Setting without full casters, thoughts?

[BlackOnyx]

Curious to hear if anyone has ever ran (or played in) a campaign that didn't include full casters (wizard, cleric, druid, sorc, etc.) in any capacity, be it PC or NPC.

- What was your experience like?

- What aspects of the game and/or campaign setting did it change?

- Would you recommend it?


(Speculation/discussion from those who haven't personally partaken in this style of campaign is also welcome.)

[ngilop]

I have on several occasions. I have also ran a campaign where the players were all fighters (well... one was a cleric but he only ever cast magic stone, I am not exaggerating that is literally all he ever did, so basically a fighter with better saves, but worse attacks and less HP)


Its possible, if a bit rough, you are going to need to give them ways to have the counters to statuses and conditions that higher level spells give.


I would not recommend it unless everybody was pretty competent and the campaign was better tailored for such a party.

[Gnaeus]

One key question is how pervasive is the no full casters rule.

A game with no 7-9 level spells is much different from one with no wizards or clerics but where Solars and Genies are still casting wish and miracle.

[BlackOnyx]

One key question is how pervasive is the no full casters rule.

A game with no 7-9 level spells is much different from one with no wizards or clerics but where Solars and Genies are still casting wish and miracle.


The thought was that all monsters would continue to exist as written, or at least have the potential to do so.


I imagine they'd probably be far less accessible/prevalent in such a setting, though (i.e. the genie or the solar).

[Gnaeus]

The thought was that all monsters would continue to exist as written, or at least have the potential to do so.

I imagine they'd probably be far less accessible/prevalent in such a setting, though (i.e. the genie or the solar).

Then you have a dark sun setting ruled by dragons and monsters. An ancient red dragon with his CL 25 limited wish is the unrivaled big boy in his country. He just doesn’t have to fight any fight he isn’t guaranteed to win. Every underdark war is won by aboleths or mind flayers. Things like drow or duergar can’t remotely compete. For that matter, humanoids lacking full casters, things like Fey will be able to hold territory vastly better. Every Vampire is the equal of the best mage the humans can offer (a bard). Unless you way turned down monster prevalence, I would expect to see humans in small hidden enclaves or cities ruled by monsters.

[Thurbane]

I mean, there is a LOT you can still do with 6th level spells, and the differences will mainly be noticeable at high-end levels of play.

As pointed out above, creatures with high level innate casting/SLAs will be a lot more formidable, and command more personal power in a given setting.

Good aligned dragons and outsiders would hopefully keep somewhat of a check on evil dragons and outsiders...and vice versa.

[Doctor Despair]

I mean, there is a LOT you can still do with 6th level spells, and the differences will mainly be noticeable at high-end levels of play.

As pointed out above, creatures with high level innate casting/SLAs will be a lot more formidable, and command more personal power in a given setting.

Good aligned dragons and outsiders would hopefully keep somewhat of a check on evil dragons and outsiders...and vice versa.

Not to mention that monsters with strong SLAs but no casting still aren't getting use out of Craft Contingent Spell, so uberchargers should still be a pretty real threat. Civilized settlements can still access higher-level spells through artificers, as they are decidedly not full-casters (or even casters). Maybe we could see reverse-dungeons forming, with layers anti-monster traps layered over one another in those hidden settlements.