New to DMing - Side Quests?

[poopyloop]

Hey guys, so I've been playing 5e for a while but just started to delve into the world of DMing and was just wondering about a few thigns regarding side quests.

How do you go about doing them? For this game, a lot of time will probably be in towns of various sizes, I figured classic RPG-style "quest board" type of thing would be fine, one of my players even asked if there was one game 1, so I figured, yeah sure why not?
I also am very interested in what types of side-quests you guys have done and any ideas you might have that I could use as a jumping off point. At the moment, I've got your standard help locals, defeat monster/animal quests in mind, as well as a string of related quests that will, should the players go thru with all of them, lead to it's own side-adventure. That one will mostly involve a string of missing persons, kidnappings, and druids, werewolves, and the quest for eternal life.

In case the overall story might help, basically its a recently formed empire suddenly taking over surrounding countries, seemingly evil but has an underlying agenda that the players need to figure out for themselves and will eventually need to choose a side (probably, they could probably take a neutral stance and just let things play out as they will I suppose)

[Jama7301]

I like to use rumors during downtime. If someone is gambling, they may overhear talk of a traveling caravan to the north that's ripe for attack (or protection, or they might have rare items for sale, etc), or if they're at the tavern, someone may be talking about a vault of riches they heard about through a passerby. Could overhear the guards talk about getting a group of soldiers together to handle a fierce animal in the woods, and so on.

Another thing is to keep an eye and ear out on your players and the sorts of off-hand remarks they make. If they search a quest board or ask about something like "Are there any zombie pirate", you can say no, for now, but work it into the game at a later point with better preparation.

[DeTess]

If you're playing a campaign with an overarching plot, I'd recommend finding ways to make your side-quests tie into the main quest. They don't need to actually advance the plot in any way, but sue it to set up things later. An example for your case would be to have the PC's deal with something menacing a group of refugees fleeing from the wars that big empire is causing.

As for kinds of quests, you can go with relatively standard stuff that comes down to 'clear this dungeon' (either deal with the monsters, retrieve something they stole, etc.), or more involved stuff, like a minor murder mistery or some weird events affecting the town that's caused by angry fey/ghosts/necromancers/gnomes trying to buy up all the properties in the town for cheap by convincing people the place is haunted.

I suggest you also take a good look at the kind of stuff your group is into. If they like combat a lot and prefer to handle social encounters with a single dice-roll, give them monsters to fight. If they prefer elaborate RP encounters than get them involved into saving an orphanage from its debtors, that sort of thing.

[Metamorph]

For me I hand out side quests nearly every second seasion and put them in two different Categories: optional or personal quests.

The optional quests are happening through rumors or random encounter like: the play finds a message in a bottle.

The personal quests are tied to their backstories or interests.

I guess its important if you run an open-world like story where it is ok if they are not doing the main quest all the time or are you running a straight campaign.

I personally like the little quests I dish out from time to time, it creates a way more dynamic and belivable world. BUT it could run you in trouble that your main plot will completely be abondend so beware!

[poopyloop]

Jama: rumors sound like a good way to go. i think i may have to shoehorn them in a little, my players don't tend to do a lot on their downtime, more of a battle-oriented group I suppose. Will keep the ones you mentioned in mind. Off-hand remarks are another really good idea, I'll have to try to write them down if they say something.

Randuir: Yes, I've been trying to make most of them fit into the world as best as possible, trying to have the ones I have planned out already all tie together as well as being related to the over-arching plot. Refugee stuff is a great idea. Thinking I'l probably have some "heard there's some treasure in this dungeon" stuff for sure, they should like that.

Meta: yep, I'm doing open-world, won't be too bothered if they skip the main story (but the world is more or less revolving around it, so things will still be effected by it) Personal quests are interesting, a little worried the non quest-centric players might not be interested enough, or maybe even the PCs themselves might not have any interest. I have some personal stuff in mind, but a lot of it seems more just this one character would do by themselves rather than in the group

[Metamorph]

It may be that it seems not to be interesting for them in the first moment, but you could also create the quests that they will be involved, if they like or not.

Another possiblitiy would be that they also gain something out of the personal quest. One of my players wanted revange on the murderer of her mother so all helped not only due to the fact that they now each other and they lived to some really deadly situations, but also because she paid them.

Another player got a portal stone to the abyss and it got stolen. So what would happen if the wrong person uses it? Does not seem like something you really want to happen.

Just to give you some examples.

[mephnick]

The main thing that kills the interest and verisimilitude of side quests is an overly aggressive main quest. Finding missing people, hunting monsters and helping out townsfolk seems pretty stupid when the evil Empire is about to destroy your country, or Tiamat is going to be summoned, or Demon Princes are going to destroy the world, or whatever. It's the Bethesda problem. So, you either need to:

A) Connect all side quests to the main quest. IE, the missing person is the prince with the authority and respect to hinder the Empire's advancement into your country. Finding him isn't necessary, but it will grant a reward toward the main quest.

B) Have a slow burn main quest that isn't dependent on outside forces, but the players themselves. Defending against an invading empire is a race against the clock. Overthrowing a corrupt existing empire requires planning and time. As long as the PCs can remain relatively unnoticed, they have time to gain popularity with the townsfolk and protect the realm while also plotting their rebellion.

You need to think about your main quest and decide if true side quests even make sense or if they just need to be smaller victories related to the main quest.

[redwizard007]

If you're playing a campaign with an overarching plot, I'd recommend finding ways to make your side-quests tie into the main quest. They don't need to actually advance the plot in any way, but sue it to set up things later. An example for your case would be to have the PC's deal with something menacing a group of refugees fleeing from the wars that big empire is causing.

As for kinds of quests, you can go with relatively standard stuff that comes down to 'clear this dungeon' (either deal with the monsters, retrieve something they stole, etc.), or more involved stuff, like a minor murder mistery or some weird events affecting the town that's caused by angry fey/ghosts/necromancers/gnomes trying to buy up all the properties in the town for cheap by convincing people the place is haunted.

I suggest you also take a good look at the kind of stuff your group is into. If they like combat a lot and prefer to handle social encounters with a single dice-roll, give them monsters to fight. If they prefer elaborate RP encounters than get them involved into saving an orphanage from its debtors, that sort of thing.

This is all really advice.

In the railroady Githyanki Incursion campaign I am planning out all the "side quests" and "random encounters" are tied into the story in some way. At the very least, clues to the overall campaign are woven into side quests in the form of flavor; murals depicting Gith's rebellion, zombies of Githyanki or Mindflayer dead, a high level warrior using a silver sword, etc. Thus, we can explore character backstories and avenues that I haven't expected and I can drop in these tid-bits of flavor into seemingly unrelated encounters to tie everything together. Seemingly random encounters are the result of Githyanki evicting monsters from their dens while setting up hatcheries. I don't expect the players to dig that far, but I am a stickler for details. They make it easier for me to wing something on the fly and maintain verisimilitude.

In my more traditional sandboxes (and in OP's scenario,) the side quests are far more important. It is not uncommon for my players to dig into a side quest much deeper than they do my intended story. In a sandbox, that is kind of the way things go. You absolutely NEED to lay out multiple hooks and develop in the direction that your players show interest. In this environment hooks can take many different shapes. An escaping villain, ideally one who has stolen from, killed or betrayed the PCs can be the source of a whole campaign arc. Abducted or killed NPC allies are another source of great motivation. Town magistrates, wealthy merchants, sobbing children and roadside victims can all serve as "help wanted boards" just as easily as a tavern wall. Find what triggers your players. Then press that button.

[BW022]

poopyloop,

I tend not to use side quests. I'll sometimes have single encounters which happen while PCs are traveling, in town, etc. which are unrelated to the plot. However, I'm cautious about longer-term plots besides the first.

1. Most D&D campaigns progress fairly slowly. There is a limited amount of encounters you can have in a four hour session and typically you are only gaming once per week. Spending 2-4 sessions off on a side quest can easily have players ignoring your main plot, forget what they were doing, or stop caring. Often if they spend weeks or months (actual) time, they get frustrated because they haven't accomplished anything with the main plot.

2. I'd rather save time for player specific plots. Many players will actively to things based on their class/race/background/nationality/family which takes up time. Rather than a side quest, I'd rather keep that time do have specific encounters related to my characters. Often during rests, breaks, travel, etc. I like being able to ask "What is Zorg doing while you wait in South Hill?"

3. I find players often fixate on irrelevant things and derail themselves. If you put in a mysterious bandit attack, players might immediately think its part of the main plot and spin their wheels. I find even experienced players can easily get off track.

4. You can waste a lot of time planning such encounters. If your main plot is going well... players may actively ignore sub-plots and you end up wasting a lot of prep-time for things which won't happen.

If I've got a good plot going and the players are engaged... I go with it.

[Magzimum]

The easiest side-quest that you can tie into the main quest (or not) is this:

Players go out on a hunt to find and exterminate a bunch of monsters (e.g. kobolds). They find that the kobolds were ruled by a BBEG (Big bad evil guy). Huzzah, they are victorious, get some loot and cool items or cash, go back to the town to receive praise, medals and a good night in the local tavern.

Much later in the campaign, they find out that the BBEG of the early session was part of a much larger organization, with a MBBEG (Much bigger badder evil guy).

Add some random encounter on the way to the kobolds, and a plot twist where the BBEG is the daughter of the town's mayor for extra complexity.

[poopyloop]

Alright, this is all good advice. Thank you guys.
I've tried to include generic help-out options for this next session, as well as I guess you could call them introductions to the main side-quests I have planned, and I'm going to tie them in to the main plot. Basically the BBEG is spreading his evil/influence causing these things to happen. Gonna try to keep an eye and ear out for what the players like and want more of, and going to keep options open at first. The timeline of events in the campaign will be pretty slow, if they deviate from the main plot for a chunk of time, it won't really matter, the empire has a long way to go to reach their goal (had that planned from the get-go)
I think side-quests are a thing I want to keep open as options, especially if they like the ones I'm making. If they get completely sidetracked by them, I'm not too worried about it because I think with everything tied in together, it will drag them back eventually, and if not, I'll try to make the best of the situation and I'll have learned a little something.