Campaign/party paradigms

[Bagpuss]

On the run: Characters all escape entrapment together, be they slaves, prisoners of war, enemies of the state, or just crooks.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

Revolutionaries: The current political system is corrupt, and the PCs intend to do something about it. Or maybe they just want to be in charge themselves...

Fantasy Transhumanists: The PCs strive for immortality in some form or another, and have created a mutual support group - especially since the authorities (religious or secular) frown on such activities.

Raiders of the Lost Artifact: There's a bunch of McGuffins scattered around the world, and some Bad Guys want to get hold of them for their own sinister purposes - so the PCs have to find them first.

Ghost in the Golem Shell: The campaign takes place in one of the largest and most advanced city-states in the world - and the PCs are the elite guard department tasked to take out the most dangerous of criminals infiltrating it. They get the very best equipment - but they also have to deal with the vicious political backstabbing among the ruling council of the city.

 

[BlackMoria]

Destiny - the party comes together because fate or destiny has appointed them to fulfil something. The party may know or not know that they are fated by destiny. Works well for adventure paths like AOW where the party is destined to stop the Age of Worms, for example.

The Freak Show - a party whose membership is composed of entirely strange races. They are together for companionship and mutual protection but they are stand out in any crowd because they are so different for the locals.

I see this one alot - a human kingdom and the party is composed of half-dragons, drow, genasi and other hybrids or native outsiders .... and nary a human among them.

 

[Phlebas]

The few - party are the survivors of a disaster / event and band together to investigate / survive / be with the only people who understand them

He might be a psycho but he's our psycho - variant on the general psychopaths theme where some characters msy have high ideals, values or aspirations but are continually thrown into adventures by the (often suicidal) actions of their companions

 

[Herobizkit]

Back to School - difficult to pull off well I should imagine in D&D, but a campaign (which at least in the beginning) the characters are all students (young adults) - although they of course would be able to pursue adventures in the wider university town as well as on the college grounds.

I DM'd a solo campaign that was very successful using this paradigm. I took source material from the now defunct Young Hercules series and Final Fantasy Tactics (for the PSX). In my version, the "hero" is the Paladin-prince of the local King; he chooses to go to "public school" instead of the nobles' training house, preferring to spend his time among "his" people. The NPC cast was recurring (much like the Scooby gang on Buffy and eventually became his permanent adventuring troupe.

I should try and add to this thread, so let's try something off-the-wall:

The Tales of Redwall: The PCs are either polymorphed into, or begin play as, small animals (Medium or smaller). Hilarity ensues. Another common theme is cartoons would be The Incredible Shrinking PC's; PC's are reduced to fey-size (by curse as above, or even BY fey) and must struggle in "new", dangerous terrains to try and return to normal size.

 

[Wik]

The Airship

Everyone is a member of an Airship (or a normal ship) crew, and they travel the world, encountering all sorts of fun problems in an episodic campaign.

 

[Warren Okuma]

Epic Quest1: Demogorgon or Orcus has stolen the souls of their mother, father, etc... and the PC's have to storm hell to get them back.

Family Heritage: The PC's are quested by their families to fulfill their families destiny.

 

[Elf Witch]

You are called by a god to service

That is what I did in my game that I am running all the PCs even though they are from different wlaks of life and are different races answered Bahmut's call to be a force of good to stand against Tiamat's spawn.

 

[GreatLemur]

Fantasy Transhumanists: The PCs strive for immortality in some form or another, and have created a mutual support group - especially since the authorities (religious or secular) frown on such activities.

Aw, I dig this. It's such a common fiction shtick for the heroes to be struggling to stop someone else from achieving immortality or resurrection. I'd love to turn that on its head. I never liked the whole traditional objection to "playing God" or obtaining "power/knowledge not meant for mortals".

 

[jdrakeh]

The Specialists: The party functions as a single unit of master thieves, each with their own particular specialty (e.g., confidence man, lock pick, master of illusions, upfront muscle, etc).