Mixed groups: veteran heroes and new adventurers

[shaneivey]

Who here has run or played in a TOR game with a mixed group of player characters, where some were much more experienced than others? What was it like?

[Yusei]

This thread might be relevant: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1145

[shaneivey]

Thanks, Yusei! It sounds like you have played with this exact challenge. Could I get you to give a couple of examples of how it has affected game-play for your group? You listed a few great tips (focus deliberately on the new characters' traits; put them in situations that ONLY they can handle). How has that played out for you in practice?

[Yusei]

I haven't yet tried those ideas in game. My group got two new characters when we started playing Darkening of Mirkwood, but we've only played twice since then. I'll tell you how it went after a few more games

[Dunheved]

As a temporary fix I have set up an 'add-in' character. (This is a Dwarf who is closely associated with Radaghast.) If a visitor or temporary guest member joins in I can let them run with this character acting with their own brief/agenda from Radaghast and being able to drop out again (i.e. "I'm off to Rhosgobel now/ best of luck guys/stay on the path/ don't eat unwashed mushrooms etc) at points in the narrative.

I look at the general progress of the group and add on some extra AP + XP to Dworin in the background at a similar rate. These points can be allocated by the guest player if capable or I can do it. In this way there is a spare character those capabilities are about par for new people. I'm trying to avoid that character being by default a spare watchman or arrow sharpener while the heavy boys do all the action. [some of Dworins skills outshine the regular crew to make him the best man (sorry dwarf) for the job sometimes: and he's got one of those Ravens]. It can also surprise the regular crew to find that Dworin has been developing on his own while they are off on adventures - no Ent draughts though!

However I have to agree that Bilbo was a classic newbie who grew into a hero. (aren't we all?)