I think it would depends on the game or scenario you're running.  Sometimes there is an overall background to the party that can set baseline relationships among party members.  I also like to give a one or two sentence background to pregen characters which sometimes contains an interparty relationship or two - anymore info and I think it's hard to expect anyone to read it.  Sometimes the players run with this background (which is often pretty entertaining to me at least!) and sometimes they don't.   I don't really mind either way as long as they have fun in the game.

As a referee, I usually say, "You've been adventuring together for at least a while, so you know each others' strengths and tactics. Anything else is up to you."

As a player, I'm not a fan of any pregen backgrounds that may dictate how we have to run the PCs or manufactures drama ("You never leave X's side because you're in love" or "You hate helping X because you think he's been secretly hoarding treasure."). Feels a bit too scripted for me. Plus, I'd rather focus on exploring something cool than dealing with someone that may view the "relationship" background as a cue to indulge amature thespianism (you know the type). Without seeing the backgrouds, it's hard to say, I guess.

If I were playing in such a game I'd ignore anything but the class, level, attributes and abilities: I'm there to play a PC, not act out some author's script. If I can't fill in the blanks with my own imagination why am I there? So, as long as you'd be okay with folks having the freedom to ignore the backgrounds, go for it. I still voted "Terrible Idea" though. No offense meant. 

francisca wrote:

The best background info I ever gave a group with their pregens consisted of a few lines.  Here is an example:
Former Hedge Priest of the Blood Moon Heretics, now a Brother of the Light, a Cult of Law
What he is good at: Smiting chaos and evil
What he is bad at: remembering what a prick he was
What he knows: he was once a bad man

Each PC had about that much information.  The players picked it up, ran with it, and it was easily one of the best D&D sessions I've ever been part of.

 
While I didn't play that particular PC, that was indeed an amazing session.

Justicars of the world, Unite!

I've never done it, and probably would pass on running something that dictated me doing so. I find most of my convention players are either playing Hyperborea for the first time, or have played with me before, but haven't done so since my game at the previous convention. Meaning they are focused on either trying to learn the game on the fly, or trying to recall the game while not dying. 
Because of this, I want them to focus on learning how to enjoy the game, rather than their characters backstory. 
Plus, frankly, I already take enough time explaining the system/setting/mechanics as it is, and devoting more time to explain character backstory isn't something I'm interested in. Not to mention putting further strain on a voice that's probably already hoarse as it is, in an environment that is likely loud. 
Frank is coming from the standpoint of where he's always running a game in board room, or room with maybe 1-2 more tables and can talk at a normal conversational level. There's zero issues with players hearing him, not to mention the luxury of not having to explain how the game works to a considerable amount of the table. 

mabon5127 wrote:

Also a reason I dont put alignment on pregens. Too stifling.

At the end of the day, we have a short window of a few hours to sink the hook of AS&SH into a con players mouth, run and complete a somewhat decent adventure, and make sure the players are having a fun time (or at least glad they chose to spend their time playing with you).
Focusing on anything else than these 3 is folly. Too many GM's lose sight of the fact a player is at your table at their leisure, not the GM's. 

Last edited by Ar'Pharazon (1/26/2020 3:50 pm)

lige wrote:

I think it would depends on the game or scenario you're running.  Sometimes there is an overall background to the party that can set baseline relationships among party members.  I also like to give a one or two sentence background to pregen characters which sometimes contains an interparty relationship or two - anymore info and I think it's hard to expect anyone to read it.  Sometimes the players run with this background (which is often pretty entertaining to me at least!) and sometimes they don't.   I don't really mind either way as long as they have fun in the game.

Yuh. It's all very much dependent on the type of scenario. Like Mabon's Knives in the Dark had a few light connections among PCs and with NPCs, and it was immediately immersive into the Khromarium of the adventure. Since I'm not as interesting as Mabon, most of the scenarios I run at cons are basically, "Well, you made it this far together, and the treasure is in ... THERE."

But maybe one day I'll do something a little less seat of the pants!

At any rate, there are shades of gray.

gizmomathboy wrote:

Lige had an event last year at Gary Con were there was some prior relationships amongst the players and the setting.

That was handled as backstory and the premise for why we were there. It really didn't influence how we as a group interacted. At least I didn't take it as such. It might have also been because we were vicious raiders that basically razed the town many years ago.

No honor among razers so to speak.

We played in that one, too! Yes, no hesitation before sacrificing literally any of my companions. It would be one hard bastard of a backstory that could make me less of double-crossing ass, though!
 

Hi I actually played in David Prata's Lost Treasure of Atlantis session at TotalCon and now i am thinking of running it myself as an intro to AS&S to my group. I was wondering  if anyone has access to David (or Chainsaw's) pregen characters for this adventure? I tried sending him a DM but the system wont let me since i am a new member =)