Questions tagged [plot-hooks]
For questions about crafting or presenting the plot hooks that introduce players to the beginning of an adventure.
24 questions
5
votes
2
answers
336
views
DM making PC decision as part of an opening sequence/plot hook
I need to bridge two adventures together, and the easiest way is through a narrative where players are going through the woods, and are surprised, knocked out, and awaken to find their NPC group ...
- 59
10
votes
11
answers
3k
views
What are the risks of TPK-ing the party at the start of a campaign deliberately?
I've been planning out an idea for a campaign to run with a group that would consist of both veteran and new players, and I'm unsure if I should follow a particular plot point. I would start the party ...
- 133
1
vote
4
answers
369
views
How to get my players to open an iron flask [closed]
So my players have just found an iron flask and inside is a Lich. The Lich is going to be the next main plot driving component and I need the players to open it in order to begin this phase. How do I ...
- 19
7
votes
2
answers
804
views
Is there errata for this misleading side-quest hook regarding Orolunga?
In Tomb of Annihilation there's this adventure hook on p. 17, under "Side Quests":
However, the hook is misleading:
Has errata been published for this? Or is this information incorrect on purpose, ...
- 47k
3
votes
0
answers
140
views
What do you think of 1/session items? Or help me find a better way to solve this plot hook. I'm stumped [closed]
I wanted to give my players a homebrew item, but I'm having a hard time balancing it around in-game / in-universe limitations. Normally this is like 1/day, 1/encounter etc.
I was thinking of doing 1/...
- 31
8
votes
0
answers
2k
views
How do I get players to care about the Lost Mines of Phandelver adventure? [closed]
I'm going to be running LMoP with a group mostly new to D&D. How can I get them to care about the hook enough to be interested in the story? I tried it previously with another group, but they just ...
- 81
17
votes
12
answers
8k
views
How to set up a "Forced choice" for players in a game?
I have come up with a plot twist to create a "wrong person, wrong place, wrong time" situation. That part is important, and I don't want to change it. However this obviously causes a potential ...
- 23.2k
2
votes
1
answer
1k
views
What are the dead ends in the Shackled City adventure path?
I am looking to convert the Shackled City adventure path into 5e and one of the things I have found in my research is that the first few chapters don't necessarily connect very well to the story.
I ...
- 30.3k
26
votes
3
answers
3k
views
I'm having difficulty getting my players to do stuff in a sandbox campaign
I've been a GM for about three years now. I've been GMing for this group for almost two years next month. I have an issue with motivating my players to take action.
It's a sandbox campaign and they'...
- 263
29
votes
6
answers
11k
views
How can I get players to stop ignoring or overlooking the plot hooks I'm giving them?
I have run a couple of campaigns with a few of my friends, and these people are genuinely interested in Dungeons & Dragons.
However, no matter what I do, they will not focus on the story, ...
- 1,327
11
votes
4
answers
3k
views
How do I encourage players to take plot hooks and accept quest rewards?
I messed up at the beginning of the campaign by introducing an element of urgency to the plot, and the party was recently split. All that's on their minds now is getting the party back together, even ...
- 111
44
votes
4
answers
7k
views
How to avoid favoritism when only one PC pulls on plot hooks?
I've been DMing a campaign for a while, and it has gone great. Unfortunately, I've noticed a trend in my style that I'm struggling to nip in the bud.
The whole party works together rather cohesively,...
- 761
6
votes
2
answers
340
views
How can I get PCs to care about NPCs in trouble?
I am running a game where I would prefer the characters personally feel invested in some NPCs and want to help them. I can near force the mission on them as "will of the gods," but I'd rather not.
...
- 111
21
votes
8
answers
4k
views
How can I involve a PC's backstory in a campaign that's set exclusively in a distant or foreign location?
I like my players to have a firm idea of their characters' backstories, and I like the idea of being able to draw on these (NPCs from the past showing up unexpectedly, etc.). However, in our next ...
- 25.2k
5
votes
1
answer
554
views
How do I prepare backup plans for if my players don't recognize a major plot hook or fail the checks to find it?
For context, I am the GM of a Star Wars Saga Edition game. We haven't had our first session yet, but we will soon.
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...
An exiled Gungan (PC "Aaron") ...
- 147
19
votes
7
answers
9k
views
How do I keep my players from investing too much time in their doomed characters?
I'm designing a campaign for a group of friends. One of the main plot hooks is a bunch of mercenaries that want to bring them to an oracle which gives them the first indication of the Big Bad. When ...
- 1,448
18
votes
6
answers
4k
views
Convincing characters to take up epic quests in a (mostly) realistic world
Background
I'm the DM of a role playing group. Improvised rule set.
I've created a world for my players where I have tried to be as close to 16th century reality as possible, with the additions of ...
- 382
36
votes
9
answers
14k
views
What is a plot hook, exactly?
I hear the term "plot hook" a lot, but I've never understood exactly what it means. I thought it was a method for introducing the player characters to an adventure, but the term doesn't seem ...
- 889
31
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What D&D manual describes this game dragons play?
In a D&D manual, I once read about a game that dragons play against each other. They use kingdoms as pawns and the games can last decades or centuries.
What book is the game in or what is the ...
- 301
2
votes
0
answers
156
views
Ideas for a new scenario (mutant style) [closed]
My first question here, let me know if I can improve my question. Or if I'm asking in the wrong place. :)
I'm planning start a modern campaign with my friends and I would like to create a "mutant" ...
- 121
2
votes
1
answer
231
views
Is there any good way to introduce an adventure? [closed]
So recently I have found myself trying to write my own adventures. With little bits from other games and such I have found myself able to write the adventure, encounters, and everything else, but I ...
- 783
65
votes
13
answers
10k
views
What to do when players bypass plot hooks
I am going to just start out by acknowledging that this is the best possible 'problem' a GM can ever have. My players are awesome, I just didn't know how awesome. They solved months of combat, ...
- 9,868
43
votes
3
answers
8k
views
Origin of "You all meet in a tavern..." cliche in fantasy roleplaying games?
Where does this silly (but fun) cliche come from? I couldn't find a definitive answer online.
The value of the tavern as a place where characters can meet, find new adventure hooks, and spend gold is ...
- 5,093
7
votes
3
answers
869
views
How to reveal plot hooks & other information when NPCs' survival depends on secrecy?
I think that these two problems have a common element that's not being addressed in their answers. The things that the PCs are pursuing basically exist as part of secret societies, in which divulging ...
- 6,461