Adventure Fishing [Archive] - Wizards Community

Adventure Fishing [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
lifespeed
03-16-05, 11:22 AM I have an adventure that I want to run, but it's possible that they won't take the hook I have planned, even though that would mean ignoring people attempting to poison and kidnap them and everyone else in the tavern.

The question then, is what do I do if they don't take the hook and want to continue on down the road towards whatever destinations they each have in mind?

I'm not very good at ad-libbing things yet, so should I write up multiple adventures beforehand in case they don't bite this one? I don't want to railroad them, but I'd like them to go on this adventure and, once it's done, decide on their own where to go next. I had basically planned on feeding them a couple hooks each adventure, so that they could decide which one to follow next, then I can write that adventure. Is this a good idea?
Morka
03-16-05, 11:41 AM I guess it's about your Wizard's Tower adventure. I guess if the PCs continue their road without following the thugs, they could get to a farm where an old man is crying. If asked why, he explains a few days before he was out at the village; when he got back, all his familly was missing, without any trace of fight. It happen they were kidnapped by the same thugs.
lifespeed
03-16-05, 11:50 AM Not a bad idea Morka, I'll keep that in mind and do something along those lines if they keep on going.
What do the rest of you do when the players just won't take the hook and want to do something else? Do you plan ahead and write up multiple adventures or what?
Tazi Swiftblade
03-16-05, 11:58 AM If your players are oblivious to hooks, you probably are wise to build three or four into the immediate surroundings. You could have the kidnapping attempt, then the farmhouse Morka mentioned, then maybe a maiden being menaced at the roadside by the thugs, then maybe some sort of magical beast loose in the wilds that the wizard created (heck, you could even give the creature some nice treasure and a map directly to the wizard's tower to appeal to their greed).

If they don't take the bait after one of those four things, they're hopeless and you should have a band of stone giants show up and crush them all. ;)
Serious Games Only
03-16-05, 12:04 PM awww....when I saw the thread title I though it would be rules for fishing but I guess I can help anyway:

Make it personal, the adventure I just gave my PCs had one of their young relatives captured, and killed in a summoning situation, they could of saved them but failed to, now they have a reason never to give up going after the BBEG and no matter what the adventure is, if the BBEG is behind it they will do it no questions, but not all groups RP this well so it might not work for you.
Stafir Ortnev
03-16-05, 12:20 PM If you want them to follow an arc...remember to set the right bait.

A DM must be a master baiter. They must figure out what bait is bet for the party as a whole..perhaps one in the party likes treasure...another roleplays heavily..and their char has close family attachments..to the point that char would try to save kidnapped family. Another is looking for a specific item....perhaps there are hints he could find the item..or..clues to the item at this spot.

Then you need to combine everything..wizard tower..big treasure...they captured part of a chars family...and being a wizard tower..its quite possible they know the location of an item.

Remember...become a master baiter..make sure you use the right bait..and vary it enough to never look the same. That is the only way you can snag a PC on your hook.
The Shaman
03-16-05, 12:28 PM A DM must be a master baiter.
:blush:

I'll echo what others have said: multiple hooks that all in some way bring the players to the adventure are the way to go, IMX.
Stafir Ortnev
03-16-05, 12:36 PM :blush:

I'll echo what others have said: multiple hooks that all in some way bring the players to the adventure are the way to go, IMX.

Eh?

As for the multiple hooks..very right..if your party sticks together..just one of the hooks I mentioned would work..if your party is like that. Remember find the right bait and use it..put in a few extra.

Another trick is to find a way for all their adventure choices to lead to the same location.

Heck...some day I want to run a campain idea I have...fate has decided the party MUST do something..and come hell or highwater..its gonna make sure. It wants them to be at a lake? No matter which way they go they will find that lake....its gonna look odd..the stone path seems odd...as if broken at a point...the grass will be a diff color. Later..they'll find where I origionally put the lake..and....they find a big hole where the lake used to be. In other words...railroad em..make it kinna obvious..and have a bit plot point be that the party finds out they are being railroaded....be fun if they tried to stop it..heh.
fistanthius
03-16-05, 12:51 PM D&D is a game. The DM makes the story and the players play in it, according to their own rules. If you spend a long time writing adventures you want to run, but the PCs just stay in a tavern to hit on bar maids all night and ignore all hooks, then you might want to find a new group that wants to adventure. Sure, D&D is a world where the PCs can do ANYTHING they want, but in real life, it takes a lot of prep time to run an adventure. If you want to run an adventure and the players don't want to play it, then perhaps someone else should take the helm at DMing.
arrianna
03-16-05, 01:01 PM awww....when I saw the thread title I though it would be rules for fishing but I guess I can help anyway:

Make it personal, the adventure I just gave my PCs had one of their young relatives captured, and killed in a summoning situation, they could of saved them but failed to, now they have a reason never to give up going after the BBEG and no matter what the adventure is, if the BBEG is behind it they will do it no questions, but not all groups RP this well so it might not work for you.

This goes along my same feelings. Make it personal. Find out what drives the PCs to adventure (there should be an IC reason for each one) and monopolize on that. for some it's treasure, for some, it's retribution, for some it's a search for a place they belong. Find out what it is for your players. You can do this in game withe a conversation with an NPC (tavern keepers are great shrinks in and out of game) or out of game with journals.
lifespeed
03-16-05, 01:06 PM i've run with this group once before, and half of them several times before, and they've never had problems with hooks. I just feel that I shoud have several options open to them in case they don't want to take the bait. the druid for example plans to play the game very blance minded, he generally will only care about things that disrupt the balance of nature, but by having peopel try to kidnap him, that might motivate him if for nothing other than sheer vengence.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
lifespeed 03-16-05, 11:22 AM	I have an adventure that I want to run, but it's possible that they won't take the hook I have planned, even though that would mean ignoring people attempting to poison and kidnap them and everyone else in the tavern. The question then, is what do I do if they don't take the hook and want to continue on down the road towards whatever destinations they each have in mind? I'm not very good at ad-libbing things yet, so should I write up multiple adventures beforehand in case they don't bite this one? I don't want to railroad them, but I'd like them to go on this adventure and, once it's done, decide on their own where to go next. I had basically planned on feeding them a couple hooks each adventure, so that they could decide which one to follow next, then I can write that adventure. Is this a good idea?
Morka 03-16-05, 11:41 AM	I guess it's about your Wizard's Tower adventure. I guess if the PCs continue their road without following the thugs, they could get to a farm where an old man is crying. If asked why, he explains a few days before he was out at the village; when he got back, all his familly was missing, without any trace of fight. It happen they were kidnapped by the same thugs.
lifespeed 03-16-05, 11:50 AM	Not a bad idea Morka, I'll keep that in mind and do something along those lines if they keep on going. What do the rest of you do when the players just won't take the hook and want to do something else? Do you plan ahead and write up multiple adventures or what?
Tazi Swiftblade 03-16-05, 11:58 AM	If your players are oblivious to hooks, you probably are wise to build three or four into the immediate surroundings. You could have the kidnapping attempt, then the farmhouse Morka mentioned, then maybe a maiden being menaced at the roadside by the thugs, then maybe some sort of magical beast loose in the wilds that the wizard created (heck, you could even give the creature some nice treasure and a map directly to the wizard's tower to appeal to their greed). If they don't take the bait after one of those four things, they're hopeless and you should have a band of stone giants show up and crush them all. ;)
Serious Games Only 03-16-05, 12:04 PM	awww....when I saw the thread title I though it would be rules for fishing but I guess I can help anyway: Make it personal, the adventure I just gave my PCs had one of their young relatives captured, and killed in a summoning situation, they could of saved them but failed to, now they have a reason never to give up going after the BBEG and no matter what the adventure is, if the BBEG is behind it they will do it no questions, but not all groups RP this well so it might not work for you.
Stafir Ortnev 03-16-05, 12:20 PM	If you want them to follow an arc...remember to set the right bait. A DM must be a master baiter. They must figure out what bait is bet for the party as a whole..perhaps one in the party likes treasure...another roleplays heavily..and their char has close family attachments..to the point that char would try to save kidnapped family. Another is looking for a specific item....perhaps there are hints he could find the item..or..clues to the item at this spot. Then you need to combine everything..wizard tower..big treasure...they captured part of a chars family...and being a wizard tower..its quite possible they know the location of an item. Remember...become a master baiter..make sure you use the right bait..and vary it enough to never look the same. That is the only way you can snag a PC on your hook.
The Shaman 03-16-05, 12:28 PM	A DM must be a master baiter. :blush: I'll echo what others have said: multiple hooks that all in some way bring the players to the adventure are the way to go, IMX.
Stafir Ortnev 03-16-05, 12:36 PM	:blush: I'll echo what others have said: multiple hooks that all in some way bring the players to the adventure are the way to go, IMX. Eh? As for the multiple hooks..very right..if your party sticks together..just one of the hooks I mentioned would work..if your party is like that. Remember find the right bait and use it..put in a few extra. Another trick is to find a way for all their adventure choices to lead to the same location. Heck...some day I want to run a campain idea I have...fate has decided the party MUST do something..and come hell or highwater..its gonna make sure. It wants them to be at a lake? No matter which way they go they will find that lake....its gonna look odd..the stone path seems odd...as if broken at a point...the grass will be a diff color. Later..they'll find where I origionally put the lake..and....they find a big hole where the lake used to be. In other words...railroad em..make it kinna obvious..and have a bit plot point be that the party finds out they are being railroaded....be fun if they tried to stop it..heh.
fistanthius 03-16-05, 12:51 PM	D&D is a game. The DM makes the story and the players play in it, according to their own rules. If you spend a long time writing adventures you want to run, but the PCs just stay in a tavern to hit on bar maids all night and ignore all hooks, then you might want to find a new group that wants to adventure. Sure, D&D is a world where the PCs can do ANYTHING they want, but in real life, it takes a lot of prep time to run an adventure. If you want to run an adventure and the players don't want to play it, then perhaps someone else should take the helm at DMing.
arrianna 03-16-05, 01:01 PM	awww....when I saw the thread title I though it would be rules for fishing but I guess I can help anyway: Make it personal, the adventure I just gave my PCs had one of their young relatives captured, and killed in a summoning situation, they could of saved them but failed to, now they have a reason never to give up going after the BBEG and no matter what the adventure is, if the BBEG is behind it they will do it no questions, but not all groups RP this well so it might not work for you. This goes along my same feelings. Make it personal. Find out what drives the PCs to adventure (there should be an IC reason for each one) and monopolize on that. for some it's treasure, for some, it's retribution, for some it's a search for a place they belong. Find out what it is for your players. You can do this in game withe a conversation with an NPC (tavern keepers are great shrinks in and out of game) or out of game with journals.
lifespeed 03-16-05, 01:06 PM	i've run with this group once before, and half of them several times before, and they've never had problems with hooks. I just feel that I shoud have several options open to them in case they don't want to take the bait. the druid for example plans to play the game very blance minded, he generally will only care about things that disrupt the balance of nature, but by having peopel try to kidnap him, that might motivate him if for nothing other than sheer vengence.