Behind the Screen: Investigation Campaigns...

As requested by our good buddy Phil, The Chatty DM today I will be examining the most grand puzzle of them all: the investigation campaign. To me, the investigation campaign is probably the most difficult to pull off successfully and requires patience, finesse, and a whole lot of contingency planning on the part of the DM.

To me, an investigation campaign is one that focuses on the party unraveling some sort of intrigue, cracking some mysterious code, or gathering clues to thwart their enemies. Or all of the above.

Patience

One of the most important elements of a good investigation campaign is patience. As a DM, you know the full picture. You know the fact that the players missed a clue that was lodged in that tree stump over there, they didn't ask an important question of the NPC they just encountered, and it DRIVES YOU CRAZY.

It is paramount that as a DM you do not get mad at your players for not taking the appropriate steps. I have only experienced an investigation campaign as a player, so I have some unique perspective here: it is very easy to run down false leads, not see or understand an important clue, or generally just not pick up on the right things.

Finesse and Planning

As the DM, it takes a certain level of finesse to find the right mix of overt clues, leads, and events that take the characters down the right path. It also takes A LOT of contingency planning to ensure you can handle - in an interesting way - the different (mostly false) paths that your players will travel down.

A general rule of thumb to go by is assume that you will have to really set your clue off. I mean, to the point it is so obvious that you perceive NO WAY that it can be missed. Then, your players may have a chance at actually picking up on it. Often, I have found that DMs that really think they are smart guys will spread out latent clues in the setting, background, in reference materials sprinkled throughout the campaign. In reality, most players that I have been around usually don't remember intricate details, or don't think to "connect the dots" between the obtuse pieces of data. Often, it needs to restort to tactics that will seem heavy handed to you as DM, however remember... you already KNOW why the things you are putting forth are significant. They do not.

When the players start to pick up on the correct line of information, you might be able to scale back the "obvious factor" and let them fish for details a little more, but be careful not to let them linger in a state of confusion too long. If left to confusion, your players may elect to just throw up their hands and walk away, usually becoming resistant to returning to a "failed" line of information.

The Inspector Gadget Factor

To give a unique spin on the notion of investigation campaigns, I would like to invoke the name of my favorite detective of all time: Inspector Gadget. We can look to the common storyline of the Inspector Gadget cartoons to find an interesting approach on a investigation scenario: Dr. Claw (or one of his cronies) does something evil. Gadget goes to investigate and find some clues. He either completely misses the clue or takes a false clue and continues to examine it as if it was the proper lead, which places him in danger. It usually takes some heavy handed actions by his niece, Penny, to bring Gadget to the appropriate conclusion.

If you remove the comedic elements to this story, you find a microcosm of what a investigation campaign can look like. The moral to the story is simple: players see things differently and will often need help to find the appropriate answer.

Also, I can't stand M.A.D Cat, even 20 years later.