Idea for a custom campaign, thoughts?

[Asrrin]

So I want to start to build a campaign centered around planeswalking, but with a slight twist. I want the PC's to start off in a crapsack E6 material plane with practically no divine or arcane casters. The reason they are far and few between is because they either ascend on their own after learning rituals to planeswalk or are spirited away by various outside agencies in an eternal struggle through the planes.

The Material Plane is still very important as it is the source of parishioners for the deities and the demons, but due to rules put in place by the powers that be, there is a strict policy of no (or at least minimal) interference. As such, there will be precious few clues that point to the existence of the outer planes, but the story will have some evil outsider trying to get himself around the laws so that he can rule over the Prime. The PCs will attempt to stop him and in an epic showdown (well, epic for level 6) that will have them escape the Prime in one of several ways. They are killed by the BBEG, they sacrifice themselves to end the BBEG's influence, or they run away after learning about the other planes.

Now because the Prime is going to be a very low magic E6 world the PC's are all going to be low power, and I intend for them to be able to be really powerful after they "awaken" in the multiverse. To that end, I Was thinking of having a powerful artifact that simultaneously casts slightly modified True Resurrections, Plane Shift, and Psychic Reformations on the characters right at the end of the BBEG showdown.

Basically, through DM fiat, you will be able to retrain class levels, feats and skills, and pick a new race as well, including ones with LA. However, class retraining must be related to the class you once were. a Bard going into Sorcerer, Sorcerer or Adept going into Wizard, Ranger going into Druid, ect. This represents what your "true soul" was trying to accomplish while "trapped" in the E6 world of the Prime. Also, Stats will stay the same, and the players will retain all the material wealth they accumulated.

This will give the characters a chance to play the exact character they wanted for the "real" part of the story, while keeping everyone fairly low OP in the first few levels.

Any thoughts or criticisms about something like this?

[ArcturusV]

Hmm... it's not how I'd do it actually. But that's me. I'd probably take the classes I don't want in my "Low magic" world like the Druid, the Cleric, the Wizard, etc., and declare them as PrCs. Provide some "logical" limitations that cannot be achieved before level 6. So something like "Wizard PrC: Requires Know (Arcana) 9 ranks". Change the Wizard casting into something like +1 level of Arcane Spellcasting and Spells Known, Wizard Spells are added to your list. Get a Familiar and Scribe Scroll at level 1, Metamagic or Item Creation at every 5th level as a bonus feat.

... knowing that these classes ARE PrCs, and that at level 6 they can get the requirements for the class, and take them on level 7 will clue in players that something will happen to their E6 world. And that if they want to be the Wizard, they need to make sure they have the skill ranks when they hit level 6 and cap out. They will be looking for, and expecting the moment "something" happens and they hit level 7.

Have a normal e6 game, including getting bonus feats at every 5k XP until the big confrontation. Make sure you provide a way for them to "Win" the battle, you never know what sort of wily tricks the players will come up. Even if you give the Demon SR: Yes, +40 every save, 50,000 HP, they might still figure something out.

After they hit the multiverse, allow them to level as per normal. Pretend they're at half the XP for level 7 ascension from level 6, they still have their bonus feats from E6. Go to town.

That's what I'd do. Not saying it's "right". But how I'd go for it.

[Kazuel]

I had a thought for a campaign once that would start the PCs off as a single class Lv 20 and go right into an epic battle that the loose. At the point of their death they hear a voice say "no you must do better, the fate of all depend on it". Then they are thrust back in time to level 1 and they then try to stop the BBEG again only this time with proper training and no class restrictions.

[Arkusus]

I had a thought for a campaign once that would start the PCs off as a single class Lv 20 and go right into an epic battle that the loose. At the point of their death they hear a voice say "no you must do better, the fate of all depend on it". Then they are thrust back in time to level 1 and they then try to stop the BBEG again only this time with proper training and no class restrictions.
Oh dear me, oh my... you are a very brave man to let your players get level 20 casters off the bat and expect them to lose...

Or perhaps rather... expect them to lose THIS time, but not NEXT time. Multiclassing is nice, but not really required for most high-tier casters. (Practically required for an awesome martial character though)
The idea does sound amusing though, just warn your players not to spend too much time on the character building.

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As for your ideas though Assrin, since you're asking for input, how about something like this? (Not superior, just the way I might do it)

So okay, we've established there is some kind of barrier protecting the Material Plane from outsiders of any kind, good or bad.

Now, some wily evil outsider finds his way through and begins wreaking havoc, so... that means he found a hole, or a passage, or whatever that let him get through. So now on this topic let's make a ruling that the players will probably never know about, but it's good for YOU to know it, so you know why things happen and how to react to player shenanigans. Some either good or neutral deity created the barrier, hoping to create a plane free from outsider influence.

Now, if ONE outsider can get through, others can as well, but we don't know that yet.

So, your level 6 PCs go rushing along their quest, and one of three things happen:
1: They fight and win
2: They fight and lose
3: They run away

So starting with #3, have them put in a place where the only escape is the same way the outsider came INTO the world, thus sending them into the multiverse.

To solve #2, if they die (or just all fall below 0 HP) bright light fills the room as a good outsider follows through the breach. This outsider is a part of a group that helps serve the deity that created the barrier, and feels it has failed in it''s duty. The good outsider heaps out some wrath on the evil outsider, sheds some tears of sorrow that land on the players and act as a true resurrection spell. The good outsider then apologises for this blight reaching their world and says the players carry some physical part of the outsider that could be used to create another breach or whatever, and they must be pulled through in order to close the breach off.

And for #1, a brightness burns through the portal filling the room with white light. As the remains of the outsider begin to evaporate, a wholly comforting voice echoes in each player's very soul with a kind, but immensely powerful voice that thanks them for their vigilance, and offers to take them through the breach before sealing it that they may have his gratitude.


In all scenarios, the players end up in some place between the planes where their true potential is awakened. In event #1, perhaps there is some bonus reward for the players for managing to defeat the bad guy. I do like the idea of them getting to re-chose their classes to related classes. Basically all the tier-1 and maybe tier-2 classes are off limits, but their lesser cousins are A-okay. They reform into their 'true versions' which are un-restricted and get dropped off in another plane with perhaps some artifact that allows them easy(ier) interplanar travel.



Btw, big bonus points if you can make some quests that are "impossible" but can be solved by dimension hopping.

[Asrrin]

[I]As for your ideas though Assrin, since you're asking for input, how about something like this? (Not superior, just the way I might do it)

Just FYI, it's As-rrin, pronounced "Az-rin." You aren't the first one to make that mistake :smallwink:



So okay, we've established there is some kind of barrier protecting the Material Plane from outsiders of any kind, good or bad.

Now, some wily evil outsider finds his way through and begins wreaking havoc, so... that means he found a hole, or a passage, or whatever that let him get through. So now on this topic let's make a ruling that the players will probably never know about, but it's good for YOU to know it, so you know why things happen and how to react to player shenanigans. Some either good or neutral deity created the barrier, hoping to create a plane free from outsider influence.

Now, if ONE outsider can get through, others can as well, but we don't know that yet....


Basically, I like practically everything you've said. I definitely don't want to shoehorn in an auto loss to PCs, but it will be a powerful outsider many many levels above any mortal on the Prime. No matter what happens, the PCs will be forced off the material plane, either by Deus Ex Machina or by choice.

I think though, that depending on the circumstances of their leaving, the party could be presented with a choice. Help to seal the Prime back to it's original state, or finish destroying the barriers/laws ect. in place so that everyone, good and evil, has access to the world and it would start to look more like a traditional D&D world. Neither choice is wrong, and both would come with pros and cons, but it would represent the philosophy of the group on what they thought was right, and either situation would make for an epic ending.