So overall i'm pretty new to GM'ing, started 4e D&D just like a month ago. Hopefully getting my WHFRP books soon, gonna try to prep myself as well as my players for the change the best i can. But just wondering what advice you could give to a fledgling GM such as myself

Thanks,

Warnewt

When you get your WFRP read the rulebook first (so that you'll be familiar with the system) and Tome of Adventure after that. The ToA has one of the best "Guides for GMing" that I've encountered.

edit: Also - it doesn't hurt to browse through the GM sections of other rgps if you can get your hand on some.

Some really simple (and most likely obvious) points to cover.

1.) Have maps. 4th edition is built around maps and placement. Not having maps (and encounters for said maps) built out ahead of time will drag the game down, which leads on to two...

2.) Keep the game moving. If there is a rule question or problem that you can't figure out in less than a minute, make a ruling on it in the moment, and look up the rule at a more convenient time.

3.) Encourage fun and group activity. Nothing sets a game off faster than one person being resistant to the idea that the game is a group effort.

PJStelford said:

I believe the OP was looking for advice on GM'ing WFRP, not D&D4. This statement may therefore cause some confusion since WFRP is most decidedly not based on map-based encounters. It is designed to use abstract ranges and descriptions of the scene. That being said, make sure you have a clear picture in your head of what the scene looks like and be prepared to fill in details as necessary to answer player questions or even let the players add details if they are appropriate.

I'll echo doc_cthulhu. Read the rules. Maybe even go through chargen to be sure you understand how it works and can help players do it.

Download the demo. Even if you don't plan to run it, it helps you understand how acts and rally steps work.

Try a mock combat either using the demo or just some PCs you create vs. some Orcs and Gobbos. Make sure you understand how this flows, from rolling Initiative, to using the NPC's ACE budget. Make sure you are comfortable assigning Fortune and Misfortune dice to rolls based on circumstances and that you are building the pools correctly. Make sure that you understand how to adjudicate the results. Not every result will be covered by something on one of the cards and you sometimes have to wing it when interpreting the results of a roll.

The demo is also a good source for seeing a social encounter in action and how the progress tracker works.

Lastly, remember to relax. No amount of prep is going to prepare you for the potential chaos of player actions. If necessary, don't feel bad if you need to take a break to figure something out. As long as you aren't taking breaks every 5 minutes during the session, you'll be okay. Remember, your players will (probably) be playing this game for the first time too and you are all learning together. That being said, they will look to you to be the "expert" on how the game works.

Tyvm everyone who responded, and thx for the tips on D&D 4e PJSteelford, although i was asking about WHFRPG it's still nice to get tips on this since i'll still be running a campaign with my players.

I've been looking looking as mine DM/GM guides i could get my hands as well doc_cthulu, and thx for the tip as i see it helping me greatly overall in my abilities to lead a game.

And i've already experienced the unpredictability of player actions mac40k, my group of PC's used a high amount of explosives, a large boulder, and several feet of chain to take out a group of kobolds, unecessary to say this was super overkill that also ruined about 2 hours worth of maps that i had made as they made a series of tunnels collapse in the process. Of course i was left looking like this at the end of it . But thx for the heads-up anyway, and where can i find this demo you were talking about?

Thx again everyone,

Warnewt

The demo can be found from the Support section.