Preparing Your Starfinder Game Starfinder Guide

[@ZelphTheWebmancer]

I'm a veteran Storyteller/GM but only ran Starfinder once and played it twice. This advice is very useful, thank you for the video.

[@kevinallen4743]

Path & Star - finders CR Vs APL works really well and is key. Obviously any party with my Lashunta mystic is going to have a hard time as she can't fight her way out of a paper bag and is so concerned with stabilizing the fallen opposition so they have a chance for redemption that her time is not focussed on winning an encounter at all. Thankfully the Vesk now understands they only have a chance to surrender if they are alive. Never thought Damoritosh & Sarenrae would get along so well...

[@VMSelvaggio]

A list of names is a serious time-saver, and I also recommend a 6x9 notepad that you use to jot small and BRIEF details about locations where those NPCs are encountered and one or two details that describe their appearance, so that you can put a "look" to the name for your players. This may also help them remember who 'that guy' at the Starport on Epsilon - III was last session.

[@TheMapleTable]

A list of names ready to go should be a GM standard :p and if there are lots of races in the game Maybe a roll table for Them as well.

[@Dandizz]

Here cause some folks recommended your content on Twitter for a novice DM/GM. Subbed, thanks. 👍

[@TheMapleTable]

glad to have you welcome to the table.

[@finnj2009]

I am so glad I found this channel! Its nice to see more starfinder content on youtube.

[@TheMapleTable]

There should be a bunch more coming from me!

[@finnj2009]

@@TheMapleTable Great!

[@ericclement1598]

hey i just wanted to say thanks for laying things out so well!! i have DM’d for about a year and always felt like i’m still a bit lost. we started a module but went off script so i started home brewing and actually found that much easier and enjoyable somehow. i’m planning a future campaign in a sci fi setting so i’m learning starfinder and this video just helped put things in perspective.

[@TheMapleTable]

No problem! I am glad it helped

[@DawnOfElaris]

I'm glad this popped up, I'm just about to start my first starfinder campaign on Friday centralized around a faction that wants to create a perfect organism through gene splicing and biotech as a way to end wars and find peace. The players all wanted to be part of the group so that part was easy at least.

[@MrLardmonkey]

This is some really good stuff! Thank you!

[@TheMapleTable]

Glad to help!

[@elianbernhardt7704]

Hi! Love your channel ♥️ I'm so happy to find Starfinder content on the internet, and specifically this kind that helps new GMs! Thank you for making this videos and showing more of this cool TTRPG ✨

[@TheMapleTable]

My pleasure glad that it's going to help you with your games

[@mkdh2298]

Good points you have there, and I agree. I run a level 4 Starfinder group with 5 characters and my "secret" is to write the scenario for those who show up for the next session. Everyone has background stories and the group is mostly role-playing oriented. We have a Vesk soldier, but if he's not there, I'm minimizing combat. I always try to take the characters' motivation/background/personal stories as a starting point and use it actively in the session. So usually I first write the next scenario when I know who will show up next time. It takes a little more planning and work on my part, but it's worth it. Motivated players who have fun is the reward for the Gamemaster. :-)

[@TheMapleTable]

Engaging player backgrounds into your story is a great way to draw the players in. I try to do this whenever I can in my own games

[@mkdh2298]

@@TheMapleTable Allways have character motivation in focus and a good plot, then you will have a good session.

[@briankirkpatrick5706]

I know this is an older video but i think its appropriate tto suggest reading the lazy dungeon master really helps me dessign adventures and sessions

[@OverboardDM]

Great advice. Works with a lot of role playing games. I kinda want to play starfinder. Let us know if you decide to run a game. I’m down.

[@TheMapleTable]

I have plans for a one shot in the near future with Game On! So you are more than welcome to join us

[@benjaminlampp6605]

Something I like to do is have multiple ways they can obtain clues. This works really well if you incorporate the multiple pathways idea you were talking about. Are the players investigating a theft? They could check the scene for fingerprints, they could track down and interrogate an eyewitness, or they could try to hack the security cameras for footage. Three different ways to obtain an identity. This helps to avoid bottlenecking on one scene.

[@TheMapleTable]

Exactly, this is what I was trying to explain. You know what you want them to find, just where do they look for it.

[@benjaminlampp6605]

@@TheMapleTable great minds! I like your brain, Maple Table.

[@TheMapleTable]

@@benjaminlampp6605 im rather proud of my brain meat :p

[@levimccauley1146]

Great video, thank you so much

[@TheMapleTable]

I hope it helps!

[@korybrager3628]

I have rough ideas on some possible campaign ideas in the beginning, and often those completely change by the end. I will usually throw out like 3 to 5 possibilities for my players to see if they bite, and then of course there is the completely out of left field choices, but I actually never plan fully for a game night until we get done playing a session as I base the next session on the decisions made in the previous session. I always have a few ideas that are detailed encounters to be had, but I throw them in when they seem like a good time to appear. I literally base my adventure campaigns off of the decisions my players make, which often takes the campaign in new and exciting directions for me as a GM.

[@TheMapleTable]

pretty much how I do things, Track the overall story and then try and present a few options to the players of things that could actually happen.

[@TheSlagathorr]

Thanks for the video. My long-ruinning dnd group wanted to join up a Starfinder game I was only just thinking about, and I got a bit worried about having to run and prep another game (I already run two with them!), but this helped a bunch! Thanks!

[@TheMapleTable]

Glad I could help!

[@mimic9756]

Thank you.

[@TheMapleTable]

You're welcome!

[@mcshannon02]

I really want Starfinder to get more well known. So more people watch content on it and make content on it.

[@TheMapleTable]

Thats my goal as well, the morw that know the game and history maybe the more that will play it or give it a try. It worked well for DnD.

[@mcshannon02]

It is currently my favorite platform I am playing. Right now I am in 5e games and starfinder. I have also played 3, 3.5, and 4th ed.

[@TheMapleTable]

@@mcshannon02 i have played a bunch of 3.5 and a bit of 4th. Haven't played 5e yet. My friend and I experiment with a ton of different systems too. I just really latched onto starfinder.

[@mcshannon02]

@@TheMapleTable i play 5e because others want to. I feel 5e is good starter system, but if you have played others and like more crunch then it feels like a bit is missing.

[@TheMapleTable]

@@mcshannon02 i do like a bit of crunch but i also like flexibility to make a ruling for narrative reasons. I dont like heavy crunch systems like shadow run but i like the setting

[@wyattbranham4919]

The reason balancing is so hard, is the x factor. People can be both insanely stupid, and scarily intelligent. Usually they go the opposite direction you expect as well. That's why outline DM's are better off than planners.

[@TheMapleTable]

I have been experiencing this more now as i have been running my games longer. The benefit of being with the same group of people for a while is you can get better at predicting what they are going to do

[@DarthReaver07]

truth!

[@BeardClipper]

Another really interesting video; I'm looking forward to getting a game with you at some point (with Game On!) :) cheers

[@TheMapleTable]

I am to! Now that my exams are finished it should be easier for me to get a time nailed down.

[@drenghel4641]

Plenty of good thoughts, I just finished a session with a group of 5 lvl 1 PCs that were unarmed for story purposes, and threw two CR1 castrovel monkeys at them because it made sense and wanted them to experience the combat. Oh boy, I was wrong when I thought it was a fair fight doable with improvised weapons. I'm one turn in and I'm already manipulating the field to end that fight :')

[@P4rz1va1]

The way I design my roleplay encounters is very basic. I'd like to think my "special skill" as a DM is making interesting people, so that's where I start. I make interesting characters and then put them in places and situations that make sense where the players can find them and interact with them.

[@LordJKNOT]

Hey Nathaniel, I'm about to start my first starfinder campaign at the end of the year, but with all the book keeping iv decided to build a little app to help store my characters and ship info. Do you think I could pick your brain on what else I need for this?

[@TheMapleTable]

Sure thing, join the discord or find me on there and send a message my way

[@BobSmith-ui1ok]

I have struggled to keep encounters balanced and not too easy for my players in my homegrown game. What CR rating do you go for above your pcs? Or do you just wing it?

[@TheMapleTable]

I have kept my CR about 1 higher then Average Party Level and seems to be challenging. I have had to step in for poor dice rolling

[@gameon_ct]

Awwwwwwwwww snap I've never run Starfinder but I've run Traveller! *cough* Anyway when I plan for Traveller I plan for overarching stories mainly because Traveller likes the use of randomness to make each session different. My players will eventually get there, but boy do they take a lot of twists and turns haha. I give them information they need to keep going towards the end goal and I don't lock story elements behind rolls. I will lock secrets or special information behind rolls however. I also plan for combat to take an hour to hour and a half for ground combat and about 45 mins for space combat.

[@TheMapleTable]

All these times will vary between systems and how complex they are... Looking at you shadow run... But good that you have good DM habits :p

[@TheMapleTable]

Ps we will get that traveller game done! I promise lol

[@gameon_ct]

@@TheMapleTable

[@gameon_ct]

@@TheMapleTable yayyyyyyyyyy

[@RodBDutra]

10:28... Nazareth Tedesco's meme. Brazil!!!

[@TheMapleTable]

Represent!

[@agee1961]

Hi Mr. Maple! I was researching hacking in Starfinder and noticed that gaining root access to any computer requiring a hack means a check of Hacking DC + 20. If I have level 1 characters, all new to TTRPG, me as well, is it at all possible for any of them to get into even a teir 3 computer for a research lab if it has 1 firewall or another defense system at the root access level? Any help is appreciated THANK YOU!! 🙏

[@TheMapleTable]

As the DM I wouldn't worry to much about what specific item/computer they are hacking, instead decide how difficult you think that task would be. If it's a head office computer its probably secure and that means more difficult. Use the DC difficulty chart and adjust for your party level. A dc 20 at lvl 1 is nearly impossible. It means only a success on 19 or 20 and the 20 means a critical success (provided the overall number still beats the DC. It is possible to crit success and still fail technically) I hope that helps!

[@agee1961]

@@TheMapleTable Thank you, yes a great help as always and i appreciate it!!

[@Fstwist3393]

Hey Mr Table! I've began running Starfinder and want to mix in some APs however most of the ones i wanna run are for lower level players, do you have any tips for adapting lower level APs to higher level PCs? Thanks for the help

[@TheMapleTable]

Thanks for watching! I haven't run the APs so I don't have to many suggestions other than, keep the story elements and adjust the monsters to be higher CR based on the core rule book

[@Fstwist3393]

@@TheMapleTable thank you!

[@Dandizz]

Checked for the Types of GM video... It's been made private. 😔

[@TheMapleTable]

It was old... And bad lol

[@cypher6083]

@@TheMapleTable I was looking forward to watching it. :( Was it the sound or camera quality you disliked or have you changed your opinion about the concepts you discussed? Maybe you could briefly tell us about the 3 types here. :) I'm very curious to see where I fit into the observed archetypes.

[@TheMapleTable]

@@cypher6083 oh its the sound, and picture quality. all really really bad... they were one of the first videos I made on the channel lol

[@Dandizz]

@@TheMapleTable LOL! No worries, I thought this might be the case. Great work none the less, thanks for the content.

[@Betuins]

Podcast Podcast Podcast Podcast Podcast Podcast Podcast

[@TheMapleTable]

I dont understand... You want me to run a podcast :p

[@TheMapleTable]

Took your advice, I have a link here and I'm going to start uploading episodes for listening here and other places too. anchor.fm/the-maple-table

[@Betuins]

@@TheMapleTable great man thnx a lot, your videos are great keep up the good work

[@vincentfalvey2181]

Your Types of DMs link doesn't work.

[@TheMapleTable]

I think the old video is gone?

[@johnharrison2086]

What sort of weak player needs a 15 minute break in a 3 hour session?! 😜

[@TheMapleTable]

Mostly for the GM when they go off the rails and need a few minutes to put things together