Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Schmoe" data-source="post: 246932" data-attributes="member: 913">In my opinion, there are several key points that lead to a good campaign.1.  The enjoyment of the players makes the game.  If your players enjoy going off and doing things regardless of what plot hooks you have set for them, spend a lot of time detailing NPC's and areas for them to interact with.  If your players enjoy following along with whatever plot hook you throw at them, trusting in you to provide a good story, then spend more time detailing an elaborate story arc that will take them on a glorious ride.If your players enjoy more combat, make sure to create interesting combat scenarios.If your players enjoy more intrigue, make sure to create engaging political and social scenarios.And so on.2.  Variety is the spice of life.  A scenario, mood, or plot twist works best when it is different, and repeating the same thing over and over can quickly become tedious.  Decide what the primary theme of your campaign world will be, and then find ways to work in an occasional scenario in direct contrast to that theme.  For example, my game is a mix of Howard, Dante, and Lovecraft, that is to say it's heavy on darkness, evil, and corruption, but in the next session the players will come across a group of happy-go-lucky brewer gnomes in a secluded woodland clearing, where they can have a chance to relax, laugh, and rejuvenate their spirits.  3.  The world lives and breathes through you.  That means that the more consistent information and details you can provide to the players about the world, the more it will seem real to you.  If you need to spend time writing up snippets of interesting factoids about the world, do so.  If you are comfortable using improvisation to flesh out the world, do so.  Create engaging NPC's.  Create interesting cities.  Create interesting facts about gems, or herbs, or dragons, or whatever you want, and then find a way to work them into the game.  I have yet to meet a player that hasn't appreciated the detail you will provide.4.  A long-term goal is good, but short-term adventures make the game.  Regardless of how distant or near, urgent or low-priority, a long-term goal can only provide direction.  It is your task to provide small goals for the players to accomplish in each session.  Some players are good at creating these goals on their own, some are not.  At least every two or three sessions, the players should be able to look back and say "Well, that was hard-fought, but we did it.  Good job.  Now what's next?"5.  Keep the rules and players in check.  It is very easy, especially with third party materials, for the balance of the game to begin to teeter.  When your 1st level wizard is casting Charm Person with a DC of 19, without the benefit of magical items, something is wrong.  Take the time to learn the rules and understand how they are balanced against each other, and you will be much more comfortable with allowing certain options while forbidding others.  Don't necessarily go on the advice of others without examining something yourself.  For example, I have personally disallowed the Greater Spell Focus and Persistent Spell feats, though these seem to be taken for granted by most of the people I see posting on these boards.  Especially if you are new to the system, you may want to begin a campaign using only the core rules.  You might be surprised by just how many options PC's have using just these rules.6.  Have fun!  It's a game, for crying out loud!  If tempers begin to flare, or players begin to sulk, everyone needs to take a time out and re-evaluate their position.  That means you, too.  If your players tell you that you seem especially testy or grumpy that night, listen to them.  They're probably right.</blockquote>

Verification