Motley Crue - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Motley Crue

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Bloodsausage
Mar 11, 2009 22:11:50 I'm starting the Scales of War adventure path with a group of half newbies and half veterans. It's my first time DMing, but I'm pretty confident that I can handle it.

My issue is one that I've felt as a player, too:

Here you have 5 adventurers starting at level 1, all of different classes and races. How do you justify them even knowing each other, nevermind actually getting along, traveling, and adventuring together?

I've seen this simply handwaved ("You know each other and have worked together before"). I've seen the players try to come up with interwoven backstories, but that always seems contrived. Anyone have the magical touch for this sort of thing?
#2
matthewswift
Mar 11, 2009 22:16:52 I usually use an organizational association. They're coworkers for a mercenary group or guild. That lets them have a limited reason to stay coherent and plenty of room for back-story.

If that doesn't satisfy there's always (Please stop me if you've heard this one) "a party walks into a bar..." :D
#3
gregt_314
Mar 11, 2009 22:32:12 Seriously, the "you knew each other previously" is cliched for a reason - it works. The original Dragonlance Chronicles novels give a great example of how to not only use this to kickstart your adventure, but mine it for backstory as your campaign progresses.

Another good way is to give each character a single plot hook taking them to the same place, none of which they're capable of accomplishing alone.

If you're running Rescue at Rivenroar, some ways to get everyone together are have one or more PCs be related in some way to the captured villagers; one PC might be a grizzled veteran who fought the original Red Hand and doesn't want to see his hard work undone by some goblin upstarts; one might be a distant descendant of the Rivenroar nobility (although I think I saw somewhere that that might conflict with later plot threads in the adventure path); one might be a glory seeker looking for an opportunity to distinguish himself; et cetera.

The keys to effective hooks are to make sure that all of your characters are heroes. Be firm about this. Characters who just don't give a toss about other human beings have no place on the protagonist end of heroic fantasy, and even if they did, they're completely incompatible with the concept of a five-member team. If any of your players are "mercenary" or "out for themselves", ensure they also have a heart of gold. Emo loners work great in R A Salvatore novels, they work very poorly in actual D&D.

Yet another great way is to start in media res. For Rivenroar, this requires modding the adventure slightly, so maybe not a winner for a novice GM, but it can be incredibly exciting to take the climactic battle, set it up without explanation, tell the players they've just burst in on the archvillain, and ask them what they do. Refuse to explain. Run the first round or two of the combat, take notes of where everyone was and the damage they'd taken, and then rewind back to the beginning of the adventure.

Now that players "know" that they "somehow" end up working together in a fight for their lives, you'll find they probably do some of your work for you in getting themselves to that position. Note: this requires mature players, who won't deliberately buck the story just to be jerks.
#4
Bloodsausage
Mar 12, 2009 9:17:23
Seriously, the "you knew each other previously" is cliched for a reason - it works. The original Dragonlance Chronicles novels give a great example of how to not only use this to kickstart your adventure, but mine it for backstory as your campaign progresses.

Another good way is to give each character a single plot hook taking them to the same place, none of which they're capable of accomplishing alone.

If you're running Rescue at Rivenroar, some ways to get everyone together are have one or more PCs be related in some way to the captured villagers; one PC might be a grizzled veteran who fought the original Red Hand and doesn't want to see his hard work undone by some goblin upstarts; one might be a distant descendant of the Rivenroar nobility (although I think I saw somewhere that that might conflict with later plot threads in the adventure path); one might be a glory seeker looking for an opportunity to distinguish himself; et cetera.

The keys to effective hooks are to make sure that all of your characters are heroes. Be firm about this. Characters who just don't give a toss about other human beings have no place on the protagonist end of heroic fantasy, and even if they did, they're completely incompatible with the concept of a five-member team. If any of your players are "mercenary" or "out for themselves", ensure they also have a heart of gold. Emo loners work great in R A Salvatore novels, they work very poorly in actual D&D.

Yet another great way is to start in media res. For Rivenroar, this requires modding the adventure slightly, so maybe not a winner for a novice GM, but it can be incredibly exciting to take the climactic battle, set it up without explanation, tell the players they've just burst in on the archvillain, and ask them what they do. Refuse to explain. Run the first round or two of the combat, take notes of where everyone was and the damage they'd taken, and then rewind back to the beginning of the adventure.

Now that players "know" that they "somehow" end up working together in a fight for their lives, you'll find they probably do some of your work for you in getting themselves to that position. Note: this requires mature players, who won't deliberately buck the story just to be jerks.

All great ideas.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Bloodsausage Mar 11, 2009 22:11:50	I'm starting the Scales of War adventure path with a group of half newbies and half veterans. It's my first time DMing, but I'm pretty confident that I can handle it. My issue is one that I've felt as a player, too: Here you have 5 adventurers starting at level 1, all of different classes and races. How do you justify them even knowing each other, nevermind actually getting along, traveling, and adventuring together? I've seen this simply handwaved ("You know each other and have worked together before"). I've seen the players try to come up with interwoven backstories, but that always seems contrived. Anyone have the magical touch for this sort of thing?
#2 matthewswift Mar 11, 2009 22:16:52	I usually use an organizational association. They're coworkers for a mercenary group or guild. That lets them have a limited reason to stay coherent and plenty of room for back-story. If that doesn't satisfy there's always (Please stop me if you've heard this one) "a party walks into a bar..." :D
#3 gregt_314 Mar 11, 2009 22:32:12	Seriously, the "you knew each other previously" is cliched for a reason - it works. The original Dragonlance Chronicles novels give a great example of how to not only use this to kickstart your adventure, but mine it for backstory as your campaign progresses. Another good way is to give each character a single plot hook taking them to the same place, none of which they're capable of accomplishing alone. If you're running Rescue at Rivenroar, some ways to get everyone together are have one or more PCs be related in some way to the captured villagers; one PC might be a grizzled veteran who fought the original Red Hand and doesn't want to see his hard work undone by some goblin upstarts; one might be a distant descendant of the Rivenroar nobility (although I think I saw somewhere that that might conflict with later plot threads in the adventure path); one might be a glory seeker looking for an opportunity to distinguish himself; et cetera. The keys to effective hooks are to make sure that all of your characters are heroes. Be firm about this. Characters who just don't give a toss about other human beings have no place on the protagonist end of heroic fantasy, and even if they did, they're completely incompatible with the concept of a five-member team. If any of your players are "mercenary" or "out for themselves", ensure they also have a heart of gold. Emo loners work great in R A Salvatore novels, they work very poorly in actual D&D. Yet another great way is to start in media res. For Rivenroar, this requires modding the adventure slightly, so maybe not a winner for a novice GM, but it can be incredibly exciting to take the climactic battle, set it up without explanation, tell the players they've just burst in on the archvillain, and ask them what they do. Refuse to explain. Run the first round or two of the combat, take notes of where everyone was and the damage they'd taken, and then rewind back to the beginning of the adventure. Now that players "know" that they "somehow" end up working together in a fight for their lives, you'll find they probably do some of your work for you in getting themselves to that position. Note: this requires mature players, who won't deliberately buck the story just to be jerks.
#4 Bloodsausage Mar 12, 2009 9:17:23	Seriously, the "you knew each other previously" is cliched for a reason - it works. The original Dragonlance Chronicles novels give a great example of how to not only use this to kickstart your adventure, but mine it for backstory as your campaign progresses. Another good way is to give each character a single plot hook taking them to the same place, none of which they're capable of accomplishing alone. If you're running Rescue at Rivenroar, some ways to get everyone together are have one or more PCs be related in some way to the captured villagers; one PC might be a grizzled veteran who fought the original Red Hand and doesn't want to see his hard work undone by some goblin upstarts; one might be a distant descendant of the Rivenroar nobility (although I think I saw somewhere that that might conflict with later plot threads in the adventure path); one might be a glory seeker looking for an opportunity to distinguish himself; et cetera. The keys to effective hooks are to make sure that all of your characters are heroes. Be firm about this. Characters who just don't give a toss about other human beings have no place on the protagonist end of heroic fantasy, and even if they did, they're completely incompatible with the concept of a five-member team. If any of your players are "mercenary" or "out for themselves", ensure they also have a heart of gold. Emo loners work great in R A Salvatore novels, they work very poorly in actual D&D. Yet another great way is to start in media res. For Rivenroar, this requires modding the adventure slightly, so maybe not a winner for a novice GM, but it can be incredibly exciting to take the climactic battle, set it up without explanation, tell the players they've just burst in on the archvillain, and ask them what they do. Refuse to explain. Run the first round or two of the combat, take notes of where everyone was and the damage they'd taken, and then rewind back to the beginning of the adventure. Now that players "know" that they "somehow" end up working together in a fight for their lives, you'll find they probably do some of your work for you in getting themselves to that position. Note: this requires mature players, who won't deliberately buck the story just to be jerks. All great ideas.