When I mean about "first session" is not about GM a game for a new group. It's about to create a stunning beginning to your game in a form that would impress even your old players.
The primal answer is: When beginning a campaign, what'd you do to make the history appealing in the very first session?
>>48179790
Media res opening perhaps?
>>48179790
You use this, or something similar. Beyond The Wall has a really slick way of making the world with the players and getting everyone into it. Characters start by building their village, basing their histories off each other. Even if you're not using that system or fantasy, its worth looking at.
Helps to have opening discussions about tones and themes everyone wants to work with so you don't have too much clashing aesthetics.
>>48179790
Paraphrasing Hitchcock, it should start with an earthquake and be followed by rising tension.
It doesn't have to be mystery or intrigue or murder, it works for any story. Give your players at least one 'wow' moment, then let them explore for a bit, adding new threads and elements constantly. Hopefully this will lead the story to a satisfying climax in later sessions.
I like to make my players feel small so that they can grow to accomplish things.
For instance you could have your players sent to a nearby town to retrieve a stolen locket (a simple fetch quest) but once they get to the town they find that the entire place has been burned to the ground. In the town they then encounter a glorious champion who rides in on a griffin wearing beautiful armor. He tells the players that 'he knows the foul demon who caused this destruction', and then, just as he finishes his sentence sinister imps start emerging from the cinders and the great demon bursts from the rubble.
The players can then fight alongside the champion, basically fighting the imps while he fights the demon. You can use the battle to show off how dangerous the demon is and also how strong the champion is, with both of them casting amazing spells and landing many attacks. The champion can kill an imp in one blow and the demon can step on a few as well. Once the players have eliminated the remaining imps the demon can summon a hundred more and the champion can sacrifice himself to save the players. (Or something like that) The champion acts as a high water mark that the players can compare themselves to and the seemingly unbeatable demon will make them feel humble and cautious. If the demon survives the encounter it can then be fought later and the players will feel very determined to revenge the champion who saved them.
Then when they get back to the starting village the person who gave them the fetch quest will inform them that they found the locket in their sock drawer and apologize for the wild goose chase.
It's a tough gig OP, but you've got some good advice from the rest of the Anons. But typically something good and engaging, depending on setting I'm certain there's plenty of options.
>>48182411
>>48182479
>>48182477
Thanks for the help guys!
One more thing: if anyone has done it, searching something about story construction and use of tropes improved the campaign and narrative? Did you think it's something that helps you or "lock" your narrative?
>>48182479
or it will look like a DMPC and players will hate you
>>48184249
Then it doubles as a way to see if someone's a cunt.
>>48179790
This actually depends largely on the game I'm running and the type of genre it belongs in more then anything else.
What a good opening is for a fantasy game isn't a good opening for a urban fantasy game or crime game or mystery type game for example.
My players expectations also factor heavily into my decisions in the first session.
>>48186397
Perhaps, but if that was you posting that then what you described has some pretty DMPC vibes to it even if that isn't your actual intention in the first place.
>>48186485
Unfortunately I'm afraid not. I was just passing through and wanted the thread to continue, but wanted to at least add something more than a bump.
>>48184249
the best way to make NPCs is to use them as reflections or inversions of your player characters. your players can basically control the dmpc based on their choices. if you want a character that your players will hate have him simply be the opposite of them. if you want a character that the players will love have him be a better version of them.
really you just have to DM reactively. let the players be active and let everything else follow their lead even when they feel like they are a mouse in a maze.
in terms of tropes, i generally like to play into them and against them. a trope is nothing more than shared knowledge. undermine the tropes and then once your players get used to that go back to them.
