How do you nudge the party toward the quest while keeping a level of exploration? My group wants to visit shops, councils, harbors, etc., but loses sight of the quest.
I want to keep exploration alive but not at the cost of the main quest. Thank you for any ideas.
To keep them on target, it might help to know why they're getting distracted. Do they really love RP and shiny things and they get that via exploration? Have they just not emotionally connected with the quest yet? Do they realize what the quest is or its urgency - and are those stakes clear and personal? The answers can really help you gauge how to adjust.
Players who are personally invested (either because of playstyle preferences or character ties) will chase down a quest. Until they feel that connection, it's best to meet them where they are. So if they like shops, maybe the next clue in the quest can be found in one. Maybe the council is discussing something political that relates to the quest. Maybe an item they purchase is cursed or is stolen by someone attached to the quest. Maybe someone from a PC's backstory gets caught up in the quest. If they won't follow your breadcrumbs, there's no harm in sprinkling a few more where they will find them.
Players are also shockingly oblivious sometimes. You might feel you've made the stakes clear and personal to the characters, but the players might have missed your neon signs. Or they might not realize that their distractions are kinda bumming you out. You have the right to enjoy your own game, and some players, especially new ones, may forget that you're a player too and not a video game. Being more obvious with your in-game hints and even starting a conversation about the meta stuff could help. A simple, "Hey guys, I put a lot of effort into planning this game. It's fine if you want to explore, but maybe try to stay on task a little better? It's not as fun for me when you shop all the time." Good luck!
Urgency is clear when there's a timer set. "Complete this quest by X time, or it will automatically resolve without you."
This is one of the key things I do as a DM to keep the world feeling alive. My players can have their characters go anywhere, anywhen they want - but the world doesn't sit idle. That marauding band of barbarians that sacked a few farmsteads? You gave them a month, and they've upgraded to burning entire villages and plundering them!
Time feeds into consequences, and both become leverage to get the characters to commit to the path that best fits their stories instead of trying to chase them all.
So, my campaign is entirely driven by players. They are supposed to be all into that sort of thing (I mean, they would be anyway, it is just how they are).
So what I have to do a lot of is create a gazillion hooks. I throw them out like they are candy on halloween and I'm not in a house, I am in a children's parade. They stop at the blacksmith, the small talk and the chatter is all about the evil dark lord getting ready to do a new nefarious plan (which is a literal quote from one).
THe tavern, the bard sings about the mystery of the missing children.
The farmer's market is all about the latest bandit raids. The Adventurer's guild has several postings for missing people, mutilated cattle, the usual things. people scream and gasp and back away from a bedraggled, bloody man staggering around, reaching blindly, falling to the ground at their feet, the dagger with a note "you'll never stop me!" still in his back -- and he's an old friend of one of the adventurer's! Who still owed her money!
And now that I've said that, I will second the bits above about time. Events will still happen. So m hooks have to be set up to the current point int he Villain's plan, based on what hey do or don't do.
One of the several adventures in my next campaign involves revealing that a powerful noble is not only a vampire (shades of Strahd), but that he is planning on assassinating the Emperor and seizing the throne by relying on the patriarchal nature of the empire's capital city, locking out or killing the beloved Princess. It is tied to more adventures beyond it, as well -- and so I have a dozen little hooks/bait ready for each of the major points of that adventure, and this despite knowing it will require them to travel across country and deal with the environment (and pirates!).
But I am used to doing this -- I no longer plan out "this is the adventure and this is what they have to do" because, well, my players wouldn't do it anymore if I did it that way. But if I did, I would still use the same format of start creating little hooks and bits of bait and just surrounding them with it as they explore the town/city/village/hamlet.
The most important thing is to make it personal for them -- a friend of theirs is killed, a family member, a merchant they love the way you role play them is beaten and robbed or disappears.
If they have no personal reason to become involved, then there is no story, and getting them onto that track will be exceptionally difficult and hard.
Because without that investment, they don't have a reason to get involved.
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Only a DM since 1980 (3000+ Sessions) / PhD, MS, MA / Mixed, Bi, Trans, Woman / No longer welcome in the US, apparently
Wyrlde: Adventures in the Seven Cities .-=] Lore Book | Patreon | Wyrlde YT [=-. An original Setting for 5e, a whole solar system of adventure. Ongoing updates, exclusies, more. Not Talking About It / Dubbed The Oracle in the Cult of Mythology Nerds
How do you nudge the party toward the quest while keeping a level of exploration? My group wants to visit shops, councils, harbors, etc., but loses sight of the quest.
I want to keep exploration alive but not at the cost of the main quest. Thank you for any ideas.
One style of play is a sandbox, which has no defined plot like and end goal. Sounds like at least some at your table want that. Frankly, I exploration to me is investigating unknown/forgotten places, not some market in a city. But if you want to call this exploration, so be it. As others have stated, the only real way to to move a group towards some plot you have created is that protagonists in your story will act regardless if the group does not intervene in some manner in a timely fashion.
But I think the more important question you have to ask is if your style of DM'ing meshes with these players that think it is great fun to visit councils. harbours and shops.
How do you nudge the party toward the quest while keeping a level of exploration? My group wants to visit shops, councils, harbors, etc., but loses sight of the quest.
I want to keep exploration alive but not at the cost of the main quest. Thank you for any ideas.
One style of play is a sandbox, which has no defined plot like and end goal. Sounds like at least some at your table want that. Frankly, I exploration to me is investigating unknown/forgotten places, not some market in a city. But if you want to call this exploration, so be it. As others have stated, the only real way to to move a group towards some plot you have created is that protagonists in your story will act regardless if the group does not intervene in some manner in a timely fashion.
But I think the more important question you have to ask is if your style of DM'ing meshes with these players that think it is great fun to visit councils. harbours and shops.
On the other hand allowing the players to explore the market offers you the chance to introduce NPC's that can point them toward the greater adventure, For instance you could introduce a beggar who is being harassed by thugs your players might help they might not either way they could receive an invite to dinner with the ruler of the city.*
You could have a young pick pocket steal from the party leading to a chase in the market leading your party to the undercity
You could also present the city and market as a place governed by fear the priesthood in the city could be sacrificing the youth of the city and a young lady is fleeing the city with her infant daughter the priesthood snapping at her heels. this serves the purpose of actually driving the party from the city. to stay would be suicide.
Same vein as above only there is a murderer or murderers leaving bodies positioned in the market place until someone unknowingly disturbs the body, The City Guard have no answer and they are looking to adventurers to help shore up their numbers.
You could have the the BBEG of your campaign actually show up at the inn the characters are at have them talk with the party and hire them for the adventures you have planned literally lead them by the nose so that the party does the dirty work for them
You are only limited by your imagination and your willingness to work with your players to build the world
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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How do you nudge the party toward the quest while keeping a level of exploration? My group wants to visit shops, councils, harbors, etc., but loses sight of the quest.
I want to keep exploration alive but not at the cost of the main quest. Thank you for any ideas.
To keep them on target, it might help to know why they're getting distracted. Do they really love RP and shiny things and they get that via exploration? Have they just not emotionally connected with the quest yet? Do they realize what the quest is or its urgency - and are those stakes clear and personal? The answers can really help you gauge how to adjust.
Players who are personally invested (either because of playstyle preferences or character ties) will chase down a quest. Until they feel that connection, it's best to meet them where they are. So if they like shops, maybe the next clue in the quest can be found in one. Maybe the council is discussing something political that relates to the quest. Maybe an item they purchase is cursed or is stolen by someone attached to the quest. Maybe someone from a PC's backstory gets caught up in the quest. If they won't follow your breadcrumbs, there's no harm in sprinkling a few more where they will find them.
Players are also shockingly oblivious sometimes. You might feel you've made the stakes clear and personal to the characters, but the players might have missed your neon signs. Or they might not realize that their distractions are kinda bumming you out. You have the right to enjoy your own game, and some players, especially new ones, may forget that you're a player too and not a video game. Being more obvious with your in-game hints and even starting a conversation about the meta stuff could help. A simple, "Hey guys, I put a lot of effort into planning this game. It's fine if you want to explore, but maybe try to stay on task a little better? It's not as fun for me when you shop all the time." Good luck!
Time
Urgency is clear when there's a timer set. "Complete this quest by X time, or it will automatically resolve without you."
This is one of the key things I do as a DM to keep the world feeling alive. My players can have their characters go anywhere, anywhen they want - but the world doesn't sit idle. That marauding band of barbarians that sacked a few farmsteads? You gave them a month, and they've upgraded to burning entire villages and plundering them!
Time feeds into consequences, and both become leverage to get the characters to commit to the path that best fits their stories instead of trying to chase them all.
So, my campaign is entirely driven by players. They are supposed to be all into that sort of thing (I mean, they would be anyway, it is just how they are).
So what I have to do a lot of is create a gazillion hooks. I throw them out like they are candy on halloween and I'm not in a house, I am in a children's parade. They stop at the blacksmith, the small talk and the chatter is all about the evil dark lord getting ready to do a new nefarious plan (which is a literal quote from one).
THe tavern, the bard sings about the mystery of the missing children.
The farmer's market is all about the latest bandit raids. The Adventurer's guild has several postings for missing people, mutilated cattle, the usual things. people scream and gasp and back away from a bedraggled, bloody man staggering around, reaching blindly, falling to the ground at their feet, the dagger with a note "you'll never stop me!" still in his back -- and he's an old friend of one of the adventurer's! Who still owed her money!
And now that I've said that, I will second the bits above about time. Events will still happen. So m hooks have to be set up to the current point int he Villain's plan, based on what hey do or don't do.
One of the several adventures in my next campaign involves revealing that a powerful noble is not only a vampire (shades of Strahd), but that he is planning on assassinating the Emperor and seizing the throne by relying on the patriarchal nature of the empire's capital city, locking out or killing the beloved Princess. It is tied to more adventures beyond it, as well -- and so I have a dozen little hooks/bait ready for each of the major points of that adventure, and this despite knowing it will require them to travel across country and deal with the environment (and pirates!).
But I am used to doing this -- I no longer plan out "this is the adventure and this is what they have to do" because, well, my players wouldn't do it anymore if I did it that way. But if I did, I would still use the same format of start creating little hooks and bits of bait and just surrounding them with it as they explore the town/city/village/hamlet.
The most important thing is to make it personal for them -- a friend of theirs is killed, a family member, a merchant they love the way you role play them is beaten and robbed or disappears.
If they have no personal reason to become involved, then there is no story, and getting them onto that track will be exceptionally difficult and hard.
Because without that investment, they don't have a reason to get involved.
Only a DM since 1980 (3000+ Sessions) / PhD, MS, MA / Mixed, Bi, Trans, Woman / No longer welcome in the US, apparently
Wyrlde: Adventures in the Seven Cities
.-=] Lore Book | Patreon | Wyrlde YT [=-.
An original Setting for 5e, a whole solar system of adventure. Ongoing updates, exclusies, more.
Not Talking About It / Dubbed The Oracle in the Cult of Mythology Nerds
One style of play is a sandbox, which has no defined plot like and end goal. Sounds like at least some at your table want that. Frankly, I exploration to me is investigating unknown/forgotten places, not some market in a city. But if you want to call this exploration, so be it. As others have stated, the only real way to to move a group towards some plot you have created is that protagonists in your story will act regardless if the group does not intervene in some manner in a timely fashion.
But I think the more important question you have to ask is if your style of DM'ing meshes with these players that think it is great fun to visit councils. harbours and shops.
On the other hand allowing the players to explore the market offers you the chance to introduce NPC's that can point them toward the greater adventure, For instance you could introduce a beggar who is being harassed by thugs your players might help they might not either way they could receive an invite to dinner with the ruler of the city.*
You could have a young pick pocket steal from the party leading to a chase in the market leading your party to the undercity
You could also present the city and market as a place governed by fear the priesthood in the city could be sacrificing the youth of the city and a young lady is fleeing the city with her infant daughter the priesthood snapping at her heels. this serves the purpose of actually driving the party from the city. to stay would be suicide.
Same vein as above only there is a murderer or murderers leaving bodies positioned in the market place until someone unknowingly disturbs the body, The City Guard have no answer and they are looking to adventurers to help shore up their numbers.
You could have the the BBEG of your campaign actually show up at the inn the characters are at have them talk with the party and hire them for the adventures you have planned literally lead them by the nose so that the party does the dirty work for them
You are only limited by your imagination and your willingness to work with your players to build the world