10 Boring and Clichéd Ways to start a D&D Campaign

10 Boring and Clichéd Ways to start a D&D Campaign

#1. Caravan Guards.

#2. Summoned by Royalty or a Noble.

#3. Everyone meets in a Tavern or Inn.

#4. The Town or City is attacked, thrusting the party together mid combat.

#5. Everyone has Amnesia.

#6. Shipwrecked.

#7. Call for adventurers on a Wanted Poster.

#8. Everyone is kidnapped / captured

#9. Everyone is teleported against their will.

#10. On a ship, which is attacked during the voyage.

10 Better Ways to start a D&D Campaign

#1. Festival or Holiday. Possibly with gift giving.

#2. Natural Disaster, eg. Flood or earthquake.

#3. Wedding. All the PCs are put at the misfit table.

#4. Funeral. All the PCs somehow knew the deceased and are named in their will.

#5. At a large contest. Eg. Jousting tournament, archery, wizardry, etc. It could also be something low key like a fishing derby.

#6. At the signing of a treaty, ending a long war.

#7. Public Bath House or Hot Springs. Could actually be quite funny...

#8. Marketplace during a sales event. Everything is 30% off.

#9. During a refugee crisis, PCs are fleeing the horrors of war.

#10. PCs are conscripted into an army against their will.

 

If you use your imagination you can come up with a number of different ways and places the PCs could meet.

 

• Hospital
• Brewery
• Weapon-Smithy
• Forest Fire
• Public Execution or Trial
• Royal Visit to the local village
• Strange Chasm or Rift cuts a major road apart, causing travelers to seek an alternative route together. Or to possibly attempt to build a bridge together...
• Etc

Whatever more imaginative thing you do, it will doubtlessly be better than the old "you all meet in a tavern" cliché.