Naming the Party

Today I'd like to share a few brief thoughts about the practice of having a play group choose a name for their team. While it may not seem important to most folks, I find that the practice of developing an official name for a party is a rewarding endeavor that can add another layer to player and non player interactions. There are a number of advantages to having an official moniker for your team, so let's go over a few of the biggest ones...

Primarily, it makes for an effective team building exercise between the players. Even just the process of dreaming up some options and discussing them as a group can help develop the bond between PCs and the nature of their group. This is why it is usually best to save this experience for after the group has been together for a session or two, so they can establish a dynamic. That way they have a better idea of what kind of name would fit them best.

It also gives your players an easy identifier to use over the course of the campaign. Being able to refer to their unit rather than just individuals will help them to have better shorthand in dealing with various NPCs. As a matter of convenience, being able to name your group is just plain useful.

It also makes it easier for your team to develop a reputation. A name is something that can be feared or respected, but first it must exist. Giving your team a memorable title is the first step toward hearing it whispered and screamed to the heavens. It's a nifty dramatic feature that might even be used as the title of your campaign itself.

A team name can range from silly to imposing, but the important part is that the whole group enjoys the name and identifies with it in some way or another. You can easily cue up the process of brainstorming the group's name in a number of ways. An NPC might ask the players to introduce themselves as a unit, or they might start showing up on wanted posters. However it comes up, you can then ask the group to decide on what they want to call themselves going forward.

Here are some examples of typical adventuring party names:

• Vox Machina (Critical Role)
• The Crew of the Mynock (Campaign Podcast)
• The Crazy Partiers (One Shot Podcast)
• The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings)
• The Rat Queens (Rat Queens)

Hopefully this gives you a bit of motivation and inspiration for developing a group name in your own home games!

Happy ventures!