Way Off-Topic: Question for RPGamers

[Bret Ripley]

I know this is the classic problem but I'd be curious if anyone has some battle tested strategies for getting and keeping the commitment of players, especially for the first session which seems the most challenging.

Hmmm...maybe we should workshop this. Question: are hookers off the table?

[Xenophon]

Hmmm...maybe we should workshop this. Question: are hookers off the table?

I'm not certain my table is rated for that kind of structural load.

[Bret Ripley]

Hmmm...maybe we should workshop this. Question: are hookers off the table?

I'm not certain my table is rated for that kind of structural load.

Probably just as well. It's a really hard pivot from hookers to hobgoblins.

[Some Schmo]

Probably just as well. It's a really hard pivot from hookers to hobgoblins.

Hobgoblins need hookers too.

[Bret Ripley]

Probably just as well. It's a really hard pivot from hookers to hobgoblins.

Hobgoblins need hookers too.

Good point, as usual. That was probably insensitive of me. Once we talk honorentheos into running an online campaign I might roll up a hobgoblin hooker to atone for my sins.

[Some Schmo]

Hobgoblins need hookers too.

Good point, as usual. That was probably insensitive of me. Once we talk honorentheos into running an online campaign I might roll up a hobgoblin hooker to atone for my sins.

hehe

I'd like to see the character's portrait.

[honorentheos]

Now y'all just need to DM more and share

For that I'll need some very different advice than has been shared on this thread thus far.

The one group I did DM for on this thread had fun but opted to pivot towards other games. The advice I got here was very valuable but as we are more board gaming than role playing not as relevant to the topic.

I've made 2 runs just this year in getting another table together that have both fizzled out. The first honestly didn't get too far past the initial excitement phase. The instant we began putting plans to paper it fell apart. The second however saw us setting dates and doing some preparation work, I even helped the newest player complete their character. But by a week out of the first session all but said player had backed out.

I know this is the classic problem but I'd be curious if anyone has some battle tested strategies for getting and keeping the commitment of players, especially for the first session which seems the most challenging.

Battle tested? I don't know. I've tried a few things but have limited experience with 5e. I've ran a three year campaign for my daughter's friend group but it ended after they started moving away. My work campaign is about 18 months in now, and our next session will be #24. What made those work? Luck probably.

I've also ran a few one shots as well as tried to get a campaign off the grind that didn't make it past one session. My autopsy of that failure:

I started it by first asking for player input on the kind of fantasy character they wanted to play. Then I made their PCs for them which seemed initially to work well. More on that later. I then ran a "get to know the game" session that was little more than a scenario where I explained the character sheet in a tutorial mode where they were following a group of bandits they needed to track down. It gave me a chance to explain checks, demonstrate how much control they had by "yes and"ing everything narratively with rolls and had a very brief combat. They seemed excited to play.

So game time came around and the session hit a small snag when we had one of the two women players cancel due to a sick kid. Those things happen.

The scenario we had discussed was one I had created that easy turns into a multi-session adventure but hypothetically can be a choose your own one shot set up. We got into it, some fum ensued, and as we got towards the last hour or so I had promised I asked if they wanted to keep going with more sessions? Or should we make this a true one shot? Most folks at the table were going in the direction of making it a regular game but the other woman player said she would prefer to see how it looked to have a story come full circle. So we agreed to make it a true one shot and I proceeded to shoehorn the ending into what they had accomplished. It was...ok. We ended and I could tell the vibe was it didn't end quite as excitingly as hoped. We weakly talked about this being some time to play again and that was that.

So, what to learn from it?

First: The wife who came was only playing because the other wife had said she was interested. When she didn't show up this meant one of the critical people the table was already barely interested in being there. But what makes this a lesson is I had no idea about this at all. I hadn't taken enough time to get to know the people coming to the table well enough to have realized she wasn't excited about it.

Instead, I should have gotten to know each player better because then I could have figured out what she might actually find fun in order to make that happen in the game. I was planning for and prepped for an average of the group and the group fell apart at the weakest link.

Second: I failed to establish clear expectations. I should have made it a one shot without any attempt to allow it to be more. It should have had clear exciting investigation and exploration, clear encounters, and I should have been managing the pacing to land the plane.

Third, I should have started with a bang. First time players and new folks need the cinematic opener. It's so much easier to follow up a fun encounter with something else.

ETA: I meant to comment on my having made their PCs for them. I think this is perfect for a one shot for new folks. But it also means the players won't be as attached to the PC. I recommend providing pre-gen characters for new players but coming with options and only playing a session with them. Then let the folks use the experience to attempt character creation as well

Also dndbeyond is such a great resource for making PC creation easy rather than the homework it can feel like to new folks.

[Bret Ripley]

Good point, as usual. That was probably insensitive of me. Once we talk honorentheos into running an online campaign I might roll up a hobgoblin hooker to atone for my sins.

hehe

I'd like to see the character's portrait.

[honorentheos]

Something I've tried once and really loved but can't call it battle tested was an emergent cold open session.

I had the players create their PCs. Then at the table I told them they had already known each other before and we were going to recreate their last mission. I had them rolling a d20. I then asked them to tell me about what their last mission has been. What kind of event was it? I added a few details like an NPC, helped paint the scene then told them the person who rolled lowest had almost f-d things up but the person who rolled highest saved the day. So tell me what happened? Then we added in the other players and their influence based on if they were high or low rollers and bam. We had a session going. They had invented a caravan robbery, so they were making up traps and combat set ups on the fly. I tossed in an uppity noble whose insurance would cover the losses incurred by the party having robbed his caravan if they would only spare his life, and it took about two hours. Then they had history as I unveiled the actual adventure set up that served as fourshot.

I plan on using it more but of course it has to be the right situation.

[honorentheos]

hehe

I'd like to see the character's portrait.

Damn. What did hobgoblins do to you?