First time as a regular PFS GM

So, I ran my first Pathfinder Society scenario.  Technically, I'd run a Pathfinder Society scenario back during the winter during GadCon, but I was a last-minute fill-in GM, so I don't really feel like it counts.  Plus, the GadCon scenario was a convention special and this one was a regularly-released scenario, so the types of players and the expectations were totally different.

I ran Out of Anarchy on the Monday after it came out. I was not expecting a scenario so long or so convoluted. While I hadn't had a lot of time to digest this scenario, I had reread the Pezzack entry from Towns of the Inner Sea, which really helped with the background. Without that base to work with, I would have had a MUCH harder time GMing this thing.  There are some PFS scenarios that require almost no background.  For instance, I introduced a gaming group to Pathfinder using [druidy scenario] and it didn't require much background knowledge at all.  In the Pezzack scenario, I'd have had no idea what was going on.

So, what are my takeaways from GMing a regular old PFS scenario?  First of all, GMing is all in the art of presentation.  I'm a lobbyist by trade during the day, so faking it is something I'm trained to do anyway.  But, while you can fake a lot of things, players have certain expectations.  And, unsurprisingly, how your players see you changes how they play at your table.  What caught me out?  Well, I was running short on time.  I'd printed color copies of the mad grids, but I hadn't had time to cut them so that they connected without white paper overlap.  One of my players caught me, called it a rookie mistake, and everything changed--at least as far as that player was concerned.  It wasn't bad or anything and fortunately we both knew what the rules were in all the situations that game up.  But, if there had been a disagreement, it would not have been pretty.  That said, I hope that he still had a good time even after I hadn't cut the edges off of things.

PFS in DC is also a lot more roll-playing focused than it is role-playing focused.  I don't mind that--both mixed together are what make for a fun game.  That said, there's a lot of role-playing going on in this scenario.  It was over an hour before the PCs got into their first fight (some parties might consider getting into a fight at all a liability, but not I) and everyone was excited when the time to actually roll something more than skill checks came about.

All in all, I really, really enjoyed this session.  The scenario as written gives GMs and players the opportunity to do a lot of roleplaying.  PCs should also expect to have to do some critical thinking, which was fun for a scenario.  They also tried to design a scenario that was as sandboxy as possible.  That's where knowledge of the previous, underlying gazetteer product was so helpful--I was able to lean on the knowledge (that's mentioned as being cannon in the scenario, for all you PFS rules lawyers out there) that was used to build the scenario and therefore fill in some of the plugs.

I think I enjoy convention GMing more.  For one thing, convention players are just so damned grateful to have someone running their game.  For another, there's much more time to prepare!  Also, at conventions, I don't feel as rushed (which is ironic, because you actually have a time slot at a convention).  I also feel like people really appreciate GMs that get into having terrain and real miniatures rather than just having to fly through hand-drawns maps, flip maps, and map print outs.

I've got 8 more games till I get my first GM star.  I have decided I can really opine with thoughts about PFS after that.  Until then, these are impressions based upon just two instances.  One thing I am sure about though: I'd always rather play outside of organized play at all with a set of players dedicated to telling a long-term dedicated story.

I'm Back, GenCon Events are up, and my GenCon Events

So, I turned in my last exam for the semester today, and I'm back.  I'm thrilled to see that my viewership hasn't totally died.  Thanks for visiting, guys!  I stop my exam studying madness but putting together campaign content, so I should have some good stuff for y'all in the coming days.  Also, I've got some good reviews pre-done that just have to get transferred from notes to actual posts.  Looking forward to it!

Gencon
Most important gaming announcement today: GenCon events are up for viewing TODAY!  Be sure to put in your choices before the lottery noon Eastern on Sunday, May 17.  It's up in the air whether or not my friend may be able to join me--so if you're interested in getting tickets together for one of the Paizo specials, let me know!

My GenCon Events
I've volunteered to GM events for Pelgrane Press's 13th Age system.  If any of you are interested in sitting at one of my tables, I've put together a little schedule with my games.  Hope to see you at my table.  And, if you are playing at one of my tables, let me know with an email or a comment!

Code	Scenario	Date	Start Time	End Time
RPG1575267	Caverns and Cave Creepers	Thursday	10:00 a.m.	12:00 p.m.
RPG1572190	Wyrd of the Wild Wood: Ever Deeper into the Wild Wood	Thursday	12:00 p.m.	2:00 p.m.
RPG1572191	Wyrd of the Wild Wood: The Tower of Alamede	Thursday	2:00 p.m.	4:00 p.m.
RPG1572192	Wyrd of the Wild Wood: The Green Shadows	Thursday	4:00 p.m.	6:00 p.m.
RPG1572195	Shadowport Shuffle: Deep in the Red	Friday	10:00 a.m.	12:00 p.m.
RPG1572196	Shadowport Shuffle: This Place Grows on You	Friday	12:00 p.m.	2:00 p.m.
RPG1572197	Shadowport Shuffle: The Carnival Caper	Friday	2:00 p.m.	4:00 p.m.
RPG1575268	Caverns and Cave Creepers	Friday	4:00 p.m.	6:00 p.m.

GAD Con & Busting my PFS GM Cherry

So, it's my spring break.  I don't often get several days to myself, so I needed to take advantage of it.  I headed up to the Games and Dice Convention in Maryland this weekend.  GAD Con was about 70 miles north of DC.  The traffic was a little bit rough on Friday, but nothing over two hours.  There were 12 tables, mostly devoted to Pathfinder Society and D&D organized play.  There were a few other adventures of the Star Wars and Dragon Age varieties as well as gigantor Warhammer and Magic: the Gathering tournaments.  I've posted the convention guide if anyone wants to take a look-see.

I hope the organizers made a fair bit of cash.  They also had 3 vendors show up to sell stuff, so hopefully that helped as well.  It was held in a Hilton Garden Inn in Aberdeen, MD.

I got to play a few PFS scenarios, but that's not all!  While I was registering on Friday evening, the con organizer mentioned that one of the GMs for the Saturday night Pathfinder Society special had taken ill at the last minute.  I'd already played the special at GenCon, so I couldn't play it and it was the only scenario taking place in the Saturday night slot.  So, I just said, "Fuck it."  I found the Venture Lieutenant in charge of the convention and told her that I'd played the scenario and that I'd sub for her sick GM.

This PFS Special was the first I ever ran for a PFS
game at all.  I played it a GenCon.  It's technically
the beginning of Season 7, which confused a lot
of players on Saturday that already had some inkling
about the mysteries just hinted at in the special itself.

During my Friday evening game, she came back with a photocopy of the scenario.  Fortunately, she knew I would be running the table for characters levels 5-6 and I could prep for that.  I went up to my room and boy did I prep.  If I was going to GM for strangers, I was going to do it right.  I read the adventure and highlighted it.  I added margin notes like it was a case book for law school.

Next, it was on to pulling the monster entries from the Bestiaries and putting together the maps from the scenario.  Most of them were from official flip-mats and map packs, but there were bits in the very beginning and a couple of late-middle battles that I had to pull out my blanks and draw the maps on.  I wish I'd had a PDF of the scenario.  I would have pulled those maps and printed them too.  Paizo is apparently very stingy with convention specials until a year after the GenCon they are first played at though.

When it came time to play, I was ready.  I had minis or pawns that represented (or would have to make do representing) every monster in the 5-6 level tier.  Then, right before the scenario, I found out that I would actually be running the level 3-4 tier.  On the bright side, that was the tier I'd played in at GenCon, so I was familiar with it.  On the down side, some of my prep went out the window.  (Actually, this may have made things easier as it meant stripping the advanced creature template off of some creatures).

The demon mini on the right here is featured in the Special.  Paizo gave them
out to us when it was going on at GenCon.  I was excited to get to use mine
when I GMed at GAD Con.

I ended up with 7 players--a super full table for my first experience.  Overall, I think it was a hit.  We dragged a little bit in the middle, but there's a neat twist that woke everybody up for the last 90 minutes.  In fact, at the end, one of my players remarked that she couldn't believe that 5.5 hours had passed.  I made a few errors: immunity to energy attacks doesn't grant immunity from a cleric's channeled negative energy for instance.  But, everyone seemed like they had a good time!  At the end, I told them it had been my first time and everyone said it was fun.  One of my players turned out to be a former Venture Lieutenant and he said I already GMed like I had 3 stars.  I was blown away!

Anyway, I've decided that I'm going to volunteer to do some scenarios when AwesomeCon comes around.  I'll be at the beginning of summer school, but I really enjoyed seeing people get involved at MAGfest about six weeks ago (a post that, alas, did not occur) and it would be nice to get people involved.

I'm thinking I'm going to offer to GM the Confirmation (5-08), Rise of the Goblin Guild (4-01), and Tide of Twilight (3-05).  Why those three?  The Confirmation is a great into adventure.  Rise of the Goblin Guild will let me use all of my goblin minis and some set pieces I have coming.  Finally, Tide of Twilight was the first adventure I ever adapted (significantly) to run for my home group.  I am a big fan of all three and look forward to playing them.  Now, time to start planning.  First of all, extended campaign or PFS Core...?