[3.5] Framework for PCs being Rulers

[Adamantrue]

One of the things I'd like to do in my next game is to allow PCs to found new settlements (or conquer/liberate existing ones), and provide them the opportunity to advance them, in time perhaps ruling a vast kingdom/empire/republic/whatever.

I have some ideas on how to handle it, especially when it comes to differentiating between PC Wealth and the resources of the Kingdom (and how much the line can be blurred), but before I begin detailing my own framework I thought I'd see if any other work on the matter has been done, and maybe save myself some time.

So, does anything already exists that does this?

[Ravens_cry]

Paizo came out with an intriguing campaign called Kingmaker with just such rules for Pathfinder. I doubt much, if any, conversion will be required.

[hamishspence]

In 3rd ed there isn't much in that line.

Power of Faerun has some details on people of high power, of various kinds- the political leader, military leader, religious leader, frontier leader (possibly what you're looking for) merchant, and a chapter for heralds/law enforcement.

But it's more fluff, than mechanical- most of the mechanics are to do with the Leadership feat, and the sort of modifiers that can apply.

Older editions had more- Rules Cyclopedia, for example, has quite detailed rules on dominions- how much income- how loyal the dominion is- what happens when things go wrong, and so on.

[Crow]

There is a set of birthright rules for 3.0 on birthright.net. It takes a small amount of tweaking, but works alright.

[dariathalon]

The people over at Birthright.net have done a conversion of the old 2nd edition Birthright campaign setting. That setting focuses on PCs ruling their own domains. There are probably some things you could pull out to use in your own game, or even use their setting whole-cloth. It was always one of my favorite published settings.

[Adamantrue]

I played OD&D for a long time, until 3rd edition. I'm very familiar with the Dominion Rules, which is part of the reason I want to reintroduce that element of play...appropriate to 3.5 of course.

Kingmaker...I just did some searches, and it seems like it could be a promising avenue to explore. Still, I'd like some 1st-hand information, specifically about how simple/complicated the rules are (I haven't looked at them yet), and how they are balanced.

[edit]

Birthright 3.0?!?

[Ravens_cry]

I can't really say much except from a players perspective.

It boils down to making monthly checks in three areas, Stability, Loyalty, and Economy. Everything adds or takes away from that. There is also a separate wealth system for players and country called BP or Building Points. Everything costs so many BP and while gold can be converted by players to BP at a 4000gp:1BP ratio IIRC, it really represents wealth in a more abstract sense then just gold. There are differant council positions and each one provides differant bonuses and pretty severe penelties for not filling them.
Considering how things went, I you may not revealing the exact mechanics of what each building you can build in your cities does to the players. It can be really easy to break that way as you can, at a cost to Loyalty that can potentially be enormous, take gold out at half value, 1BP :2000 gp, ratio. Or accept that players are going to be fabulously wealthy because, well, they are rulers of a country.

[qcbtnsrm]

Paizo came out with an intriguing campaign called Kingmaker with just such rules for Pathfinder. I doubt much, if any, conversion will be required.

There is also a 3rd party expansion Book of the River Nations: Exploration and Kingdom Building which takes, builds on, and fixes some problems with the Kingmaker rules. If you just want the kingdom building and not the adventure, it is evidently recommended. Our GM is just about to run through the Kingmaker path, so I haven't read either.

[Ravens_cry]

There is also a 3rd party expansion Book of the River Nations: Exploration and Kingdom Building which takes, builds on, and fixes some problems with the Kingmaker rules. If you just want the kingdom building and not the adventure, it is evidently recommended. Our GM is just about to run through the Kingmaker path, so I haven't read either.

Ooh, that does indeed interest me.
I hate going through multiple books when I just want a small part. Thank you, I will certainly look into that.

[Adamantrue]

I am not altogether keen on the idea of hunting down several books (from different publishers, no less), and piecing together a set of mechanics to use. I also happen to currently not be in a position to acquire all those sources, though that would change in 2 weeks or so.

On the other hand...I broke out my old Rules Cyclopedia (nothing is quite as comforting as a beat-up OD&D book), and took a good look at the Dominion Rules. It doesn't look to be that incompatible with 3.5, though there is obviously some retrofitting to be done.

I mean, its 9 pages, a good amount of which is fluff or dealing with Construction/War Machine details (things that have been covered elsewhere). It just may be the way to go.

Is there anyone that would be up for helping to convert some OD&D stuff to 3.5?