Hey all! Posting in with a bit of a half-baked idea but one that I don't honestly think would take long at all to finish. I've been working on other projects for bigger games that I hope to run at some point on here, but in the meanwhile I've decided to poke around to see if there's any interest for a concept I've been toying around with for a bit.
Essentially it boils down to the title of the thread. Imagine the fantasy elements and concepts of D&D and Pathfinder: magic and monsters, heroes and villains, brave fighters and cunning rogues, esoteric sages and men and women who fight for and with their faith. Now transpose that from the typical medieval setting to one more like a Wild West that Never Was. Instead of seeing heavily armored knights on their chargers, you have roaming gunfighters in dusters and ponchos. Delving into dungeons for lost treasures becomes searching for gold in abandoned mines, or gunning down the local bandit encampment for reward (and whatever riches of theirs you take in the process). Most of the general themes and ideas remain the same between the seemingly disparate genres, and I'd bet the transition for the most part would be simpler than you might think!
Part of this is probably the fact that I love Westerns, and I've run several Western games of varying seriousness and length over the years. I could open another Deadlands game, or even try Boot Hill on here, but I'd like to see if we can make this happen with 5E. Why? Because it's a very simple system, but (in my opinion) quite robust and capable of handling some very neat stuff. Plus I'd love to try out a world of Western fantasy filled with elves, dwarves, and hobgoblins, not just card-slinging mages and human pistoleros (although those are fun, and of course quite doable in this game concept as well).
In terms of mechanics, we'd start at level 1 and I'd be running the Lost Mine of Phandelver adventure. It even kind of sounds like the name of a Western, right? For those who don't know it, it's a fairly straightforward and fun romp against goblins, bandits, and more, all in search of fabulous treasure in an abandoned mine. Pretty standard fare for both D&D and the Wild West, to my mind. The adventure runs from level 1 to level 5, but once we finish it if people want to continue on I'm certain we can!
That's all for now, so if this piques your interest, just give me a holler on here. Depending on how many people are intrigued, I'll either just do recruitment in here (after posting the necessary house rules and info) or open a new thread. Either way, I hope that maybe some of you lovely folks are willing to try out a nutty idea, and that you're as interested in seeing if it works as I am!
Intrigued.
Hmmm, I do like westerns. I would be interested to see what you homebrew to add that western feel to the game.
Definitely interested. I love a good western.
I love a western tabletop (Deadlands Classic was the first system I ever played). Count me in.
The artwork at the top of that page is one of the best things I've seen in a long time.
I'm also quite interested, so count me in.
Might I recommend that you look at this?
Already have. Quite some interesting stuff there, and one kickass piece of art. I won't be using all of that info just as presented, since I'm looking at slightly different flavorings to some things, and it doesn't go into everything quite as much as I plan to, but it's a good baseline and can help give people a glimpse of what's to come.
Definitely looks like this has enough interest, though, so I'll finish putting together an info document and get this going into a full recruitment thread.
EDIT: By the by, if anyone has an idea for a snappy name for the campaign, I'd love to hear it.
I'll also say i'm interested.
EDIT: By the by, if anyone has an idea for a snappy name for the campaign, I'd love to hear it.
The Good, the Bad and the Goblin
Or maybe an even fantasier one! The Elf, the Dwarf and the Goblin.
By the way, you can count with my gun. How would Firearms be done? I guess since 5e already adds dex to damage with ranged weapons it would be a matter of houseruling reload and armor penetration.
But let's not delve too deep into that already, just know that I am interested.
I'm interested :) As for guns, will we use the the dm's guide, or house rules?
I actually ran a Pathfinder fantasy western for a while on the boards. Unfortunately, I had to fold it under when my RL got way too busy. Actually, Yorick was even involved, played an awesome character.
So I would be very interested.
I actually ran a Pathfinder fantasy western for a while on the boards. Unfortunately, I had to fold it under when my RL got way too busy. Actually, Yorick was even involved, played an awesome character.
So I would be very interested.
I am still waiting for that game to come back one day. It was one of my favourite things ever.
Appreciate it, Yorick. Funnily enough, the Scorched Lands was originally meant to be used with D&D Next play material. I later converted it to Pathfinder for PBP. And I always thought if I ever did bring it back, I'd move it to either 5E or Savage Worlds.
Anyways, sorry for the OT stuff, GM. Still interested.
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3:10 to Eberron.
A Fistful of Coppers.
Abracadabra and a Half-Elf Cadaver.
Between Pelor, Vecna and a Winchester.
Dead Orcs Don't Shoot Back.
Dragons Westward.
Whiskey Lullaby.
Almost entirely joking. Almost.
Glad to see more interest, and I have an answer for your question, ULTRAGEEK, right here in the following link:
The long and short of it is summed up below:
Starting Level: 1
Ability Scores: Roll 4d6 and drop the lowest for each, arranging as you please, and include the Honor score.
Races: Any, although more unusual ones will need better backstories and such
Classes: Any, including options from supplements and the Unearthed Arcana version of the Ranger
Equipment: Starting wealth or equipment packages, your choice
Background: Any. At the very least I'd like each character to choose a Personality Trait, Ideal, Bond, and Flaw, but I'd love to see any more that you want to write up beyond that.
Feats: Yes. Variant humans, too.
Backstory: Your character's hired on to work as a wagon escort for Gundrenn Rockseeker, a dwarven entrepreneur who's only let on that he's got something planned in the mining town of Phandalin. Please have your character connected to this in some way, even if it's just "High time I left Neverwinter, and the pay's good."
Any questions you have, let me know here or comment on the doc. I won't put a hard cap on recruitment just now, but I will say I'll probably take no more than six characters, and I'll be basing selections off of how interesting, fitting, and enjoyable characters seem like they'll be; mechanics and party composition can always be made to work. Thanks for the interest so far, and I look forward to seeing what people come up with!
EDIT: Forgot my own name game. After thinking on it for a bit and talking with some folks, I had it narrowed down to either Dungeons and Dragoons or Dragons and Dragoons, but I also really like A Fistful of Coppers. (3:10 to Eberron also has a nice ring but doesn't quite fit.) Please cast your votes on these, we'll name the campaign whatever people like best.
Hmmm, it may take a bit to design something, but I'll at least roll stats quick.
Any questions you have, let me know here or comment on the doc. I won't put a hard cap on recruitment just now, but I will say I'll probably take no more than six characters, and I'll be basing selections off of how interesting, fitting, and enjoyable characters seem like they'll be; mechanics and party composition can always be made to work. Thanks for the interest so far, and I look forward to seeing what people come up with!
How long are you thinking of keeping recruitment open for?
Any questions you have, let me know here or comment on the doc. I won't put a hard cap on recruitment just now, but I will say I'll probably take no more than six characters, and I'll be basing selections off of how interesting, fitting, and enjoyable characters seem like they'll be; mechanics and party composition can always be made to work. Thanks for the interest so far, and I look forward to seeing what people come up with!How long are you thinking of keeping recruitment open for?
Well, ideally I'd love to give everyone who expresses interest a chance to make a full character. That may or may not be possible for everyone, though, and some people might decide this isn't their cup of tea or they can't come up with a good concept. I'm going to be away with limited to no Internet for a few days starting about a week from now, so I'd tentatively put recruitment ending somewhere around the 10th of July, since that's when I'll be back to regular posting. But I might decide to close it earlier if I get a fully party of great submissions right off the bat, and I may leave it open longer if some people need a little more time.
So to answer your question, I can't really answer your question, but I'd give the 10th as a tentative, soft deadline.
Seems reasonable! I'll see what I can put together...
- 1 = 11
- 2 = 13
- 1 = 10
- 1 = 12
- 1 = 15
- 2 = 16
16, 15, 13, 13, 12, 11, 10
; 9
; 17
; 9
; 10
; 17
; 16
; 13
9, 17, 9, 10, 17, 16, 13
Hard to complain. I was thinking of playing as a rogue with a revolver. Probably going for the thief sub-class, although I'll flavor it as an explorer type. Maybe take the folk hero background. Local boy done good in Phandalin. I could take a high-ish honor to reflect that. Now I gotta figure out what I did in town. I'll be playing human, but I think I'll take the standard rather than the variant.
Rolling for stats now, can't check out the player's document until I'm off work though. Couple concepts floating around, leaning towards making a goody-two-shoes Paladin type of cowpoke.
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18 (WOOOO)
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Well this is quite interesting. I'll have alook at the info doc and see if I'm inspired :)
Just realized my folk hero rogue is actually a folk hero ranger. Started creating him and it just sort of came together that way. Still ironing out the kinks.
Oh, hey, to fit the theme, will the game take place in a desert area?
It'll be primarily scrubby desert or grasslands type regions, so basically, yes. That said, there'll be the occasional foray into other environments, and there's a dungeon crawl that'll be repurposed into something slightly different, but the overall environment is a plains/desert sort of region.
Whoops forgot about hon'r, rolling one more stat
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So that's.... 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 14, 9. Wow.
If you want, I'll re-roll some of those.
Quick Question!
Despite firearms counting as simple or martial weapons, they can’t be selected as normal from equipment packages. However, certain classes can gain firearms through their starting packages as described below.
Could we still spend starting gold on them? I'm submitting a warlock and even though the pistol is objectively a not a good weapon for him, I still really like the idea of carrying one around.
I'm not entirely sure yet, if I'm going to go through with this but for now let me throw a couple of dice across the room.
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That should be workable.
If you want, I'll re-roll some of those.
Honestly, I don't think it's necessary. High stats across the board in 5E aren't nearly as game-breaking, even at low levels, as they can be in Pathfinder. I'm playing a monk in another 5E game whose array was 18, 16, 16, 13, 12, 12, and he hasn't been noticeably better at things than anyone else as far as anyone's said or seen.
I knew there was a reason I didn't like rolled stats. I guess it's playable. Though well below the standard array.
You can go ahead and reroll, let's say a 12 and a 9, try and get you some higher rolls but keep a couple middling ones too. And I suppose that if people prefer after rolling, they can just use the standard array.
Quick Question!
Despite firearms counting as simple or martial weapons, they can’t be selected as normal from equipment packages. However, certain classes can gain firearms through their starting packages as described below.Could we still spend starting gold on them? I'm submitting a warlock and even though the pistol is objectively a not a good weapon for him, I still really like the idea of carrying one around.
Yes, you can spend starting wealth (from your Background) on pistols. You can spend it on whatever you like actually, including extra bullets for those of you who want more. I'd actually prefer on some level that you spend as much of it as you can, since it's not uncommon in the Western genre to see well-equipped gunfighters strapped for cash.
Hey all, a minor change to the beginning of the campaign as originally listed in the info document and in my post on here: we'll no longer be starting in Neverwinter. Instead, you'll start in Winter Junction, a station town a day's ride (by horse) outside the city. Just a smallish change, and mostly for aesthetic--I'd rather start you guys off with a more iconic location for the genre than a big city, and a station town seems just right.
The first scene will be your characters coming together to pick up the wagon and set out from the town. You might have ridden in by horse, you might have come in by train, you might be a local. It's up to you how you got there, but that's where you're at to start things off.
And don't forget to share your thoughts on campaign name!
I genuinely like a "Fistful of Coppers", personally.
Not certain, but may as well roll. Think I'll go straight down as well...
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Seems like a good wizard... Not sure, might rearrange them.
Decided to go monk, probably human.
Oh my, a PbP, in 5th edition, that both Kamenhero AND Yoricks have expressed genuine interest in applying to?
Must be good.
Here's some rolls to start:
= 8
= 15
= 17
= 14
= 13
= 16
= 13
Oh my, that's among the luckiest I've been.
Alright, here's what I'm thinking. A tiefling, with the Noble background. The bastard child of a noble family that never really wanted to even acknowledge them, the character's adventuring career began when they decided to f@@& off and get out of the family estate. Passing themselves off as a regular shmuck, they took on a job for this crazy dwarf guy. Wanna be a bard.
Str 16, Dex 15, Con 8, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 19
Honor 14
I think I have a character concept worked up, though I still need to do a little building. I'm thinking of doing an Oathbreaker Paladin who's a former lawman who conspired with an outlaw to help him pull some big heist. He left his home town because he had to stay ahead of the law before someone put two and two together and realized he was dirty.
Oh my, a PbP, in 5th edition, that both Kamenhero AND Yoricks have expressed genuine interest in applying to?
and Ray, and we're all doing something different so decent chances of being able to play together!
I'll be submitting a Warlock this weekend.
I think I have a character concept worked up, though I still need to do a little building. I'm thinking of doing an Oathbreaker Paladin who's a former lawman who conspired with an outlaw to help him pull some big heist. He left his home town because he had to stay ahead of the law before someone put two and two together and realized he was dirty.
Hmm, that does sound like an interesting character hook and backstory, but I'm not sure it's quite enough to warrant becoming a full Oathbreaker. After all, Oathbreakers are the antipaladins of this edition: they turn their backs on everything that was once light and good in them, and work with the powers of darkness. They're evil to the core, filled with hate and dreadful rage.
That said, you don't need to choose a Paladin Oath until 3rd level, so there's plenty of time to decide. Maybe your character will make the archetypal return to justice, atoning for his past misdeeds. Or maybe he'll sink deeper and deeper into injustice and dishonor. In any case, the basis sounds like a great fit.
By the by, everyone else's concepts sound solid as well. Looks like we've got some great applications that work with archetypal ideas from fantasy and Westerns, which is very exciting for me.
I'd have to see how he develops as the adventure progresses to see how he evolves. Better to keep things flexible until I have to make the call.
I'm curious about Honor, not having used it before. Is it just how others perceive you or should it more reflect how you actually act?
Good question on Honor. It's sort of both, in a way: it reflects how your character acts honorably and how they understand the code of honor in their setting to work, but it also includes how others are likely to perceive them for their Honor. To quote the book,
Honor measures not only a character's devotion to a code but also the character's understanding of it. The Honor score can also reflect how others perceive a character's honor. A character with a high Honor usually has a reputation that others know about, especially those who have high Honor scores themselves.
And then the book suggests that you roll Honor checks for things like figuring out how best to act with Honor if you aren't sure, surrendering without losing face, or using your honorable (or dishonorable!) reputation to influence someone else. In that way it can function kind of like Charisma as long as they situation would want it; so if you're trying to make some bandits throw down their arms, you could roll Charisma to represent your character's force of personality and way with words, or you could roll Honor to proclaim who you are and let your reputation speak for itself. It's a nifty little mechanic and seems fitting for this game.
I've got an idea for a character who's basically the classic western cowboy. Finally a chance to use the archetypal western origin: "Had to kill a man, so I drifted."
So definitely lives by a code, but he'll come across as just another worthless drifter until he gets the chance to establish a reputation.
Off the top of my head, this character may actually start with decent Honor. Just because you have a high or low Honor score doesn't mean people know you, it just reflects the way you will be known for behaving when you become recognized. Low-to-average Honor can also reflect just not knowing much about the rules of engagement and such, since Honor is raised by acting honorably, not just adding +2 when you reach the right level.
And by the way, we should have horses. How's it a proper Western if we don't have horses? (Or maybe pony, since I'm actually thinking halfling).
Oh don't worry, you'll get horses shortly in, at least for when you need them.
Background: Folk Hero
Defining Moment: Drove the Hogan Gang out of town.
Feature: Rustic Hospitality
Personality Trait: I'm stubborn as a mule.
Ideal: Respect. People deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
Bond: I protect those who can't protect themselves.
Flaw: I hit the bottle a little too hard.
Folks at Phandalin don't rightly know from where Domingo Santana hails. Most assume he come from back East a ways. You can kind of hear it in his voice a bit. It's hard to pick up though. Of course, Old Dom ain't never spoke about it, which was fine enough so long as he kept to himself.
Only thing that ever did get folks tongues wagging was when he would knock back one too many. Never hurt nobody, mind, but it just seemed like the man was hurtin' something fierce. You know that quiet? The real tense one that surrounds a man thinking bad, hard thoughts? He'd get that about him, and it was damned unsettling.
When he was sober, he employed himself as a mapmaker and a hunter. Did better than you'd might think. He made a fair bit of coin mapping out game trails, and warning folks off monster holes. He'd take on other jobs when pickings was slim, but never seemed to make much of a deal of it.
Yeah, no one thought too much of Old Dom until the Hogan Gang came to town. Bounty hunters, or so they claimed. I'd lay good money that they was 5 times worse than anyone they ever hauled in. They came into the saloon every now and again. Real rowdy bunch. Drove off the other patrons and were too rough with the ladies. I tried telling them off and got a broken arm for my trouble.
That's when Dom walked into the saloon from gods knows where. Ain't seen him in a couple weeks. I assume he was off mapping some place somewheres. But that don't matter. Like I said, he walked in and took a look at me writhing on the ground hollering all sorts of colorful language.
Dom got into that tense quiet, only this time he was sober.
"Get out," he told them.
They just laughed. There were five of them, and only one Dom.
"Get out. Not gonna ask again."
This time they drew iron. And I -- I don't rightly remember what happened after that. I was sort of driftin' in and out of consciousness at the time. Big pain will do that sometimes. I do remember a lot of noise, and then Dom asking me if I was okay. I do remember him calling for the Sheriff and the Doc. Dom waited there with me the whole time.
Sheriff tried to lock up Old Dom, but me and the girls set him straight. Dom didn't pick no fight, he just ended it. A few of the Hogan Gang was still breathing, but they hauled tail out of there as soon as they could. Bastards even stole my horse. I was a wreck. Broken arm was one thing. But no way I could feed my family without a horse.
I guess Dom heard me. He comes around my home about a week later with my horse and a couple ounces of lead rattling inside him. Me and the Misses patched him up, and asked him what happened. He gave us a look, and we knew we was better off not knowin'.
We never saw no sign of the Hogan Gang no more.
I dig Domingo Santana. He's got a nice hook to the region, a fitting aesthetic, and some neat backstory elements to play with. Can't wait to see the mechanics.
I do so love me some 5th edition, and I find the setting intriguing.
[/aside]
I have a couple of ideas, but let's see what the RNG has to say.
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