Author Topic: First Time GM - Need Help  (Read 3927 times)

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Offline Elf-Mage

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First Time GM - Need Help
« on: March 21, 2016, 12:09:22 PM »
Hi everyone!

I've been playing RM2 for a couple of years now, and I now want to try and run a game for some of my friends. I'm not entirely sure what to use, but I already have:
Character Law & Campaign Law
Spell Law
Arms Law & Claw Law
Companion 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6
Creatures & Treasures 1 & 2
Spell-Users Companion
Elemental Companion
Alchemy Companion

Any advice would be welcome! Thanks
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Offline Hurin

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2016, 03:15:37 PM »
I think it would help if you could say what specifically you would like help with.

You certainly have all the books you need to play, if that is one of the things you were wondering.
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Offline Warl

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #2 on: March 21, 2016, 03:35:23 PM »
if you don't have the combat Minion yet, that can be a big help with combat.

but otherwise, yes, it would help if we had some idea what areas you need advice with.
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Offline bpowell

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #3 on: March 21, 2016, 03:37:49 PM »
My advice is to start simple.

1)  Limit the number of professions allowed in the game.  This will reduce your load in needing to have all of the information about all of the professions at your fingertips.

2)  Depending on the setting I would also limit the number of races/cultures available. 

3)  Depending on the starting level you might think of running a few "in-town" adventures like running down some bandits or the like.  This will give folks the ability to sort out their characters and give you some time "behind the screen".  But feel free to add in part for later adventures: a wealthy merchant that was rescued, or maybe a glowing gem that no one has answers about.

4)  Most of all have fun!

-BP

Offline Elf-Mage

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #4 on: March 21, 2016, 03:40:41 PM »
Sorry if my question was a bit vague (possibly non-existant). Basically, I'm getting rules swamped. Does anyone have any suggestions a to what rules to use?

P.S. Thanks bp
You know you've screwed up a summoning spell when you summon a Stingray on your enemies. It takes a deliberate act to summon a Humpback Whale on top of them.

Offline bpowell

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #5 on: March 21, 2016, 04:40:23 PM »
Well here is what I normally do for a session.  I think up the adventure.

a)  Set up
b)  Goals
c)  Obstacle
d)  Opponents

Well (a) is very straight forward and usually is just a role playing encounter. You must let the party know there is a job to do, what the pay is etc.  If you start in an Inn the most you might need is some rules on gathering information.  But generally it is very easy.

And (b) is even simpler.  Get the gem, save the girl, kill the monster, save the world,etc.

It is (c)  where things get interesting.  I normally look at the things i put in their way and see how they can overcome them.  Then I look up the rules for each encounter.  I normally write up some note and have rules and how I am going to use them written down in front of me.  It is usually just a sentence or two.   But this will reduce all of the rules to just those that might come up.   I also put tabs in the books with a letter for the encounter at the page of the rule.  This means if a question comes up I can quickly get there.

I would just have the Character Law and maybe Arms law marked like this (I use post-it so I can easily remove the tab.)  For Spell Law I would let the player know the spell and present it to me if there is a question.

For (d) I build my NPC that the people will be battleing and give the NPC a flow chart of how he will react (cast this first, that second, attack the most heavily armed character, etc).  Again I will list the rules I need and tab the book just in case.

I normally spend 3-4 evenings before the game prepping.  Most folks think I am flying by the seat of my pants, but this is a sign of good prep.  Once you have done the leg work you will find it is in your head and you only need to reference the book if a strange action happens (My wife does this to me all the time.)

-BP

Offline Hurin

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #6 on: March 21, 2016, 08:57:54 PM »
For a basic game, you want to focus on Character Law for building the characters (and Spell Law if they take spells).

For combat, Arms Law and Spell Law will have everything you need, like attack charts and the round sequence.

Creatures and Treasures has all you need for monsters and treasure.
'Last of all, Húrin stood alone. Then he cast aside his shield, and wielded an axe two-handed'. --J.R.R. Tolkien

'Every party needs at least one insane person.'  --Aspen of the Jade Isle

Offline jdale

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #7 on: March 21, 2016, 10:56:06 PM »
There are a ton of optional rules in the various Companions. If you are just starting off, it might be better to ignore all of them and just use the rules in the Law books. Once you have gotten up to speed, you can always skim through to see if there is anything that especially suits the sort of setting and tone you are going for, or which solves a problem you are having.
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Offline Elf-Mage

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #8 on: March 22, 2016, 05:27:12 AM »
Thanks for the input! I do have some concerns however:
I have a mixture of experienced RM2 players (My dad has been doing it for 30+ years), and new players. My experienced players have chosen professions from the companions that they like, and my newbies have done the same. I only have one player who has chosen a Core-Rules profession (Magician), the rest have gone for some weird options (Houri, Noble Warrior, Witch, and Necromancer). I feel comfortable with Witch, as I have played as one in another campaign. In the same campaign, my dad played a Houri. One of his friends played as a Noble Warrior. I've never seen a Necromancer in action.

One of my main concerns is that my experienced players are slightly temperamental, being my dad and older brother. They've chosen the Necromancer, and Noble Warrior (Respectively). My new players (who are some of my college friends), have followed in their footsteps and chosen off-beat professions.

I don't want to upset my players, so what should I do?
You know you've screwed up a summoning spell when you summon a Stingray on your enemies. It takes a deliberate act to summon a Humpback Whale on top of them.

Offline Witchking20k

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #9 on: March 22, 2016, 07:53:42 AM »
It has to be fun for everyone - even you.  So, I'd plan sessions that get to use the various mechanics associated with each profession.  Communicate to your players that for the first few sessions you'll be taking it slow and focussing on making sure each of them gets a chance to participate.  Keep them tight.  That way the experienced players don't get to run the mill. 

One trick that I use is pairing/partnering characters together by having story lines that are focussed on them; then alternating between two story lines session to session.  This means that the characters will alternate between being primary and secondary characters in the story- but, it also means that they get to play the actual characters that they were interested in playing; using the skills, spells, within a story of their own.

What Level are they starting at?

Award 2x experience in the sessions where a characters is a secondary characters to encourage positive contributions.



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Offline Malleable

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #10 on: March 22, 2016, 07:58:52 AM »
Honestly, I know what your players are feeling.  I think the Core Rules professions are boring. 
My advice is to just read up on the classes.  That's not too much work, and from a player perspective there is nothing more important than the class you play.  Your player will be using those characters for a while, and if you prevent them from playing a character with a concept they want you're going to have unhappy players.

Now if you feel you need to tone down the abilities of the characters, that's very reasonable.  Some people say the Noble Warrior is overpowered.  So perhaps you want to make some adjustments.
I recommend telling all the players you will let them play the characters, BUT that you are letting them know you might be making adjustments to the abilities or power level later as you see fit - and you don't want to hear any complaints.  If you do it right from the start, you can prevent issues from popping up later.

Mal

Offline yammahoper

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #11 on: March 22, 2016, 10:17:21 AM »
Minimize. The dagger table can represent all that 1he weapons,  the 2hs  all 2h weapons, shortbow all  missile, firebolt  all DE, etc.  Just sub crits as needed.

Gather information you need in  one folder.  Digging through lots  of books slows the game.
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Offline ob1knorrb

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #12 on: March 22, 2016, 01:22:45 PM »
Don't be afraid to ask the experienced players for advice and suggestions, but keep in mind that you are the Game Master, which means the final decision is yours  :D
You can also assign tasks to some of the players to take some of the load off of yourself.  For example, one player can be in charge of looking up the results of attacks and criticals, each player should have their own copies of any spell lists that they are using and so on.
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Offline MrApollinax

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #13 on: March 22, 2016, 10:03:38 PM »
Are they starting at level 1? That would simplify your situation a bit, as the more unusual professions will have only a limited capacity at first and ought not go too far beyond what you are used to while you get up to speed on their capabilities.

I'd also take care to be fair but strict.  Disparities in system mastery can be fatal to your table's enjoyment, and it's been my experience as GM that those who know the game better than you will gladly take you for a ride...I GM'd RM before I'd played it - no-one else wanted to put in the work - and some of my experienced players out-and-out lied about some rules. I'd use the checklists at the back of the various companions and make sure everyone knows what's available and what's off the menu.
 
Case in point: when I started GMing, I only had the old red stripe box set, and one player turned up with an Archmage (from RoCo1) and utilised a whole bunch of options I'd never heard of in a very...er...idiosyncratic way. Make sure the characters are built according to your specifications, not theirs.

That said, I wouldn't rule out everything from the Companions: there are many options there that address gaps or problems in the core rules quite well. But there is a great deal of sprawl to manage. Professions are in one sense the least of your worries: it's when a player expects to use the modified Adrenal Moves rules from RoCoIV and you've never seen them that you'll have real problems.

I agree with those advising you to work with your experienced players: their experience will shape their expectations, so you need to be aware of what they're after. But you need to mine their experience, too: they'll have tried different things across the years and will have a better understanding of what works and what doesn't.
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Offline Elf-Mage

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #14 on: March 23, 2016, 03:37:14 PM »
I am starting my players at level 1. That's so that the players can get to know their characters. I do find some of the core-rules professions a bit bland, but I'm spicing them up a little bit, as I'm letting pure/hybrid spell-users take up to four base lists from professions of the same realm(s) as them. (I've already had to shut one of my players down who was trying to take the mickey!)

I feel like my campaign will end up going a very political bent, but I'm not entirely sure how to deal with that.
You know you've screwed up a summoning spell when you summon a Stingray on your enemies. It takes a deliberate act to summon a Humpback Whale on top of them.

Offline Malleable

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #15 on: March 24, 2016, 01:58:17 PM »
I am starting my players at level 1. That's so that the players can get to know their characters. I do find some of the core-rules professions a bit bland, but I'm spicing them up a little bit, as I'm letting pure/hybrid spell-users take up to four base lists from professions of the same realm(s) as them. (I've already had to shut one of my players down who was trying to take the mickey!)

I feel like my campaign will end up going a very political bent, but I'm not entirely sure how to deal with that.

My GM was pretty flexible as to taking other base lists as your additional 4 base lists if it makes sense with the characters concept and bio. 

What do you mean by 'very political bent'?

Mal

Offline Elf-Mage

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #16 on: March 24, 2016, 03:34:19 PM »
The majority of my characters are not suited for combat, but more behind the scenes manipulation. Only one of them is a dedicated combatant. The rest are either social (Houri), or Magic (Everyone else).
You know you've screwed up a summoning spell when you summon a Stingray on your enemies. It takes a deliberate act to summon a Humpback Whale on top of them.

Offline Witchking20k

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #17 on: March 25, 2016, 06:39:59 AM »
Make sure that each has a skill which they are the expert in so they fill a specific role in the party.
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Offline Malleable

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #18 on: March 25, 2016, 10:10:11 AM »
The majority of my characters are not suited for combat, but more behind the scenes manipulation. Only one of them is a dedicated combatant. The rest are either social (Houri), or Magic (Everyone else).

Ahh I got you.

You could point out to the players some of the Talents that can greatly increase their combat ability. 
Martial Arts ability would work well for the Houri; since he is a Mentalism caster their Martial Arts skills wont cost too much.  Let the Houri take Deadly Dances from the Dervish base lists and he'd kick ass.
Someone else in the party could always take Directed Weapon Specialist and Magical Affinity (with Transcend Armor as your Power Manipulation skill that's everyman, and a couple combat oriented spell lists from a different base class).  Crud realized these were from Talent Law/Character Law in RMFP.
Companion 1 and the Arms Companion have similar Background Options though.

Mal

Offline Elf-Mage

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #19 on: March 25, 2016, 03:59:58 PM »
Unfortunatly, I don't have Arms Companion, and I don't like the Idea of buying BGO, as it detracts form the fun of rolling randomly for them. Sometimes, a BGO can radically change a character, but buying them seems a bit OP to me.
You know you've screwed up a summoning spell when you summon a Stingray on your enemies. It takes a deliberate act to summon a Humpback Whale on top of them.