Starting DM Advice

[Razgrizi]

Good morning everyone! Hope everyone had a GREAT Weekend! I did! I finally finalized my group to begin a Dresden Files RPG game! Including myself, we will have seven people in our playgroup, which will be exciting!

With that said, I am going to be DMing for the group and I need some advice on a couple of things, if none of you do not mind.

The first one is, with this being a completely new system for all players, where should the power level begin at? My initial idea is to have them start with Feet in the Water and build up to their first major campaign with each session being a major milestone.  I had four sessions planned out including

Pre-Session 1 - Workshop Session - How to play, Character, and City Creation
Session 1 - Night Fears, Preestablished, Nice stepping stone for me as the DM and them as the players (Major Milestone, First Encounter)
Session 2 & 3 - Working Title right now, but it would involve a sorority summoning a low class demon by doing things similar to the Candyman legends (Major Milestone would be their first multipart session)
Session 4 - Another working title, but it would be about a troll under the bridge.  This one would focus heavily on combat. Major Milestone would be their first big combat encounter.
Session 5 - Neutral Grounds, Premamde Adventure, Major Milestone, New power level
Session 6 - Working Title, but this would be where our group would being their big adventure, shaking things up at the beginning with a visit from Mab and going from there.

With that, our characters range right now from a mermaid, fae, human, and wizard. Is it possible to even start what I have at the lowest level and build up? Should they start higher but use the same format to build up, taking out the milestones? How would you do it?

Next question is revolving money. In my sixth session I have planned, Mab is going to visit their 'home' and do stuff related to the story.  From there, Im going to address that the characters might need to find a new location, as what they have now is not suitable.  Which, would lead me to their permanent accords once they figure that out. 

In that realm, how would you handle money? I had the idea that, before each session, all players roll two dice and whatever they roll you add a 0 (ex: 2 +3 = 5, add a 0, so its $50). If doubles is rolled, they get two dice rolls and if snake eyes or 12 is rolled, they roll three dice with the second and third getting two 0s instead of one. Is there a better way to handle money?

Finally, I am planning to run a mermaid.  As of right now, I know she will be a male cursed by a fae to be a mermaid (working out background still).  Trying to make it where shes not useless, I think Im going to have it where she only turns as a mermaid when hit with real running water, is in the Nevernever, or is in a true supernatural background, like a gateway or a protected space, for example.  For the normal human side, should she remain just a human with some heightened reflexes? A low talent wizard? How would you handle the human side of her? I figured she wouldnt lose everything when she had two legs.

Thank you all so much! I look forward to your responses!

[blackstaff67]

Just go with Resources and handwave the everyday cheap stuff.  As a rule, you only worry about that when the story starts to get interesting ("Whaddya mean you forgot to gas up before we started this trip?"  "You mean when I escaped, he destroyed my wallet and I can't rent this car I need?").

There are others, but usually worry about it when the story gets/needs to get interesting.

[Razgrizi]

Just go with Resources and handwave the everyday cheap stuff.  As a rule, you only worry about that when the story starts to get interesting ("Whaddya mean you forgot to gas up before we started this trip?"  "You mean when I escaped, he destroyed my wallet and I can't rent this car I need?").

There are others, but usually worry about it when the story gets/needs to get interesting.

By Resources, do you mean whats provided in the book? As a followup, should I keep the money idea if they want to do a
'big' purchase, like if theyre a mortal and want weapons?

[dragoonbuster]

As a followup, should I keep the money idea if they want to do a 'big' purchase, like if theyre a mortal and want weapons?

No. Use the rules as written for a bit first before deciding if you want to change them. Towards the end of the book there's a chart for Resources that links a specific roll value to a certain dollar amount. Read over the Resources skill carefully and then this section (pg322) to make sure you know how to use it properly. It works quite well.

Adding in some manual dollar number is odd and counter-Fate. If you decide you hate the Resources skill, then go ahead and try your method, but that just seems odd and like a lot of extra bookkeeping for a mechanic that's already addressed pretty well in the RAW.

[Haru]

Resources is generally the way to go. Keep in mind that resources doesn't necessarily have to mean how rich a character is. It mostly means how much spending money or readily available equipment someone has.

So a character that lives in riches could have all his money tied up in investments and only be able to provide rather little of actual money, thus he'd have a low resources skill.

The way money usually works is that you provide a problem to the players and they decide how they want to solve it. They will usually try to do so by using their best skills, but sometimes that won't work, of course.

Say the problem is "we need to get to the other side of the city as quickly as possible". One of the players might say "Hey, I know a guy with a fast car just around the corner", so he could roll contacts to solve the problem. Another player might say "I'll open a path through the nevernever" and use lore. Another might say "I'll call in the company helicopter" and roll resources.

Mostly it's just not important to keep track of actual money. Look at the novels, there is not a single time where Harry says something along the lines of "I only have $43.32 left, better be careful. He constantly talks about money, sure, but that's because one of his aspects is "perpetually broke", that's a whole other issue. In cases like that, you can simply compel the aspect to say "yeah, it would be really convenient to get a cab now, but you just don't have the money to spend".

[toturi]

Another thing to establish is to have everyone on the same page on when a compel is Fate Point worthy.

For example, there is a guy that is Perpetually Broke and his Resources is 0, this sounds fairly consistent right? But the GM thinks that it is not a worthy Compel since he won't be able to pay for the taxi in the first place with his Resources. Player thinks GM is a dick, GM thinks the player is gaming the system.

Best get everyone on the same page first.

[Taran]

The first one is, with this being a completely new system for all players, where should the power level begin at? My initial idea is to have them start with Feet in the Water and build up to their first major campaign with each session being a major milestone.  I had four sessions planned out including

Feet in Water is always a good place to start.  They get used to their powers and you, as a GM, have less work to do trying to come up with opposition.

Pre-Session 1 - Workshop Session - How to play, Character, and City Creation
Session 1 - Night Fears, Preestablished, Nice stepping stone for me as the DM and them as the players (Major Milestone, First Encounter)
Session 2 & 3 - Working Title right now, but it would involve a sorority summoning a low class demon by doing things similar to the Candyman legends (Major Milestone would be their first multipart session)
Session 4 - Another working title, but it would be about a troll under the bridge.  This one would focus heavily on combat. Major Milestone would be their first big combat encounter.
Session 5 - Neutral Grounds, Premamde Adventure, Major Milestone, New power level
Session 6 - Working Title, but this would be where our group would being their big adventure, shaking things up at the beginning with a visit from Mab and going from there.

Looks good.  Starting with a pre-gen as your first adventure is probably a good way to ease into it.  When it comes time to do your own, feel free to ask questions.

With that, our characters range right now from a mermaid, fae, human, and wizard. Is it possible to even start what I have at the lowest level and build up? Should they start higher but use the same format to build up, taking out the milestones? How would you do it?

Yes, these are all possible at low refresh - except the wizard.
- Mermaid:

Finally, I am planning to run a mermaid.  As of right now, I know she will be a male cursed by a fae to be a mermaid (working out background still).  Trying to make it where shes not useless, I think Im going to have it where she only turns as a mermaid when hit with real running water, is in the Nevernever, or is in a true supernatural background, like a gateway or a protected space, for example.  For the normal human side, should she remain just a human with some heightened reflexes? A low talent wizard? How would you handle the human side of her? I figured she wouldnt lose everything when she had two legs.

In human form, She can have  beast senses(echo-location and the ability to aquatic creatures (think Aquaman).  with a high Investigation/Alertness, she'd be very useful.
Instead of powers, in human form, you could deck her out with stunts so she can fill a roll that the others can't (social/Investigative)
Maybe even give her a recovery power outside of her mermaid form.
Also, maybe getting wet is enough for her to change?
Give her Incite Emotion (like a siren) which would boost her social prowess.
 In mermaid form: aquatic, speed, toughness(scales)(with a +3 catch if they're also taking recovery), possibly claws. (-3 or 4 refresh, which is -1 or 2 after human form).  Therefore, most of her powers would be in her human form.  Which would probably be the most useful.

Wizard: start as a focused practitioner.  Maybe he finds someone to teach him.  He can spend refresh to become a full-fledged wizard.

Fae: Start with glamours and/or a power that reflects his/her parentage (speed for Malk, Wings for a Sprite, Cloak of Shadows for something...uh...shadowy... etc)  done.

Human:stunts.  At this level, the Pure Mortal could fill ANY roll - including the main fighter.  At higher refresh, they'll get overshadowed as a main fighter.  But they can always swap stunts out as they gain refresh and, even, take powers if the story supports it.  Socially, Pure Mortals can kick ass but the mermaid might already fill that roll. 

I might encourage them to not spend too much of their refresh (except maybe the mermaid) so that they have a couple of FPs and you can encourage them to spend them.  And compel them often.  When players first start this game, they tend to horde FPs.  They really should be spending them so, if they know there'll be lots of compels, they'll be more willing to spend.

Next question is revolving money. In my sixth session I have planned, Mab is going to visit their 'home' and do stuff related to the story.  From there, Im going to address that the characters might need to find a new location, as what they have now is not suitable.  Which, would lead me to their permanent accords once they figure that out. 

In that realm, how would you handle money? I had the idea that, before each session, all players roll two dice and whatever they roll you add a 0 (ex: 2 +3 = 5, add a 0, so its $50). If doubles is rolled, they get two dice rolls and if snake eyes or 12 is rolled, they roll three dice with the second and third getting two 0s instead of one. Is there a better way to handle money?

Just use the resource skill.

1.
Player:  "I want to buy a flak Jacket"
GM: "that's a +3 roll, +2 because it's restricted - difficulty 5 and it will take one week."

or

2.
Player: "I'm wearing a flak jacket" (resource declaration)
GM:  "Since you are a mercenary by trade, make a resource roll and I'd say the difficulty is 2"

1 is harder than 2.   1 assumes that it's already been established that the player does not have a flak jacket and needs to acquire one.  Maybe if player tried to declare one and failed.  They'd now need to find/buy one.

The other way of using resources is exactly how Haru said:
you have a problem.  What skills are you going to use to solve it?

I need to convince this guy to let me into the bar.
"I use rapport to convince him"  (difficulty 4 because he's an asshole and has orders not to let you in)
"I use resources to bribe him"   (difficulty 3 because his greedy and isn't particularly loyal to his boss)

edit:  those difficulties are pretty high.  Especially at Feet in the Water.  Especially when you consider that skills of 3 and 4 are professional, Masters in their field level.