Comments on: How To Introduce New Players http://www.d20source.com/2009/09/how-to-introduce-new-players A blog for all fans of Dungeons & Dragons. Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:00:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lugh http://www.d20source.com/2009/09/how-to-introduce-new-players/comment-page-1#comment-75079 Lugh Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:50:38 +0000 http://www.d20source.com/?p=1206#comment-75079 I have never had the "take over the role of an existing NPC" option go well. The new player has less investment in the character, and the inevitable changes to the portrayal of the character are jarring to the established party. It often also works well for the new PC to play up the lack of knowledge of the history of the campaign. Give the PCs an excuse to do an IC retrospective. It can serve as a nice reminder of how far they've come. I also often find that it is important to give the new PC a reason to travel with the party and vice versa. Do the PCs have a recurring villain? Have the new PC have a vendetta against the same villain. Can the new PC fit in as a representative of the PCs' patron? Depending on your player, and the level of your existing group, it can also be interesting to have the new player come in at considerably lower level and play essentially the cohort (apprentice, acolyte, squire, etc.) of an existing PC. This is generally a pretty unusual solution, though, as it requires a specific kind of group and a specific kind of player. I have never had the “take over the role of an existing NPC” option go well. The new player has less investment in the character, and the inevitable changes to the portrayal of the character are jarring to the established party.

It often also works well for the new PC to play up the lack of knowledge of the history of the campaign. Give the PCs an excuse to do an IC retrospective. It can serve as a nice reminder of how far they’ve come.

I also often find that it is important to give the new PC a reason to travel with the party and vice versa. Do the PCs have a recurring villain? Have the new PC have a vendetta against the same villain. Can the new PC fit in as a representative of the PCs’ patron?

Depending on your player, and the level of your existing group, it can also be interesting to have the new player come in at considerably lower level and play essentially the cohort (apprentice, acolyte, squire, etc.) of an existing PC. This is generally a pretty unusual solution, though, as it requires a specific kind of group and a specific kind of player.

]]> By: Ravenous Role Playing » Blog Archive » Friday Five… No Ten! http://www.d20source.com/2009/09/how-to-introduce-new-players/comment-page-1#comment-74784 Ravenous Role Playing » Blog Archive » Friday Five… No Ten! Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:48:17 +0000 http://www.d20source.com/?p=1206#comment-74784 [...] How To Introduce New Players Adding a new ingredient to any established recipe can spell disaster for the dish. Adding a new player to a set group is no different. There are ways to make this go more smoothly, and this post by Brandan over at D20 Source has some great advice on how not the spoil the soup. [...] [...] How To Introduce New Players Adding a new ingredient to any established recipe can spell disaster for the dish. Adding a new player to a set group is no different. There are ways to make this go more smoothly, and this post by Brandan over at D20 Source has some great advice on how not the spoil the soup. [...]

]]> By: Mad MAx Jr http://www.d20source.com/2009/09/how-to-introduce-new-players/comment-page-1#comment-74780 Mad MAx Jr Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:47:29 +0000 http://www.d20source.com/?p=1206#comment-74780 I always have to bring in new people at one level under the party, if we're in mid campaign. They are not permanently behind though, I will make opportunities for them to catch up by asking them to try and give a personal plot hook, have a particularly interesting in-character conversation, or otherwise contribute to driving the story. The rationale for this in my head is our existing group has established themselves and worked hard against my challenges. Someone new dropping in is going to have to make some kind of effort too, otherwise it simply is not fair to the other players. So far, this tends to help spur the new player to interact with the world provided. At most, the player is only behind on XP for 3 to 4 sessions. I always have to bring in new people at one level under the party, if we’re in mid campaign. They are not permanently behind though, I will make opportunities for them to catch up by asking them to try and give a personal plot hook, have a particularly interesting in-character conversation, or otherwise contribute to driving the story. The rationale for this in my head is our existing group has established themselves and worked hard against my challenges. Someone new dropping in is going to have to make some kind of effort too, otherwise it simply is not fair to the other players. So far, this tends to help spur the new player to interact with the world provided. At most, the player is only behind on XP for 3 to 4 sessions.

]]> By: Pingwin http://www.d20source.com/2009/09/how-to-introduce-new-players/comment-page-1#comment-74680 Pingwin Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:33:13 +0000 http://www.d20source.com/?p=1206#comment-74680 The 'make as little fuss over it' as possible usually works best in my experience. The only problems I once had was with a new guy who was used to beeing the 'alpha' in his own group and didnt want to settle for a less dominating role. But that has little to do with the characters, more with the personalities of the players. The ‘make as little fuss over it’ as possible usually works best in my experience.

The only problems I once had was with a new guy who was used to beeing the ‘alpha’ in his own group and didnt want to settle for a less dominating role. But that has little to do with the characters, more with the personalities of the players.

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