Inexperienced DM considering running a Dark Tower campaign setting

[Allerdyce]

So, I was looking at my bookshelf, and I saw my dark tower books, and thought to myself "Self, y'know, you could pretty much fit the entire monster manual in all the crap that happened in those books." So, after thinking about it for a while, I figured I could probably run a campaign based on that. It could go horror, or adventure, or all magic, or whatever the players really wanted to do. It'd be kinda sandboxy, but with a plot thread if they wanted to follow it. None of my roommates are really familiar with any of Stephen King's works except one of my roommates, and he's still not familiar overmuch unless it was made into a movie.

So, to the point: since I'm relatively inexperienced (more a player than DM) I figured I'd ask for some advice from the playground. Would this probably be too intensive of a game for a newbie dm to run? Is it too kitchen sink-ish to be fun? Any suggestions for making it more workable?

[Aoric]

So, I was looking at my bookshelf, and I saw my dark tower books, and thought to myself "Self, y'know, you could pretty much fit the entire monster manual in all the crap that happened in those books." So, after thinking about it for a while, I figured I could probably run a campaign based on that. It could go horror, or adventure, or all magic, or whatever the players really wanted to do. It'd be kinda sandboxy, but with a plot thread if they wanted to follow it. None of my roommates are really familiar with any of Stephen King's works except one of my roommates, and he's still not familiar overmuch unless it was made into a movie.

So, to the point: since I'm relatively inexperienced (more a player than DM) I figured I'd ask for some advice from the playground. Would this probably be too intensive of a game for a newbie dm to run? Is it too kitchen sink-ish to be fun? Any suggestions for making it more workable?

I've always wanted to do a Dark Tower campaign, but have generally shied away from it because of its scope and, basically, I'm unfamiliar with how firearms are mechanically implemented in whatever system and generally don't like D&D treatment of them.

Personally, if I were to run a campaign set in it, I would start small and work big.. you know, stick to the medieval/post-apocalyptic setting that largely characterizes the story - stuff from Wizard and Glass, Gunslinger, Waste Lands, WotCalla, etc. I would want to avoid the meta-story/theoretical stuff - things like time-travel, alternate time-lines, etc. etc. Personally, those things are beyond my ken, and I would be hesitant to implement them in-game...

Anyway, that's just my two cents. If you actually do go forward, let us know how it goes - would love to hear what you did, and it might inspire me to get off my laurels and attempt a Dark Tower game.

[Allerdyce]

The idea I had was to do exactly that, stick mostly to Keystone Tower Earth, but leave possibilities for them to go to some of the various sorta-Earths, depending on what they want to do. And yeah, totally staying away from time travel. I figure mostly they'd come across Taheen and Can-toi occasionally, and various creatures from Mist portals, and other than that, it'd be a smattering of classic horrors, like werewolves and vampires and such. If they decide to investigate further, they'll get more into the plot of the stories, but not usurp the parts of the characters from the books. Sort of a parallel narrative and struggle against the forces of chaos.

For firearms, I think I'm just gonna go with them being exotic weapons that function mostly like crossbows with higher damage. Basically, I'm gonna talk it over with my roommates and friends, and see if anyone's interested in playing. It might get shot down, but I figure it's worth a shot.

[valadil]

I think DT is an excellent campaign setting, but an ambitious one. If I were you I'd DM something else first as practice. Not necessarily a full blown campaign, but a couple one shots so you have an idea about what you're getting into. Oh and I'm very much of the opinion that the right system for DT is Deadlands (the original, not the remakes).

[Allerdyce]

Well, what I'm planning to do at this point (have had a few friends respond positively so far) is have the first few sessions just mostly be random encounters with refluffed monsters as I'm getting used to it while simultaneously introducing the basic idea of the settings to the players. And after I'm getting the hang of it, throwing out plot hooks and seeing if they bite. Worst case scenario, I don't end up doing much DT specific and they just go around plundering random universes for loot, but it could be pretty fun, seeing them get into it with cantoi and rescuing breakers.

[Allerdyce]

Alright, campaign will be played on 3/26/09, will have a breakdown of how it goes after I get to work. I'm fairly hopeful that it'll work well, if a bit generically at first.

[CthulhuM]

My first instinct would be that DT wouldn't make for a great campaign setting, on account of being somewhat... disjointed, I guess? There isn't a lot really tying the whole thing together, and the philosophical/meta-story stuff previously mentioned was really kinda a centerpoint of the books.

Then I remembered what I thought was one of the most interesting parts of the series, that was mostly just hinted at in the books: the corporation the main characters set up on earth to keep up the fight against their various enemies there.

A campaign with the characters working for this company (I think it was called the Tet Corporation?) might actually work really well. You'd have a sort of home base to tie the whole thing together and supply plot hooks, as well as access to a whole host of different adventure types - from excursions into this or that alternate world, to corporate intrigue or mystery on earth itself. The possibly shady actions of the company itself (wasn't there something about it organizing bombings of opposing companies' interests?) could also add another level to the campaign.

[Allerdyce]

Well, while I keep saying it's a Dark Tower setting, it's really going to draw a lot from the ancillary books early on. I figure they're not sure how they ended up where they are, and since one of the characters decided to be a psion, they'll be sought after by the Crimson King's forces to be used as Breakers. I do plan to stay away from the meta-stuff, because mostly I figure they'll stay out of Roland's epic quest anyways. They'll end up more like Ted Brautigan did in the DT books than the main ka-tet: they'll be vital in weakening the Crimson King's forces and generally helping out the good guys, but they may never come across them. Mostly, I'm taking up the infinite worlds bit, the major players, and some of the related but outside the main series books (Salem's Lot, IT, The Stand, stuff like that) and leaving out all but the main plot of the DT story (Crimson King wants to blow up universe with psychics, this would be bad for everyone), as the meta-text would be difficult to pull off and I agree it wouldn't work right for the setting.

Basically, the background and the various inter-related stories are what I'm going after, as well as the main thrust of the story. The specifics I feel I can leave out, while still drawing on names, places, and characters to flesh out an interesting and very complete world. Also, it's pretty much the ultimate kitchen sink setting, so I don't think anyone will get bored, and if they feel it's too eclectic, the scope can be narrowed without harming the story. I'm really trying to leave what's going to happen up to the players in this circumstance, but they'll be able to join the Tet Corporation if they'd like, or just hunt down the Crimson King's forces because they're tired of being hunted like some of the characters in the story did. Since the group I'll be playing with has a few very experienced players, I figure they can decide amongst themselves what will be most fun, as long as I leave the options open to them.

[Lost Demiurge]

Hm. Might want to take a leaf out of CoC D20's book.

If you want to preserve the downright DEADLY feel of combat, take the massive damage threshold save down from 50 to 10 or so. Maybe 10 + level for PC's.

You'll probably get some character turnover, but it'll give folks the chance of killing a foe with a single, well-aimed bullet... Which is pretty much a staple of the Gunslinger books.

Or maybe give characters "Ka" tokens as rewards for hitting goals, or doing really cool things. They can spend Ka tokens to automatically pass any saving throw, or reroll any other D20 roll.

[Lapak]

When I read the thread title, for some reason my brain expected a campaign based on the Dark Tower board game, not the Dark Tower books.

I second the advice about trying it on a limited basis first. Put together a one-shot complete adventure, try it on for size, and see if you're getting the feel you want out of it.