Tips for getting a group of strangers to gel as a group

[NewJeffCT]

After several years of not being able to game regularly, my wife finally gave me permission to game again, as long as it was at our house (my wife does not game, but because of family and work reasons, it really does have to be at my place)

We also recently moved to another part of Connecticut and the guys in my old gaming group are all over an hour drive away.

So, I put out some requests for gamers on here, the Wizards boards, etc and have actually been pleasantly surprised at the number of responses I've gotten. And, most of the respondees have been guys with families in my age range - so, hopefully they are responsible enough to show up regularly! (and, then they go announce 4E when I'm about to hopefully get into my first 3E/3.5 campaign!!!)

But, nobody in this group really knows anybody (to my knowledge) - and, I know sometimes it takes a little while for personalities to mesh and for the group to gel and to get everybody onto the same page.

Any tips on how to accomplish that?

I'm likely going to be the starting DM - if things go okay in the beginning, I'll stick to DMing. But, otherwise, we might alternate.

Thanks!

 

[Ry]

Apologies for the length of this post, but I've had great success with a combination of two techniques so I layed them out here:

First, pick a focal point and tell it to everyone in advance. Here's four that I've used and which worked.

1. You all are knights or in some kind of formal order where you can be ordered by your superiors on a mission (mage's tower, thieves guild falls into this category). You've been sent as an envoy from your order to assist an old knight. You're not sure why, but you've previously met a few others who you'll be working with.

2. You all have some kind of connection to the Water Street Orphanage.

3. You are all members of the same tribe, about to go through your Naming Hunt where you will claim your totem animal (the whole group gets 1 totem animal).

4. You are all retainers or allies of House Aagen, a northern noble family who was dispossessed in a treaty by their former King. They took their wealth south to the city of Plen, where they are founding a merchant company.

That's just step one though. Step two is getting them to set some stakes and make some seemingly-unimportant rolls that relate to another PC. For example:

One PC in my game decided he'd make a Wisdom check for how brazenly he was looting a corrupt magistrate's house. If he succeeded, the other PCs would think of him as an honest guy. If he failed, the other PCs thought of him as a thief and - although they tolerated him because he's funny and useful - they don't trust him the same way. He failed the check

Another PC is bad with money. His player came up with the idea of someone trying to swindle him. If he succeeded an INT check, he saw the swindle coming and the other PCs think he's got good instincts. If he failed the check, the party cleric takes custody and helps manage his funds (and gives him an allowance of his own money) because he can't be trusted with it. He succeeded the check.

An example I came up with for establishing a relationship with an NPC is "who's better at cards." Both make appropriate checks (in this case bluff vs. sense motive, and the reverse).

Setting stakes is a great way to get the ideas flowing and to set up relationships between characters. "We're brothers" is weak because it doesn't set terms on which one PC talks to another. "I'm the older brother, but we agree that he's the smarter brother." sets up a real relationship. I've also noticed that when the dice tell the story (rather than the DM) and there's a kind of risk (even something as trivial as "the other guy has a reputation as a better card player.") the players remember it better.

 

[howandwhy99]

Tips for getting a group of strangers to gel as a group?

Just think about it like any other social outing. Set up a comfortable area for people to hang out and talk. Maybe another for people to split off or be alone. Have food and drinks. Kick-ass music works wonders. Be sure to lay out a few interesting conversation items. Of course, RPG-related stuff obviously works as they would appeal to everyone.

When you get down to business: KISS, keep it simple stupid. Roll up characters fast. Have some pre-gens on hand even. Then run 'em through something for just the night while you talk about what kind of games you like, what kind of play style, group style, their past, etc. Guys tend to loosen up as long as they are working on something together. You could even substitute playing Poker, but as $'s involved, that might lead to a problem.

You could also opt to interview everyone separately, but that takes a lot longer.

 

[Emirikol]

We keep it simple:

"Introduce your character and tell me WHY he gets along with the guys next to him and HOW he met them a few years ago."

jh

 

[Michael Silverbane]

Punch them all in the face. This will give them a common goal (of course, that goal will be kicking your ass, but hey, they WILL be united).

Later
silver

 

[SavageRobby]

Before I ever introduce someone new to my group, I always try to have coffee or lunch with them, game with them elsewhere or something else to gauge them and let them gauge me. Then I try to get everyone there early that first night of the game so that the new folk can introduce themselves. I try get as much socializing done as possible prior to game time.

Then, for the game itself, I try to run as brisk a game as possible, keeping the inevitable (at least in my group) in-game-socializing to a minimum. This keeps everyone involved in the game, crucial with new folks in my experience, and also makes sure the newcomers don't feel left out or left behind from all the in-jokes and in-conversations.

 

[RChandler]

When I first started gaming with my current group (maybe six years ago), I had each of them describe why the guys sitting on either side were useful members of the group. It caused them to read each other's character sheets and start talking about their characters.

Then I had them do the same thing for personalities. Why is it that your two characters have a strong bond? Is it that you're similar in disposition, or is it more that your fiery temper complements his stoicism? It got them talking to each other, and it brought them up to speed pretty quickly.

I agree with the posters who suggested non-gaming socializing. It can really break the ice for everyone to just hang out and eat food and drink beer (or whatever) for an hour before the game starts. Breaks the ice, gets people accustomed to each other.

Then you unleash the Dracolich and kill off all their characters.

 

[Grand_Director]

When I moved from Greenwich to Hamden I left my group about an hour away and it didn't make sense to drive that distance every week. So I ended up putting out a call for players on this board and it worked well. I gave all the new players the same goal and went around the table hoping they would show me what they could do on their own in pursuit of the goal. What I found out that night was that my new group liked the game game to be a little more on rails then I was used to running. "acting" was right out. But I adapted and we had a great group and I made real friends.

Then I moved from Hamden to Manchester when I bought a home and found myself in the same situation. This time when I got the new group together I just put them into the same situation and let them go. I didn't really give them a choice, but then after dealing with the situation they took it as a reason to stick together and we are still playing the same game. These guys are my friends now and the dynamics worked themselves out during the game and I adapted.

I will say that each group brought me in contact with some of the best people I have ever met, so i am really lucky. There have been one or two that didn't work out, but it has been a go experience all around.

 

[NewJeffCT]

Apologies for the length of this post, but I've had great success with a combination of two techniques so I layed them out here:

Thanks - don't worry at all about the length of the post. A lot of great ideas!

 

[NewJeffCT]

I will say that each group brought me in contact with some of the best people I have ever met, so i am really lucky. There have been one or two that didn't work out, but it has been a go experience all around.

Thanks - too bad I didn't meet up with you when I lived in Ellington last year...

By the way, is The Grid in Manchester still open? I know they were supposedly moving a few years back, but I never got down there too often.