Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Jimbro Sep 25, 2014 6:02:17	Hey all, I had some ideas on how to bring PCs together before or during the first session of game play. I'm curious if there's any other methods out there people use. Read all about what I thought of here: http://worldbuilderblog.me/2014/09/25/tying-backgrounds-together/
#2 rettekram Sep 25, 2014 8:16:25	Back with 3rd edition, I started off a level 12 campaign by asking all the players to submit thier own back stories. I then created plot hooks for each them to be same city around the same time. Then one by one each was captured by the head of the local mafia family. Each tried to resist but since they were isolated and alone they didn't stand a chance against the rogue's preparation. I ran this individually with each player before the first session.   And it was thus that each player started play with no equipment and a guest of the prison dungeon. It forced them to ban together and use their natural skills and abilities to escape and get their gear back.   Once they all trusted each other, the real campaign could begin.
#3 Ansbach Sep 25, 2014 8:54:51	In 5E I have been using the method from Fate Core with great success - it is simple, fast and fun and creates excellent bonds. Fate won the ENnie for best RPG this year for good reason.    Basically each player creates their "first adventure" as part of their background.  Then those adventures gets passed to the left and the next player inserts themself into the adventure as a supporting character.  Then repeat one more time.  The end result is that every character has ties to four other characters, forming a deep and complex web of connections, but the process itself was very easy and a lot of fun for the players.  If you want to see the method yourself in more detail, Fate Core is available as a free download.
(Reply to #2) Jimbro	rettekram wrote:
(Reply to #3) Jimbro	Ansbach wrote:
#6 FitzMojoBob Sep 25, 2014 19:41:26	I've used this with great success: 100 Reasons Characters Are Together. (Links to a PDF).   Essentially, the way it works is this. Everyone at the table rolls on the chart in turn, with the result applying to the person on their right (or left, it doesn't matter as long as everyone is consistent). At the end of the process, everyone has an explicit link with two other members of the party, which is enough to start off a reasonably homogeneous group.
#7 philipnicholls Sep 25, 2014 22:59:36	In pathfinder we had a party consisting of a human paladin, a half elf ranger and a half Orc fighter and our backgrounds were tied together when we realised that we all had the same human father a notorious philanderer who had met his demise when he tried to leave his Orc partner this is why the half Orc had his skull as a drinking vessel
#8 Angel7 Sep 26, 2014 0:57:07	philipnicholls wrote:
(Reply to #7) Jimbro	philipnicholls wrote:
(Reply to #8) Jimbro	Angel7 wrote:
#11 bengrayawhile Sep 26, 2014 9:49:31	In my current campaign i had two players decide independently decide they wanted to be traveling magicians with the stage name - The Magnificent. When we were all at the table i let them all describe their backstory to eachother and they decided to be rivals trying to one up eachother constantly vying for the title. It has made for a prety good dynamic considering the players are good freinds. Generaly within the first session of play i try to bind the players together with some story element, like being members of the same regiment or falling under the same curse, or just happned to be survivors of a dragon attack. In this campaign the pcs are all working togeather to try out for the adventurer's guild. It gives them all a common goal while still alowing them to etablish their relationships through play.
(Reply to #11) Jimbro	bengrayawhile wrote:
#13 Ninjariffic Sep 26, 2014 15:12:50	I started a Pathfinder game with the group approaching a small village. I told them that they had been travelling as a group since they were brought together through a series of events of that culminated in a tavern burning down and them fleeing the town. They immediately started filling in the blanks with some in character arguing about who's fault it was.   "It's not my fault!" "Not your fault? Who told you that alchemist's fire was an appropriate response in a bar fight?" "He drew a sword!" "You spit in his drink! In front of him! And poured it on his head!"   And so on. It was pretty entertaining.