Here we go..... NOOB night one

[jmsteadman]

Here is our party....

I decided that all the players would play young level one characters who meet along a wooded road (the main road to the only real village for miles) on the way to a village where they are all heading for different reasons but basically to find adventure and make a name for themselves. Once in the village I will be using the the AA1 Beneath Brymassen mission.

Here is what the kids and wife rolled up and decided to play:

(My wife) elf cleric
14 yr old son - elf magic using/figher
12 yr old daugher - hobbit thief
10 yr old son - human thief
8 yr old son - dwarf fighter (that rolled really great stats)
6 yr old son - human magic user

After I set them all up and got them walking together after meeting by chance, the 6yr old announces he is going to take a short cut! HA... He says there is a clearing over off the path he wants to see. I know I could have squashed this "clearing" thing, but I went with it to encourage the role playing. The hobbit decided to join him while the others stayed on the trail and waited. I had him find a farmhouse with an old lady NPC. He asked her if she had any fruit he could buy. She was poor but asked him to do a favor and deliver a sealed letter to someone in the village. So, I wrote a note and sealed it and gave it to him. I'm very curious to see if he'll open it and who he'll share this intel with.


Once back on the trail, I wanted to show them what an encounter was like. --I used the random woods encounter table and rolled wolf. So, in the wolf rules it says 2D6 wolves could appear? That seems like a lot for a group of level 1 characters. Did I do that right? So I decided to just have 2 wolves appear.

First I roll for surprise? Then I roll for initiative? Then each character and wolf (do both wolves act on the same initiative or each roll for their own initiative?) A lot of questions here... Where do the wolves appear? Whithin 20 ft? 10ft? Whatever I want? Then they can either move and attack or just move?

Could someone (a kindly soul) type out a blow-by-blow example of this encounter please? Leaving nothing out... I could use it like an instruction manual. Remember I am a noob DM. Thanks so much.

[LibraryLass]

Once back on the trail, I wanted to show them what an encounter was like. --I used the random woods encounter table and rolled wolf. So, in the wolf rules it says 2D6 wolves could appear? That seems like a lot for a group of level 1 characters. Did I do that right? So I decided to just have 2 wolves appear.

First I roll for surprise? Then I roll for initiative? Then each character and wolf (do both wolves act on the same initiative or each roll for their own initiative?) A lot of questions here... Where do the wolves appear? Whithin 20 ft? 10ft? Whatever I want? Then they can either move and attack or just move?

Could someone (a kindly soul) type out a blow-by-blow example of this encounter please? Leaving nothing out... I could use it like an instruction manual. Remember I am a noob DM. Thanks so much.

2d6 wolves is a lot. Remember, you're making a world, it doesn't have to be any more fair than the real world, unless of course you want it to be.

Yes, you roll for surprise, then initiative. Players should generally roll their own initiative. You can roll all at once for monsters if you like, or individually. Usually if I have a large group of enemies I'll split them up into two or three small ones just to keep it simple.

Encounter procedure should go something like this:

1) Roll surprise for both sides, and reaction for any monsters or NPCs. If one side is surprised the other side gets to roll initiative and go this round.
2) If both or neither are surprised, all participants roll initiative. Unlike in some games, tied initiative should not be broken.
3) On their initiative, each character or creature takes their movement and actions. Resolve them according to the rules, or if there are no clearly stated rules come up with something that seems reasonable to both the GM and players.
4) When you feel it is appropriate, roll morale for monsters or NPCs (generally it should at least be after they are first attacked, when their number are reduced by half or half their HP if it's a lone monster. You might check at other times if the monsters are particularly cowardly or something happens that should logically frighten them.)
5) The next round begins, roll initiative again.

[jmsteadman]

Ok.. I am kinda understanding..

So, the encounter phase is all tactical. Where do the monsters generally appear once we zoom into the 10x10 square grid? I assume that is totally up to me.

So, combat... still confused here...

I swing at monster.. and he defends.. what do we roll ? is there mods?

If I end up hitting the monster I roll against its Armor number? is there mods?

If I make it past the armor I roll my damage number for the weapon/spell/missile I used? is there mods?

I know I sound like a total idiot but I am still having a hard time picturing this...

I really wish one of you guys would record and post on youtube a session... specifically an encounter.

[Hywaywolf]

if you can you should show up tonight on roll20 for the BFRPG pick up games. you could learn 10 times as much in a 1/4 of the time by actually seeing it in action. Heck someone might just take you aside and give you one on one instruction.

https://app.roll20.net/campaigns/detail ... k-up-games

[jmsteadman]

I'll be on.. just registered. My daughter as a game at 5pm MST.. So, maybe later... We need to add a chat function to this page...

[AlCook]

I'll be on.. just registered. My daughter as a game at 5pm MST.. So, maybe later... We need to add a chat function to this page...

I think it's great that you're playing with your daughter. I've just begun to get my own daughter (6) involved in rpgs:)

AH, re-read your post and you're playing with the whole family- even better:)

[Hywaywolf]

that is our chat function . If you have an account and find someone who wants to give you instraction you can pop into that game page at any time on any day.

[Togo Galthus]

After I set them all up and got them walking together after meeting by chance, the 6yr old announces he is going to take a short cut! HA... He says there is a clearing over off the path he wants to see. I know I could have squashed this "clearing" thing, but I went with it to encourage the role playing. The hobbit decided to join him while the others stayed on the trail and waited. I had him find a farmhouse with an old lady NPC. He asked her if she had any fruit he could buy. She was poor but asked him to do a favor and deliver a sealed letter to someone in the village. So, I wrote a note and sealed it and gave it to him. I'm very curious to see if he'll open it and who he'll share this intel with.

I think this sounds like great DMing on your part, I'm sure the players had a great time. Once you get the mechanics going you'll have a lot of fun!

[LibraryLass]

For encounter distance you can just decide for yourself, yeah, or you can roll it if you want to.

[Hywaywolf]

encounter distance is a product of the terrain as well as DM choice. If you are on a wide open plain then encounter distances will start further away than in a heavily wooded area. But even in the wood you can have the party hear something before it arrives. Its also a function of surprise. If a group of bandits are hiding in an ambush and the party is surprised then they will be in the position most favorable for the ambushers. But if they noticed this ambush, or even a glint from armor in the sun or from torch light, then they will be further away.

In my opinion, encounter distances are a part of the story that the DM is telling. Make the encounter distance part of the story. Imagine the scene and make it so