Introducing New Characters

[ComaVision]

My dice were rolling hot (as DM) in a relatively easy encounter last night and the party barbarian died. They're currently in the middle of an island that's being controlled by a demon, and all inhabitants of the island are mentally effected. I gave the barbarian's player the stats of an NPC that was with them so she didn't have to sit out the rest of the game (she died about halfway through the session).

At the end of the game, I stated that it was going to be difficult to introduce a new character as there couldn't be someone on the island (they'd either be dead or enchanted) so she may need to play an NPC until they leave the island. I'd also be fine with her taking over and rebuilding an NPC, and I've said as much. One of my players stated he didn't understand why I was difficult about introducing new characters, as he'd rather suspend disbelief than have a character sit out a part of a session.

I find it really jarring for a new character to just pop into existence. In addition to disrupting my verisimilitude, it means that the character has no pre-existing affiliations, motivations, or place in the world. Would the crew of their ship express bewilderment at the new member, or should they all ignore it as if it's nothing out of the ordinary? I'm not the type of DM that needs a huge backstory but I at least want to know where the character is from and what sort of stuff happened that got him or her to level X. I want to know how the character fits in to everything.

I didn't waver on my position, particularly since it sounds like the group plans to leave the island near the beginning of the next session. I'm curious how other DMs deal with introducing characters, and whether I'm being unreasonable to try to preserve the narrative integrity that may only matter to myself.

[Tiri]

I don't think it's unreasonable to want to preserve narrative integrity. Both I and my most regular players value it to a high degree, so perhaps I'm a little biased, but I think that when playing a role-playing game, it is important to stick to the rules of the world. Otherwise you might as well not bother playing a game with an internally consistent world. If you want a character to be connected to the world, talk to the player in question about making it so through backstory. That's what I do.

Since you are the DM, it should be fairly easy to introduce a new character to the party without suspending disbelief. You could just say that the new character managed somehow to shake off the demon's enchantment, or if there is no reason why new people can't come to the island, simply have the new character be a new arrival.

It would help in understanding what is going on if you provided a slightly less vague description of the situation, though. Why are the PCs on the island? How did they get there? How exactly is the demon enchanting people?

[Flickerdart]

I find it really jarring for a new character to just pop into existence.
There's an entire subschool of magic that does just this, plus all sorts of lovely short-lived portals and planar breaches described in the books. Maybe the new PC is the last survivor of another adventuring party. Maybe one of the inhabitants managed to hide, or a dead person was able to come back to life.

It's a game about imagination. Use yours. Ask the table to use theirs.

[CharonsHelper]

What about the PC's actions having weakened the demon's hold on some of the island's inhabitants? Perhaps the new PC was already resistant to the enchantment and the demon had them in stasis until they gained the power to control them, only being weakened made the stasis break instead.

etc.

I agree that you need an explanation - but it's not hard to come up with one.

[EldritchWeaver]

How about having the new PC suffer from a shipwreck and ending up on the island by accident?

[TheIronGolem]

One of my players stated he didn't understand why I was difficult about introducing new characters, as he'd rather suspend disbelief than have a character sit out a part of a session.

I'm with your player here. Verisimilitude matters, but it doesn't need to survive a collision with "letting your players actually play". New characters should be brought in as quickly as possible, and concerns about story cohesion can be soothed after the fact. Put the new guy in now, figure out why he was there when you have time.

[ComaVision]

It would help in understanding what is going on if you provided a slightly less vague description of the situation, though. Why are the PCs on the island? How did they get there? How exactly is the demon enchanting people?

It's the Sinful Whispers adventure from the Heard of the Razor book. The NPC that is with them shipwrecked on this island two weeks ago with friends and escaped via invisibility potion and paddling to the shipping lanes. NPC's family then hired the group to go to the island to rescue the other passengers and clear the family name. NPC is interested in the treasure she supposes is on the island from an old elf settlement. They have sailed to the island. The demon enchants the island's inhabitants via handwavium, prolonged exposure the demon's telepathy, and a drug that grows on the island.

EDIT: I'd also be fine with most of the explanations for a new character that have been offered ITT. Though, I don't like the idea of just bringing the character in and explaining it later.

To offer a counterexample, when a member of my group was DMing, a bunch of new characters were introduced by a shelf being knocked over and vials shattering. The liquid from the vials formed into fully developed characters in full gear. There was no roleplaying because it had become the status quo that random crap happens with people suddenly wanting to join our group, plus it was not a part of anything and had no explanation because the DM just made it happen at whim. Personally, I don't like that. At that point, the game is just a string of combat encounters because the narrative is meaningless (to me).

[SangoProduction]

Well, I mean, it's perfectly possible that one of the people were able to hide from the enchantment, but be stumbled upon by the party. Boom new character introduced. I mean, if you're playing an NPC, then that does imply the enchantment isn't omnipotent.

But may I input my opinion that fudging the dice so that players don't die, when it's not a good time in the story for them to, has its utility?

[Pugwampy]

One of my players stated he didn't understand why I was difficult about introducing new characters, as he'd rather suspend disbelief than have a character sit out a part of a session.

This is an unlimited game with unlimited possibilities limited only by the DM,s imagination . Why did you murder the guys hero if you not going to allow any options of making a new one ? No story integrity is worth that rubbish .

The bottom line of introducing new players is WHO CARES how they are introduced .

[lylsyly]

Can you story in a "prisoner" they could free? Said prisoner could be of any class, a relevant level, ect.

[Tiri]

This is an unlimited game with unlimited possibilities limited only by the DM,s imagination . Why did you murder the guys hero if you not going to allow any options of making a new one ? No story integrity is worth that rubbish.

Well, it doesn't sound like was trying to kill the character. It just happened because of a roll of the dice.


EDIT: I'd also be fine with most of the explanations for a new character that have been offered ITT. Though, I don't like the idea of just bringing the character in and explaining it later.

To offer a counterexample, when a member of my group was DMing, a bunch of new characters were introduced by a shelf being knocked over and vials shattering. The liquid from the vials formed into fully developed characters in full gear. There was no roleplaying because it had become the status quo that random crap happens with people suddenly wanting to join our group, plus it was not a part of anything and had no explanation because the DM just made it happen at whim. Personally, I don't like that. At that point, the game is just a string of combat encounters because the narrative is meaningless (to me).

Honestly, it sounds like the real problem here, if there is one, is that you and your friends don't like certain aspects of each others' DMing styles. There's no real solution to that except not playing with them, or bearing with it if you like them enough.

[ComaVision]

Honestly, it sounds like the real problem here, if there is one, is that you and your friends don't like certain aspects of each others' DMing styles. There's no real solution to that except not playing with them, or bearing with it if you like them enough.

The root of all TTRPG problems lol I'm unlikely to find four more of myself, so I doubt I'll ever have a group that agrees with me on everything. It's not causing a huge rift between us or anything (which is good, as he is my roommate), I was just trying to get some perspective from other DMs. He and I certainly have very different approaches to DMing.