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View Full Version : DM Help How to pick/homenrew a system for my campigan?



igordragonian
2021-01-06, 04:41 AM
Ok. It might sound obivouse but...
I am planning a campigan, but wanted it to have a certain feel, and so I found myself adding more and more homebrew to 5e...

At some point I wonder, maybe I am forcing something on a system whuch wasn't meant for it?
For example, adding sanity points in similiar way to Call Of Cthulhu.

But, on the other hand, d&d is good at making the players feel rewarded, and more or less everyone understand it.

It supposed to be dark carnival campigan, based loosely on Strahd.
Like Strahd start a carnival with blood and choclate.
It supposed to be creepy and wierd, yet the players are heroes who meant to win in the end. At least have the chance to.

Xervous
2021-01-06, 07:31 AM
Could you detail the main features you’re looking for, the extent of your desire for rules depth to express the world, how important combat is, etc?

Alcore
2021-01-06, 08:31 AM
Ok. It might sound obivouse but...
I am planning a campigan, but wanted it to have a certain feel, and so I found myself adding more and more homebrew to 5e...a certain feel MUST be communicated to the players if they are to help keep the feel. I have used other systems and D&D players treat it as a different D&D. Try to shape the expectations from the beginning; if they sit down playing a system that allows, and they expect, to be a hero they might be upset to find themselves at the wrong kind of game.



At some point I wonder, maybe I am forcing something on a system whuch wasn't meant for it?
For example, adding sanity points in similiar way to Call Of Cthulhu.
Kinda... at its core 5e is still a d20 system. Mechanically you could swap out the classes for 3.5 classes and they will work (balance dies; oh well). D20 system has been to many places and meant many things.

Depending on how much is still original or a jigsaw puzzle i recommend printing out the rules and gathering them together. Or make a PDF. Making them easy to read/find is a must if you want as little frustration as possible.


but, on the other hand, d&d is good at making the players feel rewarded, and more or less everyone understand it.

It supposed to be dark carnival campigan, based loosely on Strahd.
Like Strahd start a carnival with blood and choclate.
It supposed to be creepy and wierd, yet the players are heroes who meant to win in the end. At least have the chance to.

5e is fine... to the best of my understanding...

Much like as Xervous asked we need more to go on for such an open-ended question. Not lore or story spoilers but hard mechanics.

igordragonian
2021-01-06, 04:25 PM
The idea, is that the characters start relativly low in power, I wanted hard battles, but have many crazy consumable magic items, discovering secrets. Also gore here and there...
Sort of what if Batman's joker would have DMed D&D
The campigan started from reading the Heckna Carnival trial adventure-=
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36z2_nhKmuQ&ab_channel=HitPointPress

Alcore
2021-01-07, 12:32 AM
5e is perfect for a low powered game. Base Attack Bonus ramps up super slow; and most saves don't ever increase without feats or multi classing. Casters do have means of disrupting the possible feel you want.


Not sure why sanity has to do with it (or if even necessary). Again; we don't know what you mechanically want so we can't quite say if 5e is a good fit.


Though you could wait for Heckna! to come out on digital shelves?