Prometheus
2007-10-17, 06:13 PM
I've been thinking about a mode of playing D&D that would intensify the combination of dungeon mechanics and creativity but would exist over a very short scale so that it wouldn't include plotline (Please don't get me wrong, I'm usually all about plotline, but this is a different case).
It would be interesting, because in addition to each side setting up their characters they would also get to build a fort around their side. However the different mode of playing could certainly need a different balance, especially in a PvP atmosphere where balance is crucial.
Has anyone done or seen anything like this? What modifications of D&D rules are needed to make characters combat balanced? What modifications of D&D rules are needed to accommodate for the gameplay described below? Are there any insufficiencies in the rules described below? What would seriously test clause 2a) (other than a block of stone around the flag and Druid with Stone Shape)? What would you do with 4 6th level characters and 25,000g worth of fortifications?
Rules
1)The field is 1500ft by 1500ft with 200ft of air above and 200 ft of ground below (assume impenetrable unclimbable walls enclosing this area) with the "jail" 300 ft from the back wall and from the left (facing the other side), the "flagpost" and "flag" 200 ft from the back wall and 750 feet from each side, the "base" 300 ft from the back wall and from the right. Every round, the illumination from the ceiling is proportional to what would be found on a day with light corresponding to that hour.
1a)The jail is an extradimensional pocket of space that holds an infinite number of creatures, but is confined to a five by five area (or temporarily grows to allow bigger creatures to pass in and out).
1a.1)When a character dies, it goes to the jail of the opposite side and remains there until rescued. This occurs when a member of the character's team reaches the jail (without dying) and without holding the flag for three rounds.
1a.2)A character may choose to commit suicide at any time as a free action.
1a.3)The rescuing character may choose to teleport back to his or her base, or remain where he or she is, but he or she cannot rescue another character until he or she toucher his or her own base.
1a.4)The rescued character teleports to his or her base, but is unconscious until he or she has recovered for 8 rounds (hours), at which time he or she awakes with fully memorized spells and full hp. However he or she suffers the usual effects of death, level or constitution loss.
1b)The base is an area with a radius of 10ft in which members of the team that own it can be considered in as long as at least a 5 by 5 ft space of them are in.
1b.1)When a character is in the base, they may choose for time to pass time sleeping as if each round was an hour.
1b.2)For the purposes of this game, abilities that charge on a daily basis are considered to have done so on 8 hours, creatures that do not sleep can and must sleep to reap the benefits, spells are considered memorized during sleep
1b.3)The benefits of sleep should be considered on a proportional basis (rounded down). For example, a player who would gain 8 hp from 8 hours of sleep instead gains 1 hp per round (hour) spent at the base. A wizard with three spell slots, two of which are spent, on a given spell level can change the first after the third round (9/8), gains the second on sixth round (18/8) and the third on the eighth round (24/8).
1c)The flag is the size and shape of a quarterstaff according to the person who holds it (when no one is, it is for a Medium individual), and therefore must be carried with two hands. The flag can be picked up with a move action but pulling it from the flagpost is a standard action. As it cannot be affected by magic, it cannot be teleported, have an illusion cast over it, or be any way transmuted. It is perfectly air resistant when not held and therefore can not be thrown outside of a five foot square that it occupies.
1c.1)To score a point, a player must grab the flag from the other teams flag post and take it to his or her flag in the flagpost. If the teams own flag isn't there, it must be first recovered before a point can be scored.
1c.2)When a point is scored, the round is reset and players are moved back to their side (see rule 5) and in addition all damage to the fortifications of the side that didn't score are repaired (this includes building damage, triggered traps, dead or harmed pets). Also each player on that side receives the benefit of 4 rounds spent on their base.
2)Each of the jail, base, flag, and flagpost are immune to magic and physical damage, have a dimensional anchor case upon them (so no teleporting in or out), and must have a path into and out of it in which there is reasonable access.
2a)A DM may rule on "reasonable access" but in general this permits traps, symbols, pets, obstructions passable with a high skill check or with damage less than 5 per level, and denies heavy walls, walls of force, anything that must be dispelled or specifically planned for in order to pass through. This is of course, level appropriate, in that a very high level CTF game is anything goes.
3)Each player is given X ECL to make a character with treasure appropriate for a character of level X.
4)Before the game begins, each team has money to build fortifications as if one of them had the Landlord feat (or if they are not a high enough level to qualify,give them the minimum value) from Arms and Equipment. Accordingly, they can only spend this money on fortifications, "pets" (one upfront cost units, that don't benefit from the base or use the jail when they die), and traps (which don't reset). These objects can only be built in the 600ft closest to the back wall of their side.
5)Before the game begins, and when the game resets, characters may place themselves anywhere within the 600ft closest to the back wall of their side. The illumination given off by the ceiling starts as if it were 6 AM.
6)Maps with prebuilt terrain can be made, with the stipulation that the majority of each team agrees that this is fair. This game alteration can include random neutral monsters, allies for each side, random events, natural hazards, and overt modifications of all rules listed above.
7)The DM gets the final say over everything and may modify any of the rules above or any D&D rule, before, during, and after the game.
It would be interesting, because in addition to each side setting up their characters they would also get to build a fort around their side. However the different mode of playing could certainly need a different balance, especially in a PvP atmosphere where balance is crucial.
Has anyone done or seen anything like this? What modifications of D&D rules are needed to make characters combat balanced? What modifications of D&D rules are needed to accommodate for the gameplay described below? Are there any insufficiencies in the rules described below? What would seriously test clause 2a) (other than a block of stone around the flag and Druid with Stone Shape)? What would you do with 4 6th level characters and 25,000g worth of fortifications?
Rules
1)The field is 1500ft by 1500ft with 200ft of air above and 200 ft of ground below (assume impenetrable unclimbable walls enclosing this area) with the "jail" 300 ft from the back wall and from the left (facing the other side), the "flagpost" and "flag" 200 ft from the back wall and 750 feet from each side, the "base" 300 ft from the back wall and from the right. Every round, the illumination from the ceiling is proportional to what would be found on a day with light corresponding to that hour.
1a)The jail is an extradimensional pocket of space that holds an infinite number of creatures, but is confined to a five by five area (or temporarily grows to allow bigger creatures to pass in and out).
1a.1)When a character dies, it goes to the jail of the opposite side and remains there until rescued. This occurs when a member of the character's team reaches the jail (without dying) and without holding the flag for three rounds.
1a.2)A character may choose to commit suicide at any time as a free action.
1a.3)The rescuing character may choose to teleport back to his or her base, or remain where he or she is, but he or she cannot rescue another character until he or she toucher his or her own base.
1a.4)The rescued character teleports to his or her base, but is unconscious until he or she has recovered for 8 rounds (hours), at which time he or she awakes with fully memorized spells and full hp. However he or she suffers the usual effects of death, level or constitution loss.
1b)The base is an area with a radius of 10ft in which members of the team that own it can be considered in as long as at least a 5 by 5 ft space of them are in.
1b.1)When a character is in the base, they may choose for time to pass time sleeping as if each round was an hour.
1b.2)For the purposes of this game, abilities that charge on a daily basis are considered to have done so on 8 hours, creatures that do not sleep can and must sleep to reap the benefits, spells are considered memorized during sleep
1b.3)The benefits of sleep should be considered on a proportional basis (rounded down). For example, a player who would gain 8 hp from 8 hours of sleep instead gains 1 hp per round (hour) spent at the base. A wizard with three spell slots, two of which are spent, on a given spell level can change the first after the third round (9/8), gains the second on sixth round (18/8) and the third on the eighth round (24/8).
1c)The flag is the size and shape of a quarterstaff according to the person who holds it (when no one is, it is for a Medium individual), and therefore must be carried with two hands. The flag can be picked up with a move action but pulling it from the flagpost is a standard action. As it cannot be affected by magic, it cannot be teleported, have an illusion cast over it, or be any way transmuted. It is perfectly air resistant when not held and therefore can not be thrown outside of a five foot square that it occupies.
1c.1)To score a point, a player must grab the flag from the other teams flag post and take it to his or her flag in the flagpost. If the teams own flag isn't there, it must be first recovered before a point can be scored.
1c.2)When a point is scored, the round is reset and players are moved back to their side (see rule 5) and in addition all damage to the fortifications of the side that didn't score are repaired (this includes building damage, triggered traps, dead or harmed pets). Also each player on that side receives the benefit of 4 rounds spent on their base.
2)Each of the jail, base, flag, and flagpost are immune to magic and physical damage, have a dimensional anchor case upon them (so no teleporting in or out), and must have a path into and out of it in which there is reasonable access.
2a)A DM may rule on "reasonable access" but in general this permits traps, symbols, pets, obstructions passable with a high skill check or with damage less than 5 per level, and denies heavy walls, walls of force, anything that must be dispelled or specifically planned for in order to pass through. This is of course, level appropriate, in that a very high level CTF game is anything goes.
3)Each player is given X ECL to make a character with treasure appropriate for a character of level X.
4)Before the game begins, each team has money to build fortifications as if one of them had the Landlord feat (or if they are not a high enough level to qualify,give them the minimum value) from Arms and Equipment. Accordingly, they can only spend this money on fortifications, "pets" (one upfront cost units, that don't benefit from the base or use the jail when they die), and traps (which don't reset). These objects can only be built in the 600ft closest to the back wall of their side.
5)Before the game begins, and when the game resets, characters may place themselves anywhere within the 600ft closest to the back wall of their side. The illumination given off by the ceiling starts as if it were 6 AM.
6)Maps with prebuilt terrain can be made, with the stipulation that the majority of each team agrees that this is fair. This game alteration can include random neutral monsters, allies for each side, random events, natural hazards, and overt modifications of all rules listed above.
7)The DM gets the final say over everything and may modify any of the rules above or any D&D rule, before, during, and after the game.