Corinnguard
Hero
So far, mine have been "introductions will come after we deal with this problem." 
Name some of your best Party Origin methods
Wolfpack48
Adventurer
Definitely. My group has a long history together so they will roll, but I'm always looking for initial adventures to facilitate a smooth party formation that makes sense and makes it easy for PCs to form bonds for a long running campaign. That initial hook really matters, but the chemistry of the RL players is key as well. I'm looking for inspiration on the adventure side of the equation. That is, initial adventures that are designed to form strong parties.
aco175
Legend
I tried to have a campaign start with a fight and the players not knowing what is going on. Follow with a cut scene back to when they meet and how they got there, like in shows where there is action and then suddenly "26 hours earlier" flashes across the screen.
The second part always felt forced after the fight and never worked as hoped.
The second part always felt forced after the fight and never worked as hoped.
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Wolfpack48
Adventurer
Yeah I don't think I'd ever use a flashback. The adventure itself needs hooks that help form a strong bond after that initial action. Something that incentivizes the PCs to continue to stick together until at least the adventure is resolved. And then a strong incentive at the conclusion to stay together for additional adventures. The Players will follow those incentives, I know, but they also need to feel like no-brainer decisions.
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Ath-kethin
Elder Thing
In one campaign I ran, the three players decided their characters were brothers, all from the same wasteland tribe. They were sons of the chief, and the eldest brother, who was also was a Barbarian by class, was the heir. The middle brother, who was a Rogue, was the village healer/medicine man. The youngest son was a Warlock.
Their backstory was that the tribe were followers of the Great Old One Shub-Niggurath, The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young, and their tradition was that the youngest son of the chief would be sacrificed on his 16th birthday. At the time of the sacrifice, the two older brothers disrupted the ritual and rescued the youngest then fled to the nearest ancient, decadent city. This was a very Sword & Sorcery style campaign, if that isn't apparent.
Anyway, this setup gave us tons of backstory to weave into the campaign, since there was a persistent threat that the tribe would find them, there was the rival tribe whose princess the oldest brother had been supposed to marry, youngest gained his warlock pact as a result of the ceremony, etc. It was great, and we developed it all during our Session 0.
Their backstory was that the tribe were followers of the Great Old One Shub-Niggurath, The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young, and their tradition was that the youngest son of the chief would be sacrificed on his 16th birthday. At the time of the sacrifice, the two older brothers disrupted the ritual and rescued the youngest then fled to the nearest ancient, decadent city. This was a very Sword & Sorcery style campaign, if that isn't apparent.
Anyway, this setup gave us tons of backstory to weave into the campaign, since there was a persistent threat that the tribe would find them, there was the rival tribe whose princess the oldest brother had been supposed to marry, youngest gained his warlock pact as a result of the ceremony, etc. It was great, and we developed it all during our Session 0.
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
... or died trying.So far, mine have been "introductions will come after we deal with this problem."
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
To a point, I agree.
I also don't at all mind the "shakedown period", where the party maybe has some internal disputes while incompatible species/classes/alignments/personalities get sorted out. Yes your goody-two-shoes Dwarf Paladin and his grimdark Elf Assassin got stuck working together during this emergency, but how likely are they to continue working together afterwards? Which one will the rest of the party accept, or do they both get run out?
In other words, while it might be a no-brainer that the core of the group stays together, it's not necessarily as cut-and-dried that the whole group stay together.
Yora
Legend
When I pitch a new campaign, I'm telling interested people "You are playing a group of X who do Y".
Any PCs the players make must want to do Y, and want to do it together with the other PCs. That's really all I ask for (and insist on) with character personality and backstory. If players want to exchange backstories later, they are free to do so. But it's really not necessary for playing the campaign.
Any PCs the players make must want to do Y, and want to do it together with the other PCs. That's really all I ask for (and insist on) with character personality and backstory. If players want to exchange backstories later, they are free to do so. But it's really not necessary for playing the campaign.
Corinnguard
Hero
Something kept interrupting the party every time the moment for introductions came around?... or died trying.
"Could you please wait before attacking the party?!? We're trying to introduce ourselves to one another!"
DeviousQuail
Hero
My "meeting at a tavern" is starting on a boat that will make port in a day or two*. Whether the characters knew each other or not before the trip they at least have met and know each other a little now. The act of completing the journey to port gives them all a reason to work together should things go wrong**. Lastly, the journey often disconnects them from what they knew before. It makes things new and creates a shared bond between the characters as they discover this new place together.
When I use this approach I like to ask each player to come with a general goal as well as a personal task to complete. The general goal (money, power, revenge, fight oppression, discovery, etc) I ask for just to make sure everyone is compatible. The personal task is always a small thing (deliver a message, buy/sell an item, meet with a minor leader, etc) to give the players something to do right away. This can also be just the first step in a larger personal quest if they want. This helps explain why they are taking the voyage, creates hooks, and gives them the lay of the land.
*arrival time not guaranteed.
**something always goes wrong, either at sea or upon arrival.
When I use this approach I like to ask each player to come with a general goal as well as a personal task to complete. The general goal (money, power, revenge, fight oppression, discovery, etc) I ask for just to make sure everyone is compatible. The personal task is always a small thing (deliver a message, buy/sell an item, meet with a minor leader, etc) to give the players something to do right away. This can also be just the first step in a larger personal quest if they want. This helps explain why they are taking the voyage, creates hooks, and gives them the lay of the land.
*arrival time not guaranteed.
**something always goes wrong, either at sea or upon arrival.
