Hey fellow DMs. I'm currently running a campaign out of my shop for a group of middle-school boys (12-14 yrs old). As you may have already concluded, they are all "drunk with power" murder-hobos with hair-triggers on their spellbooks — because why wouldn't you have a party where everyone's a pyromaniac warlock with an Infernal patron?
Kidding aside, the kids are great, but as middle-schoolers would want to do they are pushing the envelope of "civilized behavior" and trying things that would never fly IRL. This would be fine if the target of their bloodlust were the denizens of the campaign, but they've taken it upon themselves to fan the flames of distrust within the party.
What methods, scenarios, or encounters have you used to shift a similar party dynamic?
I've tried things like putting 1-2 party members in a particular form of peril that would (typically) encourage the rest of the party to render aid — the responses to this scenario ranged from "whatever" to "what's in it for me?" to "screw that guy, he wouldn't loan me any gold to buy that thing from that sketchy dude in the black market".
Middle-schoolers...
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Drory Ben-Menachem Co-owner & Resident DM — Tabletop Enclave Bainbridge Island's Friendly Local Game Store & Lounge
Moments where everyone has to articulate something about their character are good. What about a potion that causes the drinkers to experience each others' memories? A nothic-in-a-jar that answers questions but only if the questioner reveals a secret to everyone present? Or a guide who requires that those who follow pay in stories?
I've planned an encounter for my party if they do one particular rash decision. They have a tendency of doing something really dumb without considering consequences. They're not bloodthirsty murder hobos, but they tend to dash into situations without taking any precautions.
So, what I've planned is that they get stuck in the Shadowfell and the only way out is to reform the soul of a warden. In order to get it done, one of them needs to voluntarily give up a happy/core memory, a defining charasteristic or emotion, or something similar. The given piece of soul cannot be a traumatic memory or anything any character actually wants to lose. But it's also nothing that actually affects character stats or abilities. Just RP. The party must choose amongst themselves who will do the sacrifice and they all will just have to live with it. Hopefully, the party will then understand that there might be other options than just rushing headfirst into every situation.
I'm not sure whether something like this works with early teens, but might give an idea on what you could create.
Throw some puzzles at them that require the Aid Another action to actually solve.
One of the problems with all-teen parties is that they have a tendency to stir each other up. Unless you want to put in some consequences for their actions (which depending on how it's handled can feel rather mean), the real solution might be to break the party up and put them in with a group of more mature players willing to rein in their behavior.
Or just let them be feral murderhobos but keep ramping up the difficulty level until they can't accomplish anything.
I used to run games for younger players so I definitely understand the struggle of getting them to work together. Something I've found that helps is to give them a common enemy. A villain or monster that is more murder-hoboy than they are. The BBEG/Monster should want the same things they do, (ex: It wants to steal all the gold, magic items, etc. and leave them with nothing) this thing should be impossible to get rid of in just one encounter and should be a sort of re-occurring character.
The goal in this BBEG is to get the party to bond over hating the same thing, they have no choice but to work together to defeat it. This is something I've always liked doing in games where the party is reluctant to work together.
Session Zero, Session Zero... Wherefore art thou Session Zero?
This is why it is important to have the players start the game with goal that they all buy in to from the beginning.
Solve this outside of the game. Have a conversation with the players. Ask them what stories they would like to tell & explore.
Talk about what you hoped to get out of the game, and then ask what they want to get out of the game. Ask them what they like and don't like about the current game. Talk about ways to make the game you are all are currently playing into the game you would all like it to be.
Communication solves way more than carrots & sticks.
To increase the bond in the party dynamics of my DnD campaigns with younger and older players, I developed a mechanic where helping a player out of a bad situation has led to immediate reward. Now for my current campaign It is a blessing from the Gods. but in my campaign Each player is a champion molded by a God based on the character they are playing. So when someone helps out that gods Champion they get a special weapon/armor/Item or whatever that I custom made for that player or character.
That may be a lot of work though. I have 5 players x five gods (for each player) so I made 25 custom items. It just means that they are always looking for ways to help the other players. I have also given out inspiration for the players who help out. sometimes it is any advantage that can get will be motivation.
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Hey fellow DMs. I'm currently running a campaign out of my shop for a group of middle-school boys (12-14 yrs old). As you may have already concluded, they are all "drunk with power" murder-hobos with hair-triggers on their spellbooks — because why wouldn't you have a party where everyone's a pyromaniac warlock with an Infernal patron?
Kidding aside, the kids are great, but as middle-schoolers would want to do they are pushing the envelope of "civilized behavior" and trying things that would never fly IRL. This would be fine if the target of their bloodlust were the denizens of the campaign, but they've taken it upon themselves to fan the flames of distrust within the party.
What methods, scenarios, or encounters have you used to shift a similar party dynamic?
I've tried things like putting 1-2 party members in a particular form of peril that would (typically) encourage the rest of the party to render aid — the responses to this scenario ranged from "whatever" to "what's in it for me?" to "screw that guy, he wouldn't loan me any gold to buy that thing from that sketchy dude in the black market".
Middle-schoolers...
Drory Ben-Menachem
Co-owner & Resident DM — Tabletop Enclave
Bainbridge Island's Friendly Local Game Store & Lounge
Moments where everyone has to articulate something about their character are good. What about a potion that causes the drinkers to experience each others' memories? A nothic-in-a-jar that answers questions but only if the questioner reveals a secret to everyone present? Or a guide who requires that those who follow pay in stories?
I've planned an encounter for my party if they do one particular rash decision. They have a tendency of doing something really dumb without considering consequences. They're not bloodthirsty murder hobos, but they tend to dash into situations without taking any precautions.
So, what I've planned is that they get stuck in the Shadowfell and the only way out is to reform the soul of a warden. In order to get it done, one of them needs to voluntarily give up a happy/core memory, a defining charasteristic or emotion, or something similar. The given piece of soul cannot be a traumatic memory or anything any character actually wants to lose. But it's also nothing that actually affects character stats or abilities. Just RP. The party must choose amongst themselves who will do the sacrifice and they all will just have to live with it. Hopefully, the party will then understand that there might be other options than just rushing headfirst into every situation.
I'm not sure whether something like this works with early teens, but might give an idea on what you could create.
Throw some puzzles at them that require the Aid Another action to actually solve.
One of the problems with all-teen parties is that they have a tendency to stir each other up. Unless you want to put in some consequences for their actions (which depending on how it's handled can feel rather mean), the real solution might be to break the party up and put them in with a group of more mature players willing to rein in their behavior.
Or just let them be feral murderhobos but keep ramping up the difficulty level until they can't accomplish anything.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I used to run games for younger players so I definitely understand the struggle of getting them to work together. Something I've found that helps is to give them a common enemy. A villain or monster that is more murder-hoboy than they are. The BBEG/Monster should want the same things they do, (ex: It wants to steal all the gold, magic items, etc. and leave them with nothing) this thing should be impossible to get rid of in just one encounter and should be a sort of re-occurring character.
The goal in this BBEG is to get the party to bond over hating the same thing, they have no choice but to work together to defeat it. This is something I've always liked doing in games where the party is reluctant to work together.
Session Zero, Session Zero... Wherefore art thou Session Zero?
This is why it is important to have the players start the game with goal that they all buy in to from the beginning.
Solve this outside of the game. Have a conversation with the players. Ask them what stories they would like to tell & explore.
Talk about what you hoped to get out of the game, and then ask what they want to get out of the game. Ask them what they like and don't like about the current game. Talk about ways to make the game you are all are currently playing into the game you would all like it to be.
Communication solves way more than carrots & sticks.
To increase the bond in the party dynamics of my DnD campaigns with younger and older players, I developed a mechanic where helping a player out of a bad situation has led to immediate reward. Now for my current campaign It is a blessing from the Gods. but in my campaign Each player is a champion molded by a God based on the character they are playing. So when someone helps out that gods Champion they get a special weapon/armor/Item or whatever that I custom made for that player or character.
That may be a lot of work though. I have 5 players x five gods (for each player) so I made 25 custom items. It just means that they are always looking for ways to help the other players. I have also given out inspiration for the players who help out. sometimes it is any advantage that can get will be motivation.