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View Full Version : DM Help Rate my Campaign, plus advice.



Yael
2014-08-05, 05:51 AM
So, I'm DMing for the first time in a long time ago, and I wanted to create an unique campaign (aside from always running into cities and confusing yet boring plots, always on cities) to explore a brand new land.

I'm using the following rules for my players, this was posted already for them, and I hope you could rate it. The reason for editing races and classes is to fit the history of the human continent.My rulings are the following:
• Character Creation allows only: Human, Human (Silverbrow), Human (Underfolk), Changeling, Half-Elf, Half-Orc, Illumian, Warforged y Warforged (Scout) as your racial choice; this is because you all come from a human continent.
• Starting Level is 4th.
• For Ability Score generation, you may use a 28pb. If you think it is too low, you may take the next array: 15, 14, 14, 13, 13, 8 (sum of 30.)
• The following classes are banned: Archivist, Binder, Cleric, Druid, Eidolon, Eidoloncer, Erudite (Spell to Power), Sha'ir, Wizard. The gamebreaking capabilities of T1 classes are silly when you are up to explore the unexplored, also because there's no ghost allowed, the ghost classes are forbidden too.
• • As so, the following classes are allowed: Ardent, Artificer, Barbarian, Bard, Battle Dancer, Death Master, Beguiler, Cloistered Cleric, Crusader, Divine Mind, Dragon Shaman, Dragonfire Adept, Dread Necromancer, Duskblade, Factotum, Favored Soul, Fighter, Healer, Hexblade, Incarnate, Jester, Knight, Lurk, Marshal, Monk, Mountebank, Ninja, Noble, Paladin, Psion, Psionic Artificer, Psionic Warrior, Psychic Rogue, Ranger, Rogue, Samurai, Savant, Scout, Shadowcaster, Shaman, Shugenja, Sohei, Sorcerer, Soulborn, Soulknife, Spellthief, Spirit Shaman, Swashbuckler, Swordsage, Totemist, Truenamer, Urban Druid, Warblade, Warlock, Wilder, Wu Jen.
• • • Any class variants and class feature swap must be discussed with the DM.
• Character creation uses any source from Core to 3rd party (including Dragon Magazine and non-updated 3.0 material.)
• The next Prestige Classes are banned: Beholder Mage, Cancer Mage, Dweomerkeeper, Illithid Savant, Incantatrix, Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil, Metaphysical Spellshaper, Planar Shepherd, Soul Eater, Sublime Chord, Tainted Scholar, Ur-Priest, War Hulk.
• There's one free Flaw; however, more than one flaw may be obtained, if you take any extra number of flaws, your character takes a random (and cumulative) -2 penalty on an ability score. This stacks X number of times.
• There's a maximum of three Traits.
• You may Gestalt Tier 5 and 6 classes. If gestalted, no multiclass is allowed.
• • For the previous rule, the next classes are up to gestalting: Dragon Shaman, Fighter, Jester, Healer, Knight, Monk, Mountebank, Noble, Paladin, Samurai, Sohei, Soulknife, Swashbuckler.
• Experience Penalties will be enforced using favored class.
• You may only take one prestige class..
• The spellcasting variant: Spell Points (Unearthed Arcana, p153) will be used.
• The crafting variant: Craft Points (Unearthed Arcana, p097) will be used; also the cost to create any kind of items have its gp cost removed, but its exp cost doubled (you must also gather the materials to craft any kind of item or magic item.)
• Using any kind of template is not allowed.
• Starting gold is 5,000gp. It is highly recommended to spend it all, because you are being informed that there's no known settlement on the new place you are going, so covering every need is crucial.
• Because the campaign relies on exploring, the next classes are recommended: Artificer, Barbarian, Factotum, Healer, Psychic Rogue, Ranger, Rogue, Savant, Scout.
• Every spell of the [Divination] school, (with the exception of Clairaudience/clairvoyance, Comprehend Languages, Detect Magic, Guidance, Identify, Know Direction, Prying Eyes, Prying Eyes (Greater), Rary's Telepathic Bond, Read Magic, Scrying, Scrying (Greater), See Invisibility, Tongues y True Seeing) are subject to a miss chance of 50%.
• There will be an enforcement of every skill in the game (from appraise to knowledge [architecture & enginneering.)
• Death by Massive Damage rule applies (Player's Handbook, p145.)
• Defense Bonus rule applies (Unearthed Arcana, p109.)

The following classes will get an adjust:
• Dragon Shaman.
Obtain Knowledge (Arcana) as class skill.
• Monk.
Base Attack Bonus > 1 (from 3/4.)
• Ninja.
Will use a combination of both ninjas: Complete Adventurer Ninja [CAd], and Rokugan Ninja [Ro].
HD: d6.
Rokugan Ninja BAB.
Uses both saving throw progression: Good Reflexes [CAd] & Good Will [Ro]
Skill points = 6+Int (x4 at level 1st).
Its class skills are: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Weapon and Armor Proficiency [CAd] & [Ro]
AC Bonus y Wisdom a su AC [CAd]
Acrobatics [CAd]
Blind-Fight [Ro]
Deflect Arrows [Ro]
Evasion [CAd]
Ki Power y todas las habilidades cuyo uso requiere Ki Power [CAd]
Poison Use [Ro] e Improved Poison Use [CAd]
Shadow Run [Ro]
Speed Climb [CAd]
Speed of Darkness [Ro]
Sneak Attack [Ro]
Trapfinding [CAd]
Uncanny Dodge & Improved Uncanny Dodge [Ro]
• Psychic Rogue.
Psicraft as class skill.
• Rogue.
You may change Use Magical Device for Poison Use (as class feature.)

♦ The following races will recibe an adjust:
• Half-Elf.
+2 Charisma, -2 Constitution.
Racial bonus to Diplomacy and Gather information is removed.
Charm Person as Spell-Like Ability 1/day, DC is Charisma based, CL equals 1/2 HD or caster level (mínimum 1.)
Automatic Languages: Common. Elven is removed as an automatic language.
• Half-Orc.
+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma.
+2 racial bonus on Intimidate checks.
Automatic Languages: Common. Orc is removed as an automatic language.
Favored Class: Any.
• Human.
+2 any Ability Score, -2 any Ability Score.
You may also chose to do not change ability scores.
• Human (Silverbrow)
+2 a cualquier Ability Score, -2 a cualquier Ability Score.
You may also chose to do not change ability scores.
• Human (Underfolk)
+2 a cualquier Ability Score, -2 a cualquier Ability Score.
You may also chose to do not change ability scores.
• Warforged Scout.
+2 Dexterity, -2 Strength, -2 Charisma.
30 ft. land speed.
Favored Class: Scout.

Also, the lore of the human lands (called Illyanis) is here, however it's written in Spanish, if this is against any forum rule, it will be removed, if you understand Spanish language, feel free to take a read in my story, may not be of that much interest though... I'm not a great writter :/Continente de Illyanis.
La historia es contada por varios tomos escritos en un idioma arcano y (a sabiduría popular) descendiente del Draconic. Estos eventos se han re clasificado y ordenado conforme se acercaban al Tratado de Paz en Illyanis (abreviado como TdP).
• [40,000 ATdP] Despues de pelear contra los Elder Gods, y encerrarlos en otra dimensión; Io formo el mundo, se formo el continente de Illyanis.
• [39,999-37,135 ATdP] Los dragones del tiempo gobiernan Illyanis, Urathear, el dragón de platino tiene supremo poder sobre todo dragón.
• [37,135-36,094 ATdP] Tiamat asesina a Urathear, gobierna Illyanis, los dragones cromáticos se apoderan del continente. Los dragones del tiempo pasan a vivir a otros planos.
• [35,094 ATdP] Bahamut (junto a Pelor y Corellon Larethian) despoja a Tiamat del poder en Illyanis, los dragones cromáticos son expulsados de Illyanis, los dragones metálicos se asientan en el continente y los primeros humanoides aparecen en el continente (elfos.)
• [34,094 ATdP] Gruumsh asenta a sus orcos al norte del continente.
• [32,684 ATdP] Los dragones cromáticos se dispersan por el mundo, menos de 500 se quedan en Illyanis.
• [29,500-25,500 ATdP] Otras razas humanoides aparecen en el continente: dwarvens, gnomes, halflings, variaciones de elfos (incluido el drow), etc. Todas prosperan en su propia extensión de terreno.
• [24,987-24,985 ATdP] La primera guerra entre Elfos y Orcos toma su lugar en el centro del continente, esta dura dos años y los elfos son expulsados al borde este de Illyanis.
• [22,975-19,435 ATdP] Los elfos (en su mayoría) salen del continente en busca de nuevas tierras. Los dragones cromáticos regresan al continente, declaran guerra a los dragones metalicos que aun están en el continente y a los humanoides de Illyanis. Este evento se conoce como Loex.
• [19,435-18,434 ATdP] La guerra de Haurach Loex, tambien conocida como la guerra de los 1000 años tuvo su lugar en Illyanis, la parte norte del continente fue desintegrada durante los últimos 2 años. Luego de la destrucción del noroeste de Illyanis, los dragones cromáticos se retiraron; a este punto, menos de 100 dragones metálicos residen en Illyanis.
• [15, 211-15,202 ATdP] Un portal extraplanar se abre por causas misteriosas en en centro de Illyanis, este portal trajo consigo la Blood War al plano material. Gran parte de las especies con vida en Illyanis son diezmadas, o extintas (se extingue el Whisper Gnome). El resto de razas humanoides salen del continente para buscar refugio de la guerra entre demonios y diablos. Este fenómeno dura 9 años.
• [15,202-10,000 ATdP] Ninguna forma de vida humanoide habita en la superficie de Illyanis, las formas de vida animales, plantas y bestias en general habitan el suelo y el continente recupera su vida a un ritmo ininterrumpido por 5,202 años.
• [10,000-9,955 ATdP] Los elfos regresan a Illyanis, se levantan ciudades elficas importantes como SI-LAN y KUY-YEN.
• [9,521 ATdP] Vuelven los orcos al continente, al llegar se negocia un tratado de división de tierras, hay paz.
• [9,520-9,013 ATdP] Una era de paz reina en Illyanis.
• [9,013-8,989 ATdP] Se produce la primera invasión Drow en Illyanis, las razas humanoides de la superficie consiguen vencer a la amenaza Drow y son expulsados de vuelta al Underdark. Durante 8 años se buscan entradas al Underdark y son selladas. Este esfuerzo es de parte de ambas razas dominantes (elfos y orcos.)
• [8,988 ATdP] Al regresar derrotados al Underdark, los Drow son esclavizados por los Illithid.
• [8,852 ATdP] La gran invasion Illithid toma su lugar en el continente.
• [8,847 ATdP] Debido al potencial del peligro que suponian los Illithid, los dragones metalicos de afuera de Illyanis regresan al continente. Se produce la guerra conocida como el Underdrake.
• [8,803 ATdP] El Underdrake termina. Los dragones metálicos, junto a las especies humanoides de Illyanis, expulsan al Underdark a los Illithid. Estos no vuelven a Illyanis, y, por medio de la ayuda de los dragones, se cierran todas las entradas al Underdark restantes.
• [8,803-6,554 ATdP] Hay paz en Illyanis.
• [6,554 ATdP] Los primeros humanos aparecen en el continente de Illyanis.
• [6,214 ATdP] Los Illumian aparecen en el continente.
• [5,742 ATdP] Se forma el primer gran imperio humano. Este imperio no tiene ningún acuerdo de paz con las demás razas humanoides. Los Illumian forman su propio imperio.
• [4,757 ATdP] Se logra un acuerdo de paz entre las razas humanoides y los dragones. Hay diversas procreaciones entre las razas, se crean los Half-Elfs, Half-Orcs. También se crean los Silverbrow Humans.
• [4,564-4,521 ATdP] A solo 193 años del acuerdo de paz, los humanos invaden tierras elficas y orcas. El numero vence a la calidad, los elfos son expulsados de Illyanis. Los orcos oponen una resistencia mayor ante los humanos, y estos son vencidos en la ciudad de Grumah, al norte del Illyanis.
• [4,521 ATdP] Los humanos descubren bibliotecas escondidas en la ciudad de Si-Lan. En la capital humana, Kyure, se construye la primera gran forja. Esto da lugar a los primeros warforged.
• [4,520-4,497 ATdP] Con la ayuda de los Warforged (en todas sus categorías) los humanos vencen a los orcos, expulsandolos de Illyanis. Los half-elves y half-orcs, al tener descendencia humana, se les permite vivir en Illyanis.
• [4,368 ATdP] Los dragones cromáticos atacan el continente de Illyanis por segunda vez. No hay suficientes dragones metálicos para la lucha, pero la cantidad de humanos logra expulsar a ambas especies draconianas.
• [4,219 ATdP] La segunda invasión Drow toma su lugar en Illyanis. Los humanos los expulsan con relativa facilidad debido a la tecnología que lograron extraer de las bibliotecas arcanas elficas.
• [4,104 ATdP] Los primeros dopplegangers son descubiertos en Illyanis, los humanos procrean con estos a solo cien años de llegar. Se crean los Changelings.
• [4,104-3,465 ATdP] Hay una era de paz entre las naciones humanas. Estas son 5: Centre, Noran, Eas, Sut y We, con sus respectivas capitales: Xaltan, Nordan, Nijia, Alkazer y Rentza.
• [3,465-3,216 ATdP] Inician los conflictos entre los cinco reinos. La guerra dura 249 años.
• [3,215 ATdP] Se establece la gran nación de Humania. El rey electo establece una linea sucesora de futuros reyes para gobernar Humania.
• [3,215-1,101 ATdP] La linea sucesora de Humania tiene éxito por 2,000 años, se apagan las forjas Warforged y se les pone en un periodo de espera.
• [987 ATdP] Nace Marte Nar, sucesor del trono de Humania.
• [962 ATdP] Marte Nar toma control de Humania.
• [952 ATdP] Marte Nar hace un trato con los siervos de Tiamat, por medio de este, los dragones cromáticos obtienen un lugar en el continente y son vistos como seres naturales y respetados. Nace
• [939 ATdP] Nace Raki Qua, siguiente en la linea de sucesión real.
• [927 ATdP] Marte Nar recibe una visita de un aspecto de Bahamut. Se forma otro trato para permitir lo mismo para los dragones metálicos.
• [914 ATdP] Marte Nar muere por causas naturales, Raki Qua sube al trono.
• [899 ATdP] Raki Qua tiene su cuarto hijo.
• [867 ATdP] Raki Qua es asesinado en un acto publico. Los cuatro hijos de Raki Qua se niegan a ceder el trono, por medio de mentiras, todos toman un reino y estalla una guerra. Se reactivan los Warforged.
• [866-387 ATdP] La guerra se torna muy larga. La sucesión de los cuatro hermanos continua la guerra.
• [386 ATdP] Se produce una pausa en la guerra. Se convierte en una guerra fría. Mueren muchos espías.
• [385-001 ATdP] Se reanuda la guerra, los sucesos trágicos continúan por 384 años.
• [000] Se firma el Tratado de la Paz en Illyanis en la capital de Centre, ahora llamado High Crown (antes Xaltan). Se re nombran los cuatro reinos Nordan cambia a Nar, Nijia cambia a Sesta, Alkazer cambia a Suqua y Rentza cambia a Floresta; como parte del tratado, los Warforged son considerados una raza y puestos en libertad. Los changelings, half-elves y half-orcs obtienen una residencia y son considerados parte de la raza humana.
• [006 DTdP] Se considera que el continente de Illyanis es un lugar muy chico para tener tanta gente, se propone una exploración por mar en busca de un continente nuevo, del que se habla en escrituras viejas de las ciudades elficas.

I'm open to any help to adjust my campaign, also to help me to be a better DM :)
The more you know, my players are veterans at 3.5 (frecuently powerplaying) so I'm banning most powerful stuff, funny thing is that they never use the Artificer and can offer no advice on it, so there's no reason for banning it (also, no shops equal to no curency that is worth something.)

By the way, the setting they will run is a new continent, as big as Eberron, but yet unexplored by humans. If you read the history of Illyanis, you will know that humans aren't that of a wellcome'd race outside of their continent, of course most of them don't know, so they are expanding, thus exploring. As so, the new continent contains the standard d&d fluff, plus no humans. A big mingle of races and subraces, running around in underwear (as always.) That being said, and for low level adventurers, what could I throw? I was thinking of first only throwing wild animals (dire versions, maybe) and then making them go into dungeons, and get some magic items in order to advance. Also, with good diplomancers, their relations might go well in elven and orcs settlements (which they will need.)

Halperino pls?

Shinken
2014-08-05, 06:04 AM
How do you have half-elfs and half-orcs, but no elfs and orcs?

If you are going to ban t1 classes, you should ban Artificer and Cloistered Cleric as well. Also, if you're worried about gamebreaking potential, you should ban tier 2 as well.

Phelix-Mu
2014-08-05, 10:17 AM
I really like your combination of a wide selection of sources, limited low-tier gestalting, limiting PrC dipping, and banning T1s. Sets up a nice synergy of giving lots of tools to the optimizers without giving them the keys to the kingdom, so to speak.

A friend of mine recently converted the better part of his world to humans only. Still not sure how I feel about it, but much of human psychology is best explained if they have some reason not to feel totally inferior (as they might well feel in the default setting). I have also considered running a similar game where humans have just realized that they aren't alone (similar to what happened in the Shadowrun setting...demi-humans were always around, just no one, not even them, knew it). Seems a rich kind of cultural dynamic to explore. Consider some 15th-17th century human exploration flavor, with merchant companies and monarchs funding expeditions or competing for fame and country to claim new areas of the map. Will be amusing to have sophisticated, magical human societies come up against the worst the wilds and the non-humans can offer.


How do you have half-elfs and half-orcs, but no elfs and orcs?

If you are going to ban t1 classes, you should ban Artificer and Cloistered Cleric as well. Also, if you're worried about gamebreaking potential, you should ban tier 2 as well.

I'd mention this last bit as well. Psion is every bit as bad as T1s at the highest levels of op, and ardent tricks can blow game challenge apart as well. T3 is a more common break point, but as long as the DM is aware that T2s are very powerful in their own right, it's still something that can be planned around. In the given flavor, I might still be worried about them coming up with a clever way to use magic to explore much faster than intended, but perhaps that can be accounted for as well.

Lucid Dreaming deserves special mention as a skill. Either rewrite it or add clarification on it's basic usage; the skill as written can plausibly be used to do some very unintended things, and nothing in the RAW really stops it from happening.

I'd take a gander at a couple of the other Dragon Compendium classes for minor improvements. Battledancer probably should get the same buff as the monk. Maybe give dragon shaman breath weapon right out of the gate? With the cooldown, it's less powerful than the DFA breath weapon by a good margin, and they get theirs from 1st (unless I am totally misremembering, dragon shaman has to wait). In fact, you might do better just giving dragon shaman the entire breath weapon mechanic from DFA, keep the cooldown, allow the breath effects. This gives the dragon shaman both a nice breath weapon and the auras to fall back on; otherwise, there is a high likelihood that all they will have is a longspear...oh, right, you aren't starting until 4th level. Well, maybe still worth considering.

Yael
2014-08-05, 05:20 PM
How do you have half-elfs and half-orcs, but no elfs and orcs?

If you are going to ban t1 classes, you should ban Artificer and Cloistered Cleric as well. Also, if you're worried about gamebreaking potential, you should ban tier 2 as well.

Lore answers about the lack of true races.

I banned Cloistered Cleric and T2 classes as well, at the very moment my players read the ruleset, their answer was:
"Well, a sorcerer with divination is as fun as a wizard with divination."


I'd mention this last bit as well. Psion is every bit as bad as T1s at the highest levels of op, and ardent tricks can blow game challenge apart as well. T3 is a more common break point, but as long as the DM is aware that T2s are very powerful in their own right, it's still something that can be planned around. In the given flavor, I might still be worried about them coming up with a clever way to use magic to explore much faster than intended, but perhaps that can be accounted for as well.

Lucid Dreaming deserves special mention as a skill. Either rewrite it or add clarification on it's basic usage; the skill as written can plausibly be used to do some very unintended things, and nothing in the RAW really stops it from happening.

I'd take a gander at a couple of the other Dragon Compendium classes for minor improvements. Battledancer probably should get the same buff as the monk. Maybe give dragon shaman breath weapon right out of the gate? With the cooldown, it's less powerful than the DFA breath weapon by a good margin, and they get theirs from 1st (unless I am totally misremembering, dragon shaman has to wait). In fact, you might do better just giving dragon shaman the entire breath weapon mechanic from DFA, keep the cooldown, allow the breath effects. This gives the dragon shaman both a nice breath weapon and the auras to fall back on; otherwise, there is a high likelihood that all they will have is a longspear...oh, right, you aren't starting until 4th level. Well, maybe still worth considering.

I banned Psion too, after removing sorcerer, taking out psion isn't that hard. About Lucid Dreaming, there's not that much of a need of using that skill (until now, I didn't know it existed) nor rewriting it, none of my players would abuse it anyway (however, deserves an special lock on, will have that checked, thanks.)

As for the battledancer, I don't know which buff should be applied? She has full BAB, decent skill points per level, decent skill list, and she will get the bonus of the Defense Bonus from the UA variant, so I don't see that much of a fix. Dragon Shaman's flavor is appart from DFA's abilities, if I enhanced the DS breathweapon, DFA would lose love (I love it), and so.