Campaign/Adventure Idea: Have You Ever?

[joca4christ]

I know there are a few game systems set in the future and have magic integrated (like Shadow Run) but have any of you Playgrounders ever played using 3.x rules and had the adventure spill out into the "real" world? Like the old D&D cartoon but in reverse? What was it like?

[undead hero]

I know there are a few game systems set in the future and have magic integrated (like Shadow Run) but have any of you Playgrounders ever played using 3.x rules and had the adventure spill out into the "real" world? Like the old D&D cartoon but in reverse? What was it like?

Bad things.

Essentially things might get "to real" depending on the group.

I had a player that wanted to take over a certain country so his personal religion could spread... Another member was from that country... Yeah...

Just be careful.

[limejuicepowder]

I've played in a couple games set in modern times, and they work OK for the most part. The main problem I have with them is gear. Mundanes (once again) get hurt by not living in a society where it's relatively normal to walk around in armor and carry weapons. This alone makes me shy away from modern settings.

[Nettlekid]

My group and I have brainstormed what a campaign like that would be like, and we decided that it's just too dysfunctional. We playfully call adventurers "murder hobos" for a reason. That's what they do. When characters would come into our world, they'd violently assault anyone who insults them, which lots of people would. This translates to being arrested and shot down (and regular bullets trump a +5 Vorpal Greatsword). You also have two options, for magic to work for your characters as normal and amaze the public, or for magic to be connected to the world, and so it doesn't work for you. If magic works, you rule the world effortlessly. If magic doesn't work, you get gunned down and TPKed by the NYPD.

[limejuicepowder]

regular bullets trump a +5 Vorpal Greatsword).

Ummm...How? Honestly, I'd rather get shot than hit by a greatsword, much less a greatsword enchanted to hit more accurately, harder, and with a small chance to automatically behead me. As long as you get medical attention promptly, you are very likely to survive a gunshot.

[BWR]

Ummm...How? Honestly, I'd rather get shot than hit by a greatsword, much less a greatsword enchanted to hit more accurately, harder, and with a small chance to automatically behead me. As long as you get medical attention promptly, you are very likely to survive a gunshot.

not quite. Thing about guns is that they are easy to use and penetration is good and have range. They don't really do more damage than a big piece of sharp metal swung by someone who knows how to use it. Lots of people don't seem to understand this.

On the OT, I am running one game like this. It's basically a sort of deconstruction of Magical Girl manga/anime. Big monsters start appearing, girl has awesome powers (mostly magical items rather than actual innate magic powers, but also almost-supernatural-skills), then things get bad.

After a year or so of minor incidents and suspicion on part of the government but no real proof, a giant monster went berserk in Tokyo and Our Heroine came and saved the day. Everybody and his mother had their cameras out. One hour later she was, to quote Lennon, bigger than Jesus.
Amongst the fallout are innumerable requests for interviews, people trying to figure out who she is, countless fansites and videos of her kicking monster butt with a big sword (actually rather normal sized, but you know how it is), and people wanting to have licesnsed merchandise and an anime series or two.

Then there is the political, scientific and religious aspect of everything. See, the dominant religions are wrong, and the pseudo-L5R shinto-y thing is right. Try telling that to all the religious nuts. Then try explaining how Taint zombies and kaiju and demons are supposed to work scientifically.
Then try explaining to the rest of the world that, no Japan has not lost control of a biological experiment and yes, this is for real not just a hoax.
And no, they do not know where this girl is and cannot hand her over to other countries for interrogation.

[Morcleon]

Ummm...How? Honestly, I'd rather get shot than hit by a greatsword, much less a greatsword enchanted to hit more accurately, harder, and with a small chance to automatically behead me. As long as you get medical attention promptly, you are very likely to survive a gunshot.

This is agreed with. Especially since normal bullets only deal normal-ish damage, and don't bypass DR/magic or anything like Protection from Arrows. :smalltongue:

[kreenlover]

Umm, yah. I had an epic level game where two powerful mages decided that they wanted to use another characters at-will plane shift ability to get to the real world.

I allowed it.

The first thing they agreed on doing was coming into the room where we played D&D, beheading me (The DM), and declaring themselves the new rulers of the universe.

And after I told them no, the REALLY bad things started happening...

D&D to real world?
Very. Bad. Idea.

[BWR]

D&D to real world?
Very. Bad. Idea.

My Intelligence is 4? Outrageous!

Seriously, that's like saying playing an evil party is a bad idea. It all depends on how it's handled. It can be a lot of fun if done correctly.

You just need a decent DM and some decent players.

[Nettlekid]

I think it might make a good one-shot, if you were okay with rampaging Grand Theft Auto style and ending up dead or killing everyone else. But as a long-term campaign with the plan to return home, I don't think so.

And re: Swords vs. Bullets...there's a reason current soldiers use guns, not swords. A buff dude with a sword versus a regular person with a pistol. If this isn't a movie, who wins? Hint: It's the dude who doesn't get shot.

[Morcleon]

And re: Swords vs. Bullets...there's a reason current soldiers use guns, not swords. A buff dude with a sword versus a regular person with a pistol. If this isn't a movie, who wins? Hint: It's the dude who doesn't get shot.

...except this is D&D. Where a guy with a sword can rips apart a skyscraper with a single hit. And where archery (and thus guns) are harder to optimize. :smalltongue:

A gun would deal, what, a couple dice of damage? The sword guy would do that plus Str and Power Attacking and Charging abilities. :smallbiggrin:

[Nettlekid]

...except this is D&D. Where a guy with a sword can rips apart a skyscraper with a single hit. And where archery (and thus guns) are harder to optimize. :smalltongue:


...except this is bringing a D&D campaign into our world, with the level of realism in our world. Bullets would do a lot more than a couple of dice of damage, with a high range increment and probably use Touch AC, and perhaps institute a new policy for called shots akin to the Five Shadow Creeping Ice Enervation Strike to decide if it causes extensive bleed damage or speed penalties or the like.

[DeltaEmil]

According to the DMG 1, an automatic pistol deals 2d6 damage. And has a range increment of 40 feet. Automatic rifles do 2d8 damage and have range increment 80 feet.

The mid-level magic warrior from the D&D-world with a magic composite longbow (range increment 110 feet) is more dangerous than an army of police officers with automatic weapons.

Woe befalls the modern world when the D&D-party has a low-level cleric with a pet shadow.

In seven days, all seven billion humans will be the shadow slaves of the cleric, who sleeps in an rope trick extradimensional space pocket.

[Nettlekid]

Which is exactly why you have to decide if magic works in the "real-life" world, or doesn't. Which divides the future of the campaign into world domination or TPK.

[Morcleon]

...except this is bringing a D&D campaign into our world, with the level of realism in our world. Bullets would do a lot more than a couple of dice of damage, with a high range increment and probably use Touch AC, and perhaps institute a new policy for called shots akin to the Five Shadow Creeping Ice Enervation Strike to decide if it causes extensive bleed damage or speed penalties or the like.

Normal bullets are also stopped dead by most magical defenses. Like DR/magic and Starmantle.

Also, most RL humans barely have a few levels, and very low HP. After all, this (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0243.html). :smalltongue:

[Nettlekid]

Normal bullets are also stopped dead by most magical defenses. Like DR/magic and Starmantle.


Hence, at the risk of repeating myself, why the DM should decide if magic works or does not work in our world, and as such, whether or not the PCs will be overpowered or underpowered.

[DeltaEmil]

That would be boring for the spellcaster players if they suddenly can't cast spells (and it would lead to the question of how the D&D-party managed to come to "Earth" in the first place) and everybody's magic item stops functioning.

This will only lead to frustration and the player characters wanting to get back as soon as possible, since "Earth" is a more primitive world, which has no invisible servants, magical succubi prostitutes, prestidigitation-flavored phoenix livers, and no healing magic.

It's better to send D&D-player characters to some kind of Shadowrun-world, where there is already some kind of magic around, so that the player characters can use their toys, while the inhabitants of the magical "Earth" at least know what they're up to.

[Morcleon]

Hence, at the risk of repeating myself, why the DM should decide if magic works or does not work in our world, and as such, whether or not the PCs will be overpowered or underpowered.

If magic didn't work, then why are you playing D&D? At that point, just use d20 Modern. :smalltongue:

[limejuicepowder]

And re: Swords vs. Bullets...there's a reason current soldiers use guns, not swords. A buff dude with a sword versus a regular person with a pistol. If this isn't a movie, who wins? Hint: It's the dude who doesn't get shot.

Modern soldiers use guns because they have range, require less training to be efficient, and have wider applications (if "guns" includes gunpowder-based personal weapons). Range is the big one though - range is valued higher than anything, and has been throughout history.

Combat in DnD is a lot less dangerous than RL combat is. Ultimately, the best weapon is the one that allows you to hurt your opponent without even giving them the chance to hurt you. Thus we arrive at bow>spear>sword. Despite what the codes of chivalry or bushido might say, tactics of the times reflects this principle. Guns follow the same notion, as do computer controlled drones. It really has nothing to do with the amount of damage they do. A skillfully swung sword has a much better chance of instant death or critical wounds than a gun does....it just lacks range.

It's also worth noting that DnD armor is not reflective of RL armor. It's easy to think "well plate armor and a heavy shield will deflect a longsword all day, while a .44 magnum will blow right though it. There for, the gun is more powerful and destructive than the sword." This is a false comparison. There are different types of armor that protect against different things. A thick kevlar vest will block a bullet quite effectively, but a switchblade will go right though it to your delicate insides. Additionally, even if a sword can't cut your skin though the kevlar vest, the brunt impact will still easily break bones.

Overall, I think the rules for guns as laid out in the DMG are pretty good. A commoner with 10 str will do more damage with a pistol than a longsword (2d6 vs 1d8), but the career soldier with 18 str will do more with the sword.

[joca4christ]

If I were to run a game/adventure/campaign in this setting, I would invariably rule magic worked the same or similarly as it does "normally". I would also have a BBEG intend on taking over, and it would be the PCs joh, should they accept, of stopping this.

Would definitely have monsters brought over, but also have "traditional" baddies come forward from the "real" world, like vampires, werewolves, etc. Also, thinking monster type being dependent on what part of the world they were in.

The guys I currently game with are the "good guy" types and haven't yet converted to "murder hoboism" as of yet. (They're newbies.)

Again, no plans for immediate future, just wanted some thoughts. So far, great discussion!