By Thurston Hillman
Dear Aspiring GM,
So you’ve decided to get a group together and host the first of what is sure to be many great games of Pathfinder. Excellent! It’s a good thing you’ve found this article, then, because as I’m sure you know by now, being the Game Master is no easy task, and there’s a dearth of good advice out there for first-time GMs. Sure, there are entire products on the subject—such as the GameMastery Guide to name just one—that promise to help you become a better host and Game Master. But those books are just so long. Wouldn’t it be nice to
condense the sagely advice of a practiced GM into a single article? Fear not! For I, humble servant of Shax the Demon Lord of Lies, Murder, and Good Fun Games, have done just that! In the following paragraphs, you will find foolproof ways of enhancing your games and making sure everyone at the table has a miserable—er, I mean, glorious—time playing Pathfinder!
In the following paragraphs, you’ll learn everything you need to start a thrilling game session, run a balanced encounter, and close the adventure with a satisfying
conclusion. The advice herein has been edited and approved by Shax the Blood Marquis himself, so you can rest assured that you are in great talons—I mean hands.
PREPARING FOR A GOOD GAME
Atmosphere is key to running a great game. Mood lighting is the oldest tip in the book, so kick it up a notch by not having any lights at all. A thematic soundtrack and sound effects can also immerse your players, but electronic devices have a way of causing distraction, so keep things simple by designating a player to continually blow across the top of an empty jug. Finally, no word on atmosphere
would be complete without considering seating—which is to say, avoid it at all costs. You as the GM may relax in a
stately wingback or imperious leather chair, but studies* have shown that human beings are designed to stand rather than sit, so ensure your players are comfortable by putting down hard slabs of granite on the floor around the table for them to perch upon.
* Studies were conducted in a controlled environment in the Abyssal horror house of Charnelhome. Shax would like to thank the 666 test subjects who participated in the research experiment titled “Sitting vs. Standing: Enforcing Fun Under Extreme Duress.”
RUNNING A GREAT ENCOUNTER
I like to start a session of Pathfinder in the middle of a good old-fashioned battle. In Latin, this is known as in media res, which means “at half health.” So, before the
game begins, let the players know that their characters have already taken significant damage and are surrounded by invisible foes. If you really want to have a good time, randomly select one of the characters to start the game unconscious—or pick the character of whichever player brought the worst snacks. It’s not that you have a grudge against this player, it’s just that nobody here even likes kombucha, Richard, so would you please stop trying to share your scoby and just bring some soda next time.It’s critical at this point that the first battle of the session be as exciting and high-stakes as possible. For monsters, I suggest a pack of shadows or greater shadows. These are extremely fun monsters because they deal Strength damage with no saving throw, so it’s
almost guaranteed that one or more of your PCs will fall unconscious. Then, just when the PCs seem to have overcome the odds and won the battle, have the unconscious PCs suddenly emerge as new shadows. (The
Bestiary says that the
PCs don’t respawn as shadows until 1d4 rounds afer
they die, but this is one of those times when it’s
perfectly acceptable to fudge the rules. How could
the players possibly have fun if they could predict
when their characters were about to irreversibly
transform into ghastly undead controlled by the GM?)
Finally, keep time in mind. It’s a good idea to
keep the action fast-paced and steadily fowing
during this opening scene; I recommend the
frst encounter last about 2 or 3 hours.
no,
But...
In improv groups, there’s a clever
expression that’s useful to remember, about how
storytelling is a collective efort and participants
should play of of each other to create a
wonderful tale. I can’t remember the expression
exactly, since I was kicked out of my last improv
group halfway through the frst meeting
because I wouldn’t stop suggesting “a dragon in a diaper” for scenes, but I think it was something
like, “No, but.” Anyway, this is a fundamental part
of playing tabletop roleplaying games, because it’s
your job as GM to remind the players that the
game is cooperative; that is, your players need to
cooperate with you to ensure your story is a great
success.
Use “No, but” as much as possible. For example, when the party’s barbarian says she wants to grab a
jungle vine and swing across the riverbanks to
safety, say, “No, but you try to grab a vine that
turns out to be a snake. It bites you very badly.
Attempt a Fortitude save versus poison.” If the
wizard is trying to cast a spell while ducking
behind cover from crossbow-wielding assassins,
say, “No, but the assassins shoot a bolt right at your
wand, shattering it into a thousand pieces.” If the
player of said wizard is holding a drink or pencil,
increase the verisimilitude by walking over and
smacking the object right out of that player’s hand. Remember: create a fun atmosphere!
INTO THE MEAT (AND BONES
[AND SOUL])
It’s one thing to dole out pain—er, that is, fun—in the abstract, but what about the nuts and bolts of the game system? Here are some quick and dirty tips to ensure your sessions are unforgettable.
Battlefeld Traps: The best traps feature at least
three diferent interactions that can make them
much, much worse. In game design parlance, this is
called telegraphing, which means making the
outcomes of various interactions (such as pulling a
switch or pressing a button) as opaque and
unpredictable as possible. For instance, when the
party’s rogue is getting torn to shreds by the
impossible-to-disarm scythe traps swinging out of
the walls (see Challenge Rating above), and the
inquisitor pulls a lever on the other side
of the room, the lever shouldn’t deactivate the trap s like it always does in the movies. Instead, have the lever dump a bucket of acid onto the rogue from overhead. By using this tip, you can literally add what I call S.A.L.T. to your players’ wounds: Such A Lovely Time.
Experience and Rewards: It’s no secret that one thing players seem to love is collecting
awesome loot and leveling up their characters.
But once again, studies* show that this may not be
so—that, in fact, people have the best time and are
most creative when there is no promise of
extrinsic reward. At the end of a session, remind
players that the experience of gathering around
the table with their beloved friends is a priceless
reward all by itself. If players insist that their
characters earn at least some treasure, ofer them
each the token sum of 1 Fun Buck. (Fun Bucks,
of course, being the artifcially infated
currency designed exclusively for use at your game
table.)
* Shax would like to thank the 130 mortal souls who participated in the study “Hard Labor and Compensation: Tracing the Brink of Human Mental Collapse.”
A FINAL MAD SCRAWLING
Congratulations! You’ve run a successful game of Pathfnder. By now, you’re no doubt basking in the glowing smiles and embraces of your adoring supplicants—that is, friends. If by chance you’ve found yourself alone at the game table at the end of the session, take heart: genius is ofen underappreciated, and the disappearance of a few ungrateful players is a small price to pay for the knowledge that you have created a truly unforgettable experience.
—Thurston HillmanLoyal Servant of Shax
