Feb 28, 2017 1:41 am
DMJ, I pasted the content from your PM here, for ease of editing, etc.
FINISHED GOING OVER THIS. TV TIME WITH THE WIFE, I'LL GET TO THE REST TOMORROW. I HAVEN'T READ THEM YET, BUT THE CODES OF HONOR HAVE ME INTRIGUED.
Also, notice that quotes, when pasted to GP from other writing software, turn into question marks; it's the primary reason I created a 'Writing Pad' thread in my GM screen, so I could write some, and save my post, write more, save, without worrying about transferring from MS-Word, or losing written content due to an accidental Backspace press at the wrong time.
This is all good stuff. A few comms below in GREEN.
- J
Suggested Chages Below:
Moved the following paragrpah to the top, as every time I read it, this paragraph really gets my attention, and is THE hook that pulls me in, and makes we want to know so much more...There are dark elements, both known and hidden, throughout this world. Lost cultures from the distant past dealt in dark secrets. Sorcerers and witches of old called upon the names of demons, gleaned power from horrifying monsters, and made pacts with the races that dwelt on the earth before man. Vast treasure was amassed by the war champions, the wizards, and the fiends of old. The remnants and artifacts of those lost ages are still discovered from time to time, by both the foolish and the bold, whether hidden in the dark corners of an ancient ruin, or perhaps even carried forth in secret by cults and shadowy factions who claim to have some fragment of ancient power.
This setting is intended to be different than what seems to be the default ?High Fantasy? setting suggested by traditional D&D, This setting will be what is described in the 5e DMG on pgs. 38-39 as ?Sword and Sorcery.? It is a world inspired primarily by the Conan stories of Robert E. Howard and his Hyborian Age setting. Other influences are the short stories of Clark Ashton Smith and H.P. Lovecraft. The most direct RPG product inspirations are the original 1st Edition AD&D modules produced by TSR, the Conan RPG by Mongoose Publishing, and the more recent Primeval Thule Campaign Setting by Sasquatch Game Studio.
In the end, this game world is meant to be dark and grim, austere and merciless. It is a world that is more ?realistic?, and may remind us of our own in some ways, but with a dose of unrealistic fantastical settings and darkness. It is also a world of adventure, wealth, fame, and glory for those who are tough enough to explore and subdue it.
I definitely like the re-org and the other changes.
Some of the game options and mechanics will be adjusted to fit this setting. Combat is bloody, dangerous, and exhausting. The rules of injury, recovery, and dying are adjusted to capture a grittier depiction of close calls with death at low and negative HPs. Admittedly, it's a dangerous, unforgiving world, and ultimately intended for players who are up to the challenge, where death, and worse is possible. Those of you who join the game shouldn't expect the DM to 'come to the rescue' when you make foolish choices. Hopefully that's not too much of a change, but I guess it's my way of making sure I don't have to babysit the kind of players who expect the DM to 'come to the rescue' when they do dumb shit. I'm looking for realistic here, and trying to relate that to the player.
I get you. Good call. I'll probably smith around with the wording, but need to get the point across that there is some real danger and that the threat of character death is a part of this world and part of the nerve-wracking style of play that we are trying to capture. No "Safety Net" from the Benevolent God DM who will keep you from splattering on the floor if you miss the ledge on the 10-story long jump.
The influence of magic is also toned down severely and converted to a different role and nature within the game. Most spells are restricted. Others are changed. Ritual magic will become the only way for a PC to even have a chance to perform any Arcane spells.
Humans are the default race over across the entire world, and the only race available to Player Characters. Humans of this world will be differentiated by what will be referred to as ?human sub-races,? which will represent differences in regional groups who share a common language and similar culture. Demi-human races such as elves, dwarves, halflings, and gnomes either do not exist at all, or are modified to be fantastical peoples extremely rare and scarcely understood.
The most dramatic departure from the traditional game will be that Classes and Class Archetypes will be limited almost exclusively to non-spellcasters, with a small exception for the possibility of very low-level druids and clerics with modified spell access and abilities. Characters with some Druid or Cleric levels will have to multi-class at some point to continue to advance in overall character class levels. So in the end, this will be mostly a game for Fighters, Rogues, and Barbarians. It will be the stories of a bold and shrewd team of adventurers, masters of steel and hardware. Sometimes just surviving, and sometimes wrecking shop and running the tables on even the deadliest of opponents, calling on their own brawn, wit, and guile to take on all challengers, the natural and the supernatural alike.Nice stuff. Love those last two sentences
I know that this setting is not for everyone. It is a big adjustment from the baseline version of the game. Still though, for those of you looking for an edgy, dark, and mysterious low fantasy game, I'm looking to put together a great group that wants to check out the scenery, and come up with some bad-ass scenes of classic sword and sandals pulp along the way.
Posting frequency for this game will be once a day, Monday through Thursday, with additional posting and involvement beyond that being at the player's discretion. Weekends will be optional (for both Players and DM), allowing for a more relaxed stance on gaming to allow for family, recreation, and the like. As such, checking the boards Friday through Sunday won't be required. Hopefully this structure will make the gaming experience more cohesive for everyone, as we 'meet' online to game four days a week, and try to capture a little more of a table top feel, and come together as a group.You don't need to add it here, but somewhere in the actual game forums you should have an attendance policy; I highly recommend you simply use mine. I think it's fair, and tactfully explained to the reader. If and when players are being no shows and attending irregularly, be ready to enforce your rules, and even kick them. You can always bring in somebody new, who ACTUALLY wants to play. Sooner or later, you'll have the group you really want.
Right. Will include that on the mechanics Forums in the showcase.
I would like to get the game launched with gamers who really think they would really enjoy the style and pace of the game, and stick with it. The goal will be to keep up the flow and the style of play for the whole crowd. This will also be an invite game instead of ?first come ? first served?. With that in mind, I?d like to ask those of you who are interested to send me a PM to let me know if you would like to be involved, what you are looking for in a good game, and how this sort of game could be a match for your preferences and style of play. I would also love to hear any possible character visions that you might have within the Low Dark Fantasy setting that is referenced above. Screw the word 'Low' in your fantasy! It doesn't do it justice! Dark fantasy will become a whole new genre!
For anyone who wants to get more of a feel for what to expect, I am going to set up a few different public forums that will zero in on more detail on setting style, character generation, house rule game mechanics, and a few other topics. Feel free to visit and look around (LINK). The original Forum on the Games Tavern section is still open as well here: (LINK)
And again, please feel free to contact me by PM.Well put and succinct.
On the basics though, here is a quick summary of the general parameters for characters:
Below I simply added some empty lines between entries, for ease of reading.
Race Human only, with various cultures called ?human sub-races?
Classes (Archetypes): Fighter (Champion, Battle Master, Knight, Sharpshooter), Rogue (Assassin, Thief, Scout, Mastermind, Swashbuckler), Barbarian (Berserker). Where does this Knight come from? There are a few Knight types out there, I just don't know where this one is from (maybe I sent it your way and even forgot where it's from!). You may want to reference sources within the actual game forums.
Yeah. You are right. It was in the Unearthed Arcana that you sent me I'm pretty sure. I'll find the link. As I mentioned somewhere else, it is really the only Archetype that I still have a concern about. I just don't want Sir Lancelot and his shampooed horse making an appearance in our low tech, dark side, knife-fight scenes beside of berzerker Conan, Jr. and the shifty skinny guy who is carrying the Necronimicon in one hand and a bloody kukri in the other. I might make a sub-race requirement of nights to specifically Yuoric only. That culture does have them, but they are directly linked to the Kings and other vassal lords, and with the Gellir Church. And they kind of have to take on that Chivalry Code and the Civilized Code. The other cultures just don't really have the classic Knight type guy on the roster, at least not unless the imagery is edited so much that we're no longer talking about the same thing. I think a classic Battle Master can cover all of the other "Elite Fighter Unit" guys, special guards to the king, one-man war machines who role into a new area on a mission to clean house for their liege, etc. It doesn't have to be a Knight. Again, I'm not against having the Knight as an option, but I want it to mean something and be anchored to part of the culture that makes it deserve that differentiating title, and the special skills that go with it (which are formidable I think because they really capitalize on the economy of Reaction use).
Adjusted Classes: Cleric, Druid (though with some restrictions on powers, available spells, and a maximum class level of 2, which requires multi-classing in the long term)
Note: Classes and Archetypes may have links to certain human sub-races and backstories
Backgrounds: All in PHB are acceptable, though special background abilities might be modified or omitted. Possibility of DM/Player tailoring of specialized backgrounds.
Arcane Magic Access: Only by Ritual Magic, with a considerable prerequisite on INT and some background requirements
Alignment: Alignment system not used, availability of optional Codes of Honor and Religious Creeds related to some human sub-races, backgrounds, and PC preferences
Starting Level: 3
Ability Scores: by customized Point Buy System, using 30 point budget
Variables: starting Feats may be possible, with influence by Class and Human Sub-race.
Equipment: Some weapon, armor, and gear changes to reflect lower technological advancement. Most notably, no full plate armor and no crossbows. Some additional armors and weapons will be available, with options for the character to express their personal style by expanding the aesthetics of the D&D weapons selection (e.g., you might have a weapon that uses the stats of a Rapier, but on your character sheet it's called a Sabre, or a Short Sword that is re-skinned as a Gladius. If I'm reading about playing this game, this little tidbit means a lot, as I get to imagine playing a martial character that doesn't pack the same longsword or rapier that everyone else is.
This is a really good add. Cosmetics and imagery is a lot of the things that we are going for, so we need to encourage that other people tap into it fully.
Anyway, for the few of you who are still reading, thanks very much for hearing me out. I am really looking forward to hearing from you and getting a good group together to launch the new campaign.
FINISHED GOING OVER THIS. TV TIME WITH THE WIFE, I'LL GET TO THE REST TOMORROW. I HAVEN'T READ THEM YET, BUT THE CODES OF HONOR HAVE ME INTRIGUED.
Also, notice that quotes, when pasted to GP from other writing software, turn into question marks; it's the primary reason I created a 'Writing Pad' thread in my GM screen, so I could write some, and save my post, write more, save, without worrying about transferring from MS-Word, or losing written content due to an accidental Backspace press at the wrong time.
This is all good stuff. A few comms below in GREEN.
- J
Suggested Chages Below:
Moved the following paragrpah to the top, as every time I read it, this paragraph really gets my attention, and is THE hook that pulls me in, and makes we want to know so much more...There are dark elements, both known and hidden, throughout this world. Lost cultures from the distant past dealt in dark secrets. Sorcerers and witches of old called upon the names of demons, gleaned power from horrifying monsters, and made pacts with the races that dwelt on the earth before man. Vast treasure was amassed by the war champions, the wizards, and the fiends of old. The remnants and artifacts of those lost ages are still discovered from time to time, by both the foolish and the bold, whether hidden in the dark corners of an ancient ruin, or perhaps even carried forth in secret by cults and shadowy factions who claim to have some fragment of ancient power.
This setting is intended to be different than what seems to be the default ?High Fantasy? setting suggested by traditional D&D, This setting will be what is described in the 5e DMG on pgs. 38-39 as ?Sword and Sorcery.? It is a world inspired primarily by the Conan stories of Robert E. Howard and his Hyborian Age setting. Other influences are the short stories of Clark Ashton Smith and H.P. Lovecraft. The most direct RPG product inspirations are the original 1st Edition AD&D modules produced by TSR, the Conan RPG by Mongoose Publishing, and the more recent Primeval Thule Campaign Setting by Sasquatch Game Studio.
In the end, this game world is meant to be dark and grim, austere and merciless. It is a world that is more ?realistic?, and may remind us of our own in some ways, but with a dose of unrealistic fantastical settings and darkness. It is also a world of adventure, wealth, fame, and glory for those who are tough enough to explore and subdue it.
I definitely like the re-org and the other changes.
Some of the game options and mechanics will be adjusted to fit this setting. Combat is bloody, dangerous, and exhausting. The rules of injury, recovery, and dying are adjusted to capture a grittier depiction of close calls with death at low and negative HPs. Admittedly, it's a dangerous, unforgiving world, and ultimately intended for players who are up to the challenge, where death, and worse is possible. Those of you who join the game shouldn't expect the DM to 'come to the rescue' when you make foolish choices. Hopefully that's not too much of a change, but I guess it's my way of making sure I don't have to babysit the kind of players who expect the DM to 'come to the rescue' when they do dumb shit. I'm looking for realistic here, and trying to relate that to the player.
I get you. Good call. I'll probably smith around with the wording, but need to get the point across that there is some real danger and that the threat of character death is a part of this world and part of the nerve-wracking style of play that we are trying to capture. No "Safety Net" from the Benevolent God DM who will keep you from splattering on the floor if you miss the ledge on the 10-story long jump.
The influence of magic is also toned down severely and converted to a different role and nature within the game. Most spells are restricted. Others are changed. Ritual magic will become the only way for a PC to even have a chance to perform any Arcane spells.
Humans are the default race over across the entire world, and the only race available to Player Characters. Humans of this world will be differentiated by what will be referred to as ?human sub-races,? which will represent differences in regional groups who share a common language and similar culture. Demi-human races such as elves, dwarves, halflings, and gnomes either do not exist at all, or are modified to be fantastical peoples extremely rare and scarcely understood.
The most dramatic departure from the traditional game will be that Classes and Class Archetypes will be limited almost exclusively to non-spellcasters, with a small exception for the possibility of very low-level druids and clerics with modified spell access and abilities. Characters with some Druid or Cleric levels will have to multi-class at some point to continue to advance in overall character class levels. So in the end, this will be mostly a game for Fighters, Rogues, and Barbarians. It will be the stories of a bold and shrewd team of adventurers, masters of steel and hardware. Sometimes just surviving, and sometimes wrecking shop and running the tables on even the deadliest of opponents, calling on their own brawn, wit, and guile to take on all challengers, the natural and the supernatural alike.Nice stuff. Love those last two sentences
I know that this setting is not for everyone. It is a big adjustment from the baseline version of the game. Still though, for those of you looking for an edgy, dark, and mysterious low fantasy game, I'm looking to put together a great group that wants to check out the scenery, and come up with some bad-ass scenes of classic sword and sandals pulp along the way.
Posting frequency for this game will be once a day, Monday through Thursday, with additional posting and involvement beyond that being at the player's discretion. Weekends will be optional (for both Players and DM), allowing for a more relaxed stance on gaming to allow for family, recreation, and the like. As such, checking the boards Friday through Sunday won't be required. Hopefully this structure will make the gaming experience more cohesive for everyone, as we 'meet' online to game four days a week, and try to capture a little more of a table top feel, and come together as a group.You don't need to add it here, but somewhere in the actual game forums you should have an attendance policy; I highly recommend you simply use mine. I think it's fair, and tactfully explained to the reader. If and when players are being no shows and attending irregularly, be ready to enforce your rules, and even kick them. You can always bring in somebody new, who ACTUALLY wants to play. Sooner or later, you'll have the group you really want.
Right. Will include that on the mechanics Forums in the showcase.
I would like to get the game launched with gamers who really think they would really enjoy the style and pace of the game, and stick with it. The goal will be to keep up the flow and the style of play for the whole crowd. This will also be an invite game instead of ?first come ? first served?. With that in mind, I?d like to ask those of you who are interested to send me a PM to let me know if you would like to be involved, what you are looking for in a good game, and how this sort of game could be a match for your preferences and style of play. I would also love to hear any possible character visions that you might have within the Low Dark Fantasy setting that is referenced above. Screw the word 'Low' in your fantasy! It doesn't do it justice! Dark fantasy will become a whole new genre!
For anyone who wants to get more of a feel for what to expect, I am going to set up a few different public forums that will zero in on more detail on setting style, character generation, house rule game mechanics, and a few other topics. Feel free to visit and look around (LINK). The original Forum on the Games Tavern section is still open as well here: (LINK)
And again, please feel free to contact me by PM.Well put and succinct.
On the basics though, here is a quick summary of the general parameters for characters:
Below I simply added some empty lines between entries, for ease of reading.
Race Human only, with various cultures called ?human sub-races?
Classes (Archetypes): Fighter (Champion, Battle Master, Knight, Sharpshooter), Rogue (Assassin, Thief, Scout, Mastermind, Swashbuckler), Barbarian (Berserker). Where does this Knight come from? There are a few Knight types out there, I just don't know where this one is from (maybe I sent it your way and even forgot where it's from!). You may want to reference sources within the actual game forums.
Yeah. You are right. It was in the Unearthed Arcana that you sent me I'm pretty sure. I'll find the link. As I mentioned somewhere else, it is really the only Archetype that I still have a concern about. I just don't want Sir Lancelot and his shampooed horse making an appearance in our low tech, dark side, knife-fight scenes beside of berzerker Conan, Jr. and the shifty skinny guy who is carrying the Necronimicon in one hand and a bloody kukri in the other. I might make a sub-race requirement of nights to specifically Yuoric only. That culture does have them, but they are directly linked to the Kings and other vassal lords, and with the Gellir Church. And they kind of have to take on that Chivalry Code and the Civilized Code. The other cultures just don't really have the classic Knight type guy on the roster, at least not unless the imagery is edited so much that we're no longer talking about the same thing. I think a classic Battle Master can cover all of the other "Elite Fighter Unit" guys, special guards to the king, one-man war machines who role into a new area on a mission to clean house for their liege, etc. It doesn't have to be a Knight. Again, I'm not against having the Knight as an option, but I want it to mean something and be anchored to part of the culture that makes it deserve that differentiating title, and the special skills that go with it (which are formidable I think because they really capitalize on the economy of Reaction use).
Adjusted Classes: Cleric, Druid (though with some restrictions on powers, available spells, and a maximum class level of 2, which requires multi-classing in the long term)
Note: Classes and Archetypes may have links to certain human sub-races and backstories
Backgrounds: All in PHB are acceptable, though special background abilities might be modified or omitted. Possibility of DM/Player tailoring of specialized backgrounds.
Arcane Magic Access: Only by Ritual Magic, with a considerable prerequisite on INT and some background requirements
Alignment: Alignment system not used, availability of optional Codes of Honor and Religious Creeds related to some human sub-races, backgrounds, and PC preferences
Starting Level: 3
Ability Scores: by customized Point Buy System, using 30 point budget
Variables: starting Feats may be possible, with influence by Class and Human Sub-race.
Equipment: Some weapon, armor, and gear changes to reflect lower technological advancement. Most notably, no full plate armor and no crossbows. Some additional armors and weapons will be available, with options for the character to express their personal style by expanding the aesthetics of the D&D weapons selection (e.g., you might have a weapon that uses the stats of a Rapier, but on your character sheet it's called a Sabre, or a Short Sword that is re-skinned as a Gladius. If I'm reading about playing this game, this little tidbit means a lot, as I get to imagine playing a martial character that doesn't pack the same longsword or rapier that everyone else is.
This is a really good add. Cosmetics and imagery is a lot of the things that we are going for, so we need to encourage that other people tap into it fully.
Anyway, for the few of you who are still reading, thanks very much for hearing me out. I am really looking forward to hearing from you and getting a good group together to launch the new campaign.
