How to Introduce a New Character

[shilsen]

If introducing a new PC at this point strains credibility for you and the party, just wait until a situation comes up when it works for you. Until then, let the bard's player run some of your NPCs for you. Considering that you would still have 6 PCs in the party without him (until you kill some more, of course ), it's not a big loss for them power-wise, and it gives him something to do.

 

[dglass]

I was a new player joining a group. The DM told me he would work my character in during the first session. I had made a generic fantasy character since I didn't know anything about the campaign world. The DM tells the party they find an ancient statue which sort of vomits my character up. I'm thinking its cool, whatever. Then he describes how I'm surrounded by monsters and demihumans. Oh, and the sky is blood red. The only line I can stammer out is "Uhhh, hi. I don't suppose this is Waterdeep?"

*sigh* I miss playing Planescape.

 

[Mark Chance]

Update:

I've decided to give the third-party thing a try. I've pitched the player a background that puts his new character in the Abyss with a reason to be in the area that the other characters are in. His background also includes a major plot complication for the group as a whole as well as several short-term adventure hooks.

If the player likes the background, I'll try to remember to post it here in a couple of weeks (after our next game session, so as not to ruin any of the surprises).

Danke for the help.

 

[Larry Fitz]

Have you considered the new character being the only surviving member of a party that just faced whatever the group's next big challenge will be? He could have some helpful insights as to a few tactics that did not work.... and it would not require that the new character be implausibly surviving encounters on his own in the 9th layer nor involve adding a small cadre of NPC's.