fiddle with the system, no house rules until you know how you run & how your players react. (Exception: if your players have a well-established set of house rules you've all been playing under, you are more than likely to fit you style to these rules anyway so you might want to use them).
3. Make the PC's yourself and have the characters be 2nd level. Make 1 fighter, 1 rogue, 1 cleric, 1 sorceror (easier than a wizard at low levels). It's your first time DM'ing and if you make all the characters yourself, you are best prepared for what they can do. Stay away from monks/druids/paladins and keep with the four classes I mentioned here. They're the backbone of 30 years of D&D and 1 of each insures a balanced party. As for 2nd level, the PC's aren't full of special wha
that can wreck havok with your plans, but the extra level means your less likely to off somebody accidently.
4. Don't run a pre-made module. I've seen many a novice DM shot down in flames by PC's not doing things the way the module designer intended. Make up your own. You'll have more fun and be able to better deal with problems that might come up.
That's it for the roll-playing part of it, I guess. But the hardest part of roleplaying is creating the roles. No real advice I can give you, you already know it, believe it or not). Take inspiration from the world around you. TV, Movies, current events, books, all you see & hear can be transferred in one way or another into a good D&D game.
Later,
Vraille Darkfang
DM for almost a decade
