I recently had a vision, while looking through the recruitment boards and finding the same ole, same ole. My thoughts were, why recruit 4-6 players when you can recruit a whole town full of players! Why does the GM need to play all the NPCs, why do there need to be NPCs at all, besides villains of course. Leveling your characters. While adventurers gain xp out adventuring, what about the common folk like the shop owners and the like. Why not level them by wealth. The only real NPCs will be the common folk who depend on the actions of the town guard, shop keepers, and town government to keep them alive.
As a group you will feel the impact of lifes challenges, whether they be good or bad. Adventurers will be needed to protect and venture out into the wilds the defeat foes that could potentially harm the community.
This inspiration was also brought into my thoughts by the latest Pathfinder Ultimate Campaign book. This in my opinion is one if the greatest creations any rpg company has put together. The name for this campaign will be called, The Ultimate Campaign! Any thoughts or critiques welcome.
Definetly interested in this, can't wait to hear more.
First thing we need to create is a town name and a location, preferably one with lots of information on the area. Good trade is a plus. I have a lot of books on PDF files, but limited time to read them. This campaign will be build and run by we the people. Once these two things are created I will create a back story of why we have come to be in this area.
Are you planning on setting this in golorian or any other pre-made setting? If Golorian you could do a city in the Stolen Lands (from Kingmaker AP) it could be fringe town from one of the many kingdoms that keep popping up there and would give us a reason to be there.
Sorry this is on Galorion. I have no kingmaker ap material other than the player guidebook
A very interesting idea, but if you are doing Ultimate Campaign Downtime then I think you will need a way to keep 'days' moving along.
Watching people trading to get Capital and GP would be interesting.
Definitely want to keep the interest going and the time moving. Adventuring will be done quickly. Someone will hire a group they think will be successful and I as well as other GMs will control the environment. Skill roles will be more important to locate the source of the problem and then the battles will be simplified as to not take days on end to complete, so attendance will be important.
Note: if you are GM and wish to help build this campaign please feel free to join in the discussion.
What classes will be allowed? And will you allow third-party material?
Any class is acceptable. The adventuring will be basic so there won't be any overpowered classes. You will be chosen by the person that requires your services. Shop owners and the like should be commoners, adepts, aristocrats, etc. no 3rd world material. This is a pathfinder campaign after all.
Everyone starts at 1st lvl with average wealth to get you started. 2 traits 15 pt buy. If this idea doesn't make it off the ground, you have a PC for another game. No loss time or efforts
Initial buildings I would say that are most important would be a temple, tavern, inn, barracks, mill, shop (general good store), watch tower, houses and farms.
I'm not sure I'm getting the idea quite right. Is this meant to be more of a "slice of life casual build a town sims style"? Or is it more along the lines of kingmaker's big sandbox adventure feel? Am I expect the highlight of my game to be building a barn or defending my city from invaders?
Why not both
Interested!
Vors Falchen has completed militia training, and - as the new rookie - has been assigned night watch for the town guard, and has taken up residence at the barracks (rather than staying with his parents).
Also, these may help, maybe not:
Let me know if you find needed edits!
Interested! How far along is the town at the start of the campaign?
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Hmmm...I am nothing if not a fan of deviant campaign creation. Homebrew is basically a magic word to me, so I will most certainly keep an eye on this.
Any idea if we're starting close to water? Docks might be necessary, and they'd definitely give the mill extra work.
Also, a blacksmith might be quite a boon to a starting town either way. Two cents, y'know.
So, question for clarity: You mentioned shopowners and the NPC classes--commoner, adept, etc. Any ground rules for how exactly that's intended to work?
Are the "adventuring" classes precluded from being property holders to start? Are the NPC's meant to just have a more rooted role for now? I'm just curious what you're thinking on that topic.
Interested! How far along is the town at the start of the campaign?
The people will have agreed on the location and begin work on the initial buildings and homes.
Hmmm...I am nothing if not a fan of deviant campaign creation. Homebrew is basically a magic word to me, so I will most certainly keep an eye on this.
Any idea if we're starting close to water? Docks might be necessary, and they'd definitely give the mill extra work.
Also, a blacksmith might be quite a boon to a starting town either way. Two cents, y'know.
So, question for clarity: You mentioned shopowners and the NPC classes--commoner, adept, etc. Any ground rules for how exactly that's intended to work?
Are the "adventuring" classes precluded from being property holders to start? Are the NPC's meant to just have a more rooted role for now? I'm just curious what you're thinking on that topic.
I agree, the area should have a river or body of water near for trade route and drinking as well.
All characters will be created 15 pt buy. For the rest of the population they won't need stats as they will be used as workers to help get things built and such. Adventurers may be property holders, but need to purchase or build them themselves just like the other townsfolk.Shop owners will need to figure out how to get the supplies they need to build and full their shops. I haven't had time to fully read the ultimate campaign thoroughly yet.
Ooh, so more like building a town from the ground up? Just curious, are you looking more at he downtime rules or the kingdom building rules (which are really settlement creation rules).
Let me say, the downtime system has the opportunity to be lots of fun, but tracking it all requires a lot of number crunching to make work. The abstraction is helpful for thinking of things, but does require some good calls on part of the GM to make work.
So this PC would be more interested in following orders (initially) from someone like a Watch Officer and help build up the defenses of the city:Creating and staffing a barracks and a set of watchtowers. I'd prefer to play him more along a "supporting NPC" role. Or, I could be that Watch Officer with a crew of either guards and soldiers that would then help with the creation of town defenses.
Intrigued... I may bring in a typical gruff dwarf blacksmith type.
This project will take some time to bring to fruition, so I think I will start up a obsidian portal page to track everything.
First things first, we need to name this place and find a location to put it.
I think along the river between Andoran and Taldor makes sense for a location. It's a major trade route, providing lots of ways for goods to come in and out of the town, and establishing another stopover point for travelers and traders means goods will almost always be available.
Interested definitely, any need for druids to get farms started?
You can play as anything you wish. Create a character, don't worry about background just yet. Let me create a historical event and you can build off of that. After the holidays I will be building an obsidian portal page for this crazy idea of mine. I will be creating and running the town mayor or whatever I decide as a title. Someone can create a character that operates groups like carpenters and the like for building structures.
Also I will be giving 1 extra skill point to use in either a craft or profession. So 2+1+ Int modifier.
If anyone is skilled with maps. I would like to create one with a hex grid to show explored areas.
Now this is what I'm looking, a game where downtime activity is the emphasis rather than a sideline to be made irrelevant by the Scroll of Paradise or whatever. Now to stat up my aspiring mystery cultist of Arshea... (I'm thinking a bard would be the best class for this since it won't get high-level enough to make an urban druid work.)
Speaking of setting-specific content, where would this game be taking place?
hello sounds interesting might try if i can feel the right character to play.
got a few in mind.
Always thought something like this would be a good way to include all those who submit characters for a PbP.
* So is this primarily hosted here on Paizo with supplementary help from Obsidian Portal?
* Will there be more than one GM or could you split some of the overseeig responsibilities - maybe like in films where the Second Unit handles big fight scenes?
* I too wish to know where in Golarion this town is located.
Gonna be breaking out the 4 section map I bought last year for pathfinder. Location will definitely placed near water. This town won't be one on the map. It will be created by us. Town name ideas please!!
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Hey Dragon, this idea sonds pretty nifty to me too. It would be fun to shape the everyday events of the game world. I could put together a cleric or inquisitor to be the "town preacher" in the American old-west style. I also thought of some ideas for commoner/experts that might work as merchants or business leaders.
Would we each be controlling a single character? And if so, are we supposed to build a PC class or an NPC class
Town name ideas please!!
"Bayhill" is the first name that comes to my mind.
Hey Dragon, this idea sonds pretty nifty to me too. It would be fun to shape the everyday events of the game world. I could put together a cleric or inquisitor to be the "town preacher" in the American old-west style. I also thought of some ideas for commoner/experts that might work as merchants or business leaders.
Would we each be controlling a single character? And if so, are we supposed to build a PC class or an NPC class
One character each, any class pc or npc.
Town name ideas please!!"Bayhill" is the first name that comes to my mind.
I like Bayhill - definitely a good way to narrow down the kind of geography we would be working with.
I don't think there is recruiting, or if there is it is woefully unclear. It kinda seems like an open MMOPbPRPG. Make a character, install yourself in the town. ;)
I'm not putting a limit to the number of players, as of yet. I'm just figuring out how Adventuring parties will work. Any suggestions? Shop owners and such will pretty much run themselves. I will have to do some fairly short adventures I think.
I'm just figuring out how Adventuring parties will work. Any suggestions?
Base encounters around skill use, with combat being something you prep for rather than wade into.
I'm just figuring out how Adventuring parties will work. Any suggestions?Base encounters around skill use, with combat being something you prep for rather than wade into.
I'd agree - Somthing more like the 4e Skills Challenge all summed up into one post, rather than round by round, if you want to track downtime by the day. Encounters that are worth more take more downtime days, require more successes, and reward more treasure.
Stated Goal: NAME
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate/Hard (Determines DC of Skill Challenge, relative to APL)
Time: # of Downtime Days (Including travel)
Description:
Skills required to succeed: Optional - you could limit this so that certain skills carry priority over others. I'd say that a well-equipped / well-balanced. party might also get a bonus to their checks, so that combat stats aren't made obsolete
Afterwards-
Stated Goal: NAME
Results: If the adventurers achieved enough successes, what happens? If they fail, what happens?
Rewards: Capital and XP gained by the PCs
Just a thought!
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I am very interested in this idea.
One of the PBP game I play is a 100% downtime game.
I have been honestly enjoying it ALOT, its become one of the top two games I play right now.
If you want to check out the ->Campaign<- so you can get some ideas. Were all still learning as we go. Jason is doing a great job teaching the four of us whats what.
We started off with daily turns, then switched to weekly, now we do 10 days at a stretch. We do have four players.
In our campaign, we are working on building a thieves guild from scratch.
EDIT: I do have to warn you that it IS a heck of a lot of math/planning/math/math/math with a little bit more of math. Like I did say though it IS one of top campaigns ive ever played far as how much fun im having. Even thought bout running one myself but I don't know how to create those google spreadsheets and am very leary of all the math involved, id hate to tell someone that they made 100gp a week and its actually 120 they made.. or something like that so im holding off for a bit.
One of the PBP game I play is a 100% downtime game.
I have been honestly enjoying it ALOT, its become one of the top two games I play right now.
If you want to check out the ->Campaign<- so you can get some ideas.
Wow, wish I knew of this sooner so I could've gotten in.
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GM - Dragon
Concept is a Male Human Druid perhaps with a great axe who leads a few teams of laborers as lumberjacks, perhaps even owning a lumbermill of some sort to do something with all the deadwood we need to do Something with. He wants to see the forest vibrant again, and sees no issue with pruning the deadwood/corrupted treants/what have you inorder to give life a chance here again. He would have just some hide armor, a wooden buckler, that great axe. Companion would be a great horned owl.
Interesting
My idea is for a herbalist, actually a witch who sells potions, herbs, advice and a little fortune telling maybe. Name of Melice. Her familiar is a grey cat. Has a reputation for selling other...necessities such as recreational herbal items and poisons. But this has never been proven a may be someone tale carrying.
Thinking of being a monk who is some kind of deputy. You know, the guy who loves the town and wants to keep everyone safe. Makes sure all the adventurers behave. Helps people with menial tasks when it's quiet. That sorta thing.