by Rekkless
TLDR at the bottom.So I managed to get a few family members together to join me in playing a Descent campaign. I chose the Shadow Rune, because I will be playing as the overlord and a I read it favored the heroes quite a bit. Just like a back alley drug dealer I wanted to get everyone addicted on the sweet, sweet Descent glory before we move onto more polished and competitive campaigns.
While to date I've played about 8 or 9 quests with my Fiancee, they have mostly just been trial and error "exhibition games" with new heroes and basic rules.
But with the start of this campaign I was to create an experience that everyone will enjoy and at the end of it, want to come back for more.
First blood, achieved just that. The new players had a great time learning the mechanics, working together and gaining a feel for the game. I sensed a great deal of achievement in them as they slayed the mighty Mauler. They selected "The Cardinals Plight" as the second quest, however I managed to win this quest. It was hard fought, and an absolute battle for both sides. However, I did manage to kill the Cardinal before they found the Rune key. Everyone had a good time, but I fear continued defeats will deflate their enjoyment of the game, as each quest is quite mentally demanding.
Can anyone give me any hints or tips on how to make a campaign engaging exciting and balanced. I want to make sure each quest is indeed a close battle, but I fear that my experience in strategy games will more often than not give me a significant edge. Perhaps I am being cocky and once the heroes are upgraded with new skills and weapons it will take every tactic in my book just to win a first encounter.
Anyway my rambling aside, TLDR - Does anyone have any tips on running a campaign that ensure everyone has a good time and wants to come back for another campaign afterwards?