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The Kickstart Game
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| Bad-Ash | Date: Tuesday, 12 Mar 2013, 6:51 PM | Message # 1 |
 Count / Countess
Group: Past Members
Messages: 133
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| Michelle has asked me to put together a thread explaining what you can all expect from the Pathfinder game we'll be playing to get us started. So here goes.
Firstly, it's just going to be a light dungeoncrawl. If you don't know what a dungeoncrawl is, it's when a party explores a dungeon and faces the various creatures in there. So it's nearly all combat, exploration, and stealth, and very little actual 'role-playing'. Why a dungeoncrawl then? Well, several reasons. Firstly, it's easy to play and run. Secondly, with little or no 'role-playing' required (although it's always encouraged ;)) nobody has to get self-conscious or embarrassed about acting as their character. And finally, it will teach those of us either unfamiliar or rusty with the rules the basics about combat, spellcasting, experience points and more.
I'll be GMing the adventure, which might last only one session or might last several, there's no exact way of knowing. I haven't GM'd in a long time, and never with Pathfinder (although plenty of times with the older versions of DnD... so how hard can it be? :)) so I'm pretty rusty. We'll all be in the same boat as new or relatively new players, so no pressure.
Characters will be created in the meeting before. I'm hoping that we continue with a longer campaign with the same characters, maybe right afterwards, maybe not, but there will be a chance to create other new characters if you find this first one not to your liking. Stats will be rolled, with players rolling 4d6 at a time and keeping the highest three, then assigning the end result to a stat.
Races and classes are limited to what's in the Core Rulebook only. Even then, I like to hear a good reason for why you want to play that character. Something to bear in mind for the future when I run games is the more you sell it, the more I'll buy it. What I mean by that is if you want an odd character, don't just tell me and expect to get it. Tell me the story of the character, why you want to play it, what you hope to achieve with the character, that will get me to agree.
And then there's party balance. Yeah, that's important. Ideally, at the very least, a party needs a warrior, a mage, a thief, and a healer. The cliche set-up is usually a fighter, wizard, rogue and cleric but we'll work around whatever you guys want to play. If there are only four of us, then I'll probably add an NPC to help boost the party's strength a little.
In regards to XP (or experience points): I tend to give out XP at the end of an adventure, not asession, not a campaign. It just works for me better that way, as I believe the characters need some downtime to learn new skills and abilities. I also like to give bonuses for role-playing, for making things fun, that kind of thing. And be aware I also try to balance everything a little; for instance, if you're weak in one area then I'll give you a little more XP when you do it, just for trying.
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| Bad-Ash | Date: Tuesday, 12 Mar 2013, 6:51 PM | Message # 2 |
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Count / Countess
Group: Past Members
Messages: 133
Status: Offline
| A couple of other rules I have, and I might be repeating what Michelle's already said here, but just in case...
1. No electronics. By all means have yourcellphone switched on but please, please try not to take calls during a session unless it's an emergency. Taking casual calls will bring everyone out of the game for a moment and can really disrupt the flow. And certainly never make calls during a session (at the end of a session, or near the end, is fine, like if you need to call someone to be picked up for instance). If, for any reason, you need to make/take a call, apologise and step away from the gaming group. Likewise, no playing on Angry Birds or Draw Something or checking your mail, etc. etc. I know some people like to use their tablets or phones as a part of gaming, like to keep their character sheet open or whatever, but I feel they're big distractions.
2. Respect each other. That's just commonsense.
3. Be on time. And contact one of us if you can't. I know real life can be a pain, but try your best.
4. No rules-lawyering. But if you feel I'm being unfair by ignoring any rules (and I do so love ignoring rules) talk to me about it.
5. Don't be afraid to ask for a sidebar. You know, if there's something you're not happy about, tell me you want a word and we'll go off and talk about and try to fix it through compromise. Basically my rule is tough it out at the table, talk about it when the game is done.
6. The most important rule of all. Don't sweat the small stuff. No one's expecting anything of you. Everyone's taking part to have fun. Sure, Person A's fun might be different to Person B's idea of fun, but that's okay. We can all either adapt, which will take time, or (worst case scenario) it doesn't work out and we go our friendly but separate ways. But if you are worried you might not be a good role-playing/actor, it's not a problem. And if you're worried you don't know all the rules or don't understand some of them, that's not a problem either. Like I said, the important thing is just to have some fun.
Alright, that about covers everything I think. Don't be afraid to ask me questions. We have less than a month to go before we meet so now's the time. But you can always ask questions at the meet-and-greet session if you'd rather speak face-to-face. Any questions at all, please ask.
Message edited by Ash - Tuesday, 12 Mar 2013, 6:52 PM |
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| Russ | Date: Tuesday, 12 Mar 2013, 8:31 PM | Message # 3 |
 Viceroy / Vicereine
Group: Group Members
Messages: 266
Status: Offline
| I have PDF versions of the rules (although I plan to buy the actual core rulebook in the near future). How do you feel about a laptop just for the purpose of viewing the rules. Unfortunately I don't own an iPad.
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| Bad-Ash | Date: Wednesday, 13 Mar 2013, 7:08 PM | Message # 4 |
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Count / Countess
Group: Past Members
Messages: 133
Status: Offline
| Sorry, Russ, I should have included no laptops, I don't know why I didn't. Anyway, we'll give it a try. I do try to be fair, after all. Just try to only use the laptop during games for checking rules and not for anything distracting and non-game-related. 
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| Russ | Date: Wednesday, 13 Mar 2013, 7:42 PM | Message # 5 |
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Viceroy / Vicereine
Group: Group Members
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| I totally agree. When you DM/GM I can see not wanting too many distractions at the table. I will pick up the core rules ASAP because nothing beats an actual physical book IMHO.
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| Emmy | Date: Thursday, 14 Mar 2013, 6:04 PM | Message # 6 |
 Knight / Dame
Group: Blocked
Messages: 17
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| Can I add one from WoW, something I HATE in that game is when people act like it's life or death. It is important to play well, and have fun. it is also JUST A GAME. Please don't act like if something happens or doesn't it's the end of the world. I don't get how it happened, but one time I ran DPS in the game and the tank got pissed to the point he pulled a group and let me fight it... I mean really, we're adults. and mature, and this is a game to have fun. Added (14 Mar 13, 5:04 PM)
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I looked over the post after this. and I saw the name Rogue. I think I'll make a female human rogue, I could have fun with that. 
"The hardest thing in this world, Is to live in it" -Dawn from Buffy season 6
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| Bad-Ash | Date: Thursday, 14 Mar 2013, 6:31 PM | Message # 7 |
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Count / Countess
Group: Past Members
Messages: 133
Status: Offline
| That's a really good point, Emmy. It is only a game and it is only meant to be fun.
And a rogue? Good choice.
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| Michelle | Date: Tuesday, 19 Mar 2013, 0:03 AM | Message # 8 |
 Viceroy / Vicereine
Group: Group Administrator
Messages: 299
Status: Offline
| Can we have laptops at the just the character creations session? Just as another resource because we'll be looking up info at the same time and I usually type all my stuff into an excel sheet anyhow, though I'll print it off for the game. I'm all about auto-calculate if possible too, especially when trying out different options with creation. Also there is a section on the site to post character sheets once you've completed them or updated them. Emmy, if you post yours before the first session, I'll print it off and bring it to the game since I know your printer is out.
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| Bad-Ash | Date: Tuesday, 19 Mar 2013, 6:09 PM | Message # 9 |
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Count / Countess
Group: Past Members
Messages: 133
Status: Offline
| Yes, laptops/tablets at the character creation session is okay, I guess. Makes sense to have as many copies of the rulebook on hand as we can.
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