Favorite way to begin a game?

[Mark]

Wow! There's some great ideas in this thread!

I knew a guy once who had very extensive tables for background generation, and all of the players could roll three times on each one and choose what they liked best (mostly they would build on things as they went along.) In this way he could make sure that they all covered, at least, certaion things he wanted for his games like heritage, place of birth, etc.

 

[Whisper72]

Hmmm.. personally I dislike the awkwardness and contrivedness of putting the PC's suddenly together. When my players make a party, they already know eachother.

- they grew up together, but have ambitions above and beyond what can be offered by the 'small farming community' type
- they grew up together and their hometown is somehow in danger and the PC's as a group of friends with some unusual skills (assuming that Joe Regular are all 'Commoners', the obviously the 'classed' PC's are more able to deal with things)
- without getting into details as a DM, the group for whatever reasons the PC's think of themselves, somehow know eachother (some may be related, others know eachother for years, others less long etc. is all up to the individual players how they want to fit their individual backgrounds into the group, and means that the hashing out of the party can take a session in and of itself without getting any adventuring done)

With the first two scenario's I often make a group of 'rivals'. The town bullies, or a group of more friendly rivals etc. whom the PC's may encounter any time anywhere and who are continuously trying to outdo the PC's (is great fun, because this allows for some 'antagonists' which are not real enemies whom you can slay, you have to roleplay your way out of situations)

As for the tavern scenario, I have no problem starting an ADVENTURE that way, i.e. 'resting after your last adventure, you sit drinking and mulling your options when....

I personally do not believe that one should avoid a cliche just because it is a cliche. The fact that it is used so often is simply because it is a natural sort of way to start an adventure. Also, depending upon the experience of the group itself, it could well be that the players themselves have no real problems with starting an adventure this way, so it's fine with me...

The point of the game is to have fun, and as long as the PC's and yourself enjoy and have fun with such a relaxed start of an adventure, I do not see any reason not to use it....

 

[Ghostknight]

Well, if you want to see what I like, look at my current PbP game (link in my signature.)

My points are: let characters create characters and provide a background, this must have them in a specific location at the start of the game.

From there I like to customise for each character how they get to the point where they meet as well as providing them with a reason to adventure together. Of course it can backfire, but hopefully I have read the characters and their motivations sufficiently well that they will choose the route of working together (otherwise I will just have to try a sneakier route )

 

[blargney the second]

A body SPLATTERS completely as it SLAMS into the ground just in front of you. Make a DC 15 Reflex save to avoid being covered in blood and gore.

-blarg

 

[Zelda Themelin]

One week ago, the world was created, and the gods created you...

Thanks, my group will be stealing the idea.

 

[MrFilthyIke]

I'm a sucker for the "group of similar but un-related PCs bound together through some unforseen event". Examples are "passengers on a train/caravan/merchant convoy/etc attacked by brigands or abducted by XYZ" or "at an Inn when the town is attacked" or others. I like to make them work together and iron out their personality conflicts in character.

 

[~Johnny~]

Probably my favourite way to start a game is with minor "flashbacks" to earlier times when the characters have gotten together in the past (run small schticks to get everyone in the "feel") and then move to present time, when they all know each other, and have them brought together by some authority figure for a specific purpose.

A variation on this I've used is to have brief one-on-one sessions with each of the PCs, playing through one encounter that ends with them arriving at the first scene of the group adventure. It helps remind players that they're all individuals, not just the Fellowship of the Ring.

 

[Mort]

I think I’ve mentioned this before but here goes:

One thing, I’ve wanted to try but haven’t yet (a friend put me onto this one):

This requires mature gamers that the DM really knows (and knows their play style to ensure proper results) – otherwise you’ll just have a bunch of angry walk outs.

When you’re starting a new campaign state that you’d like to run a high level game: 20th level characters.

Let the players twink out the characters however they like.

In the “first” session – pull out all the stops, have the BBEG wipe the floor with these guys – A TPK before they knew what hit them (you know you want to).

Then have the players each make a 1st level character somehow linked to the 20th level one that just died (family member, friend, bill collector) – each player is investigating his previous characters death.

 

[Mark]

Some people like to develop characters online (or individually, face to face) before the first game and let the players sort out who knows whom when everyone first gets together face to face...standing back and only commenting about environmental parameters or from an NPC perspective as DM.

 

[fourthmensch]

A variation on this I've used is to have brief one-on-one sessions with each of the PCs, playing through one encounter that ends with them arriving at the first scene of the group adventure. It helps remind players that they're all individuals, not just the Fellowship of the Ring.

I just started a campaign (as a player) this way, and I rather like the way it worked out. Each character has a small piece of adventure (and, of course, enemies and later plot hooks) that are all their own. This does require a bit more DM work, however, and a willingness all around to do one on one sessions.