Author Topic: First Time GM - Need Help  (Read 3928 times)

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Offline yammahoper

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #20 on: March 26, 2016, 10:38:24 AM »
Will contest are great battles for spell users in particular. Spirits use will and a solid adventure can designed around finding the lost crypt or grave or site of the murder, etc, ending in a massive battle of wills. The combat types will have to ward off those possessed, be they animals, local npc's or pc's.  If the possessed are innocents...
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain... Time to die.

Offline Charlie Four

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #21 on: March 27, 2016, 09:57:02 PM »
I wouldn't run with anything more than the Basic Books, no matter what you players want. In fact, and I know this isn't going to make me popular here, if it was me I wouldn't run Rolemaster just yet, I'd start with HARP. But hey, if all you've got are the book for RMC... But before everyone starts shouting at me, let me at least explain:

First, being a GM is hard, it takes practice. I've done it for 6 years then stopped and now I'm getting back to it after 10 years. It's not only about the rules, it's managing the story, the pacing, make rulings like deciding which skill is the one to be used for that particular action, how hard/easy it is, determining what happens after the dice rolls, what are the consequences of the players actions, etc etc. All the basic skills that a GM needs to master first. And you're not making it easy on yourself by starting off with so many books to keep track on. When you learn how to drive, do you start by going to the most busy highway with a lot of cars running at 100km? No. You start small, first drive around the block, then eventually learning one by one all the little skills that would make you an acceptable driver.

You're the most important person at the table, if you're not enjoying yourself, you won't want to do it again, and without a GM, there's no game. So tell your experienced players to back off, cut you some slack and give you the chance to get good, because you won't be good at your first session, that's pretty much a fact. Especially if one of them is your dad, then tell him to be supportive, not a d--k. If you say only core book professions, then core books professions it is. They'll have to make do with whatever you say it's okay in your game. And if they don't like it, play just with your buddies. I repeat, if you're not comfortable running the game, your players won't enjoy it. In fact, make sure you are the only one making the calls and using the rules, tell the rest of them to put the books away. If you screw up, move along, don't stop for arguments about the rules. Be firm, don't be a despot, listen to them, but if you don't agree your judgement stands. You can discuss all you want after the session it's done, but never in the middle.
Once you get better at it you can start gathering feedback and such, but never run a game with rules you aren't comfortable with. The rules are a toolbox to be consistent and fair, not a straitjacket, and certainly not up to the players to decide how they work, it's up to you. They need to understand that in order for everyone to have fun, the GM has to be comfortable with the game. If you can't invision a world with Monks and they screw up your vision of your fantasy world, then you're going to do a poor job at communicating that vision to your players, and as a result you're all not going to have a good time. Of course, you should try to tailor your game as much as you can to your players wishes, that's all good and all, but as long as it doesn't involve you being uncomfortable when running the game.

I'll repeat: if you're not enjoying the game, then they won't. So in order for you to run a good game for them, you need to put yourself first. Note that I said first, not the only one. Because it's pretty obvious that if your players don't enjoy themselves, they won't come back. But that's all the feedback you need for now, at the end of the session, ask them if they want to do it again some time, if they come back then you've done a good job, and, for now, that's all the feedback you need.

Also, try not not start a campaign. Like I said, start small. Run a few independent adventures. Make everyone clear that after those are over, you're going to start over with new characters, this time for real. This way you got insurance that no matter how much you screw up(and you will), you know that in X sessions it will all be over and you can hit the reset button.
I'd also strongly advice not to run a game your dad and your brother know better than you do, because chances are, if they are temperamental, they will screw you. If your budget allows it get HARP, at least for the first sessions. Not only it's more newbie friendly, but also you will move your experienced players out of their comfort zone and they won't be able to argue with you nearly as much. And, if you are not great at it(and you won't, it's your first time), they'll blame the game instead of you. Once you're comfortable as a being 'the authority' on the table, you can move back to RMC and start you campaign or whatever you had in mind in the first place.

I know some people might scream loudly about my advices, but before doing so try to remember the first time you GMed. It wasn't easy, was it? Your goal here is to learn how to drive, step by step, little by little. Your father can't expect you to run games like he does if you never done it before, just like he can't expect you to drive for the first time like he does when he's been doing it for years. And learning how to GM is like learning how to drive for the first time in a manual car(like I did), not an automatic one: most of your efforts will be spend on not having the engine stop because you can't shift gears properly.

Offline Elf-Mage

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #22 on: March 29, 2016, 03:14:25 PM »
My usual GM has been doing this for 30+ years (My Godfather), and if I need something sorted, I can probably see how he's done some rulings. I don't mind running RM2 with all of the books initially, as I have seen some stuff before. In my first RM2 campaign that I played, I was a witch, and my dad played a houri. I've even seen a witch hunter in play.

What I'm more interested in is:
Advice on which rules outside of the base rules to use.
Some campaign suggestions for first time players.
GM Tips and Tricks

P.S.
I don't have HARP (I'm working towards getting it)
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 yammahoper

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #23 on: March 29, 2016, 03:40:12 PM »
I would base play in a small community on the outskirts of a big city/port/capital. Rich farm land a days march from the mountains with an old forest, river and small lake. The capital is a five days march, perhaps as far as twenty days, with small villages every 20 miles or so, with one large town with a fort or castle between the village and capital.

Such a setting offers endless adventures. Merchants, nobles, raiders, monsters, black markets, pirates, barbarian tribes, endless humanoids, guilds and local feuds...the list is extensive.

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain... Time to die.

Offline Warl

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #24 on: March 29, 2016, 04:18:23 PM »
One of the Rules I really Enjoy using, As do my Players, Is CEATS. Or second by second Tactical combat.

I use the CEATS chart on page 100 of Companion VI

I find combat flows more smoothly using this system. Allows players to "Move" and take action on any count without having to to Know whose turn it is.
It keeps things a bit more realistic instead of having Bows/Ranged go first, then blah blah blah....

you go second by second... and if nothing is happening for several seconds, you skip those seconds, Unless some one wants to Call something out or change action during that time....

And No need to Track % of action remaining... if some one Decides o change action on Count X, they just declare it and Figure out when their New action will complete.

Been using this system now for nearly 30 years with RM2 since Comp VI came out... and Using an Near Identical system, that I had a hand in helping institute in the Creation of, in another Game system.
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Offline Majyk

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #25 on: March 30, 2016, 04:52:46 AM »
Totally love CEATS, also, and switched the second it showed up in RMC!

LOL, that your Dad is playing a Houri.
Roleplaying him and his super insane Seduction skills will both be weird and unsettling but hilarious.

Make sure to tell Mom for more hilarity!
 :o

Offline Elf-Mage

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #26 on: March 30, 2016, 11:42:25 AM »
That was one of his old characters. In fact, in this campaign, he's the necromancer! With my older brother as the noble warrior (who doesnt know what dad is!). This could get ugly...
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 Elf-Mage

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #27 on: March 30, 2016, 01:24:24 PM »
Another thing:
I'm not sure how this second by second approach works. What I'm used to as a player is the original system. It seems a bit difficult if you have attention deficit players.
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 Peter R

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #28 on: May 01, 2016, 05:23:49 AM »
Elf-Mage: How is the game going?
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Offline Elf-Mage

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #29 on: May 05, 2016, 06:04:06 PM »
I was planning on starting it several weeks ago, then my parents decided to redecorate the downstairs. Everything they couldn't store ended up in garage, where we normally hold the game. Also, my friends and I are at college and are swamped by coursework.

I'll be able to start once we've cleared some space, both from the garage and our workload.

Real Life Sucks... :(
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 Elf-Mage

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #30 on: May 05, 2016, 06:12:03 PM »
I've come up with some notes however:
Orc's are tribal, and not really related to elves (unlike Middle-Earth)
Each different sub-race of elf has it's own culture, although they share many similarities
I've also sped up the item creation process. I always hated having crafting characters lumbered with long creation times (especially true for alchemists and similar). It still takes time, but can be done in a matter of days, not weeks. This mostly applies to magic items.

I've also managed to find Companion 7 (Finally). I think the most I'm going to use is things like the sparring crit tables. (My godfather has a copy, so I know roughly what's in it). I'm also using some of the spell lists, like Essence Wing.

Also, I've limited my players to choosing base rules professions, unless they can justify why they should have something more off-piece. I'm excepting the Paladin from this, as IMHO, it should have been in the base rules to start with!
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 Peter R

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #31 on: May 06, 2016, 03:05:12 AM »
I've come up with some notes however:
Orc's are tribal, and not really related to elves (unlike Middle-Earth)
Each different sub-race of elf has it's own culture, although they share many similarities
I've also sped up the item creation process. I always hated having crafting characters lumbered with long creation times (especially true for alchemists and similar). It still takes time, but can be done in a matter of days, not weeks. This mostly applies to magic items.

I've also managed to find Companion 7 (Finally). I think the most I'm going to use is things like the sparring crit tables. (My godfather has a copy, so I know roughly what's in it). I'm also using some of the spell lists, like Essence Wing.

Also, I've limited my players to choosing base rules professions, unless they can justify why they should have something more off-piece. I'm excepting the Paladin from this, as IMHO, it should have been in the base rules to start with!

I have found that in games where the GM is generous with spell lists, making them easy to learn, the players want to use many of the companion professions. I think it is because  all magicians are identical when they can all do everything and so on. If you want to play a different type of spell caster then you need one with completely different base lists and consequently different professions. If the spell lists are more restricted then one magician may have Ice Law as his main base list and a second one Fire Law then they are substantially different and everything even down to their interior decorating is likely to be different.

In the last shadow world game I played in my 15th level illusionist had 23 spell list parts. If you look at heroes and rogues their illusionist give you two different builds one with 8 lists (2 at 1-20 and 6 at 1-10th) or 5 lists (1 at 1-10th, 3 at 1-20th and 1 at 1-25th). The H&R NPCs are build using the optional rule to add your realm stat to your spell acquisition rolls making spells easier to learn. In my game I do not use any of the options to make spell lists easier to learn and a 10th level pure spell user is typically coming in with 7 lists. Given that there are typically 26 lists per realm for each professon then the players really have no idea about what any given profession will be capable of. I am also a massive proponent of spell research so every NPC spell caster of mine has at least one unique spell of their devising, something I encourage my players to do too.
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Offline Elf-Mage

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #32 on: May 07, 2016, 08:42:10 AM »
I've never really understood the spell research rules entirely. Also, I'm not used to using it as a player because it takes a long time, and in a lot of the campaigns I've played in we've been doing a really fast-paced game

My newer players may not really understand all the rules as well, and I don't want to confuse them.
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 Peter R

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #33 on: May 16, 2016, 03:02:19 AM »
It takes a spell caster something like a week to research a 1st level spell. Given the healing times in RM it is entirely possible even most games to research a spell. It is harder for essence users who generally need libraries and books etc., but your channeling users can do this with prayer and such and mentalists with meditation.

If you have players who know the rules better than you it is always nice to be able to throw a spell that they cannot identify, especially if they are trying to divine the NPCs profession and level from what spells they are casting.

I find I can think of interesting mashups of spells and lists and then I just have to decide which NPC to give it to. The last one was a putting a spell that had the same effects as the Vibrations spells but putting it on the light Law Lists as the target became so electrically charged that sparks were arcing between any and all pieces of metal equipment. (the spell requires an RR each round or you have to roll a fumble with your weapon as per the Vibrations spell description).
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Offline Elf-Mage

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #34 on: May 16, 2016, 07:46:13 AM »
Sounds like fun!

Two of my players are experienced, and one of them has even memorised the rules (well, most of them!). I wonder what kind of unpleasant surprises I can throw their way?...
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 Peter R

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Re: First Time GM - Need Help
« Reply #35 on: May 16, 2016, 11:05:29 AM »
Sounds like fun!

Two of my players are experienced, and one of them has even memorised the rules (well, most of them!). I wonder what kind of unpleasant surprises I can throw their way?...

Read and get a good understanding of what the Spell Mastery skill does and then use it with your NPCs. Give your NPC spells that are not in the book, like the electrical Vibrations spell I mentioned above or maybe a version of Hurling (Essence Hand or Telekinese lists) that uses a rope to do Grappling attacks. As soon as everything the player has memorised starts to be 'wrong' and you are confident that you can rebut any accusations of GM cheating then that will shake their confidence.

In the last adventure my players had there were three spell casts on the bad side, a cleric, magician and a alchemist. All three escaped but the one that made the biggest impact was the alchemist as he could create potions of up to 3rd level spells. As soon as the characters started to get close to the bosses areas all the minions were equiped with a variety of potions that boosted them. The bad guys had been making and stockpiling potions for just such a situation. As an example the guards then had blur and shield running which made them significantly tougher. For the most part the bad guys were drinking the best 'treasure' at first sight of the PCs.
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Spectre771 A couple of weeks ago, I disemboweled one of my PCs with a...