having trouble joining a party -help!

[ladySeion]

so I started a new campaign, and it's based on the previous one, set on the same place with the same NPCs, only a year after the last one. most of my players chose to use the previous characters as well, both because they liked them and they were already in high levels.

the thing is, a guy who used to play with us but then quit because he enjoyed computer-based RPGs better decided to take another go at D&D. I gave him the opportunity to already be a resident at the town, or being already in the party because he knew one of the other players, but he decided he wanted to be a half-elven newbie (in the area where the town is located, a desert-type of climate, there aren't many elven villages).

up until now I have tried to include him in the party by making up quests that would interest both party and player, sent them on sidequests together, even got him and another player a little more involved, but he won't join up with the party and keeps acting on his own. any suggestions? how do I do this without telling him to join the party off-game? we already have about 5 or 6 sessions of game and I'm running out of ideas!

 

[Crothian]

I'd talk to the guy out of game. He can either find a way for his current character to become one of the party or hew can create a character that will become part of the party. His third option would be to not be with the party and watch as you focus on the party and not on some random NPC which his character would become. In my mind it is the players job to create charcters that would be together.

 

[shilsen]

Agreed completely with Crothian. D&D is a group game. If he wants to be part of the group, he should come up with a justification for his PC to join the other PCs. And you definitely need to tell him that outside the game.

 

[Mycanid]

I think Crothian is on the mark with this one.

Edit: Hey Shilsen - look! We agreed on something wholeheartedly and fully! Hooray!

 

[shilsen]

Edit: Hey Shilsen - look! We agreed on something wholeheartedly and fully! Hooray!

Do we disagree a lot? I hadn't noticed

 

[Mycanid]

No my good sir - not a lot. Only on one thing as far as I can remember.

But enough so that I was cheered to see us agreeing on this one.

 

[ValhallaGH]

I'd talk to the guy out of game. He can either find a way for his current character to become one of the party or hew can create a character that will become part of the party. His third option would be to not be with the party and watch as you focus on the party and not on some random NPC which his character would become. In my mind it is the players job to create charcters that would be together.

Word.

 

[shilsen]

No my good sir - not a lot. Only on one thing as far as I can remember.

But enough so that I was cheered to see us agreeing on this one.

Glad to be of service