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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Imaro" data-source="post: 4474635" data-attributes="member: 48965">I think one of the best ways I've begun a D&D game, after reading the Sorcerer rpg by Ron Edwards (yes it's forge stuff, so sue me) was with kickers and bangs.Each of my players (during our character creation session), after designing their character, created a kicker.  A kicker is basically a problem (in a broad sense of the word) that the player is trying to solve.  It could be as simple as rescuing a prisoner from the temple of Vecna, to acquiring a herb from the forest of Bonewood, to reforging their fathers broken sword.Once they've given me the kickers, it lets me know what the players are interested (at least in a short term way) in accomplishing for their particular character.  During the week before actual play, I design bangs around these kickers.  Bangs are basically the obstacles, choices and challenges they will face in achieving their kicker.  When doing this I pay especially close attention to ways in which I can intertwine the kickers and bangs so as to organically weave the characters into a cooperative state.  Using the example above...Perhaps the herbs are held sacred by the cultist of Vecna and thus they consider it sacrilege for an unbeliever to pick them, thus when the character tries to retrieve them, he runs afoul of the Vecna cult.  Or maybe the player who is searching for the prisoner taken by the cultist, discovers their temple is actually in the Bonewood forest, and that the prisoner is the daughter of the greatest blacksmith in the Town...thus the player who wants his father's sword reforged would be tempted to help in the rescue to gain favor with said blacksmith...and etc.Finally on game day, each player starts the game in pursuit of his/her kicker, and actual play tends to weave the PC's and their individual goals together.  I've only used it a few times, but it's worked great each time.  One thing I will say is don't be afraid to stretch these goals out for a few sessions, a tier, or even a whole game depending on how lofty the players goals are, or how interesting the story becomes as it progresses.  Another thing is, if you get stuck for ideas during your campaign, and the PC's have accomplished their original kickers, just let a few weeks pass in game time and have the PC's create new kickers, rinse and repeat...you'll be swimming in plot hooks and since they are created by the players they'll be more invested in the game...or at least that has been my experience.</blockquote>

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