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I was listening to 'Fear the Boot' episode 331 and the guys talked about why characters were even together and how you could create a story in a group setting and also set up for new players/characters to join in on the fun without tilting the mechanics or heavy swing in the story setting too much. Personally I like what my buddy V does with his game (I am a member) where he has one of two elements in 'supreme control' of the team. Without being a GMPC (vs. NPC), the GM has created an environment where the players have control of where they go so long as they are on course of the mission.

Now I said that could be done one of two ways, either a religious mission or a nation mission is where that can occur. Otherwise the GM gets too close to the action and the game 'could' lose some of the fun. But that's not what this article is about. I just didn't want to lead off on a tangent or give a lead and not cap it off.

Now, I said that they talked about group starting mechanics. It was a little like what FATE system does with their game and I thought that FtB had some great idea (ergo FATE did I guess) that the GM and the players set the limits of the characters and what the focus is about (combat, drama combo, etc). This prevents guys who create character that are focused on combat to be stuck in a drama situation (or visa verse) because it is what the GM thought the players would like. Its not a long discussion (half hour long) but it is so juicy. Its a real must hear.

I don't know about other groups, but the one I am in we talk about what we might want or need in the way of characters and how to introduce them into a group or the reasons for the group being formed.

Often a group needs a specialist and they like to keep one around. and since one guy can't do everything.

1) commonality: same class or same race or both. Look at TMNT they are essentially, mechanically the same character. What makes them different is their personalities.

2) have a pre campaign meeting. Talk about the characters, how they will interact, relationship, even storylines. TV shows and books don't have random groups getting along. Either you have to expect players to kill each other, hell even encourage it sometimes or say no to certain ideas. A miscreant assassin and a palladin of rurga have no business being in the same party. Someone is going to die. They don't just chum along because that's the story.