[3ed]A campaign based around the Stronghold Builder's Guidebook + the Leadership feat

[newbDM]

Earlier today I got the idea of an adventure/campaign centered around using the Stronghold Builder's Guidebook. I was hoping the pros here can give me their thoughts and ideas surrounding this.

Perhaps it would start where the PCs are in charge of a small fort on the fringe of a kingdom. Perhaps originally the PCs are simply low-level guards there, until after the first battle when they are promoted. Perhaps the adventure/campaign progresses from a rack-shack fort with an attack here and there from their kingdom's enemy (orks I am thinking), but as the PCs increase in level the attack gets more frequent and the PCs need to improve the defenses?

I imagine the kingdom's ruler(s) could bestow as a bonus feat the feat from the SBG which grants a certain amount of cash for a PC to increase their fortress. Or for the Wealth By Level balance would it be better for improvements to the defenses to come from the PCs?

Would this potentially turn the game into more of a building and strategy game? Would it be a fun concept to play in? Has anyone done something similar?

As for the soldier, I imagine the Leadership feat would be a must for PCs. Or if they chose, could they manage and defend an entire fortress (and by extension an entire kingdom) by themselves?

Also, how would the DMs extend this to be somewhat beyond just fortress battle, yet still keep it centered around the fortress and such encounters/a need to defend the fortress and the kingdom?

[afroakuma]

Sounds something like a Birthright campaign, which I suggest you look into.

[newbDM]

Sounds something like a Birthright campaign, which I suggest you look into.

Thanks for the advice, but I was thinking more on the lines of that single fortress rather than an entire kingdom/empire campaign, though going back to the center kingdom/cities for more troops, resources, craftmen, etc seems likely.

I was thinking it starting out as a mucky old crumbling fortress in the swamplands or something, and the campaign focusing more on rebuilding and continually retooling it, as well as the PCs improving their strategies as more and more attacks start coming, and the enemy leader starts getting smarter and smarter in his tactics.


Though I know of Birthright, and would LOVE to one day play in such a game. :(

I believe you referred me to it a bit back.

[afroakuma]

Probably; that sounds like the sort of thing I'd do.

[bosssmiley]

Ah, the classic endgame: playing house.

The older edition games are your go-to material here. Back in the day you were supposed to end up as a feudal baron (with added ablative armour in the form of swarming peons), rather than graduating to the Justice League.

Birthright (which can be scaled back to one castle + environs), the BECMI Rules Cyclopedia, and Dragon issue #145 (which had the definitive castle encounters and random tables for pre-WOTC D&D) are a good start.

You may also want to look over the Pendragon RPG for advice on starting a dynasty.