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The Dungeon Masters' Foundation
- Thread starter ChaosEvoker
- Start date
ChaosEvoker
First Post
Yeah I'm not in my mid thirties but I know what you mean by real life kickign in.
A long term campaign is extremely hard to maintain. I have been a player in 3 aborted campaigns and found the experience so frustrating, I started up my own. The first thing you need is willing players, people that are willing to commit to a regular game (once a week, 2 weeks, month, whatever). Also, make sure that you don't have any conflicts in a meta game sense. A campaign is a large commitment and you're going to be spending a lot of time with these people. If you don't like a person, or their style of play, don't be in a campaign with them.
That said, I find it's best to establish the characters history first, before the campaign even starts. This may be a no-brainer, but I didn't really hold my players to this at first and it led to a lot of aimless drifting early on. Fun, violent, aimless drifting, but drifting none the less.
Having character backgrounds established will allow you to think of the campaign in terms of your characters. The bully that beat up your PCs rouge at the orphanage or the childhood sweetheart could be recurring characters, or even the culmination of the campaign. For example, The Princess Bride, Inegu Montoya (sp?)'s 6 Fingered Man. Character background will also to some extent allow you to anticipate what the PCs will do that can determine events much later in the campaign.
In terms of generating interest, a campaign is best served by an inciting incident. For example, my evil campaign began with the PCs robbing a busy hotel during a celebration. They sent the large dumb halforc NPC to create a distraction, and inadvertently set a large fire that destroyed much of the city. You need something grandiose, cinematic even. ie. the serene town of Faer has recently faced a string of assaults from local goblins. Instead of just starting the campaing with this knowledge, have them witness an assualt. Maybe their house is destroyed in the fray.
Make it real, make it personal.
A question. What level do you generally start campaigns at? I started the evil campaign at 4th level, mostly cause I wanted to give the characters a chance to be evil early on. I'm going to start the Shackled City AP at 1st. I've even been started at 5th level before. Generally, it's cool because it starts the PCs off with some power, but I feel it may detract if the characters don't have a solid background, after all the 1st 3 levels are now important to their characters. Anyone have any opinions on this?
That said, I find it's best to establish the characters history first, before the campaign even starts. This may be a no-brainer, but I didn't really hold my players to this at first and it led to a lot of aimless drifting early on. Fun, violent, aimless drifting, but drifting none the less.
Having character backgrounds established will allow you to think of the campaign in terms of your characters. The bully that beat up your PCs rouge at the orphanage or the childhood sweetheart could be recurring characters, or even the culmination of the campaign. For example, The Princess Bride, Inegu Montoya (sp?)'s 6 Fingered Man. Character background will also to some extent allow you to anticipate what the PCs will do that can determine events much later in the campaign.
In terms of generating interest, a campaign is best served by an inciting incident. For example, my evil campaign began with the PCs robbing a busy hotel during a celebration. They sent the large dumb halforc NPC to create a distraction, and inadvertently set a large fire that destroyed much of the city. You need something grandiose, cinematic even. ie. the serene town of Faer has recently faced a string of assaults from local goblins. Instead of just starting the campaing with this knowledge, have them witness an assualt. Maybe their house is destroyed in the fray.
Make it real, make it personal.
A question. What level do you generally start campaigns at? I started the evil campaign at 4th level, mostly cause I wanted to give the characters a chance to be evil early on. I'm going to start the Shackled City AP at 1st. I've even been started at 5th level before. Generally, it's cool because it starts the PCs off with some power, but I feel it may detract if the characters don't have a solid background, after all the 1st 3 levels are now important to their characters. Anyone have any opinions on this?
ChaosEvoker
First Post
Our group generally starts new PC's ar first level. In fact, we always have as longs as EVERYONE is makign a new Pc. New players or character jumping into a campaign already in progress start at the party's level.
As far as a new part goes, I can adapt to anything. Starting at high levels gives players the free dom for stuff like "I trained with teh swordmaster of the guard for ten years" or "I was the apprentice to Halaster Blackcloak for 20 years before I started adventuring..." but srating at level 1 allows for the player to relaly firm up his character with some history shared with some other good solid PCs and that helps the RPing. Each has their advantages and disadvantages I'd say.
As far as a new part goes, I can adapt to anything. Starting at high levels gives players the free dom for stuff like "I trained with teh swordmaster of the guard for ten years" or "I was the apprentice to Halaster Blackcloak for 20 years before I started adventuring..." but srating at level 1 allows for the player to relaly firm up his character with some history shared with some other good solid PCs and that helps the RPing. Each has their advantages and disadvantages I'd say.
Power_Word_Wedgie
First Post
Well thanks for the tempting offer, but I've already have a DM resource with over 30 years of experience: I call him diaglo. 
ChaosEvoker
First Post
Well I'd say its always good to have multiple sources, but hey its up to you.
ChaosEvoker
First Post
This place coudl probably get alot spicier if soem of our old members woudl get here... We had 700+ posts back in the old thread.
Trainz
Explorer
Grunk said:
I create my own campaign settings, and generally I create a new one for each new campaign.
In the current one, there are 3 islands/continents that are dominated by evil forces (Githzerai, Undead, and Devils). Also, women have a hard time being equals in those societies.
So I successfully encouraged the players to create an all-women party.
They thus have a double challenge: avoid the evil rulers (and their minions) while trying to oppose their evil deeds, and prove to the world that women are as good as men are. And that creates a third difficulty: they are easy to spot by the evil governments because they are pretty much the only bunch of girls walking around with full adventuring attire.
That game writes itself. The RPing situations have been fun and challenging, never before did I have an easier time encouraging RPing.
It's weird watching guys playing girls kicking chauvinistic male asses. But it's fun.
