Background / Motivation [Archive] - Wizards Community

Background / Motivation [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Mike1977
08-25-03, 10:12 PM Me and my buddies are starting to play D&D again... And we will be playing our first session tomorrow...

Now I don't know about other DM's, but I have a huge difficutly with Backgrouns / Motivation...

When we start, the party will be walking into a village, and there is toons of quests, be it minor and major, to keep them busy...

But anything prior to this point, be it, how they got there, why they are together, and why they came to this village, I find very difficult...

Past is hard, but future is easy...

Any other DM's find this problematic when starting a Campaign.
Sabrie
08-25-03, 10:30 PM Generally players in my campaigns either create a complete backstory during character creation (often with DM help/approval) or sketch out a bare framework of backstory (i.e. left home and joined the circus) figuring out the rest as they grow to know the character (or as DM creates some for use as a plot hook).
Darklyte64
08-25-03, 10:38 PM continuing on sabrie's idea (which I use as well, pretty much to the letter), you have to work their stories together. The circus clown halfling is in town with the.. circus and the human fighter is stopping by for a show. He was so impressed he wanted to speak with the halfling (maybe get a drink) and gets in a bar fight with the dwarf cleric. The cleric thinks they are good fighers (after losing) and now respects them, offering his services
nevick
08-25-03, 11:24 PM Yes, excellent idea, thats what i used to do. when they were finished with their characters i would simply say "So how did you meet?"
sirtruth
08-26-03, 01:40 AM I always just make the players happen to walk into each other, like in the inn. Sometimes you have to steer them, but players usually cooperate, and when they meet another PC, find in-character reasons to stick together. This greatly helps the DM.
AzureLight
08-26-03, 02:03 AM I too go with the character backgrounds first and not just for finding reasons for them to adventure together. A good character background is gold for adventure ideas. Many's the time I've worked character history into the overall campaign - it rewards the player's creativity and creates a more inclusive feel to the game.

I would get the players to write up backgrounds emphasizing reasons for adventuring/ working as part of a group. Once you've got those, weaving the PCs into a party should be straight forward.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Mike1977 08-25-03, 10:12 PM	Me and my buddies are starting to play D&D again... And we will be playing our first session tomorrow... Now I don't know about other DM's, but I have a huge difficutly with Backgrouns / Motivation... When we start, the party will be walking into a village, and there is toons of quests, be it minor and major, to keep them busy... But anything prior to this point, be it, how they got there, why they are together, and why they came to this village, I find very difficult... Past is hard, but future is easy... Any other DM's find this problematic when starting a Campaign.
Sabrie 08-25-03, 10:30 PM	Generally players in my campaigns either create a complete backstory during character creation (often with DM help/approval) or sketch out a bare framework of backstory (i.e. left home and joined the circus) figuring out the rest as they grow to know the character (or as DM creates some for use as a plot hook).
Darklyte64 08-25-03, 10:38 PM	continuing on sabrie's idea (which I use as well, pretty much to the letter), you have to work their stories together. The circus clown halfling is in town with the.. circus and the human fighter is stopping by for a show. He was so impressed he wanted to speak with the halfling (maybe get a drink) and gets in a bar fight with the dwarf cleric. The cleric thinks they are good fighers (after losing) and now respects them, offering his services
nevick 08-25-03, 11:24 PM	Yes, excellent idea, thats what i used to do. when they were finished with their characters i would simply say "So how did you meet?"
sirtruth 08-26-03, 01:40 AM	I always just make the players happen to walk into each other, like in the inn. Sometimes you have to steer them, but players usually cooperate, and when they meet another PC, find in-character reasons to stick together. This greatly helps the DM.
AzureLight 08-26-03, 02:03 AM	I too go with the character backgrounds first and not just for finding reasons for them to adventure together. A good character background is gold for adventure ideas. Many's the time I've worked character history into the overall campaign - it rewards the player's creativity and creates a more inclusive feel to the game. I would get the players to write up backgrounds emphasizing reasons for adventuring/ working as part of a group. Once you've got those, weaving the PCs into a party should be straight forward.