Comments on: How To Introduce A New PC http://dungeonsmaster.com/2010/04/how-to-introduce-a-new-pc/ A Dungeons & Dragons Resource Blog For Dungeon Masters & Players Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:58:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: JR http://dungeonsmaster.com/2010/04/how-to-introduce-a-new-pc/comment-page-1/#comment-16239 JR Tue, 04 May 2010 19:14:34 +0000 http://dungeonsmaster.com/?p=4505#comment-16239 In my campaign we all took a session to roll up "alts" and join the new PC in a different part of the world. His mission pitted him and the rest of the alt-party against an enemy that the main party had only seen tangentially, which one of their NPC allies had mentioned to them. When the party finished their extended rest, they went to visit the allied NPC and discovered their new party member waiting for them, having just defeated a group of the enemy and recovered valuable intelligence. The allied NPC persuaded the New Guy to act as the party's guide back down to fight the common enemy, and voila! In my campaign we all took a session to roll up “alts” and join the new PC in a different part of the world. His mission pitted him and the rest of the alt-party against an enemy that the main party had only seen tangentially, which one of their NPC allies had mentioned to them. When the party finished their extended rest, they went to visit the allied NPC and discovered their new party member waiting for them, having just defeated a group of the enemy and recovered valuable intelligence. The allied NPC persuaded the New Guy to act as the party’s guide back down to fight the common enemy, and voila!

]]> By: Ravenous Role Playing » Blog Archive » Sunday Six: 2010-05-02 http://dungeonsmaster.com/2010/04/how-to-introduce-a-new-pc/comment-page-1/#comment-16093 Ravenous Role Playing » Blog Archive » Sunday Six: 2010-05-02 Sun, 02 May 2010 18:31:07 +0000 http://dungeonsmaster.com/?p=4505#comment-16093 [...] How To Introduce A New PC Last night at the Pathfinder table, we lost 3 of the 5 party members in a nasty fight with some demon dogs. Damn. It happens, though and we move on with new characters. How do these new characters get integrated into an existing plot and party structure? It’s kind of rough at times. Fortunately the survivors made it back to town where they’ll have a chance to meet the new characters in a neutral or friendly setting. Go see what Wimwick has to say on the matter. It’s a great post! // [...] [...] How To Introduce A New PC Last night at the Pathfinder table, we lost 3 of the 5 party members in a nasty fight with some demon dogs. Damn. It happens, though and we move on with new characters. How do these new characters get integrated into an existing plot and party structure? It’s kind of rough at times. Fortunately the survivors made it back to town where they’ll have a chance to meet the new characters in a neutral or friendly setting. Go see what Wimwick has to say on the matter. It’s a great post! // [...]

]]> By: Jard http://dungeonsmaster.com/2010/04/how-to-introduce-a-new-pc/comment-page-1/#comment-15831 Jard Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:32:29 +0000 http://dungeonsmaster.com/?p=4505#comment-15831 Great article! One of the things I do to introduce a new PC that I know will be joining next session is create him as an enemy that is controlled/brainwashed/rebelling against a common enemy. This puts the PCs at odds with the character before the PC appears, and offers a great opportunity to show the new char's strength and creates role playing opportunities before the PC shows up. You can't do it multiple times in a campaign, but the enemy-becomes-friend trope is really effective. Great article! One of the things I do to introduce a new PC that I know will be joining next session is create him as an enemy that is controlled/brainwashed/rebelling against a common enemy. This puts the PCs at odds with the character before the PC appears, and offers a great opportunity to show the new char’s strength and creates role playing opportunities before the PC shows up. You can’t do it multiple times in a campaign, but the enemy-becomes-friend trope is really effective.

]]> By: Dungeon Newbie http://dungeonsmaster.com/2010/04/how-to-introduce-a-new-pc/comment-page-1/#comment-15804 Dungeon Newbie Thu, 29 Apr 2010 07:18:43 +0000 http://dungeonsmaster.com/?p=4505#comment-15804 Well as you all know I haven't played D&D yet, but I have an idea: if the new PC is a Shardmind, say, why not have the players somehow arrive at the Gate that Shardminds want to rebuild and they found him there? Just an idea, of course. Visit Dungeon Newbie’s <a href="http://www.dungeonnewbie.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Dungeons and Dragons</a> website. Well as you all know I haven’t played D&D yet, but I have an idea: if the new PC is a Shardmind, say, why not have the players somehow arrive at the Gate that Shardminds want to rebuild and they found him there? Just an idea, of course.

Visit Dungeon Newbie’s Dungeons and Dragons website.

]]> By: Kameron http://dungeonsmaster.com/2010/04/how-to-introduce-a-new-pc/comment-page-1/#comment-15776 Kameron Wed, 28 Apr 2010 23:03:26 +0000 http://dungeonsmaster.com/?p=4505#comment-15776 I've had two new PC introductions so far in the campaign I'm running. One was a new player replacing a player that left, the other was a player who was swapping PCs. In the former case, we killed the departing player's PC. The new player's PC was a bard performing at the local inn, overheard the party talking after their return from the dungeon, and asked if he could tag along. In the latter case, the PC switch was facilitated by backstory. The player's original PC, having just helped defeat the nefarious schemes of the adventure's villain, felt he had earned the right to return home and claim his title. His new PC was a member of the mage's guild, and possessed knowledge of some teleportation circles, allowing me to introduce new information to the setting that allowed the heroes quicker access to their next quest. .-= Kameron´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.pathsofadventure.com/2010/04/20/forging-ahead/" rel="nofollow">Forging ahead</a> =-. I’ve had two new PC introductions so far in the campaign I’m running. One was a new player replacing a player that left, the other was a player who was swapping PCs. In the former case, we killed the departing player’s PC. The new player’s PC was a bard performing at the local inn, overheard the party talking after their return from the dungeon, and asked if he could tag along.

In the latter case, the PC switch was facilitated by backstory. The player’s original PC, having just helped defeat the nefarious schemes of the adventure’s villain, felt he had earned the right to return home and claim his title. His new PC was a member of the mage’s guild, and possessed knowledge of some teleportation circles, allowing me to introduce new information to the setting that allowed the heroes quicker access to their next quest.
.-= Kameron´s last blog ..Forging ahead =-.

]]> By: Wimwick http://dungeonsmaster.com/2010/04/how-to-introduce-a-new-pc/comment-page-1/#comment-15773 Wimwick Wed, 28 Apr 2010 22:22:25 +0000 http://dungeonsmaster.com/?p=4505#comment-15773 @ Dixon Trimline I like the scenario you presented of having a 3 way battle where the PCs realize they might make a good team. That should make for a very interesting encounter. @ Chromed Cat Welcome to Dungeon's Master, though I guess that welcome is long over due. This post was inspired by the party having a PC retire due to the player not enjoying the direction the character was going in. The DM exited the character in such a way that he has now become a major villian in the game world. The players new character introduced himself as a bounty hunter as sorts, who has been tracking the PC that retired. It's reinvigorated the campaign and thrown a wrench into it that no one was expecting. @ Dixon Trimline
I like the scenario you presented of having a 3 way battle where the PCs realize they might make a good team. That should make for a very interesting encounter.

@ Chromed Cat
Welcome to Dungeon’s Master, though I guess that welcome is long over due. This post was inspired by the party having a PC retire due to the player not enjoying the direction the character was going in. The DM exited the character in such a way that he has now become a major villian in the game world. The players new character introduced himself as a bounty hunter as sorts, who has been tracking the PC that retired. It’s reinvigorated the campaign and thrown a wrench into it that no one was expecting.

]]> By: Chromed Cat http://dungeonsmaster.com/2010/04/how-to-introduce-a-new-pc/comment-page-1/#comment-15772 Chromed Cat Wed, 28 Apr 2010 22:08:42 +0000 http://dungeonsmaster.com/?p=4505#comment-15772 Long time reader, first time poster. I suppose i've been Dming long enough to feel that the action takes care of it's self in D&D. So when it comes to introducing a new character, or even getting rid of one, i find it a great opportuninty to inject some story into the game. My first consideration when introducing a new character is to have a new faction/concept/religion of the game world introduced that hasn't been in play before. Tying in a vested interest to the current is party is obviously important though. So overall the new character will have different patrons and other NPC's or villians to bring into the story. If someone want's to change character or leave the group, a well orchestrated death has the chance to provide more meaning to the adventure also. Going the extra mile rather than just plunking a new character or ripping a character out can be the Dm's "bread and butter" for injecting meaning. It's a way to show the players; you and the game have standards and that nothing occurs in a vaccum. I'm doing exactly as suggested in next session; having an captured PC being thrown into a cell, only to be liberated by the current party so he can join in the action straight away. The PC is a Paladin of Kelemvor, so the next encounter will invlove undead and the necromancers he has been opposing in his back story. Nice article. Long time reader, first time poster.

I suppose i’ve been Dming long enough to feel that the action takes care of it’s self in D&D. So when it comes to introducing a new character, or even getting rid of one, i find it a great opportuninty to inject some story into the game.

My first consideration when introducing a new character is to have a new faction/concept/religion of the game world introduced that hasn’t been in play before. Tying in a vested interest to the current is party is obviously important though. So overall the new character will have different patrons and other NPC’s or villians to bring into the story.

If someone want’s to change character or leave the group, a well orchestrated death has the chance to provide more meaning to the adventure also.

Going the extra mile rather than just plunking a new character or ripping a character out can be the Dm’s “bread and butter” for injecting meaning. It’s a way to show the players; you and the game have standards and that nothing occurs in a vaccum.

I’m doing exactly as suggested in next session; having an captured PC being thrown into a cell, only to be liberated by the current party so he can join in the action straight away. The PC is a Paladin of Kelemvor, so the next encounter will invlove undead and the necromancers he has been opposing in his back story.

Nice article.

]]> By: Dixon Trimline http://dungeonsmaster.com/2010/04/how-to-introduce-a-new-pc/comment-page-1/#comment-15747 Dixon Trimline Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:14:53 +0000 http://dungeonsmaster.com/?p=4505#comment-15747 This is a great article. Given the differences in DMing approaches and round-the-table styles, there probably isn't one good way to introduce new characters, but it's a good conversation to have. To the inevitable "it's just a game" crowd, I'd gently point out that immersion DOES matter, and it's what elevates the activity beyond a simple numbers-on-a-page exercise. In a game I ran, I was confronted with a party number that went from 3 to 2 to 3 to 5 over the course of a matter of weeks. Fun! For the first loss, I had the party member kidnapped between sessions (thankfully we were in an extended rest at the time), and for the first addition, I had the party's patron send a replacement member to fill in for the loss. For the 4 and 5, the two new members had infiltrated the target site independently (one broke in and was taken prisoner, the other had been dominated by the big-bad and had JUST shaken it off). I started a massive fight, incorporating all characters from three separate locations, resulting in them arriving at the obvious "enemy of my enemy" conclusion. This is a great article. Given the differences in DMing approaches and round-the-table styles, there probably isn’t one good way to introduce new characters, but it’s a good conversation to have. To the inevitable “it’s just a game” crowd, I’d gently point out that immersion DOES matter, and it’s what elevates the activity beyond a simple numbers-on-a-page exercise.

In a game I ran, I was confronted with a party number that went from 3 to 2 to 3 to 5 over the course of a matter of weeks. Fun! For the first loss, I had the party member kidnapped between sessions (thankfully we were in an extended rest at the time), and for the first addition, I had the party’s patron send a replacement member to fill in for the loss. For the 4 and 5, the two new members had infiltrated the target site independently (one broke in and was taken prisoner, the other had been dominated by the big-bad and had JUST shaken it off). I started a massive fight, incorporating all characters from three separate locations, resulting in them arriving at the obvious “enemy of my enemy” conclusion.

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