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View Full Version : DM Help Churning out quest ideas?



Brendanicus
2015-09-27, 05:20 PM
So, I'm running my first non-module-based campaign, and I'm having trouble coming up for interesting quests for the players to do. My players waned a roleplay-heavy campaign, which I have thusfar provided for them. Unfortunately, it's a lot faster to resolve roleplay than combat, so any quest that isn't, "go here and kill the thing" gets resolved really quickly. My players are burning through quests faster than I can come up with engaging new ones.

DM's, how do you keep up coming up with new quests all the time? All of this prep-work is really eating into my time, but I also want the game to go on because everyone enjoys it a lot. Also, none of my players would step up to DM, so taking turns is not an option.

BigKahuna
2015-09-27, 11:56 PM
One thing I've found is that the more I DM, the less prep work I do. Generally I do a lot of work in the first few sessions while I'm doing world building and getting to know the players. However, once I know the players and their characters, I can just come up with the gist of an idea and improvise in the session. On the other hand, I also don't use stat sheets for NPCs very often, so it's not the most conventional style of DMing.

BWR
2015-09-27, 11:58 PM
The best fix for that that I can think of is more roleplaying. Keep the same number of quests, ramp up the NPC interaction and inconsequential drivel. Spend more time describing scenery, more time describing appearances, mannerisms, more IC talks and whatnot about the weather and other trivial details. Let the players come up with personal goals and plans to accomplish them. That will let them do more of the drudge work of coming up with plot and spending time discussing what they want to do and how they want to do it, and you will have a hook to build something off of.

When running RP-heavy games I've found that NPCs are the most important tool in a GM's kit. If you have a fairly large number of important NPCs (be it individuals or organizations) and know their personalities and goals, you are set. Then you will know what they are trying to do, how they are trying to do it and why. Interactions with the PCs becomes easier and you don't have to worry that much about quests because that will follow pretty naturally from their personalities. Fallout of actions comes naturally and paves the way for future complications and scenarios.
Don't be afraid to steal characters from other media. Steal proudly and shamelessly because it makes things so much easier for your players will either not notice or not care.

goto124
2015-09-28, 12:21 AM
Are there places to get highly detailed settings? Not modules, settings that allow for more sandboxy gaming styles, complete with environment and politics and NPCs who actually have personalities and motivations.

Brendanicus
2015-09-28, 07:03 AM
Are there places to get highly detailed settings? Not modules, settings that allow for more sandboxy gaming styles, complete with environment and politics and NPCs who actually have personalities and motivations.You mean published campaign settings? That's a great idea! The only thing I'm worse at thatn coming up with quest is descriptions. I am very weak on that front.

JAL_1138
2015-09-28, 07:09 AM
2nd edition AD&D had a ton of box set settings that might be helpful. Try looking for digital versions from WotC, they tend to be far cheaper than getting the dead tree versions off ebay.