How do you bring your party together? [Archive] - Wizards Community

How do you bring your party together? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
aechean
12-20-06, 07:59 AM As a DM, I find that coming up with a reasonable explanation of why my party members are working together (other than - "You all know each other") is the most difficult aspect of the game.

I want to each character to be unique, and I want them to develop their own histories and stories, but at the same time, I need these 3-5 random people to want to do whatever it is I set before them. Yes, gold is usually a good motivator, but even then, why did whoever is paying them pick these 4 people and not the others?

How do you typically handle this problem?
Endless_Helix
12-20-06, 09:19 AM I used a burning tower... It worked pretty well over all, the group is pretty tightly-nit.They ended up in jail wrongly accused of arson. They had to take a mission to "clear their names" and it turned into a massive plot they're still working on figuring out 7 levels later :)
Nived
12-20-06, 09:43 AM You know, I've had the most fun, and the best games when I tell the players to come up with a reason why they know each other and why they're friends before the story actually 'starts'.

Too often I've had the first two sessions of campaigns be non events because we're trying to get the party together get the meet and greet done and of course get over the "My character is a paranoid loner" crap.

Besides, having characters who are friends before the game starts always makes for the deepest and most elaborate backgrounds. Not immediatly but after a fet "Hey remember the time..." and "This reminds me of when..." Comments that usually get stranger and stranger as the players try to top each other... but hey its fun.
Dex The King
12-20-06, 04:47 PM I always had troubles with it too. In my latest venture, I decided to make party unity integral to the plot. Regardless of concept or background, they all woke up naked in a secret Cannith facility in Xen'drik, where a rogue scion was experimenting on them. They needed to work together in order to survive, and to try to figure out what was going on. They've since learned that their destinies are linked in a way none of them could imagine.

Constructing a detailed account of character background can work wonders. And depending what you have for a storyline, I can say from experience that if it involves the players directly it draws them together and entwines them into the story in a way they will not soon forget.
Tanvalis
12-20-06, 04:53 PM The last time I ran a campaign they all the PCs were at a Street auction in Sharn and where forcably teleported via an artifact spell into the middle of Xendrick... they quickly learned to work together...

before that they all happened to be on the same street when an elderly dwarf was being robbed, after running off the would be muggers they escorted him home and were then hired to escort him to fairhaven... as he believed it wasn't just chance that had him being held up at that hour of the night... it was fun.

I have of course done the "you all know eachother" routine and sometimes I'm the one to give them histories other times they do it themselves... I've just recently started doing it differenty to see how things come up.
Cuaglar
12-20-06, 06:17 PM The way I did it was I set inexplicably hostile Knights of the Emerald Claw on them. Individually (except for the warforged fighter) they were too weak to defeat them. They had to flee, even out of town, and so, by 'chance,' they came to the city where one of the other PC's was advertising for protection from the Knights. Then it became a struggle for survival and discovery as to why they were being attacked. It turned out that they were inheritors of a small estate of the professor of divination at Morgrave University, and the professor's brother, a member of the Emerald Claw, was trying to take possession of said estate. This type of scenario not only gives the PC's common ground, but it also sets them up with a home base, a small connection with Morgrave, and a reason to question their importance in the overall fate of things. Not to mention an enmity with the Emerald Claw.
goblin_pride
12-20-06, 07:31 PM Regardless of concept or background, they all woke up naked in a secret Cannith facility in Xen'drik, where a rogue scion was experimenting on them.

And the moral of the story is, be careful what parts of Sharn you go drinking in.
Edymnion
12-20-06, 07:53 PM How do you typically handle this problem?In Eberron, I just follow the suggestion in the ECS itself. Tell the players "You guys need to come up with a reason why some or all of you are travelling together."

Make them do it.
Orion Polaris
12-20-06, 09:59 PM The way I did it was I set inexplicably hostile Knights of the Emerald Claw on them. Individually (except for the warforged fighter) they were too weak to defeat them. They had to flee, even out of town, and so, by 'chance,' they came to the city where one of the other PC's was advertising for protection from the Knights. Then it became a struggle for survival and discovery as to why they were being attacked. It turned out that they were inheritors of a small estate of the professor of divination at Morgrave University, and the professor's brother, a member of the Emerald Claw, was trying to take possession of said estate. This type of scenario not only gives the PC's common ground, but it also sets them up with a home base, a small connection with Morgrave, and a reason to question their importance in the overall fate of things. Not to mention an enmity with the Emerald Claw.

*Yoink*
goblin_pride
12-20-06, 11:37 PM In Eberron, I just follow the suggestion in the ECS itself. Tell the players "You guys need to come up with a reason why some or all of you are travelling together."

Make them do it.

And the additional bonus is that it gives you a relatively unified party concept to tailor the campaign to.
Edymnion
12-20-06, 11:47 PM And the additional bonus is that it gives you a relatively unified party concept to tailor the campaign to.Bingo.
There's definately something to be said for passing the buck in this instance.
goblin_pride
12-20-06, 11:52 PM Bingo.
There's definately something to be said for passing the buck in this instance.

And the collective moans and groans from the players when they find out that they have to explain how that paladin of the silver flame and his lycanthrope buddy just happened to fall in with a Karrnathi necro is precious.
aechean
12-21-06, 12:51 AM I think I may end up just telling the players to do it this time. They could have served in the same battalion during the Last War...

I like seeing what others have done though, thanks to the posters so far, and keep posting!
Salla
12-21-06, 02:05 AM While my current game is nicely underway, I'm thinking that I might do a little En Media Res to kick off the next one ... with the PCs basically winding up stranded somewhere and getting bailed out by the Crimson Ship, only partly because I REALLY want an excuse to use the Crimson Ship. :)

One other I've always wanted to do, would go like this ...

"Okay, here's the rules (pass out house/ground rules sheet). 3rd level characters."
(dice, pencils, passing of books, rattling off of ideas, yes, no, fine, hell no, sure, sounds good, dice, scribbling, erasing ...)
"So, your 4th level characters are relaxing at the inn ..."
"You said 3rd level characters."
"Yes, you're 3rd level now, after the Fireball that torched the entire city block. You awaken in a dark, dank cave, and a disembodied voice rasps, 'Now ... you all owe me a very large FAVOR ...'"
cancerousmango
12-21-06, 02:10 AM I just start every game with, "you're all in the sewer being raped by retards."
Neochronic
12-21-06, 03:01 AM having the players come up with why they're traveling together seems best. Not only does it keep you from having to get them together, it also gives you a picture of their backstories, since they'll have to have some to fit the characters together.
Sphere
12-21-06, 06:02 AM Step 1: Get all PC's into the same area.
Step 2: Stage encounter that effects all players.
Step 3: Have NPC offer cash rewards for something related to encounter.
Step 4: ???
Step 5: Adventure!

Works almost every time. And just have a NPC ask for volunteers for the task, make them seemingly simple at first. After all, most of the PC's are going to be nobodies at this point, so it is not like people will be knocking on their doors begging for their help.
yossarius
12-22-06, 07:58 PM First, when my players create their characters, they get bonus points to their point-buys if they write a character background (4 points for the background, plus 1 point for each DM-usable NPC they create in the background, to a maximum of four.) Once I have the backgrounds in hand, I use them as inspiration for ways to tie the characters together. For example, in a previous group, one character was the son of a silver flame paladin (though not one himself). Another character had served in the Last War, alongside his uncle, who had died. I decided the the paladin and the uncle had known one another, and were good friends. The paladin's son remembered his father once told him that, if he were ever in any trouble, this other guy's uncle would be a good person to help him. The paladin's son found himself in quite a bit of trouble, went looking for this guy, and found his nephew instead. If the two of them want an explanation as to why the paladin & the uncle were such good friends, they are welcome to persue that information, in play.

This method may seem complicated (I suppose it is), but it gives you the best of both worlds. It gives the players the chance to contribute, but at the same time lets you as the DM to craft a working backstory into the group.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
aechean 12-20-06, 07:59 AM	As a DM, I find that coming up with a reasonable explanation of why my party members are working together (other than - "You all know each other") is the most difficult aspect of the game. I want to each character to be unique, and I want them to develop their own histories and stories, but at the same time, I need these 3-5 random people to want to do whatever it is I set before them. Yes, gold is usually a good motivator, but even then, why did whoever is paying them pick these 4 people and not the others? How do you typically handle this problem?
Endless_Helix 12-20-06, 09:19 AM	I used a burning tower... It worked pretty well over all, the group is pretty tightly-nit.They ended up in jail wrongly accused of arson. They had to take a mission to "clear their names" and it turned into a massive plot they're still working on figuring out 7 levels later :)
Nived 12-20-06, 09:43 AM	You know, I've had the most fun, and the best games when I tell the players to come up with a reason why they know each other and why they're friends before the story actually 'starts'. Too often I've had the first two sessions of campaigns be non events because we're trying to get the party together get the meet and greet done and of course get over the "My character is a paranoid loner" crap. Besides, having characters who are friends before the game starts always makes for the deepest and most elaborate backgrounds. Not immediatly but after a fet "Hey remember the time..." and "This reminds me of when..." Comments that usually get stranger and stranger as the players try to top each other... but hey its fun.
Dex The King 12-20-06, 04:47 PM	I always had troubles with it too. In my latest venture, I decided to make party unity integral to the plot. Regardless of concept or background, they all woke up naked in a secret Cannith facility in Xen'drik, where a rogue scion was experimenting on them. They needed to work together in order to survive, and to try to figure out what was going on. They've since learned that their destinies are linked in a way none of them could imagine. Constructing a detailed account of character background can work wonders. And depending what you have for a storyline, I can say from experience that if it involves the players directly it draws them together and entwines them into the story in a way they will not soon forget.
Tanvalis 12-20-06, 04:53 PM	The last time I ran a campaign they all the PCs were at a Street auction in Sharn and where forcably teleported via an artifact spell into the middle of Xendrick... they quickly learned to work together... before that they all happened to be on the same street when an elderly dwarf was being robbed, after running off the would be muggers they escorted him home and were then hired to escort him to fairhaven... as he believed it wasn't just chance that had him being held up at that hour of the night... it was fun. I have of course done the "you all know eachother" routine and sometimes I'm the one to give them histories other times they do it themselves... I've just recently started doing it differenty to see how things come up.
Cuaglar 12-20-06, 06:17 PM	The way I did it was I set inexplicably hostile Knights of the Emerald Claw on them. Individually (except for the warforged fighter) they were too weak to defeat them. They had to flee, even out of town, and so, by 'chance,' they came to the city where one of the other PC's was advertising for protection from the Knights. Then it became a struggle for survival and discovery as to why they were being attacked. It turned out that they were inheritors of a small estate of the professor of divination at Morgrave University, and the professor's brother, a member of the Emerald Claw, was trying to take possession of said estate. This type of scenario not only gives the PC's common ground, but it also sets them up with a home base, a small connection with Morgrave, and a reason to question their importance in the overall fate of things. Not to mention an enmity with the Emerald Claw.
goblin_pride 12-20-06, 07:31 PM	Regardless of concept or background, they all woke up naked in a secret Cannith facility in Xen'drik, where a rogue scion was experimenting on them. And the moral of the story is, be careful what parts of Sharn you go drinking in.
Edymnion 12-20-06, 07:53 PM	How do you typically handle this problem?In Eberron, I just follow the suggestion in the ECS itself. Tell the players "You guys need to come up with a reason why some or all of you are travelling together." Make them do it.
Orion Polaris 12-20-06, 09:59 PM	The way I did it was I set inexplicably hostile Knights of the Emerald Claw on them. Individually (except for the warforged fighter) they were too weak to defeat them. They had to flee, even out of town, and so, by 'chance,' they came to the city where one of the other PC's was advertising for protection from the Knights. Then it became a struggle for survival and discovery as to why they were being attacked. It turned out that they were inheritors of a small estate of the professor of divination at Morgrave University, and the professor's brother, a member of the Emerald Claw, was trying to take possession of said estate. This type of scenario not only gives the PC's common ground, but it also sets them up with a home base, a small connection with Morgrave, and a reason to question their importance in the overall fate of things. Not to mention an enmity with the Emerald Claw. Yoink
goblin_pride 12-20-06, 11:37 PM	In Eberron, I just follow the suggestion in the ECS itself. Tell the players "You guys need to come up with a reason why some or all of you are travelling together." Make them do it. And the additional bonus is that it gives you a relatively unified party concept to tailor the campaign to.
Edymnion 12-20-06, 11:47 PM	And the additional bonus is that it gives you a relatively unified party concept to tailor the campaign to.Bingo. There's definately something to be said for passing the buck in this instance.
goblin_pride 12-20-06, 11:52 PM	Bingo. There's definately something to be said for passing the buck in this instance. And the collective moans and groans from the players when they find out that they have to explain how that paladin of the silver flame and his lycanthrope buddy just happened to fall in with a Karrnathi necro is precious.
aechean 12-21-06, 12:51 AM	I think I may end up just telling the players to do it this time. They could have served in the same battalion during the Last War... I like seeing what others have done though, thanks to the posters so far, and keep posting!
Salla 12-21-06, 02:05 AM	While my current game is nicely underway, I'm thinking that I might do a little En Media Res to kick off the next one ... with the PCs basically winding up stranded somewhere and getting bailed out by the Crimson Ship, only partly because I REALLY want an excuse to use the Crimson Ship. :) One other I've always wanted to do, would go like this ... "Okay, here's the rules (pass out house/ground rules sheet). 3rd level characters." (dice, pencils, passing of books, rattling off of ideas, yes, no, fine, hell no, sure, sounds good, dice, scribbling, erasing ...) "So, your 4th level characters are relaxing at the inn ..." "You said 3rd level characters." "Yes, you're 3rd level now, after the Fireball that torched the entire city block. You awaken in a dark, dank cave, and a disembodied voice rasps, 'Now ... you all owe me a very large FAVOR ...'"
cancerousmango 12-21-06, 02:10 AM	I just start every game with, "you're all in the sewer being raped by retards."
Neochronic 12-21-06, 03:01 AM	having the players come up with why they're traveling together seems best. Not only does it keep you from having to get them together, it also gives you a picture of their backstories, since they'll have to have some to fit the characters together.
Sphere 12-21-06, 06:02 AM	Step 1: Get all PC's into the same area. Step 2: Stage encounter that effects all players. Step 3: Have NPC offer cash rewards for something related to encounter. Step 4: ??? Step 5: Adventure! Works almost every time. And just have a NPC ask for volunteers for the task, make them seemingly simple at first. After all, most of the PC's are going to be nobodies at this point, so it is not like people will be knocking on their doors begging for their help.
yossarius 12-22-06, 07:58 PM	First, when my players create their characters, they get bonus points to their point-buys if they write a character background (4 points for the background, plus 1 point for each DM-usable NPC they create in the background, to a maximum of four.) Once I have the backgrounds in hand, I use them as inspiration for ways to tie the characters together. For example, in a previous group, one character was the son of a silver flame paladin (though not one himself). Another character had served in the Last War, alongside his uncle, who had died. I decided the the paladin and the uncle had known one another, and were good friends. The paladin's son remembered his father once told him that, if he were ever in any trouble, this other guy's uncle would be a good person to help him. The paladin's son found himself in quite a bit of trouble, went looking for this guy, and found his nephew instead. If the two of them want an explanation as to why the paladin & the uncle were such good friends, they are welcome to persue that information, in play. This method may seem complicated (I suppose it is), but it gives you the best of both worlds. It gives the players the chance to contribute, but at the same time lets you as the DM to craft a working backstory into the group.