Getting the group together - new party

[tater1337]

We've just finished a campaign and the DM now wants to play as a character and asked me to DM.

so yeah, I got that "whole new world" feeling in my bones, and want to do a lot of things different.

I'm restricting them to low level characters, and NO fighter types. I have a plot in my campaign that i want to tailor this to, and not make it a killfest.

thing is, I do NOT want to start will "you are all friends and meet at the local tavern". I want them to exercise their roleplaying abilities and make getting together as a party somewhat of an encounter.

same with the plot hook. no "listen for anything interesting" here. I think i have that covered well enough.

I might have a good idea about getting the group together, but i'd like to see if anyone has invented that wheel yet, and take a look at it.

[Jack of Spades]

Nothing brings people together like fighting toward a common goal!

Seriously, dump them in town square, let them RP about for a bit, then throw them all into some sort of combat. Raiders attack, a riot starts, a character pisses off the wrong NPC, those surly military types were up to no good, the local guard has their names on a list for one reason or another. Instant team-building. If you can work it into your plot (I bet you can, you rascal, I believe in you), even better! Let them unite through common hatred of the BBEG as gained in the first session of play, or give them all a reason to help/save/work for that NPC over there-- oh sorry, I guess he just got stolen, didn't he?

No fighter types, eh? Even better, the players have all recieved a threatening/inviting/blackmail letter from a shadowy coven. They've each been given a bit of parchment with a rough description of their "contact," who just happens to be another PC. They all recognize one another, speak some bollocks code phrases, nod knowingly, and promptly get confused-- why did we all get told to meet one another? By whom? What makes these other fools as special and awesome as me? Instant plot!

Good players will, in a game that starts as a sandbox, be looking for these kind of cues anyhow. Put two PC's in a room, start a party, and you can bet the PC's will become best friends by the end of it.

[SethoMarkus]

Don't forget to make back-up plans, though! I made the mistake of hoping the PCs would work together merely because they had a common goal. Sure, they are sticking together, but they still haven't asked each other for names...

[Joe the Rat]

I personally like the "Make the players do it" approach. Let them figure out how they met/know each other. It doesn't have to be everyone knows everyone - a chain of acquaintances from one end of the party to the other will do.

This would take some work to fit with your plans, though. You'd have to draw the line between "know someone" and "know someone well." But "from the same village / did a stint in jail with / met on the road / work for the same boss / owes me money" may provide enough cohesion to get the plot rolling.

[jedipilot24]

Follow the example of the Elder Scrolls and start them off in jail; the why really doesn't matter, maybe they get accidentally caught up in a riot and the guards just started knocking heads and arresting people.
Then some mysterious stranger offers to pay their bail in exchange for a favor....