Including content from other settings in custom campaign

[Albions_Angel]

Hi all,

I wanted some advice on including content from non-grayhawk settings in a custom, grayhawk inspired campaign. I am currently condensing my houserule set and ironing out kinks in it.

At the moment, I am allowing all first party standard content, with some caveats (Large sections of UA arnt in play for example, but class variants are, and people can play the races there but must refluff them as different versions from elsewhere in the books because I spent a lot of time figuring out where all the races are from in my world).

I would like to allow spells, feats and classes from FR and Eberron, and potentially OA.

First up, how does this sound as a rule:

"Content from alternate settings (Forgotten Realms/Eberron/etc.) is restricted to spells, feats and classes where they do not conflict with standard versions."

My issue is, how do I define alternate realm stuff? I want people to be able to use Warforged, and thats ok because its duplicated in MMIII. But how do I easily say whats an alternate realm and what isnt? I mean, is MMIII even considered Grayhawk? Am I using the wrong terms?

In addition, I am not adverse to restricting some books here and there. Which setting books should I exclude, or be cautious of because it doesnt play well with others? Is OA (and the dragon mag update) fine to run with everything else, or should I limit it to a small region of my world, or just to interdimensional travelers?

[Venger]

just go on a case by case basis regarding each specific piece of content. it doesn't make any sense to ban content because of what book it originates in. all the books you listed will be fine in your custom setting.

[ksbsnowowl]

I recently did a similar thing as I prep to run my players through the Curse of the Crimson Throne AP. In the character creation email, I basically said, "this world isn't Eberron or Faerûn; don't try to use stuff that is blatantly specific to those settings." Then I gave examples of what wouldn't fly, and what would. Hathran, Red Wizard, Artificer, Warforged, Dragonmarked feats: these were all examples of things they should avoid. Peerless Archer, Tashalatora, Double Steel Strike, Serpent Strike: these were all examples of things that were fine. Then I just put the caveat that they should ask before assuming, because my sense of what was "setting specific" and theirs might be different.

Effectively it becomes a case by case basis, but I gave some solid guidelines of what things I was trying to avoid, and what things I was okay with.

You'll just have to do the same, and construct a small list of that's cool vs. what's not, so they get a feel of what you're going for.

[Red Fel]

My issue is, how do I define alternate realm stuff? I want people to be able to use Warforged, and thats ok because its duplicated in MMIII. But how do I easily say whats an alternate realm and what isnt? I mean, is MMIII even considered Grayhawk? Am I using the wrong terms?

In addition, I am not adverse to restricting some books here and there. Which setting books should I exclude, or be cautious of because it doesnt play well with others? Is OA (and the dragon mag update) fine to run with everything else, or should I limit it to a small region of my world, or just to interdimensional travelers?

I'm with Venger and ksb on this one. Rather than having a single hard rule, offer the players general guidelines on what will fly and what won't, and take everything on a case by case basis from there.

Does this feat require the existence of a Faerunian deity who doesn't exist in the setting? Won't fly. Is this a regional feat that could easily be adapted to a region in the setting? Sounds good. Does this class refer to a race that doesn't exist in the setting? No dice. Does this spell do something cool, but it comes from an Eberron book? I don't see a problem with that.

It's a lot easier to address each point as it comes up, rather than trying to build one comprehensive rule that will intercept all possible concerns.

[BowStreetRunner]

If you go and spend time sorting through a bunch of content you aren't planning on using yourself, then there is no guarantee that any Player is going to be interested and you might be just wasting effort you could better spend working on something you definitely are including. The approach that should require the least wasted effort would be to indicate which books and material are automatically included and then tell them everything else will be dealt with on a case by case basis. (Which is essentially what the other replies above all said.) :smallbiggrin:

[Thurbane]

just go on a case by case basis regarding each specific piece of content. it doesn't make any sense to ban content because of what book it originates in. all the books you listed will be fine in your custom setting.

This is the approach I take in my (Greyhawk) campaign.

I avoid any FR or Eberron material that is overly campaign or region specific, but general feats are fine.