Hello all,
I'm preparing for a low magic game and I'm looking for some advice on how to make it fun for my players.
A few points I already have in mind
1. Arcane and Divine magic is mythical in nature. Very rare and only possessed by powerful NPCS. Often Antagonists against my players.
2. Magic is heavy distrusted. Think black plague and witch trials
3. Semi Survival based with some horrific elements.
4. Leaning toward Occult based psychic magic as the primary form of magic. It strikes me as more subtle and balanced with the world.
5. Looking for a realistic feel, not 100% realistic but a divergence from the standard Tolkien style game we usually play.
6. More emphasis on special materials and alchemy than enchantments. Enchanted items would be reserved for special quests.
*7. THE MOST IMPORTANT, My players want this style of game and I do as well so we are all on the same page :)
Any ideas to make this world more fun is appreciated, or if there is a good thread for this I would like to see it.
Thanks
damn no posts, oh well
Hello all,
I'm preparing for a low magic game and I'm looking for some advice on how to make it fun for my players.
A few points I already have in mind
1. Arcane and Divine magic is mythical in nature. Very rare and only possessed by powerful NPCS. Often Antagonists against my players.
2. Magic is heavy distrusted. Think black plague and witch trials
3. Semi Survival based with some horrific elements.
4. Leaning toward Occult based psychic magic as the primary form of magic. It strikes me as more subtle and balanced with the world.
5. Looking for a realistic feel, not 100% realistic but a divergence from the standard Tolkien style game we usually play.
6. More emphasis on special materials and alchemy than enchantments. Enchanted items would be reserved for special quests.
*7. THE MOST IMPORTANT, My players want this style of game and I do as well so we are all on the same page :)Any ideas to make this world more fun is appreciated, or if there is a good thread for this I would like to see it.
Thanks
Get a copy of Monte Cook's Midnight campaign setting for D&D 3.5. They deal with a lot of these things.
Stick with the E6 version of Pathfinder or, if you want higher levels, do automatic bonus progression.
House rule a sliding level of masterwork items: Masterwork is +1 to hit; Mastercraft is +2 to hit, +1 damage; Masterpiece is +2 to hit and damage.
There should be lots of special materials - silvered, cold iron, and adamantine weapons are going to be critical for doing what magic normally would allow.
Alchemical items should be very, very common. There are quite a few which will accomplish things similar to what some magic does.
For magic, use Spheres of Power as that works well in the low-magic environment. Also, use Rituals heavily for flavor reasons.
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typically from my experience Low magic games tend to focus less on combat and more on skill checks. Normal combat assumes there is a fair amount of magic in play, especially when higher level, so you'll probably need to either have everyone play martial classes, or lower CR on some events.
look for more mundane challenges, a wide canyon filled with scorpions is a no brainer for a party with a little magic but can be a troublesome event for a bunch of guys with backpacks and shovels.
get creative with your challenges and include some technological equivalents to magic (alchemy items, special materials, "inventions", etc).
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With little to no healing available, do not have enemies go all in as much as with a regular pathfinder game. In general, anything that values its own life should flee or surrender when things look grim. Of course, this would not apply to unintelligent undead, some animals, and constructs.
With that, if they will be playing good guys who choose to not kill their enemies, refrain from bringing back defeated foes...well, maybe once...but then don't do it until later in the game.
It's good that you and your players are all looking forward to this style of game. That is a great place to begin.