apocalypstick
First Post
Buttercup said:
Me too - they get recycled as random encounters when PCs are traveling overland - on a roll of 91-100 i flip through the little binder that has my unused side-quests in it and pick one out at random.
The Side Quest, yay or nay?
- Thread starter KingOfChaos
- Start date
Me too - they get recycled as random encounters when PCs are traveling overland - on a roll of 91-100 i flip through the little binder that has my unused side-quests in it and pick one out at random.
Deadguy
First Post
'Side Quests'?
I admit I use them. But I suppose the major difference is that I don't have a single main story arc. Instead I weave a skein out of several threads, so what appears to be a sidequest at any given time might actually the development of a main story arc, just not the one they think they are dealing with.
This adds verisimilitude, since life isn't as tidily divided up as say epsiodes of Star Trek are. I aim for a more Babylon 5 approach, though I would probably say I have other arcs running for extended periods within the 'main' arc.
Nevertheless, yes a big thumbs up for side quests. Unless a specific story demands fast pacing, then let the PCs wander into other stuff as they want. Even better, include such quests when there are time constraints, and let the PCs themselves decide what they think is more important...
I admit I use them. But I suppose the major difference is that I don't have a single main story arc. Instead I weave a skein out of several threads, so what appears to be a sidequest at any given time might actually the development of a main story arc, just not the one they think they are dealing with.
This adds verisimilitude, since life isn't as tidily divided up as say epsiodes of Star Trek are. I aim for a more Babylon 5 approach, though I would probably say I have other arcs running for extended periods within the 'main' arc.
Nevertheless, yes a big thumbs up for side quests. Unless a specific story demands fast pacing, then let the PCs wander into other stuff as they want. Even better, include such quests when there are time constraints, and let the PCs themselves decide what they think is more important...
Buttercup said:
<-------Over there. Do I look like a guy?
I have avatar's turned off (as well as sigs and images in posts) -- on a 24K connection, I don't need to be downloading graphics unnecessarily
Even if I did see it, I honestly wouldn't make the presumption that it is necessarily a picture of you. Assuming anything about anyone on these boards (or elsewhere really) is bad for one's health
But, alas, it seems that even without making presumptions (as I could have based on the screen name) I have offended.. my apologies - t'was not intended in the least!
Err -- sorry for the thread derailment. Please, return to the topic at hand.
Side quests...
Yes, love them
they add to the realism of the world! Everything doesn't just begin and end with the great quest to save the world! There are other things that don't revolve around the characters that are happening and the PCs can just happen to stumble upon them or not.But, as mentioned, you can have some good ones thought up but they never get to see the light of day as they are wholly avoided by the PCs and their damnable free-will!!!!
ergeheilalt
First Post
I create side adventures under a couple of circumstances:
1) I'm not ready. I have a few one-nighters planned out in advance - just in case sort of things. If I have not prepared for the campaign main stream adventure, I'll run one of these little diddies. There is always some way of linking it to the main adventure, but nothing terribly important.
2) Players are missing. There are times when not everyone can show. More often then not, this is not a problem, but on a night were a very important part of the story occurs, I'll break the continuity and run an off game. It rewards those who show up, but doesn't heavily penalize those who cannot make the game.
There have only been a couple nights where I have had to run off games, usually my group is good about attendance and I try and plan adventures 2 weeks in advance.
Erge
1) I'm not ready. I have a few one-nighters planned out in advance - just in case sort of things. If I have not prepared for the campaign main stream adventure, I'll run one of these little diddies. There is always some way of linking it to the main adventure, but nothing terribly important.
2) Players are missing. There are times when not everyone can show. More often then not, this is not a problem, but on a night were a very important part of the story occurs, I'll break the continuity and run an off game. It rewards those who show up, but doesn't heavily penalize those who cannot make the game.
There have only been a couple nights where I have had to run off games, usually my group is good about attendance and I try and plan adventures 2 weeks in advance.
Erge
KingOfChaos
First Post
Wow, its good to see I am not the only one who uses side quests
Now for my second question: Do you guys have any ideas for side quests for a group of 5th level wizards who are on their way into a mountainous area in the Forgotten Realms? I am having some writers block and need some help
Now for my second question: Do you guys have any ideas for side quests for a group of 5th level wizards who are on their way into a mountainous area in the Forgotten Realms? I am having some writers block and need some help
Tewligan
First Post
For a group of wizards, howzabout they come across the hidden tomb of a long-dead wizard they can plunder...err, I mean explore? It's a good way for them to maybe get their grubby little hands on some new spells, or learn some new bit of arcana: "Hmm, I've never encountered THIS type of construct/undead/magic item before!"
Buttercup
Princess of Florin
fba827 said:
I have avatar's turned off (as well as sigs and images in posts) -- on a 24K connection, I don't need to be downloading graphics unnecessarily .
Even if I did see it, I honestly wouldn't make the presumption that it is necessarily a picture of you. Assuming anything about anyone on these boards (or elsewhere really) is bad for one's health
But, alas, it seems that even without making presumptions (as I could have based on the screen name) I have offended.. my apologies - t'was not intended in the least!
You didn't offend me. I was just teasing you.
I have two kinds of sidequests - prepared hooks that may or may not get explored further, and unintentional complications/problems that develop as I wing it. Such sidequest may end up becoming "loose ends" and getting continued in other sessions, or even develop into a plot arc.
I aim to have a couple plots running at the same time while concentrating on one plot in order to avoid the "episodic feeling".
I aim to have a couple plots running at the same time while concentrating on one plot in order to avoid the "episodic feeling".
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