What's the best way to keep players interested at the start

>>44190431
The start of a campaign is the best time for them to be reactionary, swept up in events. It's the time that their characters are the least defined, they're the least comfortable in their characters, and the characters have the most room for growth.
It's also when your plot is the least established and the details are most fluid.
It's the best time to just have the plot snatch the players up and get things going, why would anyone start the story with filler content?

>>44190923
A* post, this is where you can test your players, maybe kill off or retire a character if they want to make a last minute swap.

>>44190431
That cat has a sexy face.

>>44190431
I find that early on it's even more important to sweep the PCs into the adventure with immersive details. Throw them in all night without bogging the game down.

>>44190431
Remember to immediately kill off or mind control any friends or family mentioned in the PC's backstories. Every time. Without fail.
>our DM wonders why we're all orphaned loners
Remember to always have the level twenty super op BBEG show up at low levels and kick the PC's asses to show them how supid they are. Describe how tall and handsome and dark and perfect he is for ten minutes before letting anything else happen.
>our DM wonders why our characters are mocking and irreverent
Remember that loot is a privilege, not a right. Remove any magical gear any hostile encounters may be using when the PCs start looting.
>our DM wonders why we always play gearless classes
Remember that it's perfectly natural to roll nine natural twenties in a row. Punch anyone who touches your definitely not weighted dice.
>our former DM wonders why we make him roll with other people's dice

Yes, we are retiring him. If he doesn't get over being edgemaster supreme, we don't really need to keep inviting him.

>>44191451
Sounds like the GMs at the local store. Is your DM's name Mario or Adam, by any chance?

>>44191451
>Punch anyone who touches your definitely not weighted dice.

I hope this is hyperbole, because when someone starts using physical violence over a game of dice, you have officially entered ghetto territory.

>>44190431
>bandit attacks

Come on dude, that shit's lame. Think big.

>>44190431
What I like to do is to give them a closed off area that contains the elements you want in your campaign at large. A bunch of conflicting parties, a clear enemy that also presents the obstacle to their continued journey, restricted rsources and ways of increasing said resources, neutral parties that can be dealt with, and the implicated necessity to influence the area to further their goals.

Personally I like making currency irrelevant for the first leg of the trip. Players don't need to be told that money is important, and they will still gather loot that has worth and can be spent later.

>>44191488
I wish he was named Mario. He works as a butcher, and the name would fit him.

>>44191489
....

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>>44190973

>>44191496
>giant bandit attacks

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>>44191696

>>44191496
The idea was that they're being manipulated by the Lords of Dust (eberron campaign) and the players would slowly piece together that there was something bigger manipulating them. I feel like my execution has been pretty bad so far though.

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>>44192095