D&D 5E The "Sealed Envelope" Character Campaign. Would you play?

[DND_Reborn]

Sometime I did back in AD&D, and of course requires player buy-in, but I wondered if people (in general) might be willing to give this a try:

A dozen (or more) pre-generated PC concepts are made and placed in sealed envelopes. Each concept will include race, ability scores, backgrounds, along with alignment and personality traits.

Each player gets to choose two envelopes to open and review the concepts inside. You MUST play one or the other. You cannot change your race or your background, etc. Ability scores can be adjusted only by reducing a score two points to increase a different score one point.

You then choose your class, starting equipment, etc. as normal.

If your character dies, by default your new character is based on your second envelop selection, using the same rules, but will enter the game at the same level as your deceased character.

If both characters die, you can make a sidekick character to continue playing or may leave the game as a player. If envelopes remain, you can choose a third as well, if your first two PCs are deceased. You may continue to come to view how the game unfolds if you wish, of course!

So, the question: would you play in such a campaign?

There is a challenge here, of course, and I expect players who "only want to play what I want to play" will say "no". I also understand for many people playing time is limited, so having that view is not by default a bad one (no judgement here!).

As I opened with, I have run such games in AD&D with a lot of success, but with modern views I am not certain how well received it would be.

 

[overgeeked]

So, the question: would you play in such a campaign?

No, only because if it’s pre-gen characters they should be completely pre-gen characters. I don’t want to finish someone else’s half-done character sheet. Two completed characters and I pick one? Sure, why not.

 

[Baron Opal II]

Maybe. There are character types I strongly prefer, but this could be a refreshing change.

I don't know how long I would be in it though... Hmm, hard to say. Of course, I haven't played in > 20 years, so there's that too.

 

[Oofta]

For a short campaign? Maybe. Long term campaign? No.

 

[TwoSix]

Weirdly, the fact that they were pre-generated beforehand makes it a bit of a turn-off. I'd totally be on board with doing a random generation if I rolled the race, class, personality traits, etc, on a table, but having someone else do it for me makes me feel not attached.

Not a logical stance, I know, but that's how I feel about it.

 

[Eltab]

+1 to Oofta, above
For a short campaign, yes. This would be a different set of restraints / options to try out / practice.
For a long campaign, no. I know how I play (what class, stats, &c best synergize) and want to increase my chances of making it all the way to the end, not play against type.

 

[vecna00]

No, I would pass on that one.

 

[Irlo]

I’d play if that were a condition of the invitation to play, because I don’t get enough invitations to play. But I’d want to know the reason for the odd character generation methods.

 

[JEB]

I would be interested - sounds like a neat challenge - but I'd like it even more as @overgeeked described.

 

[not-so-newguy]

I'd be in. 100%.
I'm probably in the minority tho