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So, I have some friends, and we're kind of interested in doing an RPG. I'm the only one with any experience in RPGs, but it's not particularly extensive (just some light dabbling in Pathfinder and Dark Heresy), and only as a player, never as DM. We tried to do an Inquisimunda campaign, but having to make entire warbands while I rewrote an entire rulebook for the campaign was just too much for the lot of us to keep up with, so the idea kind of fell apart.

Despite the fact that I don't really want to be DM, I'm probably the best for the job with my little group (4 people, including myself, although there's the possibility for a few more), and I tend to be good at leading these kinds of things anyway. As such, I figure it would probably be my responsibility.

As for a system, to pick, this is where I come into a bit of a problem.

1. Something easy to manage and setup. I've never DM'd before, and my group of friends is entirely new to RPGs (although they've all played tabletop games or TCGs to some extent, so they're not incompetent), so having something that wouldn't be too hard to get into would be a boon.
2. Interesting combat (one of my complaints after playing Pathfinder was that the melee classes looked to be really boring from a gameplay perspective, just performing a simple attack over and over again, thankfully my DM then made some great narrations), preferably something with miniatures. For the Inquisimunda campaign, we ended up getting some of that really great Malifaux terrain, and I'd like to put that to some use, even just for combat. I like having that visual and physical medium to work with, in addition to narration and pen & paper. I also imagine it would make things easier to keep track of.
3. Although setting isn't entirely important, something open ended would be nice.

Any tips for an RPG neophyte and his buddies?

Sounds like 4E D&D might be right up your ally.

1. The rules are easy to pick up and building combats and encounters is super easy.

2. The game absolutely does combat well, it's probably it's greatest strength. For new (ish) players and DMs there's a lot of fun gameplay and tactics to learn.

3. The basic setting is very light, giving you lots of space to fill in the blanks with your own world (or the players).

This is coming from a dyed-in-the-wool Pathfinder fan, incidentally, so no edition warrior bias there.

The 4E Essentials books are very streamlined, cheap, and a great introduction to general RPG ideas and mechanics.

reds8n has a post nearby with links to free Forgotten Realms adventures to run using 4E as well.

I will once again pimp the Fudge system

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fudge_%28role-playing_game_system%29

http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_3576.html


Really free form, and I've never seen a system that can handle characters of differing 'power levels' as well. I use it through the medium of the Dresden Files RPG, and the PCs in the game that I ran were - a wizard (full on spellcaster) a vampire, a werepanther, and a vanilla mortal. They all had different strengths and weaknesses, but the mortal was just as viable as the wizard who could throw around fire balls and summon demons.

I would start out with something fun and easy...Gamma World 4E. It is a zangy game, lite on rules and easy on both players and GM alike.

Character creation can be random or chosen, I think random is better. It is a post apocalyptic world where the multiverse has all crashed in to one mess of a place. You can hack and slash the setting to fit anything you want in to the game, or just stick to the books.

Honestly, the biggest thing to keep in mind is your first foray into a DM is pretty dependent on the players. The best way to learn to be a DM is by just doing it and refining your technique as you go. However, having a group of players who suck can really make the journey an uphill wall. Make sure they understand you're a noob, and just roll with the slip ups. You'll get better in time, but how long it takes depends on how helping your buddies are.

For example, when I first started DM'ing, a guy in the group (who was something of a legendary arse) pointed out that the multi story building I drew up with haste had no stairs. He simply wouldn't drop the subject and managed to kill the game.

I guess the only bit of advice i can give besides just do it is learn to wing it. Players rarely act in the way you want them to, and it helps to have a back up plan handy.

Hey Fafnir,

I've been DM'ing (GM'ing) for 30+ years and there are a TON of good games out there. In all this time I've found that there are all kinds of rules light to heavy games. In the end, it doesnt matter. What does matter is the roll playing and how much fun everyone at the table is having.

So, the only suggestion that I can give you is to get a feel for the type of genre and setting your players want to get into. Once thats established you can narrow down the game and system. In the end its mostly your choice because you are the one whos got the majority of the work and if YOU love the game and the system, then that will come out in how you DM your peeps.

Good luck.

r

We've played through a bit of Gamma World so far (my friends are almost level 5, and we've finished their first story arc), and it's been fantastic. I've been making everything up on the spot, and it's made for some hilarious moments. One of their characters is a White Russian drinking ocelot that is peeing over everything, while another has what's left of his brain held in his head by a helmet after getting hit by a flying table in their very first encounter (we've made it so that whenever he talks in character, he has to speak with a stutter).

After we finish this storyline, we'll probably move on to DnD for a while (come back to Gamma World as a side-game every once in a while). I'd like to pass on the mantle of DM at that point, but I have to say, I definitely don't regret jumping in, it's fantastic.

 Fafnir wrote:
We've played through a bit of Gamma World so far (my friends are almost level 5, and we've finished their first story arc), and it's been fantastic. I've been making everything up on the spot, and it's made for some hilarious moments. One of their characters is a White Russian drinking ocelot that is peeing over everything, while another has what's left of his brain held in his head by a helmet after getting hit by a flying table in their very first encounter (we've made it so that whenever he talks in character, he has to speak with a stutter).

After we finish this storyline, we'll probably move on to DnD for a while (come back to Gamma World as a side-game every once in a while). I'd like to pass on the mantle of DM at that point, but I have to say, I definitely don't regret jumping in, it's fantastic.

Glad to hear it. Your game definitely sounded like it would have been fun to sit in on.

When I played, I was a Wheeled/AI...so my character was a robot who transformed in to a felafel cart; his names was Amere Fassad. I was the only player to keep my character from the very beginning, so I got to say I was the leader and what the mission really was about.

I also really like the "yeah, that's my weapon...a parking meter." aspect of Gamma World.

My favorite gamma world character was a giant plant who's weapons were a gatling gun and a pair of hedge clippers. Nothing's much better than a game where everyone can be suitably rediculous, rules don't matter much and the dm can just make up things without issue.