Steampunk in D&D 3.5

[Bibliomancer]

I was wondering if there were any good guides to the title floating around on the playground? They would be somewhat useful for the opening adventure of a campaign that I'm starting in September.

Specifically, the PCs come from what is in essence a normal D&D duchy (against a completely different world backdrop, more on that later, possibly in world-building), and travel via hot-air balloon to explore a migratory city of five million (90% humans, 10% clanks & warforged) centered on a floating volcano [partially inspired by the Mortal Engines series].

I figure I'll just have to homebrew most of the clanks, but is the artificer class usable in a setting like that? Is there a way to rejigg it to focus less on magic beyond simply changing the flavor? Additionally, stats for guns that aren't inferior to bows (as they essentially are in the DMG) without being a 'must-use' item would be useful.

[GodGoblin]

There is a great book for steampunk 3.5 called Iron Kingdoms by Privateer Press. Look it up. Use it. Be happy.

[EccentricCircle]

D20 past has a better range of guns than the monster manual but they still aren't great. this book also has cannons and various more modern (but not quite modern) vehicles that can be useful including a table for randomly naming mad science inventions.
the Eberron books are more focused on Magitek but it can be adapted to work as regular technology easily enough. i've run steampunk D&D games featuring hot air balloons, airships, clankers (eg walking tanks based on those in Ian Irvine's fantasy books) and various other pseudo industrial revolution stuff.
I've heard Iron kingdoms is good but haven't read it as the books are now out of print and really expensive at least on amazon.

also of note: tomorrow is international steampunk day!

[Callos_DeTerran]

Dragonmech also has some decent rules for steampunk, and you can remove them from that setting with fairly little trouble. A simple re-fluffing of the artificier could work as well to show that the class isn't magical but instead works with steam-punk gear.

[Partysan]

There is also a steampunk game based on D20 modern, called Etherscope.

[Codenpeg]

There is a great book for steampunk 3.5 called Iron Kingdoms by Privateer Press. Look it up. Use it. Be happy.

As an Iron Kingdoms survivor I can vouch for the fluff being awesome but the game mechanics, for healing at least, are awful. I had a flashback and shakes and I might have yelled "NOOOOoooo" according to my girlfriend, from just thinking about it. Still, awesome setting, good steampunk feel to it but I would point the OP toward Ebberon instead.

[JonestheSpy]

Monte Cook did a 3.5 book for Swords and Sorcery called Chaositech - it was basically steampunk refluffed to be "powered by Chaos", although the chaos in question was just another word for Eeeeevil instead of the Chaos on the regular DnD cosmology.

Anyway, it had a lot of good mechanics for Steampunky stuff, just needs to be reverse engineered back into the steampunk it was obviously emulating. Worth checking out if you can find it.

[vartan]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cw/20070212a

Relevant to your interests? (Clockwork Armor for 3.5 Dnd)

[Leon]

As an Iron Kingdoms survivor I can vouch for the fluff being awesome but the game mechanics, for healing at least, are awful.

And the reasons for less healing capabilities is well set into how the setting works - you just have to live with less common healing output that a conventional 3.5 game. Pain of healing rules are but one tiny facet of a very good setting.

[dsmiles]

There is a great book for steampunk 3.5 called Iron Kingdoms by Privateer Press. Look it up. Use it. Be happy.


And the reasons for less healing capabilities is well set into how the setting works - you just have to live with less common healing output that a conventional 3.5 game. Pain of healing rules are but one tiny facet of a very good setting.

Thirded. (Maybe fourthed?) Iron Kingdoms is the best steampunk setting out there for 3.5, IMO. Pain of healing, damage for necromancy, and high-level-doesn't-always-work-raise-dead are what make it awesome for me.

[Justis]

There is the World of Warcraft D20's Tinkerer Base Class, but for it to be functional you have to use a chapter long craft check, though it is solid once you get the idea behind it. It really depends on how you want to do things. Magitech is done by Ebberon, really well, but true steampunk, with no magical hand holding, is going to need a refluff here and there. The best place to start would be WoW D20 class and crafting system.
I'll note that the Tinkerer is heavily relent on Word of GM when making anything that doesn't fit the regular table set down by the system.

Edit: Ah crap I Necro'd sorry Mods.

[atemu1234]

There is the World of Warcraft D20's Tinkerer Base Class, but for it to be functional you have to use a chapter long craft check, though it is solid once you get the idea behind it. It really depends on how you want to do things. Magitech is done by Ebberon, really well, but true steampunk, with no magical hand holding, is going to need a refluff here and there. The best place to start would be WoW D20 class and crafting system.
I'll note that the Tinkerer is heavily relent on Word of GM when making anything that doesn't fit the regular table set down by the system.

Edit: Ah crap I Necro'd sorry Mods.

Worry not, for I have made a continuation. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?398055-Steampunk-in-3-5&p=18806111#post18806111)