So for mostly scheduling reasons, I've lost a couple players over the course of my current campaign. We're past the one year mark, going on 60 sessions.
As a first time DM, I've tried my best to incorporate new players in the past, more or less successfully.
We're down again to 3 players, and the group has expressed interest in getting back up to 4 maybe 5. What I'm curious about is what other DMs might suggest for how to best bring in new players once chosen from potential applications (I've already posted a new recruitment thread) in a fully homebrew game and setting without overwhelming them.
With over 60 sessions in... it might be hard to incorporate in new players. Every campaign comes to an end. And with 60+ sessions in. One has to wonder how many are left? And will there be a follow up? I would be personally hesitant as a player to join that campaign, but would be more open personally to if you wanted to start a new campaign with those same 3 people and get to a group of 5.
Once you have your players selected talk to them about how they'd like to be introduced to the world. They could be held captive and your party rescues them, they could hire the party for a job and become friends/allies, could be the new member and the party are on the same quest and cross paths and decide to join up. Really I'd just work with the new players as to how they feel about it and go from there. My 1.5 year campaign that just wrapped up had 3 constant members and a host of other players that shuffled through during the time and we handled it in all of the ways I mentioned above.
I joined as a player into another group after 1 year of play. The DM made a solid summary of the campain and gave me the freedom to determine how the history of my character is interwoven with the story, and why, how and where I would come into contact with the players. It allowed me to introduce my character. We spend some extra time, first session and the following session to understand the grand scheme of the campaign.
About selecting players, make sure they fit the group. My advice as a DM is when you have done the recruiting on paper, let your players decide who sounds like a good match. Pick a couple more than you actually need. Organize a one-shot for those people with your current team and then ask your existing players what they liked/dislike and what there pick would be. Then make a decision. Go for the least amount they'd like to add. So in this case I would only add 1 player. IF you go for 2 anyway, I would make them come up with a joint background that they at least know each other for some time.
Now my personal experience as a player being sucked into a year-long running campaign is that: it's hard to really get involved in the story, it's hard to let your character build bonds with other players in the first sessions, my questions on the story where hampering the game a little. Think it depends on how far through the campaign you are. If you're almost there I'd rather include a NPC and play it myself or use a companion for the players to even the odds for the final fight. If you intend to run for at least a couple more months it's definatly worth it.
I can't comment on how to screen so I'm going to go with the idea that you've found a person to add, you know they're a good player and all of the current players are cool with the introduction.
From there you need to come up with why the current characters would have a reason to trust this new person at the same level they trust the other PC's. It's likely that after 60 game sessions your PC's have bonded and built trust in each other. So why do they now trust this new person?
Some quick off the cuff:
New player is sent with the party by the request of a patron they trust already
New player is a relative of a former party member they generally liked.
New player is a relative of a current party member
New player is rescued from BBEG that the PC's already hate; enemy of my enemy and all that
New player is child of party member
But as I said, the key is "figure out what will build that trust". For a long term game if they spend the first 3 sessions just figuring out if the new girl can be trusted with the night watch.. that's not a good thing.
The rescued prisoner is a classic, as some have mentioned above. I have a personal rule that I only do it once per campaign, though or it gets (even more) tired.
Probably the easiest option is that the new characters are chasing after the same BBEG the players are, but for different reasons. You can have the whole Thor v Captain America from the first Avengers movie until they realize they’re on the same side, if you like.
Actually, I take that back. The easiest option (not best, but easiest, and can work for some groups) is just to hand wave/retcon it and say: Yup, they’re in the party now. Always have been, surprised you forgot. Now on with the adventure.
The third page is a nice tool for "characters you don't know". It could be a good resource to help integrate an unknown into the party and give some back story to the character coming in that all of the established characters would already know. I highly recommend it.
Thank you all very much for your input! There are a lot of good points here, some of which I've already considered and a few I hadn't, so I really appreciate everyone taking the time to reply.
I did mention in my recruitment thread that I plan for the game to go on for approximately 6 more months. The party is currently in a dungeon so it might be a couple more sessions before I can even introduce new characters, so I've got time to collect some applications to find the right individual(s).
The rescued prisoner is a classic, as some have mentioned above. I have a personal rule that I only do it once per campaign, though or it gets (even more) tired.
Probably the easiest option is that the new characters are chasing after the same BBEG the players are, but for different reasons. You can have the whole Thor v Captain America from the first Avengers movie until they realize they’re on the same side, if you like.
Actually, I take that back. The easiest option (not best, but easiest, and can work for some groups) is just to hand wave/retcon it and say: Yup, they’re in the party now. Always have been, surprised you forgot. Now on with the adventure.
Good OL’ modify memory....
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
So for mostly scheduling reasons, I've lost a couple players over the course of my current campaign. We're past the one year mark, going on 60 sessions.
As a first time DM, I've tried my best to incorporate new players in the past, more or less successfully.
We're down again to 3 players, and the group has expressed interest in getting back up to 4 maybe 5. What I'm curious about is what other DMs might suggest for how to best bring in new players once chosen from potential applications (I've already posted a new recruitment thread) in a fully homebrew game and setting without overwhelming them.
Thank you!
Wrong forum, please move to DMs discussion. Posting from tablet a silly idea.
With over 60 sessions in... it might be hard to incorporate in new players. Every campaign comes to an end. And with 60+ sessions in. One has to wonder how many are left? And will there be a follow up? I would be personally hesitant as a player to join that campaign, but would be more open personally to if you wanted to start a new campaign with those same 3 people and get to a group of 5.
Once you have your players selected talk to them about how they'd like to be introduced to the world. They could be held captive and your party rescues them, they could hire the party for a job and become friends/allies, could be the new member and the party are on the same quest and cross paths and decide to join up. Really I'd just work with the new players as to how they feel about it and go from there. My 1.5 year campaign that just wrapped up had 3 constant members and a host of other players that shuffled through during the time and we handled it in all of the ways I mentioned above.
I joined as a player into another group after 1 year of play. The DM made a solid summary of the campain and gave me the freedom to determine how the history of my character is interwoven with the story, and why, how and where I would come into contact with the players. It allowed me to introduce my character. We spend some extra time, first session and the following session to understand the grand scheme of the campaign.
About selecting players, make sure they fit the group. My advice as a DM is when you have done the recruiting on paper, let your players decide who sounds like a good match. Pick a couple more than you actually need. Organize a one-shot for those people with your current team and then ask your existing players what they liked/dislike and what there pick would be. Then make a decision. Go for the least amount they'd like to add. So in this case I would only add 1 player. IF you go for 2 anyway, I would make them come up with a joint background that they at least know each other for some time.
Now my personal experience as a player being sucked into a year-long running campaign is that: it's hard to really get involved in the story, it's hard to let your character build bonds with other players in the first sessions, my questions on the story where hampering the game a little. Think it depends on how far through the campaign you are. If you're almost there I'd rather include a NPC and play it myself or use a companion for the players to even the odds for the final fight. If you intend to run for at least a couple more months it's definatly worth it.
I can't comment on how to screen so I'm going to go with the idea that you've found a person to add, you know they're a good player and all of the current players are cool with the introduction.
From there you need to come up with why the current characters would have a reason to trust this new person at the same level they trust the other PC's. It's likely that after 60 game sessions your PC's have bonded and built trust in each other. So why do they now trust this new person?
Some quick off the cuff:
But as I said, the key is "figure out what will build that trust". For a long term game if they spend the first 3 sessions just figuring out if the new girl can be trusted with the night watch.. that's not a good thing.
"Teller of tales, dreamer of dreams"
Tips, Tricks, Maps: Lantern Noir Presents
**Streams hosted at at twitch.tv/LaternNoir
The rescued prisoner is a classic, as some have mentioned above. I have a personal rule that I only do it once per campaign, though or it gets (even more) tired.
Probably the easiest option is that the new characters are chasing after the same BBEG the players are, but for different reasons. You can have the whole Thor v Captain America from the first Avengers movie until they realize they’re on the same side, if you like.
Actually, I take that back. The easiest option (not best, but easiest, and can work for some groups) is just to hand wave/retcon it and say: Yup, they’re in the party now. Always have been, surprised you forgot. Now on with the adventure.
Also I want to add this link:
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54148cdae4b05a3412bfa19b/t/5ade659e70a6ad52326cbbd8/1524524449213/Appendix-A-Final-01-19-18.pdf
The third page is a nice tool for "characters you don't know". It could be a good resource to help integrate an unknown into the party and give some back story to the character coming in that all of the established characters would already know. I highly recommend it.
"Teller of tales, dreamer of dreams"
Tips, Tricks, Maps: Lantern Noir Presents
**Streams hosted at at twitch.tv/LaternNoir
Thank you all very much for your input! There are a lot of good points here, some of which I've already considered and a few I hadn't, so I really appreciate everyone taking the time to reply.
I did mention in my recruitment thread that I plan for the game to go on for approximately 6 more months. The party is currently in a dungeon so it might be a couple more sessions before I can even introduce new characters, so I've got time to collect some applications to find the right individual(s).
Good OL’ modify memory....