"...you all meet at an inn.."

[baradtgnome]

My regular game is D&D homebrew, in a world that has migrated from 1E to 3E then 3.5E with only a couple of campaign 'starts' in over 20 years. So not many times have I had to bring an entire group in, usually just one or two at a time to an existing group. Not too difficult.

I started an alternate d20 modern game to use when we did not have a quorum of players in the regular game. 1872 London shadow chasers type, very mysterious and paranoid. The players created their characters in a vacuum from each other. I had them meet at a public house eyeing each other suspiciously, not even knowing each others names, as they all waited for the man who at sent each of them a private letter. The door opens and a man enters, looking harried and worried. He closes the door quickly and begins to cross the room. Suddenly the window explodes in a shower of glass and an eight foot fur covered smelly behemoth with tiny red eyes bursts through and clobbers the man to the floor.

2 words...Roll Initiative!
If they survive at least theyll have something to talk about.

Well said 'Test'. Afterwards, they had a lot to talk about

 

[Thurbane]

I've found two alternatives to the "you meet in a pub" option:

1.) Characters have an existing relationship, even at 1st level: childhood friends, siblings, cousins etc.

2.) They meet in battle: small town is getting attacked by a band of kobolds, the party meet while defending it.

...I've found both of these work adequately.

 

[gunderval]

For campaign play

I run players in long-arc campaigns where everyone agrees with a fair amount of "up front investment in what it will all be about", which we discuss and then agree on the basis of PCs connections.

For example, the last campaign cycle had them all officers aboard a ship on a long mission of exploration. In the next they are all grunts in the same military unit.

For a one shot, it's fine to just be "the few capable folks in the town being overrun by the brain eating zombies".

They also agree on a range of alignments, national loyalties and other factors that have to be "aligned" so that they will not fall out along the way.

 

[GreatLemur]

Don't know that one, but it sounds like the same technique I've ripped off from STAP: each PC has had 15 minutes of fame locally, so to speak, and they are hired by a minor local noble to deal with some problem or another.

Yeah, that's what I tend to favor. I generally always want them to be from the same area, and know each other already (or, better yet, be friends or possibly relatives), and--having become known for some kind of badassery--they are hired or requested to perform some service together.

I never really liked the Avengers-style team origin where the team is thrown together by circumstance, and then is somehow expected to stay together after those circumstances end. I always want their reasons to work as a team to be internal rather than external.

 

[Graybeard]

In my current campaign, the PCs were all members of the local adventurers guild. They were on their way to a meeting when they, and civilians around them, were attacked.

In the Eberron game I play in, the PCs were all attending Morgrave University.

In another game years ago, all the PCs were helping to defend a town from an attack by a large army of Orcs, Goblins, etc.

I've used other ways of getting the party together. The players can have any background they wish but they must have a reason for adventuring and a reason to be woth the rest of the group.

 

[Gentlegamer]

"You're a band of boon companions seeking adventure!"

That's the starting group's background in my campaigns. Any character relationships will be created and developed in-game.

 

[pogre]

rolling initiative In Media Res has worked for me too.QUOTE]

Usually how I do it. The PCs must have motivations for sticking with the group - that's always an assumption in my campaigns.

 

[Wombat]

This depends heavily from campaign to campaign, given the needs and circumstances.

However, I did enjoy the short "joke" campaign that I had where they did all meet in the tavern and were presented by the innkeeper with forms to fill out as Official Adventuring Party including the line Tavern of Residence?.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

For new players I enjoy doing a comical meeting-in-the-bar because something funny always seems to happen which can be an ice breaker for those trying to figure out the game.

For more experienced players I prefer they come up with their own story of how they know each other, and then I can relax and admire their ingenuity.

 

[cougent]

I played in a rather restricted setting once that at first glance appeared rather dull, but it actually created a very different flavor that we liked once we got used to it.

All Elves, all related (brothers, sisters, cousins, etc.), and limited to the good or chaotic alignments and true neutral. The adventures were family dictates.