New Campaign Idea

[RPG_NPC]

Hello, I've been plotting a new 5e campaign for my Roll20 game.

What about a game with two parties? The first group are a collection of rogues and scoundrels making their living in a city's underworld; the second are a group assigned the the city's watch to solve crimes and keep the peace.

Keeping both parties separate where possible but their actions will affect the other group. Both parties have the same overarching storyline but differing sub plots.

Has anyone ever run a campaign like this, does it work having two group of PCs vying against each other?

[Azreal]

Same DM or two?

Are they the same group of people or two different groups of people?

[Gastronomie]

The concept itself seems interesting, but D&D simply isn't meant for player v.s. player combat. If you're gonna do this, perhaps consider eventually introducing a plot twist where it's revealed that the scoundrel team and the city watch team were actually fighting the same enemy (for different causes).

[RPG_NPC]

One DM, Two different groups of PCs, optimally with the parties having no knowledge of each other.
The Rogues may hear that a new unit of bounty hunters are investigating them; the Watchmen may learn that there are an elite gang of criminals in town.

Should the two parties meet then that would be resolved as seperate NPC interactions/combat with non-lethal outcomes; for example the Rogues could get arrested only to be bailed out after their criminal lawyer intercedes.

And yes, there would be an overarching storyline where a BBEG is discovered to be a greater threat to the parties. Possibility forcing the two groups to work together for the finale.

[Azreal]

I personally love the idea. I've wanted to toy around with similar and I know some of my friends in Colllege did a Pathfinder game they called triple threat with 3 DMs, 3 player groups, One campaign setting. An evil group, a neutral group, and a good group.

Unfortunately they divided out players wrong and the Good Group fell apart and so did the whole thing. The Evil campaign however was a smash hit.