Tips for New Dungeon Masters: The "Common Group" Method of Getting the Party Together

The Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game has been around for over thirty years, and has been played by millions of people all across the globe. But actually getting a group together and running a game can be a daunting task. The Dungeon Master needs to be an organizer, manager; storyteller, and director. This is a big job, and can lead to a lot of missteps and false starts as the Dungeon Master tries to figure things out on his own. The purpose if this series is to help fledgling Dungeon Masters, as well as Game Masters of other systems, learn the ropes of the Dungeons & Dragons RPG and provide a fun game for everyone!
Getting The Party Together

If you read my previous article, you know that one of the most common stumbling blocks for new Dungeon Masters (DMs for Short) is getting a party together, simply because of the vast number of available concepts and character ideas that the players will throw together. Last time I described one of the most traditional methods-meeting at a common point, such as an inn or tavern. But what if you want a more focused campaign than having a bunch of misfits meet in a bar and decide to go adventuring together?

The Common Group Method: You Are All The Kings Men

Have the characters meet each other because they are all doing the same thing.

This approach is great for themed games--you have your players create characters that are meant to fit a common group. They're all convicts, pirates on an airship, kids from the same village, etc.

This approach is common for DMs who have a specific type of game in mind and certain stories they'd love to tell. The format for this works like this:

* The DM pitches the game goal to the group: "I'd like to run a game where you are all part of a magic carnival" or "You're all going to be members of an elite squad of the kings monster hunters."

* The players then build their characters according to the guidelines set down by the DM.

* The game starts one of two ways: either the party members haven't met before and are being assembled for the first time, or they're assumed to have been working together for a set amount of time and are receiving their latest assignment.

This is a common way for many DMs who've played a while to want to structure their games because of these benefits:

* It encourages the party to try to work together from the beginning.

* It gets players to make character that will fit with their vision of how the game might go.

* It reduces the time it takes for the various characters to work together, because they share a common purpose.

However, this method has several problems:

* It places limits on the options available for character concepts, which limits player freedom.

* It encourages the DM to try and control the character creation process, which may lead to "railroading" (a term I'll discuss in more detail below)

* The players may not be as interested in the set-up as the DM is.

Focus can be great for creating cohesive groups, but it also is a limiting factor on the creativity of the people playing. This has good and bad aspects--people are more creative with limits on what they can do, but can't function if their options are limited too much. The goal is to encourage a certain playing style and group makeup, not force it. You want to avoid railroading here.

What is railroading? A train runs on tracks that are fixed and have one set path. A railroaded game is one where the DM is keeping all creative control firmly in his grasp, plotting out the one true path that the players will follow. Much like the train on the track, the game is on one path that the players can't deviate from.

This is a problem, because the D&D game is about collaboration and having fun. The compelling plot points and interesting actions should come from the players as they deal with the current situation, not from any plot that the DM has in mind. In my ten years of gaming, I have never failed to be surprised by the actions of my players at least once per campaign, and sometimes once per session.

When you're a DM, you're in the job of creating situations and interesting supporting characters, while the players take the role of the stars. Making a plot based on the assumption that you can predict what your players will do is doomed to failure.

Instead, focus on creating situations that the party will deal with, and then base future situations off of the party's actions. It requires a little more flexibility, and may move the game in directions you didn't expect, but you'll have more fun overall with the players driving the plot.

This technique is a wonderful way of starting a game as long as you keep the "situations, not plots" rule in mind. A common situation is an excellent way of drawing people together. Here are some ways it can work:

* The Common Occupation - The party all work the same profession. They're all pirates, or soldiers, or workers and patrons of the same bar. This puts them all in the same place with similar agendas, but allows great for characters to make their own niches withing the broader venue. Good for Theme games (swashbuckling action, war epic, fugitive drama, etc). Also good for In Media Res set ups, where the players are all thrust into a situation without warning.

* The Assembled Team - The party are all specialists brought together for a single purpose. Call this the Ocean's Eleven or Mission Impossible set up. Each member has been chosen because their skills will be useful for the job at hand, which means you can provide a means to give everyone a chance to shine. This set-up may be difficult to sustain past the initial adventure without giving the party more reasons to stick together. This works best with The Quest (which I'll cover in more detail in another article)

* The Common Origin - The party all came from the same town, went to the same schools, got their powers from the same accident, or otherwise had a shared experience. This is most useful when combined with another set-up, but also allows for more creative freedom for players to work with. This one combines well with In Media Res.

* In Media Res - This one deserves its own article, but basically it's a shared situation that is happening RIGHT NOW and must be DEALT WITH IMMEDIATELY! This forces the characters to deal with the situation at hand, and may encourage them to work together. Like the Assembled Team, it may be difficult to encourage the party to stay together after the initial incident unless you hint at a Quest or a Mystery linked to it.

So. Here are some techniques for using this method of Dungeons & Dragons party building. Do you have your own ideas or comments? Share them below!

Sources:

Personal Experience