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Not sure if this should be under Homebrew but it is advice i am seeking. I am playing around with the concept of an adventure where PC's come in as 0 level commoners or experts (A militia force) and the entire game takes place in 3 Month long siege. based on the Drenai Series of books with the Legend of Druss.
Setting
- PF rules set but low magic and magical items world. (EX: highest level "Mages" would be the NPC Adepts), No magic stores. Some Weapons of legacy items will be introduced and possible a few minor magical items from core book.
--- Magic using classes Like Paladin / Ranger would recieve feats in place of spell casting - some alternate 3.5 class stuff.
- All PF books allowed and limited 3.5 contents if it helps the flavor of the game.
Premise
- The Drenai Empire is under threat. The tribal Nadir people have been united for the first time by the great warleader Ulric, who has forged a massive empire in the North. The Drenai leader Abalayn is trying to negotiate new treaties with Ulric, but war is brewing and a 500,000 strong Nadir army marches on the fortress of Dros Delnoch, gateway to the Drenai heartlands. Dros Delnoch is the greatest fortress in the world, a narrow pass guarded by six high walls and a great keep, but under Abalayn its complement of defenders has been reduced to less than 10,000 men under the leadership of an unfit General.
- The fate of the Drenai hinges on the defence of Dros Delnoch. If the fortress can hold the Nadir horde for three months, the Drenai general Magnus Woundweaver might be able to gather and train a Drenai army. However, given the odds, no-one truly believes that Delnoch can be held
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At first this seemed like an easy go but as i looked at it more i started to see some issues...
Problems
1. - Battles rage on all day in the book. How to get PC's resources to match up?
2. - Leveling - EXP? I understand the exp per creature fought but being pulled in as Militia right off the farm fields to being a 15 level fighter in 3 months... does not add up right in my mind. Anyway around the leveling process but still make them grow more powerful?
3. - How to keep it interesting? I love the idea of the PC's standing on a wall repelling a barbaric horde and their are some "events" planned but would this get boring?
4. - Healing? (plan on having Adepts to help if critically injured) any alternate ways by rest or Heal check beyond what PF provides... taking any ideas?
5. - Fatigue and exhaustion how would you calculate DC for all day fighting and not enough rest and wounds not fully healed.
--- infection rules... anyone know of any?
6. - Classes / PRC's Any 3rd party stuff out their to make a full casting class useful with no magic in a low magic world? Druid Wild Shape would fit the flavor of the tribes man.
7. - Where in Golarion would this be a good fits? What Country or area?
8. - Point buy for stats? How much is too much or not enough?
9. - Point out any problems i am missing... let me know you thoughts.
I am taking any idea you have to make this a great time for my group. Thanks in advance.
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1 Battles rage all day, but troops move on and off the field of battle. Push the pcs to the limit, see what they can do. Then recall them.
2 In more cinematic or difficult-to-calculate scenarios, instead of handing out experience, you can simply inform the players that they level up at whatever rate you feel appropriate. For npcs, remember, they don't *need* to have the same capability to gain experience that pcs have. They can level slower, and some not at all.
3 If they keep doing the same thing, it'll get boring. However, you can make it usage-by-level. At first, they're simple foot soldiers. Maybe they get sent to repel sappers, or to take out some catapults. They can reinforce the walls at a near-breach, and even sortie out to preemptively destroy incoming supplies. So on and so forth.
4 Aside from a party healer? A handy item for a fortress to have would be an enchanted fountain of healing or other potent restorative artifact.
5 Increasing fatigue checks, +2 to the dc for every hour of ongoing combat. There is a point where someone can't fight any longer.
6 Can you expand on this? You're not allowing casters access to any spells? Wizards can *research* spells normally, sorcerers don't need any extra benefit.
7 can't help here, sorry.
8 The lower magic *and magical gear available* the higher I'd suggest the point buy be.
9 The players will quite possibly decide to abandon the siege at some point, or several points, once they feel they are powerful enough. You'll have to decide whether you want to try to keep them there, or let them head out.
2. Leveling by event is fine, with a good event being their "promotion" to PC class. E6 rules are another thing to look at. At the level cap, E6 gives out bonus feats instead of levels, and is lower magic to boot.
3. There are plenty of things to do. Have the attackers switch it up as needed. They can even sortie outside the walls on occasion. Stopping creative or specific assults are good encounters. Stopping internal threats and spies are a good change from strait up combat.
4. Rest is possible in a seige, and without casters, will be a go-to
5. there are plenty of disease rules in the Sargava, the lost colony book
6. Might as well just limit you group to no full-casters. Magic is their schtick.
7. Err, maybe the north-ish area? Realms of the Mammoth lords? You might as well make it your own setting.
8. Its a balancing act. If you cap levels like E6, its far different from a level 15 party with no magic. Just make sure your invaders are appropriate for the power level you set your world at. (I recommend 15-20).
If you are going to cap magic, you might be better off homebrewing. E6 is good as it caps mortal magic before plot-busting 4th level spells. But it has to be worked out in the world, a cr 8 now caries alot of weight and can't be flung about lightly. That said, if your going to get rid of casters, just do it, don't keep them if you dont want them to be focused around spell-slinging. It will be better that a patched up nerf in the long haul.
Also, be prepared to make good maps. In a siege, alot of focus is made on a small bit of land. Details of the fortress are very important from the get-go.
Problems
1. - Battles rage on all day in the book. How to get PC's resources to match up?
Battles rage all day, but that doesnt mean the pcs have to be in every battle all day long. Most militaries even in a siege rotate troops in and out of the front lines. Let the pc's reach their limit then have orders come for them to be replaced on the wall or divert the attack to a different section of the wall. At the start the pcs are just minions following orders, it will be easy to keep this in line so long as you pay attention.
2. - Leveling - EXP? I understand the exp per creature fought but being pulled in as Militia right off the farm fields to being a 15 level fighter in 3 months... does not add up right in my mind. Anyway around the leveling process but still make them grow more powerful?
Decide where you want them to get to and then pace them accordingly. I would have them fight often and level fast to say level 3 or 4, but then have them noticed by command (having survived many battles in the first few weeks) then have them recruited as a spcecial operations team. That will allow you to keep a more rational pace on their advancement, as with special operations, they will be doing fewer more vital missions, that are more difficult. They might not even be fighting every day at this point.
3. - How to keep it interesting? I love the idea of the PC's standing on a wall repelling a barbaric horde and their are some "events" planned but would this get boring?
Them being special operations is an important part of this. Once they get to that point, maybe they have to sneak into enemy lines and sabotage enemy supplies or kill an enemy leader. Maybe they have to negotiate a prisoner exchange, or travel into the sewers to intercept an enemy unit trying to tunnel under the city. Having them be an elite unit opens up alot more options then stand on the wall waiting for enemy hordes.
4. - Healing? (plan on having Adepts to help if critically injured) any alternate ways by rest or Heal check beyond what PF provides... taking any ideas?
Nothing in the pathfinder rules, its all magic. However, you might want to consider changing the flavor of the wondrous item restorative ointment to be mundane in nature (perhaps just special blend of herbs). That would allow some additional healing beyond what a heal check permits.
5. - Fatigue and exhaustion how would you calculate DC for all day fighting and not enough rest and wounds not fully healed.
--- infection rules... anyone know of any?
My above suggestions pretty much recommend against this. If you are having the pcs fight to the point of exhaustion every day they should be rewarded for it, which means more xp then you want to give them.
6. - Classes / PRC's Any 3rd party stuff out their to make a full casting class useful with no magic in a low magic world? Druid Wild Shape would fit the flavor of the tribes man.
Pretty much no, full casters without magic is like a fighter without bab or feats. You should pretty much leave these classes out of your game if that is the flavor you want.
8. - Point buy for stats? How much is too much or not enough?
Given the low magic and magic item nature of the game I think a generous point buy is ok. A 25 point buy should be just fine.
9. - Point out any problems i am missing... let me know you thoughts.
If you dont intend to go to high levels really the only big problems are things like healing and sorting out what do with classes that have magic in them. I think the bigest problem will be making the pc's feel like they are making a difference beyond what a normal soldier on the wall would do. Think carefully of missions they will be capable of that will make them feel like they are making a real difference while keeping up the tension of the overall siege.