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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

Rules Index | GM Screen | Player's Guide
GM Core / Chapter 1: Running the Game / Running Exploration / Scenes within Exploration

Daily Preparations

Source GM Core pg. 35 2.0
Just before setting out to explore, or after a night's rest, the PCs spend time to prepare for the adventuring day. This typically happens over the span of 30 minutes to an hour in the morning, but only after 8 full hours of rest. Daily preparations include the following.
  • Spellcasters who prepare spells choose which spells they'll have available that day.
  • Focus Points and other abilities that reset during daily preparations refresh. This includes abilities that can be used only a certain number of times per day.
  • Each character equips their gear. This includes donning their armor and strapping on their weapons.
  • Characters invest up to 10 worn magic items to gain their benefits for the day.
Beyond making these mechanical decisions, daily preparations can be a good time to check in to see how players might think their characters are feeling. The twentieth morning of a long voyage might see the characters wearily strapping on their boots and armor as listlessness sets in, but the sun rising over a hill as the invading skeleton army finally arrives to lay siege to their city could have a tense air of fear or might taste of the rush before a glorious last stand. Use this time to set the stage for the adventuring day to come!

GM Priorities

The following points will be good to keep in mind to create a fun and smooth experience as your players go about exploring the world.
  • Evoke the setting with vivid sensory details.
  • Shift the passage of time to emphasize tension and uncertainty, and speed past uneventful intervals.
  • Get players to add details by asking for their reactions.
  • Present small-scale mysteries to intrigue players and spur investigation.
  • When rolls are needed, look for ways to move the action forward, or add interesting wrinkles on a failure.
  • Plan effective transitions to encounters.