Beginner GM Questions

[Dimirag]

I allow to attack and then move, in ranged combat it represent the shoot and hide that almost any heroe and villian use on movies. On melee I allow it but the moving attacker must brake melee as per the rules.

[Hywaywolf]

movies are scripted to protect the hero. If you want to add spice you should not let the ranger know if they have initiative or not .

[Delver]

Earning experience: how are you GMs awarding EXP? just kills? found treasure? good role play? I'm not sure what to give them and when.

I play exclusively Play-by-Post. As many of you know that route is exremely sloooowww and drawn out. In an effort to speed things along I needed to come up with a system of making XP meaningful, but not so time consuming in-game as well as out-of-game. My time to prepare and run the game is very limited, so I don't want to spend the time to figure out all the XP stuff. That's just my personal choice, some GM's like doing all the maths.

My method for XP is very simple and very linear and is targeted toward PbP games. I would love to credit the blogger where I first saw the idea I've based mine off of, but I've forgotten it. (If any of you know, I'd be happy to send props where they are due) I break the adventure down into 'events'. An event can vary in its difficulty, importance or challenge. The most difficult events, such as a boss fight, or major plot advancement would garner 3XP. Those of middle difficulty, such as a difficult fight or solving a multi-stage puzzle or finding a rare artifact, would earn them 2XP. Easy events, such as random encounters or discovery of a 'everyday' magic item or treasure would net 1XP.

I set a number for advancement to the next level, such as 10XP. (Sometimes I will say the adventure is worth so many XP so that they know going in what they have to gain - or risk) Players who have a %XP bonus based on race, etc. get to decrease that required number. ie: a character has a 10% XP bonus so he levels up at 9XP instead of 10XP. (a 5% bonus might be 9 required every other level or something). I plan my adventures so that there are a certain number of events of a certain difficulty. I know what they are, but my players do not. Then I award the points and they progress.

This might seem very strange to those of you in the old school crowd, but it works very well for PbP where gaining XP can take a looooong time, and players can lose interest if they feel like they aren't getting anywhere. This method keeps things moving and players can gain a level, at the rate in my games, about every 3-4 months of real time, and they can easily determine how much more they need and what kinds of actions will get them there the quickest. The more difficult the challenge, the faster the progress. Fortune favors the Bold.

What about awareness/perception type roles? what if a player declares "I try to perceive if he's lying" or something subtle happens in a combat situation that the players should roll to take note of, etc.--how do you determine an attribute/target to roll for?

I use a hybrid method for checks. For those checks that are simply a determination of raw ability and determination, I have them roll under their current ability score. For those checks that are an application of an ability where skill/practice/training become an issue, then I use the DC chart on p.141-142 of the rulebook and they roll 1d20+modifier vs a Target Number. I like to reward PC's for higher ability scores and I use a method for ability advancement at level up. (See other thread for explanation).

The drawback to this method is that players are masters at re-wording their actions to fit the method which gives them the better odds. (Which really, if they are going to do the mental gymnastics for the roll, I'll grin and give them the one they want while pretending they've 'pulled one over' on me.)

[Hywaywolf]

In PBPs I think its useful to give extra XP for good roleplaying posts as well as amusing, interesting, or other types of posts that keep the players and GM entertained. Not over the top stuff or things that detract from the game or draw it out too much, but stuff that shows the player is taking an active part in the game and trying to keep it interesting.