The Pickle Approach: How to Draw Your Players in from the First Line
We’ve all seen it happen: your players settle in, dice at the ready, snacks within reach as you begin describing the opening scene. But within a few lines, their eyes start to drift toward their phones or character sheets.
The problem isn’t your story. It’s the hook.
Whether you are introducing a new campaign, a side quest or a single encounter, your opening line sets the tone for everything that follows. Done right, it creates that spark of curiosity and excitement - the collective “wait, what?” moment that makes your table lean forward.
So how do you craft that perfect hook when time is short and inspiration is even shorter?
Your hook should sound, taste and feel a bit like a pickle!
It might sound strange, but the Pickle Approach (as described by OpusTales on Reddit) gives you a simple, flavourful way to build intrigue that snaps, bites and keeps your players coming back for more.
🥒#1: Make It Snap!
First impressions in D&D are fleeting yet crucial.
If you spend too long on exposition, your players’ attention will slip faster than a greased gelatinous cube. Start with motion, tension or a vivid sensory detail. Keep it short and punchy.
Example: From our Phantom Vengeance Mythic Box handbook...
🥒#2: Make It Juicy!
A great hook gives your players a taste of what is to come, like a briny drop of foreshadowing. Tease the tone, stakes or theme without serving the full meal.
You are not explaining why or how yet, you are just invoking their curiosity.
Example: From Helios' Crimson Feast Mythic Box...
🥒#3: Make It Bite!
The best openings surprise or confuse your players in a good way. End your setup with a twist that shifts their expectations or challenges their assumptions.
This bite of danger or tension makes the players instantly alert.
Example: From Helios' Threads of the Spider Expansion Pack...
🥒#4: Make It Craveable!
Leave your players wanting more and on the edge of their seat. A great D&D hook invites questions: Why? Who? How?
The less you explain, the more your players imaginations fill the gaps and that is where engagement thrives.
Example: From Helios' Curse of The Eternal Pharoah handbook...
It is simple. Inviting. Engaging.
🧷Bonus Tip: Seal It Tight!
Once you’ve captured attention, transition smoothly into the world. Connect your hook to player goals, NPC motives or upcoming encounters so the intrigue doesn’t fizzle out.
The “seal” is what turns a fun, captivating opening line into a fully preserved story seed.
Example: "The Sharp, coppery tang of blood is the first thing you notice as you enter the presumably once sterile, white-tiled haemoturgy lab.."
Instant intrigue, right? That's your snap!
But it only works if you seal it into a compelling story. Maybe the scene opens in the Haemoturgy Lab, a forgotten laboratory now devoted to blood alchemy.
Here is how you seal it tight (straight from the handbook provided with each Mythic Box):
"Bright white lights shine down, giving you a clear view of the horrific place. You see workbenches with syringes, bone saws and other tools, as well as rectangular tables which are covered in blood. Around the room are containment pods with glass doors that show the unconscious forms of the kidnapped victims within."
You've now bridged your players from a mysterious image into a tangible scene with momentum and mystery. The hook becomes a full encounter.
🎲 Looking for a full story to match one of these hooks? Unbox your next mythic encounter!
If you want ready-made props that captures this same eerie, tension, check out the Haemoturgy Lab Mythic Box from Helios Tabletop.
It's steeped in gothic atmosphere: blood magic, forbidden science and terrifying experiments, making it the perfect inspiration for when you need to "seal" your next narrative hook into a fully realized adventure.
Each Helios Tabletop Mythic Box comes with a handbook that gives you everything you need. From the perfect hook for the encounter to stat blocs - we've got you and your players covered!
Here is an inside look 👀:
Remember...
A good D&D hook doesn’t need to be long or elaborate. It just needs to make your table care. Use the Pickle Approach to season your intros with the right mix of snap (pacing), juice (detail), bite (tension) and crave (mystery).
When your opening line lands just right, your players won’t just follow the story - they will chase it!
💬 We Want to Hear from You!
Which of these examples would you love to see turned into a full Mythic Box adventure?
The bells of Nervermere, the mysterious letter, the eerie smiling village, the unsettling mayor with a blade inside the tavern?
Drop you vote or pitch your own twist in the comments! We might just bring your idea to life in a future Helios Tabletop Mythic Box.