Yeah...simple enough, I'm creating my own original full-length campaign, I've never been a GM before, and barely created anything like a campaign.
So any and all advice will be great.
EDIT: Okay, I kind of want to display the info on the campaign, but I would like to know just how much I should talk about my campaign before I can talk about it.
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Make a map out of a coffee stain. Get together with your players and have em draw on the map and make up terrain features, and say where their characters are from and what those areas are like. Boom, your players have just helped you out by building a lot of the world setting for you, and what their characters are like for you to tailor the adventure to.
The best advice I can give you is to get as much GM experience as you can, as soon as you can get it. Consider running a few published adventures as one-offs while you write your campaign. It would be even better if you get some GM experience with the levels you intend your campaign to cover, especially if you intend to include high level play (12+). You might even want to create a few one-off adventures in your campaign world and then run them.
Ah I see. I'll have to run an RP with Rise of the Runelords (I have a copy of the anniversary addition, and I've read it enough to try it out). Thanks.
Not to mention, I've already gotten the region down (yes, my own fan-made region-a rather large island) and some of the enemy statistics, if anyone wants to know.
When it comes to designing a campaign, my best advice is to really nail down a theme. If you want to run a campaign that holds together well, keep the themes and central ideas in mind as much as possible. This doesn't mean that you can't branch outfit an adventure or two, but keeping the central themes in mind keeps you from going to far into left field.
Let's say that you're running a campaign with a heavy emphasis on fighting the influence of evil, then you know that many of your characters might be tempted towards evil at some point, or old allies might turn against them after being corrupted or coerced.
You can still bring in other elements from time to time, such as a redemption arc for a fallen character or even a villain, an arc focused on saving the Fey in a particular forest from a greedy lumber company, or even the raising of a church in an area where that faith is uncommon or even unknown.
As long as the original theme can still tie in, you haven't significantly detoured and the players can still expect their characters to fit into the plot well.
Next bit of advice - leave some blank space. You might have an awesome idea for something later, but already filled in that niche with something you weren't as excited about. This also lets the players directly affect the game world and even leaves a little mystery for them.
"What's on the other side of that mountain pass?" "No one is really sure, as deadly creatures and foul weather have prevented exploration. But if someone was to make that voyage, the knowledge of what lies in the other side would be invaluable to many."
Suddenly the players have a mystery that could intrigue them, and if they don't seem interested you haven't spent a week planning for something that you don't need.
When it comes to designing a campaign, my best advice is to really nail down a theme. If you want to run a campaign that holds together well, keep the themes and central ideas in mind as much as possible. This doesn't mean that you can't branch outfit an adventure or two, but keeping the central themes in mind keeps you from going to far into left field.
Let's say that you're running a campaign with a heavy emphasis on fighting the influence of evil, then you know that many of your characters might be tempted towards evil at some point, or old allies might turn against them after being corrupted or coerced.
You can still bring in other elements from time to time, such as a redemption arc for a fallen character or even a villain, an arc focused on saving the Fey in a particular forest from a greedy lumber company, or even the raising of a church in an area where that faith is uncommon or even unknown.
As long as the original theme can still tie in, you haven't significantly detoured and the players can still expect their characters to fit into the plot well.Next bit of advice - leave some blank space. You might have an awesome idea for something later, but already filled in that niche with something you weren't as excited about. This also lets the players directly affect the game world and even leaves a little mystery for them.
"What's on the other side of that mountain pass?" "No one is really sure, as deadly creatures and foul weather have prevented exploration. But if someone was to make that voyage, the knowledge of what lies in the other side would be invaluable to many."
Suddenly the players have a mystery that could intrigue them, and if they don't seem interested you haven't spent a week planning for something that you don't need.
Hmm...I see then. This will be very useful indeed.
I will design some basic concepts of areas that could be useful for brief, off path adventures, and fill in the void when the PCs explore in there.
Thanks!
EDIT: I have the statistics down for some of the bosses if anyone wants to look at them-here's their basic info:
-The Screaming Devil (bunyip with the fiendish template)
-The Sea Scourge (male scrag (water troll) ranger 3)
-Iron Eye Lord Throvin (final boss male Chelixian human ranger (infiltrator) 15)*
*I may want to make him at max level @ level 20, but I'm not sure if I should let him dip into some other classes (barbarian and fighter are my top two picks), or just level him up fully into ranger (infiltrator)
Monte Cooke once said never create more than you need at the moment. Don't worry about creating the whole world at once. It'll grow as the campaign unfolds.
When running campaigns, I spend more time defining the setting and less building bosses, monsters, or anything else. Those I make after the PCs start defining what direction they want to go. I've found that my best campaigns are the ones where the players are making most of the decisions.
I see...I am creating the settings as well, but I also don't want to make up bosses on the spot (as it does take me some time to create bosses)
Monte Cooke once said never create more than you need at the moment. Don't worry about creating the whole world at once. It'll grow as the campaign unfolds.
I have no clue who Monte Cooke is, but this advice should be helpful! I may need to create just a few more bosses, then I think I'll be good!
NOTE: If anyone wants to see the statistics for my "bosses", please let me know and I'll send you a PM with the statistics. To see if anything needs to be changed, of course.
Monte Cooke once said never create more than you need at the moment. Don't worry about creating the whole world at once. It'll grow as the campaign unfolds.I have no clue who Monte Cooke is, but this advice should be helpful! I may need to create just a few more bosses, then I think I'll be good!
Monte Cooke was one of the lead designers on D&D 3.0. W/out him there'd be no Pathfinder! lol
I've never had to make up a boss on the spot. For my campaigns, once the setting is in place, the players then decide what direction they want to go and the boss they should face is easier to develop for me.
Really? I honestly feel unprepared if I don't develop bosses beforehand...
In my experience, if I develop a boss beforehand, I will want to use it, but the PCs may not be interested in going after that particular boss so then I end up "encouraging" them to go in that direction.
But when I let the players choose to go in the direction they want to go, any boss they encounter is an obstacle they want to overcome.
Does that make sense?
Yeah it does. I do have some concepts, and if they are a bit higher leveled then I'd intended for the creature, I can power them up.
For instance, my fiendish bunyip is a CR 4. If the PC's are above that, I don't mind giving him the advance template and even giving him more HD. That sound good?
1) What is it about this setting that makes you want to make it? Is it different from Forgotten Realms, Golarion, Grayhawk, Ebberon, and the like? It is? Great! You don't need a complete idea to get started, but you should have a solid one.
2) This is personal preference, but I like to make a map. It helps me to move the setting from an abstract place in my mind to a "real" place that has forest, plains, mountains, desert, and coastlines. Terrain affects where people settle. History happens in places. Nations fight over land. Later in the process I get around to figuring out a phsyical scale and where the warm and cool places are. Maybe a continent, maybe the whole world, maybe just a large region. Doesn't matter.
3) Again, my prefence, at this point I move from broad strokes to somewhat specific one. Pick where some major cities and important towns are. What is unique about the place? Write up some places and people of interest in each place. This gives PCs something to interact with when they visit, and you don't have to invent 100% of everything when they show up. You just invent 50% of it! You can build details as needed.
4) Pick some places that aren't so settled but are places for adventure.. Ruined cities, abandoned strongholds, ancient tombs, Where are the dark and magcial places in the world?
You're going to improv a great deal as your party explores your world. You don't need completed details, but strong ideas that you can build off of. These are your cues as you improv, and consistancy between the cues will create a more realistic world.
1) What is it about this setting that makes you want to make it? Is it different from Forgotten Realms, Golarion, Grayhawk, Ebberon, and the like? It is? Great! You don't need a complete idea to get started, but you should have a solid one.
2) This is personal preference, but I like to make a map. It helps me to move the setting from an abstract place in my mind to a "real" place that has forest, plains, mountains, desert, and coastlines. Terrain affects where people settle. History happens in places. Nations fight over land. Later in the process I get around to figuring out a phsyical scale and where the warm and cool places are. Maybe a continent, maybe the whole world, maybe just a large region. Doesn't matter.
3) Again, my prefence, at this point I move from broad strokes to somewhat specific one. Pick where some major cities and important towns are. What is unique about the place? Write up some places and people of interest in each place. This gives PCs something to interact with when they visit, and you don't have to invent 100% of everything when they show up. You just invent 50% of it! You can build details as needed.
4) Pick some places that aren't so settled but are places for adventure.. Ruined cities, abandoned strongholds, ancient tombs, Where are the dark and magcial places in the world?
You're going to improv a great deal as your party explores your world. You don't need completed details, but strong ideas that you can build off of. These are your cues as you improv, and consistancy between the cues will create a more realistic world.
1) This is an island area the size of Lastwall that tries to implement a series of laws called the Iron Eye Initiatives-named after the first king, Iron Eye Captain Bomiran, and his crew of the Iron Eye Men. Yes, this is an island first founded by pirates, but developed into a land where law struggles to fit in. Not to mention that it inhabits not only a tribe of strix and a tribe of non-stench troglodytes, but also holds a micro-kingdom of nagas and nagaji up at the north.
2) I do have a map-I just need to scan it and color it. Hopefully that won't take long.
3) I do have a few towns in mind, and perhaps a haunted house/worship center of a mad alchemist may be nearby...
4) Got a number of places for certain levels...
Monte Cooke was one of the lead designers on D&D 3.0. W/out him there'd be no Pathfinder! lol
OH! Then I definitely will take up on that advice!
I always tell my players they can make up whatever story they want for the characters home town.
Flying island off the coast that trades via airships? Sure! Sounds awesome!
Magical town on the moon that has access to a portal to reach the planet? Okay!
Underwater dome city? Alright!
It gets them involved, allows them to make a cool character that fits, and gets them to do some of the work for you.
During this process, they will often ask about surrounding areas, the gods and so forth.
I've always had the most fun in settings that were designed by the group, rather than just myself.
I always tell my players they can make up whatever story they want for the characters home town.
Great idea.
I always tell my players they can make up whatever story they want for the characters home town.
Flying island off the coast that trades via airships? Sure! Sounds awesome!
Magical town on the moon that has access to a portal to reach the planet? Okay!
Underwater dome city? Alright!
It gets them involved, allows them to make a cool character that fits, and gets them to do some of the work for you.
During this process, they will often ask about surrounding areas, the gods and so forth.
I've always had the most fun in settings that were designed by the group, rather than just myself.
Hmm...Those seem like cool options, but well, I kinda already created a good number of content for my region. Doesn't mean I have to continue-I think I have just enough to start something.
But first...I may start a RotRL campaign just for the sake of starting as a new GM. Any advice for that?
I already have the rules down if anyone wants to read them.
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I'm coming in late to the party here but I have a question: what do YOU want, as a player and GM? Decide that and you're halfway there.
See, creating a campaign is less about setting, theme, storytelling, RP versus rolling dice and all of the other stuff you'll see on these boards and more about deciding things.
- What do you want?
- How do you make other people want the same?
- How do you align your wants with others; how to compromise?
Everything else is just semantics, numbers. Ultimately your game is your game - even if you run a canned AP like Rise of the Runelords it'll be YOUR interpretation. How do you make yours, YOURS? By deciding what you want from it.
For me, I want epic. I LIKE making folks laugh, think, and yes even once, cry. I want moments of player engagement. I want to get an email the next day saying "I can't BELIEVE we..." and so on. How I make that happen varies depending on my players, my mood, etc.
As for what goes INTO a campaign, that's easy. Start with encounters. Create a few and then remove all terrain, situation and plot. Look at the things that make THAT encounter unique. Maybe it's a trap and your specific approach to it; maybe you've got a kobold NPC you've really put your soul into.
Tap into that uniqueness. Try to imagine players meeting it for the first time. They'll want to roll initiative and just kill it, of course. What will stop them? Maybe the encounter can talk, has some resource that the PCs will destroy if they murder it, or it just plain runs away. NOW you have the basis of a campaign.
You see besides deciding what you want, the other thing that makes a game a "campaign" versus a series of adventures is longevity. I'm not JUST saying recurring villains here. Why is your favorite show still around? Because something happens EVERY episode that people don't get tired of. Maybe that's a TARDIS, a 67 Impala or the willingness to seek the next troubled western town. SOMETHING sticks around forever and the audience soaks it up.
Once you decide what you want, have some encounters and commit to some element/villain/theme which will continue throughout, stop. At this point you need your players.
From this point on: make stuff up. I mean crazy stuff. Blue tigers; wands that shoot cupcakes; zombies that never really drop. Make TONS of random tables. Daydream. Doodle constantly in the margins of every book you can get your hands on, so long as you're not breaking the law.
Get to know probability. Understand that not every encounter has to be a fight; not every fight needs to be won by either side. Accept that your PCs are GOING to get loot and grow stronger. Learn to live with being outsmarted.
If you're looking for something more specific, give more detail on what you need and I'd be happy to help.
I'm coming in late to the party here but I have a question: what do YOU want, as a player and GM? Decide that and you're halfway there.
See, creating a campaign is less about setting, theme, storytelling, RP versus rolling dice and all of the other stuff you'll see on these boards and more about deciding things.
- What do you want?
- How do you make other people want the same?
- How do you align your wants with others; how to compromise?
Everything else is just semantics, numbers. Ultimately your game is your game - even if you run a canned AP like Rise of the Runelords it'll be YOUR interpretation. How do you make yours, YOURS? By deciding what you want from it.
For me, I want epic. I LIKE making folks laugh, think, and yes even once, cry. I want moments of player engagement. I want to get an email the next day saying "I can't BELIEVE we..." and so on. How I make that happen varies depending on my players, my mood, etc.
As for what goes INTO a campaign, that's easy. Start with encounters. Create a few and then remove all terrain, situation and plot. Look at the things that make THAT encounter unique. Maybe it's a trap and your specific approach to it; maybe you've got a kobold NPC you've really put your soul into.
Tap into that uniqueness. Try to imagine players meeting it for the first time. They'll want to roll initiative and just kill it, of course. What will stop them? Maybe the encounter can talk, has some resource that the PCs will destroy if they murder it, or it just plain runs away. NOW you have the basis of a campaign.
You see besides deciding what you want, the other thing that makes a game a "campaign" versus a series of adventures is longevity. I'm not JUST saying recurring villains here. Why is your favorite show still around? Because something happens EVERY episode that people don't get tired of. Maybe that's a TARDIS, a 67 Impala or the willingness to seek the next troubled western town. SOMETHING sticks around forever and the audience soaks it up.
Once you decide...
Um...wow. That's some...amazing advice!
And I would like to let you know that I do want this campaign to be a certain step-by-step campaign (you know, once they reach X, they have to go to either Y or Z). And...the campaign's story is loosely based off of the story of The Last Unicorn. By loosely, I mean there's no unicorns or red bulls, but there is a similar approach to the story of the campaign, if you would like me to tell more about it.
I also have some enemy statistics made if you would like to see it.