In your experience, what has been the most best way to start an AP? What worked? What was awesome? What crashed and burned? What would you avoid?
I'd like to get your input first before looking at my suggestions, but here they are just so we're discussing the same topic.
I'm about to start the "Curse of the Crimson Throne" AP and I was wondering what the best way to start it was.
I've brainstormed the following options (and drawbacks to them):
1) The GM jumps right into the action of the AP (starting with the opening box text, very similar to how you would start a scenario in PFS).
Drawback: Player's always like to get right into the action, but action without context is boring to me. Still, I think this is how most GMs start APs, and it's how I was going to start (after some brief character and city introductions).
2) Do you let the players talk about their PCs for a few minutes before starting the campaign? If so, are there any methods you can use to make players divulge more information than "elven wizard"?
Drawback: Most players are terrible at describing their PC in any meaningful way, and this can bore players. Also, some players want their PCs to develop organically and have nothing to say at all. Still, at least a brief description seems essential. I feel there should be a better way to describe a character than this.
3) Instead of the players describing the PC, maybe something interactive should happen? For example, the GM could have a decision for the PC to make, inconsequential or not, that would help describe the PC.
Drawback: Could feel contrived and players might not be into it. Could slow down the first session. Could even lead to a TPK or ending the campaign before it starts (with stupid decisions).
4) The GM starts off the campaign with a description of the area/city (Korvosa), and major factions in town.
Drawback: May bore players and slow down session. The city can be described in pieces between the action.
5) Run a mini-adventure (1-2 hours) to prelude the entire campaign. (For example, maybe a converted adventure from Dungeon magazine). This session would basically "set the scene" without starting the campaign.
Drawback: This can only be done is everyone picks the same background and already knows each other. Also, while I love this idea, especially to have one PC introduced to another, it can backfire for a number of reasons.
Opinions from both GMs and players are welcome.
I am running CotCT right now. I think that a most useful thing is having the players writing down (prior to beginning the campaign) their stories, so you can have a nice first scene.
In my case, I asked the players to choose a "mundane" profession. I wanted them to feel they were not heroes at all, kind of Frodo or Bilbo. One of them choosed to run a tavern, so I had the first scene there. It was a nice first session. It was the city anniversary, and a lot of people were there having a drink. The (secretly) beloved of one of the pcs was there, acomppanied by a handsome and rich man (or halfling, in this case). I told the tavern owner that in the city anniversary the owner of the house had to tell a tale about the founding of the city (I made him improvise, but I also had given the players a pdf with the city history).
I also presented "a varisian gipsy woman", in such a way they thought she surely was trying to steal something. At the end of the night, Zellara finally convinced them to talk about their business with Lamm. Everyone told his story then, and we made the harrow reading.
So... every campaign is different, but I wanted this to feel very low profile. I wanted them to have some nice feelings about the city, so there were a lot of neighbours there, all of them kind in some way, a lot of good food and drink (described the korvosan delicacies), music and tales, children with their parents, some patriotic hails... kind of 4th july for those from USA, i think.
The best way to start an AP?
Having a bad hangover in a room full of corpses.
Our heroes of the story work to figuring the rest out from there.
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I am running Rise of the Runelords.
To start with, we used an interesting way to create the PCs. Before character sheets were pulled out or books cracked open, the players picked their name, race and class. That was all.
Then they wrote a paragraph about the first time, as an early teenager, that they had their first little adventure that made them want to be an Adventurer!
Then they passed their papers to the player to their right and that player wrote a paragraph about how how their character had a mini adventure with the other player's character.
Then they pass the paper to the right until all players have written something on all characters' papers. In our group we had four players. Player 4 gets to pick one Trait based on the stories for character 1.
Then the sheet was passed back to its original owner and he finally gets to read his background.
For the Adventure Path, Rise of the Runelords, it starts with a festival. So I had several events set up like a carnival/Ren Fest. While exploring the carnival the characters run into one another and they reacquaint themselves.
Then the action happens.
This had the advantage of several things. It let all characters be interconnected. They get together in a fun way. They interact with the town personalities, immediately building relationships with the locals. They get a chance to learn some history and do some gather information, knowledge (local) checks.
Then the action happens. They defend the town, become local heroes. Then they learn that some of the people they befriended are dead or wounded. Now they are pissed and invested in the town...
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The best way to start an AP?
Having a bad hangover in a room full of corpses.
Our heroes of the story work to figuring the rest out from there.
Had a game where our characters woke up butt naked with no memories at all, on the beach, where we watched a ceremony of hobgoblins summoning a demon deity to destroy the world...
yeah that one was rough...
In my case, I asked the players to choose a "mundane" profession. I wanted them to feel they were not heroes at all, kind of Frodo or Bilbo.
So... every campaign is different, but I wanted this to feel very low profile. I wanted them to have some nice feelings about the city, so there were a lot of neighbours there, all of them kind in some way,
I like that. So it was one of your best campaigns starts? Did you ever have a campaign start that didn’t go well?
Having a bad hangover in a room full of corpses. Our heroes of the story work to figuring the rest out from there.
That’s your best AP start ever? I’m going to assume you’re joking since that doesn’t fit into the theme of any AP I can think of (and I own 6 of them).
It might be a good start for one of the PCs, if there is something “wrong” with him or he’s in trouble.
Then they wrote a paragraph about the first time, as an early teenager, that they had their first little adventure that made them want to be an Adventurer!
Then they passed their papers to the player to their right and that player wrote a paragraph about how how their character had a mini adventure with the other player's character.
That’s a cool exercise and could be adapted. I think I’ll use it. Thanks!
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It depends on the AP.
I am running RotRL at the moment.
We started with each player explaining what they were doing in Sandpoint and what would interest them at the festival.
We then played through a bunch of short social encounters (short because they were all apart from each other at the festival) with locals.
We play at the pub so I did all of this while people were arriving, getting drinks, eating and generally settling in.
Then we launched into Zantus' speech and it went like a dream.
A nice way to start Curse of the Crimson Throne is a prelude adventure when the PCs are still youngsters in Lamm's service. I've written out a summary of my version in this thread:
Alternative beginnings.
I'll also be adding a shortened and modified version of the module Murder's Mark to the prelude.
I began both Kingmaker and Skull & Shackles the following way:
"So, you wake up..."
This opening has been used many times within our gaming groups (and in other games when I was younger and played with different groups).
It's like an episode of a show - things have already happened, you're in the middle of a mess, and... action!
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We play at the pub so I did all of this while people were arriving, getting drinks, eating and generally settling in.
You game in a pub? I don't even know how to react to this, dude. I mean, awesome, sure? but also, sounds hard to talk through the music, and there are so many other distractions and (I am sure) some very quesy looks from many people... how does that work out?
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You game in a pub? I don't even know how to react to this, dude. I mean, awesome, sure? but also, sounds hard to talk through the music, and there are so many other distractions and (I am sure) some very quesy looks from many people... how does that work out?
We play at the pub so I did all of this while people were arriving, getting drinks, eating and generally settling in.
I live in Oxford and it is full of proper pubs that don't play music.
We get a quiet, big table in a corner where we won't be jostled or bothered (a lot of stuff on the table). Occasionally someone will come over and ask what we're playing, or wax nostalgic about playing dnd when they were younger.
Never really had any negative comments or funny looks.
We used to play a lot in The Old Bookbinders but recently we've been playing at The Victoria. They have great pies.
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I am a big fan of in media res. I recently began Shattered Star with an encounter in the streets involving all four PCs. The players hadn't talked about their characters or their names or anything like that before the encounter. After the encounter, I asked them if their characters k new reach other, and so on. I left it up to them to decide if and how their characters came to meet.
In Curse of the Crimson Throne, I ran individual encounters one at a time for each player in the order they finished creating their characters. In that one I was assuming the characters did not know each other. Afterward, I gave each of them the invitation to the harrower's house.
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I think rolling initiative is ago of way to get a campaign started.
For my next CotCT game I wan to start the characters as Orphans that discover the corrupt matron is selling kids to Lam, they'll start by playing a game of Barrel Ball (like Bloodpig but less gross). Players will earn traits through the session and choose classes based on their choices.