#WEIRD WEST RPG ADVENTURE HOOKS PC#

Google was a good jump off point, and I found this post to be a nice summary and introduction: What defines a West Marches Campaign. Some time ago, I decided to start a West Marches type campaign with the idea of an episodic, easy-to-prep game for a group changing players in mind. Starting a West Marches Campaign (Part 1) Starting a West Marches-style Campaign (Part 6).Starting a West Marches-style Campaign (Part 5).Starting a West Marches-style Campaign (Part 4).Starting a West Marches Campaign (Part 3).Starting a West Marches Campaign (Part 2).Starting a West Marches Campaign (Part 1).They could be innocent and trying to solve the mystery too or the villain. The mysterious stranger could be linked to something disappearing or even a crime, such as a murder or a theft. This NPC can appear and disappear a few times before the players finally track them down for a conversation or encounter. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) begins with Indiana Jones successfully acquiring the idol only to be forced to give it up to Belloq.įor this hook, you create an interesting and mysterious NPC. The only issue is that someone they know will try to stop their efforts as a side effect of pursuing their own villainous goals. Look at the goals of your group (or a single PC) and create a hook that lets them pursue that goal. I used this hook for a holiday adventure where one of Santa’s elves barely makes it to town to ask for help to stop Krampus (and save the holiday too).

#WEIRD WEST RPG ADVENTURE HOOKS PC#

Lying on the ground dying (or exhausted)… they hand a PC a letter or whisper a few words, then they die (or collapse). Your party of PCs are wandering into a new town or down the street from their home, when a dying man almost bumps into one of them. This is super fun when you get to be “that GM” and kill the “Old Friend” later in the adventure or have the “Old Friend” actually be a minor or major villain. Unless the players are heartless bastards, the PCs should rush to the aid of their friend.

For extra fun, have the “Old Enemy” establish themselves in a trusted position of privilege or some other frustrating way to prevent access to the villain (or at least a public fight).Ī recurring NPC the players like or someone from the past of one of the PCs shows up and needs their help.

Make sure to be clear what the positive outcome would be such as the final defeat of the villain, saving the village from her evil plot, getting to the treasure before the villain, etc. If your recurring villain has established themselves as someone the players dislike and want to stop, it shouldn’t be hard to get them to grab onto this hook. Your party learns that an old enemy is back in town and is up to their old tricks. Here are 5 classic hooks to draw your players into an adventure. If all else fails, let the players know that your latest adventure location has a ton of treasure and magic items.

A good way to save on prep time is to provide multiple hooks for a single adventure. If a hook hits all four of the above it should work, regardless of what technique you use to deliver it.

offer a outcome (reward) the players desire.

tie into the backstory of the adventure.

However they find a hook, it should give your players a compelling reason to go on the related adventure. You can share multiple hooks at the same time or let the players discover a hook on their own by finding clues, talking to NPCs or having it hit them in the face with an encounter. Every adventure begins with a hook, something to draw your players in.

Weird west rpg adventure hooks