Valdyr's page

Fallen Frontier

Hey Folks! So I've been running a unique Kingmaker Campaign for about a year now, unique in that there are several dozen players. I'm looking for more! Read on!

Its Chris, head Game Master//Story-Teller at Final Frontier!

What is final frontier you ask? Final Frontier is a collaborative living world where players take on the role of Citizens of Kanach, a kingdom formed by adventurers out of the wilderness of the Stolen Lands. As you can surmise, these adventurers are Player Characters themselves, taking part in the Kingmaker Adventure Path!

As an adventurer, you will join in a vibrant and fun experience. While we started out slow, we now have regular roleplaying events (usually every week) for our players to participate in, as well as an adventure every few weeks for those that wish to sign up. These games (especially the adventures) are often played in real-time using Roll20 and voice programs. However, they are optional for citizens, and you can choose to garner power and ability in other ways, if you so choose.

Next, players will also have the option to participate in a complex economic system that revolves around a modified version of the downtime rules created by Paizo. Not only would you be able to design taverns, stores, and other businesses to your liking, but you could build yourself a proper palatial estate. With enough money and investment, you could build a business empire.

Maybe adventuring is not your thing? Maybe your character doesn't dream of swimming through a vault of gold? Maybe your ambitions are grander. The game include a fun and interesting political simulation, whereby you can be elected to a Grand Council that helps oversee and rules the nation itself. Providing wise council to the Queen, while helping to crack the various mysteries that I've woven into the game world!

Does this sound like you? There are two positions you can join:

Citizen Simply join the link given below. When you join, the system automatically will send you a link to our new player orientation video. You will be creating a level one character and need to get it approved to join. Then its a matter of working, networking, and waiting for elections and adventures!

Lord of the Realm Interested in a bit more? Lords of the Realm are granted special dispensation to construct either major institutions in Kanach or whole new realms for the fledgling Kingdom to interact with. However, in order to earn such a prestigious and powerful position within the game, you must be willing to contribute. Lords of the Realm will be enlisted into our Junior Storyteller position, and should be expected to go through training to become game-masters/administrators for the campaign.

We are currently into Book III out of VI, that being said, this game will continue on even after the Kingmaker AP has ended. Eventually a second arch will begin, which I've termed 'Fallen Frontier II'. So join today! Build your legacy!

Join Here: https://discord.gg/g2pxGwx

Hello. Long time lurker, first time poster. Be Patient. :P

Anyhow, I played Pathfinder for a while, and found KM sometime later. I immediately fell in love with it, I've always been the type of player to love to become king, rule nations, etc.

Alas, most of my players want me to DM. Indeed, I am DMing KM with a my regular biweekly group right now. About to head over to Varnhold and what went down there. Fun, fun.

I've decided to run an online campaign, taking place on a homebrew world (largely made up of islands). Think Trek meats high fantasy. An inordinate number of players (I use co-GMs) is divided between 2 (and eventually 5) 'nations'; each set on a different island group.

Then I got thinking about the nitty-gritty of KM. The idea of player versus player competition got me to evaluate almost in an academic manner. Essentially, for any given game of Pathfinder, there is a dominant strategy and it will be approximately the same for all nations. Ancillary factors to have an impact and these will largely determine the outcome of a conflict between two KM nations.

I also read a review where one player complained that after the initial fun and interest of learning how to build the Kingdom, the game fell apart. Its a unique and novel idea, but after about twenty turns in, the process of every turn is about the same. This specific review felt there were no actual choices to make, and from the point of view of optimization; this is true. This can be exemplified that the common argument is whether a kingdom should be min/maxed or developed organically (i.e. via roleplay). So you are either an efficient kingdom, or a 'realistic' one. I think a game will gain legs when it allows a player a choice, many actually, and he feels that he genuinely has opportunity cost when making the decision. If your decisions is to either build the brothel/dancehall (or whatever efficient building is next on the list) or play your kingdom inefficient for the sake of roleplay...this isn't a choice at all.

Not to say that there aren't choices to make. But whether we should build the gold mine on turn four as opposed to a farm isn't really a choice. The other will be had eventually.

Thus, I've started my own homebrew alternate rule-set to expand on the groundwork initially laid for KM. And as such, i'll be coming here to air it out and see if there is any constructive things to be added.

Also, before anyone jumps down my throat, this so far has been my experience and my opinion. If you don't agree, thats cool. I would like to hear why. I'm pretty copacetic about listening to opposing viewpoints.

With that out of the way; here is my first idea, for submission to you the community at large.

City Placement

Alright, so my first idea is to change how city placement works. For my system, I've done this in two ways that I think already making my system distinct enough from standard KM to make it seem like a new game.

Firstly, I decided to go against my own design and actually remove one choice from the players. I thought it might be interesting to have city placement not be decided, but happen organically. Players can influence it via their actions; but ultimately the dice can be screwy sometimes.

Essentially, every hex has a percentage chance to pop a settlement in that tile. The type of terrain plays a role, as well as any terrain features. In addition, players can help influence this by constructing minor improvements. As well as the City Centers (see below).

Once a city pops, it prevents other cities from popping in a two tile radius by causing a negative modifier to the pop chance in that radius. Those tiles that have enough good features to still be eligible pop will instead pop a minor settlement. I read someone mentioning something about small settlement/town with only four tiles. I liked the idea and thats probably what this will look like.

The important thing, is the characters will have a lot of impact on where their initial city lands. It just may cause them more significant resources to clear and prepare the tile than it did before. However, I am hoping this system will be interesting and sort of simulate organic growth.

Again, this first rule is still in limbo in my mind. I think its fun, but certainly not in line with what I was thinking with about changing rules.

The second thing I would change is the creation of what I call city centers. These are specifically powerful buildings, which there can only be one of for a settlement. I have a few worked out on paper, but the idea is that the city center could be upgraded and allows access to some special buildings that enhance its 'flavor'.

City centers are powerful and mutually exclusive. So, deciding to build the 'Flea Market' city center will prevent you from building the 'Lord's Freehold' city center. The idea here is to have city specialization actually be a thing, and to force players to make a choice in terms of not only what investments they will be putting into the city...but in the event of war where might they defend.

IE: Should I have all my forces at the 'Flea Market City' which is the economic center of my empire? Should I put them at the 'Lord's Castle City' which is my diplomatic center and key to my control of vassals? Should I split them?

These are initial choices that I want players to decide, but also will be the fundamental building blocks to having different strategies. I can imagine a city center for producing excellent cavalry, as well as one for infantry, and another allowing magical research or economic production.

Thoughts? Just looking for some feedback goodness.