Treasure First: A Fast Hack For Creating Journey Hooks

When gamers fail to set off an encounter or journey, our prep turns into moot and the sport goes sideways. However how do you craft hooks so interesting that gamers chew on them tougher than an orc at an all-you-can-eat troll BBQ?

Earlier this week, I gave a tip about dropping treasure onto your map first to behave as a sort of Plot Compass. Stack a dungeon or journey on high of every treasure to guard it, and also you’ve acquired on the spot Participant Magnets and irresistable hooks.

Then I obtained this query from Wizard of Journey Arvindh:

How can I apply this to a typical marketing campaign? As in…a non-sandbox marketing campaign?

Nice query! Thanks Arvindh.

Let’s assume you’re utilizing a designed journey, both revealed or homebrewed.

Adventures are principally plans. What occurs if the gamers do that or that? Sandboxes are comparable, however adventures add one other layer of complexity of constructing you attempt to preserve the plan on observe.

We are able to use the plan to our benefit, although. (Word that the next steps can be taken to restore damaged or under-performing adventures.)

1. Stock Treasure
2. Polish Your Treasure
3. Pin Treasure to Map
4. Pile On the Threats

Let’s rapidly go over every step….

Step 1. Stock Treasure

Comb by way of your journey, going backwards from the final encounter (as a result of the most effective treasure normally lies ready on the finish, sigh).

Make a fast listing of all notable treasure. Embrace magic gadgets, loot piles, and non-monetary rewards.

Step 2. Polish Your Treasure

Take just a few moments to reinforce the treasures to make them much more interesting as Participant Magnets.

For instance, begin by swapping out generic rewards for ones particular and related to the characters and participant pursuits.

Do the identical swap once more, however out of your GMing perspective of plot enhancements and treasure-as-clues.

And should you can spare the time, make every magic merchandise as distinctive as doable — even the minor ones. That isn’t a dagger +1. It’s Whisper’s Sting, a slender +1 dagger with a blade that shimmers like a moonlit river. As soon as per day, the wielder can use the dagger to solid silence in a small radius for as much as 5 minutes. The dagger as soon as belonged to the notorious halfling rogue, Lirra Quickfoot, who is thought for her capacity to infiltrate probably the most guarded locations with no sound.

Step 3. Pin Treasure to Map

If utilizing a printed journey, particularly a few of the trendy ones, the emphasis is on the storyline versus treasure for Participant Magnets. So it’s worthwhile to take a look at the place your greatest treasure sits within the journey (or add some) and unfold the information.

For instance, an NPC may rush as much as the celebration pleading for assist avenging a loss of life. And alongside the way in which to fixing the homicide, the PCs are presupposed to stumble onto a dagger +1.

So that you may begin spreading the backstory and rumours of Whisper’s Sting now to catch gamers’ curiosity. And because the celebration discovers extra concerning the magic weapon, the clues occur to ship them to an journey location additionally essential to the storyline. Double rainbow.

Step 4: Pile On the Threats

Events of characters can multi-task. Terry stresses over fixing the homicide, whereas Sandy makes a declare for the dagger, dreaming of how superior it will likely be to stealth round higher.

This lets us floor the existence of treasures usually buried inside plans, adventures, and storylines with out worry of derailing our schemes. In so doing, we will use treasure Participant Magnets as backups in a Three Clue Rule solution to make journey plans extra sturdy.

Put one other approach, create and preserve further particulars of treasures in your again pocket, prepared to tug out ought to gamers wander off-track.

As well as, some adventures will add treasure simply to satisfy some sort of XP finances, they usually don’t essentially make the most effective use of the treasure or guard it effectively. The rationale is usually that “the storyline deserves the loot.”

So for all the nice treasure, guarantee threats correctly shield it. Or higher but, have foes use the treasure as a lot as doable. Take Whisper’s Sting off that skeleton within the hidden alcove and sheath it on the stage boss’s belt — a fortunate discover for her whereas exploring the higher ruins someday.

Doing this helps you additional floor treasure particulars as hooks and Plot Compasses with out trashing recreation steadiness.

In Abstract

Arvindh, I counsel you mine your journey for treasure. Enhance the treasure the place doable so it turns into participant catnip. Then unfold rumours and clues concerning the treasure to get the celebration salivating. Lastly, attempt to make treasure an energetic journey ingredient by placing it into play.

Should you’d like extra particulars on tips on how to mine revealed adventures on this approach, for not simply treasure, however NPCs, monsters, and funky places as effectively, try my Journey Constructing Grasp Recreation Plan, which is on sale — final day is at this time (Nov 30, 2023).

As a part of that course, you’ll get a bonus course known as Journey Hacking. And Journey Hacking exhibits you tips on how to mine revealed adventures for each tasty morsel to wield in your present — and future — campaigns.

I hope this helps!

Cheers,
Johnn
roleplayingtips.com
Have extra enjoyable at each recreation!