“Hail and Well Met!” Joining an Established Campaign

It is no small feat to join an existing group and it can be very intimidating to say the least. In fact, I think one of the most challenging things one can do in a roleplaying game as either a GM or a player is to join an established group mid-campaign. Will you fit in? Will they like your character? How many inside jokes do they have? And the list goes on. I would like to posit that joining an existing group does not have to be all that intimidating if you know how to approach it. Let's talk about how to make it easier and discuss some of the perks!

The Tips 

Meet with your new GM

First, I would arrange to sit down with the GM one-on-one outside of the game to get a feel for their campaign and to cover the expectations they have for their players. This will also be a great time for the GM to give you a synopsis of the story so far and to help you tie your backstory to both the main plot and to the other characters to help you seamlessly join their band of adventurers. I would also make sure to take the time to discuss any trigger warnings, sensitive material, or content that is a no-go for yourself, the other players, and the GM.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions while at the table

Don’t understand what happened with the last interaction? Missed an inside joke? Speak up! Ask to be included so you don't miss out on the story or the fun! While the GM and the players ought to be explaining things to you as the story goes on, it is possible that they may have forgotten an important detail (after all, a lot happens over the course of a campaign). Always make sure you ask questions, take good notes, and soon you will be up to speed with the rest of the party.

The Perks

You get to start of the game at a higher level

By joining an existing campaign, you get to skip the early levels where your character is super vulnerable and a wizard can be taken out by a stray crossbow bolt. (I've seen it happen; it was not fun.) You can build your character and start your game with some of the more defining abilities that the character wants to use. This is especially true after 3rd level in D&D, as that is when characters gain some of their defining traits. 

You can tie your character’s backstory more closely to the plot/other characters

This is a nice little perk as most of the time during session zero the players are working on very limited information when building their character backstory. When you join an ongoing campaign, you get the opportunity to work with the Game Master to develop a story that will fit better with all of the information gathered by the party so far. Who knows, maybe you even get to give an important clue the party has been looking for! You can also work with your fellow players to build a cohesive story involving their characters. This will help your character fit seamlessly into the game.

You can build your character to fit into exactly what the party is missing that suits your play-style. Or surprise everyone!

With some games, the party can really benefit from a missing role. Joining a campaign allows you to create a fresh face that is tied to the story and is a real boon to the party. Are they missing a healer, a jack-of-all-trades, an arcane caster, a face, or an upfront fighter? Looking at the whole team composition, you have the opportunity to tailor your character to exactly what the party is missing. If your GM and players don’t like too much meta-gaming, then make something you really want to play and surprise everyone! Just make sure everyone is on the same page first.

The Pitch

Join our adventuring party!

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that we have a few open seats in a few of our current campaigns. In our first campaign, Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden, our brave party of adventurers are beginning to explore the frozen reaches in the area around Ten-Towns, the only semblance of civilization in the frost covered tundra. Now that the party is beginning to stretch their legs, it would be a great time to join in! 

Our second campaign, Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus, is really heating up! The party is on the verge of uncovering a major conspiracy that will lead them into the depths of Hell itself! If you have been thinking about joining this campaign, now is a great time to jump in!

Both groups are currently 4th level, have five regular players, and we would love to have you join us! For more information feel free to reach out to me directly at karington@openheartgames.com

Take Heart!

Karington Hess

Game Master and Founder of Open Heart Games