At some point in an ongoing campaign, you’ll probably need to introduce new player characters (PC’s). A new player may join the game, an existing character may die or retire, or a player may just want to play someone different. Whatever the circumstance, we need ways to introduce new characters without breaking the story.
In this article, we’ll look at some methods for folding in new characters. We’ll consider ways to do that “in town”, and in the field.
IN TOWN
Sometimes new characters join up while the party is home between adventures. The “town” can be an actual town, a starbase, a superhero lair, or other option. Here are a few “in town” options:
Friend Or Relative
A new PC can be a friend or relative of an existing character. This way the party will know they can trust the new companion (usually). This may require some out of character discussion between two players to establish the nature of the relationship.
Recommended By A Friend
Another option is to have a friendly, recurring non-player character recommend the new PC to the party. They will be able to vouch for their personal qualities and abilities. In our current campaign, the local priest was able to introduce a traveling paladin to the party.
Looking For Work
The new PC may approach the party about a job or a chance to share the loot. This gives them a chance to tell their story and showcase their skills. You may want to consult with the player beforehand so they can decide if they want to prepare a backstory or not.
New Crewmember
If you are running a military-style game, new PC’s can simply be assigned to the party. They may be new crewmembers of the Starship Enterprise, new recruits in the Rebel Alliance, or new grunts in your orc legion. This is an easy way to introduce new players. However, you may want to brief players beforehand if your setting has some expected ethical behaviors. For example, players in a Star Trek game need to know about the Prime Directive, and not to reach for their phaser in every encounter.
IN THE FIELD
Often it’s necessary to introduce new characters while the party is out in the field. Sessions aren’t usually neat like TV shows. They don’t always end with the party back in town. However, there are a few ways to bring new people onstage.
Prisoner
This is an old saw, but it does work. If you start a session with a battle or negotiation session with an enemy, then the new PC can be their prisoner. Maybe they were poking around where they shouldn’t have been and got captured. Maybe they were searching for the party to join up anyway.
Wandering Adventurer
The new PC might just happen to be in the same area as the party and ask to join up. If they were seeking out the same goal as the party, this can be a plausible excuse for including them in the party.
Sent To Help
The new PC may have been sent by a friendly NPC in town to help the party. Perhaps their benefactor or superior decided they may need additional help fulfilling their mission. As with “Recommended By A Friend”, this has the advantage of lending credibility to their request to join up.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
New players and new PC’s can provide excitement to a campaign. Hopefully this article provided some methods to help ease them into play. You can even mix and match them. For example, a friend or relative might catch up with the party to help them while they are in the field. Stir to your heart’s content.
What other storytelling options exist for bringing new PC’s on board? Are there some that worked well for you in the past? Are there some that didn’t? Let us know below.
