Any advice on how to hook up new PCs?

[Pinjata]

Hey guys,

I have a group of four players in my group (5e) and two more are to join. Usually, I do not pay much heed to such stuff but this time I am thinking a lot regarding how to integrate new PCs into my current group. Players are not the problem, I feel, I'm wondering more on the level of story. Very basic idea I have is: main group gets in trouble. They fight a really hard encounter and new PCs help them defeat the enemy. That is always a good starting point. But perhaps you guys have some more ideas? I'd appreciate any.

Thanks

[Koo Rehtorb]

I mean, it's hard to give you any useful advice if you don't tell us about all the PCs involved and the group in general.

[Nifft]

"How do your characters know each other?"

[Delta]

"How do your characters know each other?"

This. Or in other words: Ask the players. Unless one of the new characters background is a huge secret or something, why not just ask them or let them talk it out?

[MrSandman]

Always a good option is to have them be friends of one or more of the current characters and have them join the group because the others need them or they have been working towards a similar goal or some stuff like that.

[Jay R]

My favorite introduction is to get them close to the same place, and then hear a woman's scream nearby.

According to the authorities, "There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them."

[ElChad]

Create the session around the new players. Rather than simply having the party just bump into the new player in the street and hire them (unless the character is literally a mercenary who offers their services to any random party he thinks is worthy), have them all put into the area and working on the same mission. They should gladly work together as both sides have separate motivation to complete the quest. After the quest, the new players decide to come along for one reason or another.

They could be related to the quest giver or an important NPC in the adventure. They could be someone brought in to help as well, or who is currently stuck in the quest. Could even have the quest centered specifically around the character and something that eventually pushes them into the welcoming arms of the party. It could be a side quest, it could be a main quest. Doesn't matter.

For Example, I have prepared one quest, and three different characters and a hook into the adventure :

Quest : Mysterious Deaths

Player : Drow Rogue

The adventure leads to a small village to investigate the recent victim in a serious of mysterious deaths in the area. The source is definitely a demon on the prowl traveling around sowing chaos and discord but the party does not know this yet. They reach the village to find that the mayor is not interested in the party's help, as they caught the culprit. They COULD investigate the victim, and determine for sure that it couldn't have been the Drow. The lead the party to the prison where the Rogue is sitting there (or not, if they decided to break out.) The party encounters the new party member, and they agree to help the Drow out to clear his/her name. They find the demon, slay it, and the Drow decides to join the party as the Drow now believes that they now owe a life debt to the party.

Player : Half Paladin

The adventure leads to a small village to investigate the recent victim in a serious of mysterious deaths in the area. The source is definitely a demon on the prowl traveling around sowing chaos and discord but the party does not know this yet. They reach the village to find that the mayor is desperate for aid, she beseeched the aid of a traveling Paladin to help her solve this mystery. The Paladin has been hunting a errant demon in the area, and believes that these deaths could be related. He certainly use the extra pair of hands, and they could always use a Paladin. They find the demon, slay it, the party likes the Paladin and offers to join. The Paladin gracefully accepts.

Player : Half Elf Ranger

The adventure leads to a small village to investigate the recent victim in a serious of mysterious deaths in the area. The source is definitely a demon on the prowl traveling around sowing chaos and discord but the party does not know this yet. They reach the village to find that the mayor is desperate for aid. The spouse of the victim, a fresh Ranger is seeking revenge. The party offers the ranger the opportunity for revenge. They find the demon, slay it, the Ranger has their revenge and is at a lost to do with the rest of their life. The party offers an opportunity to find a new purpose in life within the party.

[Jay R]

It's worth pointing out that your clever plan for uniting them won't necessarily survive the players' actions.

I was once the GM trying to introduce a new character in a game of Flashing Blades (roleplaying in Paris in the time of the musketeers). I arranged that the group was trying to find a contact in the secret organization. Both the original party and the new PC had signs and countersigns. They were supposed to meet in a tavern.

The new PC started by trying to pick the pocket of a wealthy-looking gentleman, who, as it happened, was a PC. He got caught, they fought, and they chased him out of the tavern. Then they tried to make their contact - whom they had just run off.

Every time the new PC tried to get back into the tavern so he could meet up with them, the group threw him out through the window, and then went back to annoying the other patrons and trying to find their contact, whom they had just defenestrated.

They eventually annoyed one drunk man enough that they got into a duel, which their guy lost. (They were convinced he could beat any drunk fencer. Yes, the guy was drunk. He was also Athos.)

Only after Athos had wounded their best fencer, and still wouldn't respond to their code words, was the would-be pickpocket able to sneak up and give the countersign without being attacked.

[Delta]

It's worth pointing out that your clever plan for uniting them won't necessarily survive the players' actions.

That's exactly the reason for my advice, a lot of players like to gleefully sabotage it when they see the GM railroading them towards a certain thing without advance warning.

Those same players often love it when their own plans go without a hitch, so make it their own idea.

"Okay, since my last sorcerer was burned at the stake for being a lunatic and accused of necromancy and for some reason you guys didn't want to raise me as a lich with even more cool powers, my new character is a very reputable wizard from the Imperial Academy of Emperorstown! Does any of you have a good idea how I might find my way to the party?"
"Hey, my warrior is a veteran of the imperial army! Maybe we served together for a while at the front? Or maybe we just met in Emperorstown when I was there for the coronation of Emperor Emperorguy the Fifth!"

So when those guys meet up, you already have one party member who can vouch for their integrity and who the new party member can trust, and because it's the players idea, no one feels railroaded or anything.