Story Point should allow the player to suggest a plot twist that can be resolved quickly, or to establish a relevant fact or NPC attitude. and INDEXlook at the runes more closely, chip away Let the group decide onat the plaster, or search around for a their course from there.representation of Norgorbers If the trek takesfourth aspect. A fight that requires 47Gamemastery Guide QUICK ADVENTURE GROUPS powerful tool for encounters. Large exposed and must call on his guard, and so on. How does it interplay with activitiesto make that true. It falls to you to describe you dont need to have every rule memorized. However, you can add a few counterpoints 45Gamemastery Guide ENCOUNTER DESIGN Creating a compelling encounter goes beyond just following the guidelines for selecting monsters of a given level. to catch back up. paid to eliminate a problem. resulting in a negotiation or in the NPC offering a job the PC must perform to claim the item.
separate battles take place simultaneously. 1 entreaty before a ruler, 2 scenes of relaxation or carousing Variant Rules with unexpected import Have enemies focus purely on their goal. If you find that they start making the types of rules calls that can occur frequently. the challenges the heroes must overcome, whether thats a deadly trap of haunted blades in a lost tomb full of HOW TO USE THIS BOOK ancient treasures or a vicious troll threatening the heroes home village. When you can, combine multiple peoples22Gamemastery Basics 1 introduction Gamemastery Basics Tools Subsystems Variant Rules NPC Gallery GLOSSARY and INDEXGoals involving organizations are a good opportunity to a little vignette. If you know a search isnt going to turn The rules for Searching deliberately avoid giving intricate up anything useful, make that clear early on so the group detail on how long a search takes. Take Cover action instead of using 2 separate actions.READY MAPS AND MINIATURESThe Ready activity lets the acting person choose the trigger A grid and miniatures can make it easier to visualize combatfor their readied action. For instance, sorcerers are rare and feared by wizards guilds, which havewhile hobgoblins are a relatively common monster for a stranglehold on spell access. No one likes worried that the effect would be so powerful that the PCsbeing surprised by a rule change. You can directly say, Youve been trying to get the to the amount of downtime you expect the party will getmagistrate to allow you to buy this plot of land, but the during your campaign. Some advice for drawing maps appears on pagesthe trigger must be something that happens in the game 5253. epic storylines, or all prefer tactical combat), your job will be a bit easier. Contrast the corruption with education, healing, and working towards betterment. Examples: jumpmoment, and empowers your players with permission from a higher elevation down onto a foe for a smallto express their opinions on the ruling at a later time. to keep it from happening again. The opposition should be thematically consistent, but not necessarily KEEPING IT VARIED monolithic. Anything you havent already introduced can be changed as needed. This approach allows PCs to determine some need, but lets look at three possibilities. approached to contribute to a charity in desperate need or Consider what effort each PC puts forth as they retrain, sponsor an artist looking for a patron. Time pressure is often related to afair warning and a chance to retreat and try again another secondary objective in the encounter, though it could beday. Youll also need to determine how long whether the object could almost entirely cover up their GLOSSARYthe preparation takes. If the campaign ended in success for the PCs, give yourselves a round of applause. The purpose of these activities within the game isgives them a better sense of their environment, and can to clarify what a PC focuses on as they explore rather thanbe used to foreshadow what they might find ahead. Just keep in mind that things might change in play. Think about their tastes, When youre starting out, straightforward encounters of biology, or wealth. It Adventure Design (page 40) includes tools for building can be memorable to end with a cliffhangera moment so your own adventures. Selling itemS You might find that accomplishment XP doesnt work well for your game, especially if youre running a dungeon The PCs ability to sell items plays a big part in their crawl or other game with less interaction with NPCs or ability to equip themselves how they want. the world as needed. Downtime goals are aduring adventures to develop some suggestions. PCs get what expediency over verisimilitude and is likely to reduce the they find in adventures and can Craft their own items, if you number of unusual or distinctive items the PCs have, as allow them to get formulas in some way. another egg wouldnt necessarily get accomplishment XP. to show the change. And if something ended up inconsistent, theres nothing wrong with telling yourNumber of Sessions 57 players you want to revise something you previously said.Exploration Scenes 1 long voyage, plagued by attacks; 23 Because this is your own creation, its closer to your heart. Downtime is a good A merchant sells the PC a fraudulent item. If you have multiple adversaries, until you know what the PCs plans are. Remember that Build a storefront. If parts of having Making their character the center of attention, the player in the game were rewarding or you want the player to remain a friend, make that clear and decide if a without allowing space for other players. for the length of the pause. Presenting players with a play, odd-sized groups, and players with different needs. For instance, a can usually find them eventually with enough effort, game set in the lizardfolk empire of Droon might potentially by choosing a specific character option or have lizardfolk (normally uncommon) as a common spending substantial downtime tracking them down. Consider this expenditure another way to show While the amount of money the PCs can earn during short how the PCs impact the world. You might introduce new elements into the world that call back to the previous campaign:STARTING AT A HIGHER LEVEL newly powerful factions, new settlements, or new options for player characters such as backgrounds, all based on theA typical campaign starts at 1st level, but you can start at a impact the previous PCs made on the world.higher level if you choose. Perhaps the evil tyrant reveals that they were a dragon all along, or reinforcements arrive for whichever HAZARDS IN COMBAT side was outmatched. to see in the game. downtime depth as the game goes along, and you might find it becomes more important to the players as their connection In the second, you and the other players just dont care to the setting grows stronger. characters using Stealth in reasonable places to hide, Is this negative circumstance easy to replicate in even if that means you have to adjust the marching order to do so. adventure recipes to quickly outline an adventure based on your chosen theme. Interesting actions to disable Lieutenant and Lackeys (80 XP): One creature of party a hazard are a fun way to give several PCs something fresh and different to do rather than piling on damage. It also means you only need death and dying rules. However, you dont have to do this alone. to the larger story. If you prepared more than you actually used, NPC Gallery voyages through long, trapped hallways or mazes; 1 secure thats normal! execution Wining a debate about a contentious topic16Gamemastery Basics 1 RUNNING EXPLORATION introductionExploration covers a wide variety of situations, letting the groups creativity and storytelling Gamemasteryshine. legacy carried on. variety based on their size and shape. level, four creatures of party level 4 Mated Pair (80 XP): Two creatures of party level EVOLVING BATTLEFIELDS Troop (80 XP): One creature of party level, two creatures While some battlefields are relatively static, allowing the of party level 2 PCs and foes to clobber each other until one side wins, Mook Squad (60 XP): Six creatures of party level 4 complex or evolving battlefields can lead to far more memorable encounters. For some groups it might be easier, Dr. Revis Enzerrad, mystic versed in the occult or require less suspension of disbelief, to ask Grita the Swamp Sage, purveyor of strange draughts the group to adjust their ideas of whats previously happened in the game than to and cryptic riddles accept something like an elf turning into a Jeballewn Leastfire,tutor in alchemical experimentation halfling via magic. Your setup should match your time commitment, budget, and the aesthetics you want.SEEK You can also bring the setting alive by describing sensoryThe Seek action leaves it up to you how long a search details like sounds, smells, temperature, and 3-D elementsshould take.
Keep the number of rolls small. Your collaboration will depend on the interests of you Also, dont lose sight of your own enjoyment! If you are running a story-intensive game in which each PC has a personal stake in defeating the villain, saving the town, or the like, a TPK could demolish multiple plot threads. In What if you want to preside over a game in which anyone some games, the players can step beyond the traditional can speak for any of the NPCs, and when someone tries divide between GM and players to directly influence how to determine whats down the next hallway, its just as the story progresses. If you want to include these themes forlike, Im not sure your characters aware of that, or, Can an NPC, you should probably bring it up with your playersyou explain your characters thinking when they do that? beforehand and set expectations. game. The variety of these situations is limited rules. If youre not sure what your players enjoy, you play, youll keep adjusting to fit the events of the ask them in advance what theyd like to see in the game! Theyre undetected by anyone whose DC theymeet or exceed. Look at how different locationspossibly between two rooms where differences in morale between participants impact the fight. Thats left in your hands doesnt waste too much time on it. Things Sometimes, when creating characters, a GM canget more questionable if the player says,Thats a rakshasa,so unintentionally play into themes that can be harmful ordont use divine spells against it, regardless of whether their hurtful. You shouldnt immediately jump on every instance cheating. time passes. PLACING CHARACTERS ON THE MAP If you answered yes to any of the first two, its more likely you should assign a bonustypically a +1 or +2 If the PCs are already moving on a grid, as often happens circumstance bonus. Or maybe for your style of runningDungeon Crawl games, you prefer to have some text written about each Subsystems scene, or even particular lines of dialogue. Its oftenNote that battles can get more spread out with flight. Severe- battles. A encounterssuch as some dungeon crawls or sandbox villain will look ineffective if the PCs foil every single plot or gamessee Treasure by Encounter on page 51. plan. Their next one or two NPCs who are more hopeful, either to grant undertaking should reflect who they are now. If all the players at the table contribute ideas, the game holds more surprises for everyoneincluding you! What old legends are being discovered, and what new ones are being forged? The NPCThe tools of this book Gallery in Chapter 5youll use most depend can help populateon what kind of Game Master you are, what your players your story andwant, and the story youre telling together. For example, if the players set off across people have conflicting ideas about the tone of the game or the sea, you might ask where they want their voyage to end particulars of the setting, you can end up with something and what sites, if any, theyd like to explore along the way. effort. For these encounters,check, and if the aspect is choose creatures that live in that type of environment.represented as a statue in the room, asking for a Perception Remember that not all creatures attack on sight. LOOKING UP RULES Remember the basics of the rules. Emphasize conflict with the PCs. preserve your authority over the game while giving players the chance to incorporate elements into the game you know This approach works best when players are comfortable they want to see. You can allow players to engage in other For players who are hard of hearing or who struggle to activities during the session, such as texting, reading, or process large amounts of sensory information at once, playing other games, and then draw them back into the selecting a quiet gaming venue and establishing ground game when their character is active. ImagineJust because something is common or uncommon in a world where one or more of the core classes are rare.one context doesnt necessarily mean its the same in Maybe the gods rarely answer the call of the faithful andothers. rounds, the heroes need to defeat the lich before then! Even in this style rare items). the marching order, you can either set up the PC minis Should the character have expected this would be yourself, then ask if everybody is happy with where they are, or have the players place their own minis. certain books, remind the players to plan for their next Though this chapter contains detailed advice about many turns while youre busy. Avoid low- and Exploration Scenes 1 long voyage, often by land or sea; trivial-threat battles.Roleplaying Encounters 2 battles of wits; 4 conversations with 34 competitions, performances, or other test of skill; bizarre creatures 12 infiltrations or escapesEncounter Tropes Unique environments and terrain for dynamic Combat Encounters 2 trivial, 2 low, 4 moderate, 1 severe. imbalance might mean you have other players who feel Being deliberately rude or cruel to other players ineffective, or the overpowered characters player becomes bored because they arent challenged during gameplay. This effectively acknowledges that youre politics, and finance playing a game, and dont need an in-world justification Dr. Phinella Albor, professor of medicine and surgery for certain changes. Start with a simple stand to sell their wares. While spending additional money Buy and Sell Items greatly increases the efficiency of Crafting an item, you The PC sells an item of interest to members of a particular cant build a fort in a day just because you have enough group, who pursue the PC. THE NEXT CAMPAIGN Begin the adventure, using the Starting a Session If the group plays another campaign in the same world steps on page 490 of the Core Rulebook. Even if These frameworks offer guidelines for the number of youre building an enclosed dungeon, you dont want to sessions and types of encounters that work best. the chances of collaboration and sets expectations Review your decision after the session is over, if necessary. This could include divvying up Drawing Maps (page 52) describes useful steps for treasure, leveling up, or completing downtime tasks. The first of these is covered in detail on page 491 of the Core Rulebook, and guidance for the others appears here. Game Mastering involves many for Pathfinder. scene for the action, its in your best interest to appear Asking if anyone knows how a specific rule rewards fair at all times. what the PCs are tasked with or have some limitation that necessitates the PCs involvement. If you more difficult based on what they already knew? Try to be consistent about what is have plenty of ways to obtain the items they want. When the PCs first look Then, if this piques a players interest, you can go around or scout, pick two or GLOSSARYinto a more detailed investigation. down and give more description when youre establishing Shift the passage of time to emphasize tension and something or progressing the story. Look for opportunities to highlight each PC by and other aspects of the scene that they can identify with. Broadly, such problems can be separated into four main categories: distractions, total party kills, problematic players, and power imbalances. more palatable for the players. But you dont need to be the foremost When Torben swung from the chandelier and attacked expert on the rules. If you have multiple enemies of the same type, such as four goblin warriors, you might want to have them act When youre determining whether to grant a special on the same initiative for simplicity. What would best fit the themes of our story?8Gamemastery Basics 1the results are going to be immediate or when stakes are nPC limitations introductionlow, like when the PC is trying to recall something duringdowntime that theyll see is false through the course of their Always remember that the PCs have the greatest role in Gamemasteryresearch. You can put self-contained opportunity to support or participate in each. foes with weak points theyre uniquely suited to exploiting. Roleplaying games encourage creativity, and however well crafted and well tested a set of rules is, players will always find situations that require interpretation and judgment by the GM. For grid with offset squares, which works similarly. The wizard aiming a fireball precisely enough to resPeCting the CharaCterinclude three enemies in the very edge of the spells area isprobably unrealistic, but isnt that disruptive to play. MONEY IN DOWNTIME Did they acquire interesting objects or hire compelling people? You can decide for yourself which alternativesolutions seem reasonable based on the context of the LARGE GROUPSadventure, consulting the Difficulty Classes section onpage 503 of the Core Rulebook to set appropriate DCs Large-group games bring together the creativity andfor challenges. These sessions also give events, provides sample downtime tasks, and more. However, gettingsome of that information for convenience. These are the most important things to keep in mind. Check in with your group, especially and INDEX session zero to create characters first (page 7), let them when youre getting close to the end of each adventure, to know. If the new activity seems likeinto the characters and their relationships, and it can help its a better option than other activities all or nearly allpromote camaraderie and interactions between characters. Changing an ancestry or heritagerequires some kind of magic, such asreincarnation into a new form.This might take a complexritual, exposure to bizarre and 27Gamemastery Guide ADJUDICATING RULES As Game Master, it falls on you to adjudicate the rules.This means youre making judgments and decisions about the rules, especially when their application is unclear. Be flexible and encouraging as you run a social most adventurers carry a heavy enough load to sink. Maybe two of the scenes in Motivations (page 44): Determine more specifically each are fairly basic combat encounters, but if you make what the oppositions goals and motivations are. If you want to run a session addressing it outright. These items should always be treasure. Ask the players what theirIf youre running a session zero, read the Session Zero characters do after the adventure.You might want to narratesection on page 7 for advice on your first session. The opposition is a force for mayhem, without any greater plan What does the opposition want? Climbing, Swimming, or pushing through difficult terrainIf the foes are smaller or larger than the PCs, consider can be much tougherespecially if the enemies haveincluding paths, cubbyholes, staircases, or narrow passages strong ranged attacks. Demonstrate the horrorTHREATS NPC GalleryThink of each type of threat as the deep, visceral dangerthe enemies represent. Too many dangling plot threads can result in some being forgotten or make players feel overloaded.
REWINDING Answering questions quickly and decisively Though rewinding can happen in any mode of play, whenever possible. Adventure Recipes (below) gives If your players all like similar things (maybe they all like steps to effectively implement theme and feeling. whereas progress searching a statue for traps could be a GLOSSARY relayed as a series of distressing details in quick succession, and INDEX As you run exploration, keep the following basic goals and would feel more tense due to that precision.in mind. down before they can do anything, so use this technique only when necessary to keep the game moving. Imagine anyou more details on how you can use goals in downtime. Its usually best if the PCs can foresee the consequences, at least in a general sense. can be overwhelming or even monotonous.
Do they bear scars from previous battles? This Showing the immediate consequences of actions. For example, if a PC misinterpreted text about the will become too muddy. Two significant challengesits often best to be more relaxed with movement rules, for non-aquatic creatures are breathing underwater (orflanking, and so forth than you would be on a flat grid. The Character Wealth table on page 511 of the CoreRulebook indicates how much currency and what common 39Gamemastery Guide ADVENTURE DESIGN When making your own adventure, you get to choose the themes, play style, and NPCs that most appeal to you and your group. Its your game. When the unless the PCs expend more resources than they normallyPCs foes amass into an overwhelming force, give the PCs would on such foes. down to give the players a sense of whats ahead. the primary reason to play Pathfinder is to have fun. the time, chances are you might want to adjust it so its more balanced. If you plan to setyoure running your adventures in a world of yourat any time. major emotional beat for the character. Typically, a single action is sufficient silhouette. they travel), and they can change activities at any time. They can24Gamemastery Basics 1TASKS AND EVENTS Mining Lore introduction Work a shift in a coal minePlayers will often look to you for tasks they might take Determine where a raw ingot was mined Gamemasteryon during downtime, especially if theyre looking to Earn Prospect to find a site for a new mine BasicsIncome. This is best for groups who The mount rules are for common cases: humanoids riding can easily imagine their surroundings without a visual aid, quadrupedal animals. but unleash a demon that crawled through the remains of the botched ritual, or cause part of the room to collapse No encounter needs to use all of the elements presented from the magical backlash. veterans the chance to help less experienced players through character creation. This rolls. Sometimes problems present themselves at the table, and its up to the GM to resolve them. The treasure assignment is villain plans to get rich robbing caravans or merchant ships. Light levels play a key role in both outdoor and indoor MORALEencounters. Remember to place the part of the one taking the penalty?
separate battles take place simultaneously. 1 entreaty before a ruler, 2 scenes of relaxation or carousing Variant Rules with unexpected import Have enemies focus purely on their goal. If you find that they start making the types of rules calls that can occur frequently. the challenges the heroes must overcome, whether thats a deadly trap of haunted blades in a lost tomb full of HOW TO USE THIS BOOK ancient treasures or a vicious troll threatening the heroes home village. When you can, combine multiple peoples22Gamemastery Basics 1 introduction Gamemastery Basics Tools Subsystems Variant Rules NPC Gallery GLOSSARY and INDEXGoals involving organizations are a good opportunity to a little vignette. If you know a search isnt going to turn The rules for Searching deliberately avoid giving intricate up anything useful, make that clear early on so the group detail on how long a search takes. Take Cover action instead of using 2 separate actions.READY MAPS AND MINIATURESThe Ready activity lets the acting person choose the trigger A grid and miniatures can make it easier to visualize combatfor their readied action. For instance, sorcerers are rare and feared by wizards guilds, which havewhile hobgoblins are a relatively common monster for a stranglehold on spell access. No one likes worried that the effect would be so powerful that the PCsbeing surprised by a rule change. You can directly say, Youve been trying to get the to the amount of downtime you expect the party will getmagistrate to allow you to buy this plot of land, but the during your campaign. Some advice for drawing maps appears on pagesthe trigger must be something that happens in the game 5253. epic storylines, or all prefer tactical combat), your job will be a bit easier. Contrast the corruption with education, healing, and working towards betterment. Examples: jumpmoment, and empowers your players with permission from a higher elevation down onto a foe for a smallto express their opinions on the ruling at a later time. to keep it from happening again. The opposition should be thematically consistent, but not necessarily KEEPING IT VARIED monolithic. Anything you havent already introduced can be changed as needed. This approach allows PCs to determine some need, but lets look at three possibilities. approached to contribute to a charity in desperate need or Consider what effort each PC puts forth as they retrain, sponsor an artist looking for a patron. Time pressure is often related to afair warning and a chance to retreat and try again another secondary objective in the encounter, though it could beday. Youll also need to determine how long whether the object could almost entirely cover up their GLOSSARYthe preparation takes. If the campaign ended in success for the PCs, give yourselves a round of applause. The purpose of these activities within the game isgives them a better sense of their environment, and can to clarify what a PC focuses on as they explore rather thanbe used to foreshadow what they might find ahead. Just keep in mind that things might change in play. Think about their tastes, When youre starting out, straightforward encounters of biology, or wealth. It Adventure Design (page 40) includes tools for building can be memorable to end with a cliffhangera moment so your own adventures. Selling itemS You might find that accomplishment XP doesnt work well for your game, especially if youre running a dungeon The PCs ability to sell items plays a big part in their crawl or other game with less interaction with NPCs or ability to equip themselves how they want. the world as needed. Downtime goals are aduring adventures to develop some suggestions. PCs get what expediency over verisimilitude and is likely to reduce the they find in adventures and can Craft their own items, if you number of unusual or distinctive items the PCs have, as allow them to get formulas in some way. another egg wouldnt necessarily get accomplishment XP. to show the change. And if something ended up inconsistent, theres nothing wrong with telling yourNumber of Sessions 57 players you want to revise something you previously said.Exploration Scenes 1 long voyage, plagued by attacks; 23 Because this is your own creation, its closer to your heart. Downtime is a good A merchant sells the PC a fraudulent item. If you have multiple adversaries, until you know what the PCs plans are. Remember that Build a storefront. If parts of having Making their character the center of attention, the player in the game were rewarding or you want the player to remain a friend, make that clear and decide if a without allowing space for other players. for the length of the pause. Presenting players with a play, odd-sized groups, and players with different needs. For instance, a can usually find them eventually with enough effort, game set in the lizardfolk empire of Droon might potentially by choosing a specific character option or have lizardfolk (normally uncommon) as a common spending substantial downtime tracking them down. Consider this expenditure another way to show While the amount of money the PCs can earn during short how the PCs impact the world. You might introduce new elements into the world that call back to the previous campaign:STARTING AT A HIGHER LEVEL newly powerful factions, new settlements, or new options for player characters such as backgrounds, all based on theA typical campaign starts at 1st level, but you can start at a impact the previous PCs made on the world.higher level if you choose. Perhaps the evil tyrant reveals that they were a dragon all along, or reinforcements arrive for whichever HAZARDS IN COMBAT side was outmatched. to see in the game. downtime depth as the game goes along, and you might find it becomes more important to the players as their connection In the second, you and the other players just dont care to the setting grows stronger. characters using Stealth in reasonable places to hide, Is this negative circumstance easy to replicate in even if that means you have to adjust the marching order to do so. adventure recipes to quickly outline an adventure based on your chosen theme. Interesting actions to disable Lieutenant and Lackeys (80 XP): One creature of party a hazard are a fun way to give several PCs something fresh and different to do rather than piling on damage. It also means you only need death and dying rules. However, you dont have to do this alone. to the larger story. If you prepared more than you actually used, NPC Gallery voyages through long, trapped hallways or mazes; 1 secure thats normal! execution Wining a debate about a contentious topic16Gamemastery Basics 1 RUNNING EXPLORATION introductionExploration covers a wide variety of situations, letting the groups creativity and storytelling Gamemasteryshine. legacy carried on. variety based on their size and shape. level, four creatures of party level 4 Mated Pair (80 XP): Two creatures of party level EVOLVING BATTLEFIELDS Troop (80 XP): One creature of party level, two creatures While some battlefields are relatively static, allowing the of party level 2 PCs and foes to clobber each other until one side wins, Mook Squad (60 XP): Six creatures of party level 4 complex or evolving battlefields can lead to far more memorable encounters. For some groups it might be easier, Dr. Revis Enzerrad, mystic versed in the occult or require less suspension of disbelief, to ask Grita the Swamp Sage, purveyor of strange draughts the group to adjust their ideas of whats previously happened in the game than to and cryptic riddles accept something like an elf turning into a Jeballewn Leastfire,tutor in alchemical experimentation halfling via magic. Your setup should match your time commitment, budget, and the aesthetics you want.SEEK You can also bring the setting alive by describing sensoryThe Seek action leaves it up to you how long a search details like sounds, smells, temperature, and 3-D elementsshould take.
Keep the number of rolls small. Your collaboration will depend on the interests of you Also, dont lose sight of your own enjoyment! If you are running a story-intensive game in which each PC has a personal stake in defeating the villain, saving the town, or the like, a TPK could demolish multiple plot threads. In What if you want to preside over a game in which anyone some games, the players can step beyond the traditional can speak for any of the NPCs, and when someone tries divide between GM and players to directly influence how to determine whats down the next hallway, its just as the story progresses. If you want to include these themes forlike, Im not sure your characters aware of that, or, Can an NPC, you should probably bring it up with your playersyou explain your characters thinking when they do that? beforehand and set expectations. game. The variety of these situations is limited rules. If youre not sure what your players enjoy, you play, youll keep adjusting to fit the events of the ask them in advance what theyd like to see in the game! Theyre undetected by anyone whose DC theymeet or exceed. Look at how different locationspossibly between two rooms where differences in morale between participants impact the fight. Thats left in your hands doesnt waste too much time on it. Things Sometimes, when creating characters, a GM canget more questionable if the player says,Thats a rakshasa,so unintentionally play into themes that can be harmful ordont use divine spells against it, regardless of whether their hurtful. You shouldnt immediately jump on every instance cheating. time passes. PLACING CHARACTERS ON THE MAP If you answered yes to any of the first two, its more likely you should assign a bonustypically a +1 or +2 If the PCs are already moving on a grid, as often happens circumstance bonus. Or maybe for your style of runningDungeon Crawl games, you prefer to have some text written about each Subsystems scene, or even particular lines of dialogue. Its oftenNote that battles can get more spread out with flight. Severe- battles. A encounterssuch as some dungeon crawls or sandbox villain will look ineffective if the PCs foil every single plot or gamessee Treasure by Encounter on page 51. plan. Their next one or two NPCs who are more hopeful, either to grant undertaking should reflect who they are now. If all the players at the table contribute ideas, the game holds more surprises for everyoneincluding you! What old legends are being discovered, and what new ones are being forged? The NPCThe tools of this book Gallery in Chapter 5youll use most depend can help populateon what kind of Game Master you are, what your players your story andwant, and the story youre telling together. For example, if the players set off across people have conflicting ideas about the tone of the game or the sea, you might ask where they want their voyage to end particulars of the setting, you can end up with something and what sites, if any, theyd like to explore along the way. effort. For these encounters,check, and if the aspect is choose creatures that live in that type of environment.represented as a statue in the room, asking for a Perception Remember that not all creatures attack on sight. LOOKING UP RULES Remember the basics of the rules. Emphasize conflict with the PCs. preserve your authority over the game while giving players the chance to incorporate elements into the game you know This approach works best when players are comfortable they want to see. You can allow players to engage in other For players who are hard of hearing or who struggle to activities during the session, such as texting, reading, or process large amounts of sensory information at once, playing other games, and then draw them back into the selecting a quiet gaming venue and establishing ground game when their character is active. ImagineJust because something is common or uncommon in a world where one or more of the core classes are rare.one context doesnt necessarily mean its the same in Maybe the gods rarely answer the call of the faithful andothers. rounds, the heroes need to defeat the lich before then! Even in this style rare items). the marching order, you can either set up the PC minis Should the character have expected this would be yourself, then ask if everybody is happy with where they are, or have the players place their own minis. certain books, remind the players to plan for their next Though this chapter contains detailed advice about many turns while youre busy. Avoid low- and Exploration Scenes 1 long voyage, often by land or sea; trivial-threat battles.Roleplaying Encounters 2 battles of wits; 4 conversations with 34 competitions, performances, or other test of skill; bizarre creatures 12 infiltrations or escapesEncounter Tropes Unique environments and terrain for dynamic Combat Encounters 2 trivial, 2 low, 4 moderate, 1 severe. imbalance might mean you have other players who feel Being deliberately rude or cruel to other players ineffective, or the overpowered characters player becomes bored because they arent challenged during gameplay. This effectively acknowledges that youre politics, and finance playing a game, and dont need an in-world justification Dr. Phinella Albor, professor of medicine and surgery for certain changes. Start with a simple stand to sell their wares. While spending additional money Buy and Sell Items greatly increases the efficiency of Crafting an item, you The PC sells an item of interest to members of a particular cant build a fort in a day just because you have enough group, who pursue the PC. THE NEXT CAMPAIGN Begin the adventure, using the Starting a Session If the group plays another campaign in the same world steps on page 490 of the Core Rulebook. Even if These frameworks offer guidelines for the number of youre building an enclosed dungeon, you dont want to sessions and types of encounters that work best. the chances of collaboration and sets expectations Review your decision after the session is over, if necessary. This could include divvying up Drawing Maps (page 52) describes useful steps for treasure, leveling up, or completing downtime tasks. The first of these is covered in detail on page 491 of the Core Rulebook, and guidance for the others appears here. Game Mastering involves many for Pathfinder. scene for the action, its in your best interest to appear Asking if anyone knows how a specific rule rewards fair at all times. what the PCs are tasked with or have some limitation that necessitates the PCs involvement. If you more difficult based on what they already knew? Try to be consistent about what is have plenty of ways to obtain the items they want. When the PCs first look Then, if this piques a players interest, you can go around or scout, pick two or GLOSSARYinto a more detailed investigation. down and give more description when youre establishing Shift the passage of time to emphasize tension and something or progressing the story. Look for opportunities to highlight each PC by and other aspects of the scene that they can identify with. Broadly, such problems can be separated into four main categories: distractions, total party kills, problematic players, and power imbalances. more palatable for the players. But you dont need to be the foremost When Torben swung from the chandelier and attacked expert on the rules. If you have multiple enemies of the same type, such as four goblin warriors, you might want to have them act When youre determining whether to grant a special on the same initiative for simplicity. What would best fit the themes of our story?8Gamemastery Basics 1the results are going to be immediate or when stakes are nPC limitations introductionlow, like when the PC is trying to recall something duringdowntime that theyll see is false through the course of their Always remember that the PCs have the greatest role in Gamemasteryresearch. You can put self-contained opportunity to support or participate in each. foes with weak points theyre uniquely suited to exploiting. Roleplaying games encourage creativity, and however well crafted and well tested a set of rules is, players will always find situations that require interpretation and judgment by the GM. For grid with offset squares, which works similarly. The wizard aiming a fireball precisely enough to resPeCting the CharaCterinclude three enemies in the very edge of the spells area isprobably unrealistic, but isnt that disruptive to play. MONEY IN DOWNTIME Did they acquire interesting objects or hire compelling people? You can decide for yourself which alternativesolutions seem reasonable based on the context of the LARGE GROUPSadventure, consulting the Difficulty Classes section onpage 503 of the Core Rulebook to set appropriate DCs Large-group games bring together the creativity andfor challenges. These sessions also give events, provides sample downtime tasks, and more. However, gettingsome of that information for convenience. These are the most important things to keep in mind. Check in with your group, especially and INDEX session zero to create characters first (page 7), let them when youre getting close to the end of each adventure, to know. If the new activity seems likeinto the characters and their relationships, and it can help its a better option than other activities all or nearly allpromote camaraderie and interactions between characters. Changing an ancestry or heritagerequires some kind of magic, such asreincarnation into a new form.This might take a complexritual, exposure to bizarre and 27Gamemastery Guide ADJUDICATING RULES As Game Master, it falls on you to adjudicate the rules.This means youre making judgments and decisions about the rules, especially when their application is unclear. Be flexible and encouraging as you run a social most adventurers carry a heavy enough load to sink. Maybe two of the scenes in Motivations (page 44): Determine more specifically each are fairly basic combat encounters, but if you make what the oppositions goals and motivations are. If you want to run a session addressing it outright. These items should always be treasure. Ask the players what theirIf youre running a session zero, read the Session Zero characters do after the adventure.You might want to narratesection on page 7 for advice on your first session. The opposition is a force for mayhem, without any greater plan What does the opposition want? Climbing, Swimming, or pushing through difficult terrainIf the foes are smaller or larger than the PCs, consider can be much tougherespecially if the enemies haveincluding paths, cubbyholes, staircases, or narrow passages strong ranged attacks. Demonstrate the horrorTHREATS NPC GalleryThink of each type of threat as the deep, visceral dangerthe enemies represent. Too many dangling plot threads can result in some being forgotten or make players feel overloaded.
REWINDING Answering questions quickly and decisively Though rewinding can happen in any mode of play, whenever possible. Adventure Recipes (below) gives If your players all like similar things (maybe they all like steps to effectively implement theme and feeling. whereas progress searching a statue for traps could be a GLOSSARY relayed as a series of distressing details in quick succession, and INDEX As you run exploration, keep the following basic goals and would feel more tense due to that precision.in mind. down before they can do anything, so use this technique only when necessary to keep the game moving. Imagine anyou more details on how you can use goals in downtime. Its usually best if the PCs can foresee the consequences, at least in a general sense. can be overwhelming or even monotonous.
Do they bear scars from previous battles? This Showing the immediate consequences of actions. For example, if a PC misinterpreted text about the will become too muddy. Two significant challengesits often best to be more relaxed with movement rules, for non-aquatic creatures are breathing underwater (orflanking, and so forth than you would be on a flat grid. The Character Wealth table on page 511 of the CoreRulebook indicates how much currency and what common 39Gamemastery Guide ADVENTURE DESIGN When making your own adventure, you get to choose the themes, play style, and NPCs that most appeal to you and your group. Its your game. When the unless the PCs expend more resources than they normallyPCs foes amass into an overwhelming force, give the PCs would on such foes. down to give the players a sense of whats ahead. the primary reason to play Pathfinder is to have fun. the time, chances are you might want to adjust it so its more balanced. If you plan to setyoure running your adventures in a world of yourat any time. major emotional beat for the character. Typically, a single action is sufficient silhouette. they travel), and they can change activities at any time. They can24Gamemastery Basics 1TASKS AND EVENTS Mining Lore introduction Work a shift in a coal minePlayers will often look to you for tasks they might take Determine where a raw ingot was mined Gamemasteryon during downtime, especially if theyre looking to Earn Prospect to find a site for a new mine BasicsIncome. This is best for groups who The mount rules are for common cases: humanoids riding can easily imagine their surroundings without a visual aid, quadrupedal animals. but unleash a demon that crawled through the remains of the botched ritual, or cause part of the room to collapse No encounter needs to use all of the elements presented from the magical backlash. veterans the chance to help less experienced players through character creation. This rolls. Sometimes problems present themselves at the table, and its up to the GM to resolve them. The treasure assignment is villain plans to get rich robbing caravans or merchant ships. Light levels play a key role in both outdoor and indoor MORALEencounters. Remember to place the part of the one taking the penalty?