So I have been playing on these boards for a few months now, and I am thinking about starting to GM on them as well. The problem is that I have two good ideas for a game, and only enough time to run one of them (probably. I may decide to change my stance on that somewhere down the line).
So I have decided to leave it to the will of the masses, seeing which people are more interested in and run that one. Both would be homebrew settings, but the adventures themselves would be pulled from or inspired by existing modules.
Here are the two ideas:
1) A no magic game. At least for the party. The setting would be similar to Game of Thrones where although there is magic in the world, 99.9% of the population doesn't have any. The party would be able to choose from any class that has no supernatural abilities or an archetype that removes them (like the skirmisher ranger or the martial artist monk). The adventure itself would either take place in the Dark or Medieval Ages of Europe, where there are still dragons, trolls, and the like, or a setting where magic has disappeared for many generations, disappearing into myth, and now it is returning. For this one, I would add in 2 homebrew classes to fill roleplay roles that would be removed by limited class choice - the Scholar and the Priest.
2) A very standard fantasy game. But a more comedic one. It would be full of Napoleonic Necromancers, princesses to be saved from dragons, kingdoms to be saved, etc. This would be a game and setting that would lend to a less serious tone than many of the games on here.
As for myself, I have been GMing for a little over 2 years now, running almost exclusively homebrew settings using pathfinder rules. I'm in between college and gradschool for the next 4-5 months or so, so I will have plenty of time to post and and keep the game moving.
I'd be looking to start official recruitment in about 3 weeks and start the week after that, but if there is enough interest, I may start earlier.
I thought about making it E or P6, but as those rules exist mostly because magic gets out of control, it may not be necessary to keep it gritty. For the first game, I will however use a modified wounds an vigor system, allowing the characters to "heal" vigor partially by resting for a bit con mod times a day. Should compensate for a complete lack of quick healling.
Oh man, I've actually had an idea for a less serious character that might be great for the second setting.
A less serious game sounds like a lot of fun!
I would be interested, in any,
Have you looked into the E6 system?
that being said, I like the idea of setting 1. It reminds me of LoTR setting. ANd I would be all for it.
Setting 1 sounds AWESOME!
I vote for setting 1. With dragons and mythical beasts still being there, but magic has seemingly faded from most beings but is seemingly returning, if ever so slowly, for some odd reason. Class selection would be reduced, but I suggest, abilities that revolve around things like Ki- (not magic), remain unaffected(ki is more of controlling body energy imo). (with certain archetypes banned) The more I think, the more I love this!
I have several Ideas already!. (also, what races would you think of allowing for this?)
It would depend. If we do the earth setting, humans only. But if we do the homebrew setting I have in mind, core races.
As for ki, the monks go beyond normal abilities with things like slow fall and disease immunity. If a person goes monk, they switch the normal class abilities to martial artist. If there are other archetypes that are extrodinary over supernatural abilities, those can then replace the martial artist abilities.
However, if you give me a homebrew monk archetype who has ki, but is not out of extrodinary ability, I would consider it.
I would like to play in the low/no magic setting. I'm a big Conan fan...
I have never seen monks abilities as supernatural, over strength of body. That being said, I was wondering if you would be willing to work with me on a master of many styles without ki monk. (perhaps swapping ki abilities for flurry, and then just taking martial artist stuff )
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I would think hard swapping Ki for the Martial Artist ability, regardless of what type of monk you are, should be fine. Thoughts DM?
And how do you feel about a Rogue's Minor/Major magic?
I also vote for #1. I've been itchy for a low/no magic campaign for a looooong time. Low money would be good too, but it's less important without magic items running around.
same, low/no magic has always appealed to me. That being said, I may not go the monk route, but just want to check the options I have haha.
because, normal non-magical heros taking down a dragon? Doesn't get much more epic than that! lol.
What sort of area would the campaign take place in if real world? Europe, the Middle East, Asia, ect.? That would help me in thinking up ideas for a character.
I would prefer a medieval/darkage feel, but with core races as an option.
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I would agree that core (Medium) races should be allowed, though they could all be re-flavored as "human", just perhaps different races of human. For instance:
Elf - North African/Egyptian
Dwarf - Prussian
Half-Elf - Mediterranean
Half-Orc - Northern European/Norse
Human - Middle European
Just a thought.
D-Kal, impressive that you make the distinction of Prussians! Most people would simply say Germanic. I applaud you for knowing history! ^_^
The problem with using the fantasy races in a no magic setting is vision. But if you remove that, and switch certain racial traits around so there is a minimum magicalness to them, sure core races. I would not, however limit races to a single ethnicity, as there is some give in my mind to what race fits which one. Like half orc could fit any tribal group like Mongols or Sub Saharan African tribes. Dwarves could just as easily be Scotts as they could be Germanic/Scandinavian. Elves I can see being varieties of asian, celts, or, as you said, egyptians.
Another option is to allow people to play with the race creation rules a tiny bit to fit the culture. Everyone is human, but can sacrifice the feat or skilled traits for ethnic-specific traits costing the same amount, as well as changing a floating +2 to static +2, +2, -2.
Those who have selected option 1, what do you guys prefer, a historical setting with small amount of magic thrown in or a fantasy setting, with the races there-of, stripped of magic?
Fantasy with races stripped of most magic.
Both with small magic thrown In.
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Thanks Tiger. I do what I can.
@DM - A historical setting can ease the burden of the GM as you don't have to fabricate as much. On the other hand, if you're playing with history sticklers, it can actually make things more difficult. So saying an "alternate historical setting" might be the easiest. That way you can use whatever history you want and make up the rest.
I see where you're coming from by not tying the "races" to specific regions, but I thought it might help characters develop background as well. I also thought that vision might be an issue, but some people really do see better in the dark than others, so my proposed exchanges would be thus:
trade for improved low-light (3x humans)
trade for Skilled human racial trait (as per Half-Orc alt racial)
trade for Blind-Fight as a bonus feat
@D-Kal - for minor/major magic, these will be able to be selected, but not immediately. The Scholar and Priest will have similar abilities.
@Red Velvet Tiger - I'm willing to work with you guys about precisely where/when the game will take place, but suffice to say you guys can/will travel.
For the fantasy setting option, the human system of doing things would be pretty damn similar to medieval western europe. Feudal system with the occasion king that unites the lords. The characters won't know this, but magic in this world is cyclical, with the past 4000 years or so being the off season for magic.
What magic exists is very limited (nothing beyond 1st or 2nd spell) and its practice rare. Rare enough and weak that most people don't believe it at all. Dragons have died out, along with most of the magical beasts and creatures, now only existing in tales and bones. Many people believe they never existed.
Humans are feudal, ever fighting among themselves for power, occasionally becoming a unified force. Currently there are 3 competing kingdoms. Their domain is the fertile plains and forests of the central part of the continent and the coast to the east. They have a pantheon of 9 gods, the chief of which is the Queen of Light, Aethrys. Legend tells of a time the gods stopped speaking to mortals, and they have been silent since. The east has another mountain range, though much shorter than the dwarven range.
Many trade routes flow through this region, connecting the dwarven and orc lands.
Dwarves are organized in 12 kingdoms, though there used to be a 13th one that ruled over all of them. The live in the Western Mountains and the cold upper peninsula, also to the west. Primarily ancestor worship. Their most famous city is Jotunheim, carved into the white cliffs at the end of the peninsula. Also known as the end of the world.
Elves live in the northern forests. They keep mostly to themselves, but a few wander south. They are nomadic by nature with a totemic religion, praying to animal and plant spirits. Drow live beyond that in a region filled with geothermal vents, producing a climate hotter than it should be and a swampy terrain.
Halflings occupy the lower peninsula to the west, cut off from the rest of Kerana by the same mountain range the Dwarves occupy, and almost exclusively farm and make alcohol. They do trade with Dwarves and Humans, but prefer their simpler life.
Orcs and Half orcs live in the southern desert and beyond that in the jungles. Standard warrior people and constant threat to the humans and other races to the north.
I have maps, kingdoms, histories etc. set up, but I would need to work on it more to really flesh it out for this time period. This is a setting I have had in the chamber for a while now, my previous campaign I that ran being set in the magic phase of the cycle, with it starting to disappear. The continent is called Kerana, in the human tongue, in the world of Mirden.
Sounds good. Still sad there will be no epic battle vs a dragon at some point. Lol
Who said that? ;)
Can't fight what's died out :P lol.
As an aside. What type of char. Creation we looking at? And may I suggest bypassing. Level 1 and starting at 2? Its a thing of mine where I just really hate pevel 1 lol. Most classes don't even feel different. Just a suggestion. Also could we get some back story on the kingdoms of the world? Wars? Prejudices? That sorta thing?
Note: I ask for several reasons as then setting and pt by along any other limitations will be a deciding factor in what I play, as I have several ideas already bursting forth and as much as I wish I did, I have not the time to write them all out. Lol.
You will be starting at level two (No one likes level 1)
I'm still deciding how to do ability scores. Low fantasy should be 15 point buy or so, but as a player, I never like that. Also thinking about doing rolls with the standard 4d6 drop low.
Gold would be class standard.
2 traits, +1 with drawback. Rich parents is allowed, but that only gets you to 300gp. Heirloom Weapon gets you a masterwork arm or armor and nothing else. I also will consider any homebrew trait that changes the ability score for a skill, within reason, or one that gives a skill +1 and makes it a class skill. Any traits or drawbacks chosen will have to be defended in backstory.
Core Races, plus Orc (though if you play one, people will run away from you)
Barbarian, Fighter, Rogue, Ranger (with skirmisher archetype), Cavalier, Monk(with martial artist or combination of archetypes that removes all Su class abilities), Samurai, Scholar, and Priest (will write out these later).
If we do the historical game, I will have to really like the character to consider a Monk or Samurai.
As for setting things, I'm afraid I am going to have to make you wait a bit. Right now I only have cursory relations and kingdoms set up. By the time I am ready to run recruitment, however, I will post a document that will detail the basics of the five realms. I can pretty much guarantee that all I have posted setting wise thus far will be changed in some way.
Right now, I am finishing up my semester, so I am a bit busy at the moment, so its going to take a couple weeks at least until I am ready to run this game, going with the homebrew fantasy setting route.
However, if we do the historical setting, I'd be ready to run it almost immediately, as the setting is already there for me. Honestly, I am leaning toward this option. In this case, everyone is human, but can change floating +2 to a +2 P,+2M,-2, the skilled and feat traits for racial traits equaling 4 RP each, within reason. Would have to be able to defend the choices.
I would actually PREFER a historical setting! And which Priest class did you mention? There are a few out there.
couple extra questions. and a few suggestions!
as for the historical setting- We can do this, BUT, I would like to have the different "racials" be replaced by the "races" (very much like you did above.) As I like the idea, but it IS a fantasyish game, and I would like to have dwarves running around. Everyone loves a dwarf no? I like the low/no magic concept with a lower powered world, but I would like to have the races remain present, very much like the LoTR.
1- Slayer/swashbuckler would you allow these?
2- For ability scores, I suggest 20pt buy, OR roll Focus&foible. pick one.
3-Are you expecting "good"/"hero" PCs, or would neutral ones work fine? (such as... say, robin hood type, with less giving away :P)
thats all for now, but I am sure others will come :). (both suggestions and questions haha)
The priest and scholar classes would be ones I create. Though if someone presents me their version or a homebrew version that I like, they could use that one.
They would be low bab and d6 hit dice with 6+int skill ranks/level. Both would get talents every other level, like the rogue. These would be the only 2 classes even capable of using magic, as small as it may be. Their progression would be akin to a ranger's spell casting progression (I may change my mind about this and keep them mundane like the rest of the classes).
Both would be support oriented, with talent lines devoted to things like improving aid another, giving morale bonuses to allies with blessings (or insight bonuses on identified creatures for the scholar), improving their own skills and others etc.
The only real difference between the two is whether they go divine or arcane when they get spell casting and the flavor of their abilites.
A word on the bard - inspire courage and inspire competence don't seem too supernatural to me, but technically they are. If one wishes to, a rogue archetype that grants those two abilities, plus versatile performance and bardic knowledge, would be interesting.
The Dragon Master, the version I speak of focuses heavily on Miracles, which require a certain Piety score. This is great, as it rewards a Priest for actually being the faithful religious man he is rather than a murderhobo with a holy symbol.
1) Yes.
2) I'll get back to you. Leaning rolling.
3) I'll go with what is submitted to me. If everyone rolls good, so be it. If everyone rolls CN, that's fine too. I like a good mix in the party though. Preferably no evil. Evil PCs won't last very long.
Races: I'm going to put my foot down on this one. If we are doing historical, we are doing historical. Leeway on what defines human will be sufficient. If you wish to play a dwarf, may I suggest a particularly short Nord, German, or Scott?
Small sized adventurers are not out of the question. Especially if they are crass and sardonic.
Generally, with my PCs in my campaigns, the stranger the character, the more I require backstory from the player. I'll rarely say no outright, but I will often ask the player to defend unusual characteristics.
@Red Velvet Tiger - Link?
I will probably link tomorrow. Too much effort to do all of that this late at night after 6-ish hours of sleep lol!
@Erik Well it looks like we are going with a historical setting. You can't be a gnome, but you could be a small sized human that acts very much like a gnome would. I'm also allowing players replace human racial either the feat or skilled racial trait with an equal amount of traits totaling 4 RP for each exchanged and change the ability score from a floating +2 to static +2+2-2. This would represent different ethnicities among humans.
I'll have to play a multi-class Barbarian/Rogue if selected. This would be tons of fun...
Could we exchange. Skilled and +2 for +2, +2 with no -2?
Crap, I should have clarified. +2+2-2 is in exchange for either skilled or the feat, as +2+2 is in exchange for both.
So, people of this thread, what time period/place would you want to play in? Locations would be where the game starts in, not necessarily where it always has to be in.
Here is my short list of ideas:
-1347 France or Germany - the year the Black Death starts.
-Ancient Greece
-Viking age Scandinavia (woo, Vikings)
-5th or 6th century Briton (Arthurian times)
-10th century (Feudal in fighting)
But by all means, if you guys have times and places you would want to play in, by all means suggest it. I am open to ideas.
Any of these are awesome. Some other ideas.
1. Feudal Era Japan
2. Middle Ages Arabia
3. Late Victorian Era Russia
4. Ancient Rome
5. Ancient Egypt, Middle Kingdom Era
6. Ancient China at the onset of black powder weaponry usage (Era unknown)
7. Crusades Era Jerusalem (I have the Nights of the Crusade book. It blends supernatural horror with historical accounts. Comes with the Merchant class, which is pretty cool and fits the time.)
Red Velvet, is this a pdf that I could look at or a physical book?
Nights of the Crusades? Yeah, I think they've got a free version, but I don't remember if it's the Pathfinder version or the NotC rule systems. I can put it up on my friend's Google Docs, along with Mythic Vistas: Testament, Rome, Hamunaptra, Skull and Crossbones, Medieval, ect. It's all 3.X, apart from NotC, but the stuff is really cool. Want me to get these up so it could help people think about what flavor they would really like?
Yes please.
Also, out of curiousity, how are we handling alignment? NotC has a cool alignment system based around perceptions of oneself and one's enemies.