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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Janx" data-source="post: 5888679" data-attributes="member: 8835">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.</blockquote>

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