Bringing PCs together when starting a new campaign

[Janx]

Here's my standard methods:

Rule: we are here to game. Don't waste time by coming up with reasons your PC will not join with the rest of the party. Make up a reason that justifies why your PC will go along with the party, if only reluctantly. Otherwise, you've become the guy the party should NOT allow in.

Rule: all PCs must be defined in a fashion that makes them acceptable to the rest of the party. You can't build the totally useless jerkwad PC that nobody likes and expect him to be accepted by the party.

This covers the minimal problem of WHY should the players NOT become allies by eliminating the non-starters and problem PCs.

It also elinates abuse by players who try to sneak in a jerkwad PC into the party, because the group always accepts every PC so the player can participate, only to find he's a jerkwad.


From there, I have 2 basic approaches (which I generalize, others have given more specific examples):

Each PC has some tie to one or more other PCs, such that they are not all complete strangers and have some bond to help one another through the chain of relationships. This usually jumpstarts things.

Or...

Each PC is in the same town/area and is witness/affected by an immediate external threat such that they will all be fighting on the same side and most likely interact with each other during the fight scene. Common example: PCs are visiting the market for their own reasons, and the market is attacked by orcs, forcing everyone to defend themselves/others.

this gets players thinking of the other PCs as allies as they just fought off an attack together. Depending on how clever I am with the backstory for the attack and its aftermath, there's usually some follow-up work that the PCs are motivated to go after together. That's usually enough to do the trick.

I never do the "you are each hired by a Boss to do a job..." thing because it violates a decision making rule. The GM must not decide on behalf of the PCs, and that setup just did by violating the PC's choice to accept the offer and attend the meeting. it assumes the PC is a mercenary looking for work, which may NOT be what the player wants to portray.

I have used starting circumstances where the PC already works for an organization (one that I design to be appealing to the PC/Player). I may expect the PC to accept the initial orders (because I made an organization the PC wanted to join by discussing with the player) and those initial orders are naturally going to be in line with what the PC signed up for. Subsequent adventures and orders are completely open as the PC may change his mind or learn to disagree with those orders.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Let there be heralds sent throughout the land, telling of an epic journey to be made to the far reaches of the world! On that journey, the chosen few (led by the Twin Princes and their younger half sister)- future heroes of the realm, one and all- shall endeavor to bring back the Golden Chalice of Yrgx, from which the dying queen will drink a powerful draught of healing. Great wealth awaits them at journey's end.

Let the PCs see or hear of this, and let them gather to attempt to pass the qualifying tests...and not make the cut. Later, licking their wounded prides with a nice helping of sour grapes at the local tavern, they decide to join forces.

(The voyage they missed out on could then be a plot element for the future- they never return, the Queen dies, the country is overrun- and the rejects are the ones who find out the fate of the questing ship, find the last member of the royal family, and orchestrate the removal of the usurpers...)

 

[Dykstrav]

As many others have already stated... I prefer to put the ball in the player's court and make them carry some of the narrative onus. I don't do this just with how the party got together either, I also make them describe their cool actions (such as critical hits) and I occasionally ask open-ended questions about the immediate environment too ("This tavern is known for excellent food--what do you order? Yeah, that's their specialty!").

If your players don't want to take any of the responsibility for the narrative, you might look to other sources for ideas. A few twists can make them interesting, even if we've seen them in other situations before.

Maybe they know each other in small groups. In Star Wars: a New Hope, Han Solo and Chewbacca have been together for years, although "the party" doesn't form until the story starts. (And even then, Luke and Obi-Wan know each other when they join up with the Millennium Falcon.) The same thing happens in the Lord of the Rings. Aragorn and Frodo know Gandalf, but they don't know each other until things get rolling.

Let's re-skin those basic concepts for a Pathfinder game in an archetypical medieval society.

If you want to rip off Star Wars... The characters are all foreigners on a small island kingdom. The authorities are looking for foreign spies, and the characters manage to charter passage off the island with a smuggler. They meet each other for the first time while they are fighting their way down the dock to the ship. They manage to escape the island in the end of the first session, but there are gobs of unanswered questions there. What's happening on the island? What other nation would have spies there? Plenty of opportunity for adventure.

Now let's look at ripping off the Lord of the Rings. The characters have all been summoned to a distant location by their mentor/old friend/someone they owe a favor to. When they get there, their contact isn't there, but the other PCs are. They join forces to go search for the missing person. They must not only investigate the disappearance, but also fend off cutthroats and trackers hoping that the PCs will lead them to their contact.

 

[aco175]

"4) Each PC has a treasure map that has attracted them to the area. Each map has one clue that leads to the treasure. There are rumors that multiple maps exist. All the clues together lead to great danger, and a great treasure. "

I like this one from earlier in the thread, I'm stealing it thank you.

I had an idea once but did not use it concerning all the party wakes from the petrified state as one of the party is pouring oil on them. Before they can realy do much or get to know each other some creatures enter and fight ensues. This can lead to any race/class and characters can choose to be petrified for 100 years if they wanted. My original plot was that a group was kidnaping noble born for some reason and the pc's were all minor nobles. Another thread was to have them return for the other statues of other nobles later on.

 

[baradtgnome]

Low on funds, they each head to a tavern in an undesirable part of the city reputed to be a place where 'work' can be found. With nothing else to do, they individually arrive early in the evening before the crowds. It is just them and the tavern keeper. The tavern keeper steps out back to fetch something, in staggers a woman. She takes a few unsteady steps, whispers "Please help..." and falls to the ground. A masked face peers in the doorway, and seeing the four turns and runs. The individuals come over to check on her and find her quite dead with a (poisoned) dagger protruding from her side. Clutched in her hand is a large strange looking amulet (which has a key inside).

The tavern keeper comes back and sees the group standing around the dead woman, drops a mug which shatters on the floor and gasps. Outside, sounds of foot steps and armor coming from down the street (the local corrupt guard) and a voice leading them, "She went this way!" Three men with spider tattoos upon their foreheads glance in a window at the scene, take a good look at the group, look up the road at the advancing guard, nod grimly to each other and fade back into the early evening shadows.

Players, you estimate the armored group coming down the road will be there in two rounds. What do you do? (introductions can come later)

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I always use the "you already know each other" method these days - for much the reasons you cite.

This.

I messed up a d20 Modern campaign this way (lasted only one or two sessions). The PCs split into two groups and for RP reasons refused to be friendly with each other.

FATE (although a different system) has some really good rules for making sure all the PCs know each other.

 

[SLupo]

Wow, thank you all for your answers! There are some really great ideas in this thread, thank you so much!

Now I have the problem of having too much good introductions

Again, thanks, you've all been of great help.

 

[Starfox]

One thing I learned over years of DMing (and life experience) is that you don't need to be as original as all that. Simple beginnings, like "You all sit at the inn, listening to the storyteller telling of mighty adventures of old (possibly referencing earlier campaigns), when a crier enters the door and announces XXX has YYY to ZZZZ, and AAAA is offering a BIG reward!"

That said, I like the team start - all the characters start with something in common, like:

* Students at the same academy
* Attend the same church
* From the same small village, orphanage, or other closed social setting
* Have all just been sold into slavery to the same master
* Are all young knights trying to make their fame and fortune

And so on; settle on something with your players that becomes a theme for the campaign. This also gives a framework for character creation, but is not as limiting as you'd think; one of the knights in the last example might prefer chain shirts and agile moves (that is, he is a rogue) while another is very devout (and is a cleric).

 

[Dordledum]

I really enjoyed DM-ing the "Lost" approach:

You are all prisoners on a slaver vessel, wearing nothing but rags and chains. A storm hits, the ship sinks, you are the lone survivers with no idea where you are.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

For my last campaign, all my PCs are ex-slaves. They started the campaign staging a mass breakout of 30 slaves. Since then, two new players have joined, and a number of PCs have retired.

New PCs come from the pool of ex-slaves (suddenly coming to prominence), and a retiring PC can go back to being undistinguished.

They all know each other and are part of the same (besieged) community. Also, there's room for new character concepts.