DnD 5e: based around Discworld

[Helliquin]

Hello all

Avid Terry Pratchett fan and writing my first campaign - I plan on basing it in the Discworld universe.

I'll post here occasionally with updates.

I plan on generating individual story hooks for each character as necessary, in order to start the characters at the same point - that is, they will be members of the Nights Watch. There will be legitimate reasons for each character to be members of the Watch - be it good or evil alignment - and the story will flow on from there.

The campaign will be typical Discworld, interactions with Gods, Wizzards, hero's, XXX, goblins, etc.

I have a few questions:

1) Do you see a down side for giving characters a secondary background, ie: City Watch, for thematic purposes. They can lose this if the party gets kicked out or leaves the Watch.
2) Do you see a problem with giving races characteristics as per Discworld lore. Example: Elves are universally hated unless they "glamour" people, regardless of alignment of character. First impressions anyways. Was thinking of some way to represent this - giving any elf character a cantrip of charm or something of that nature, but anyone outside of that, until they build up a relationship, will distrust or actively hate them.

I will be generating this as a module eventually so if you have interest in collaborating, please let me know.

[Maelynn]

1) you could make it different from a background so that both can work. Make the original background be about how you grew up, which formed your ideals. Then the second background can be your current situation, where you eventually ended up - either by choice or by chance (or providence even). Like, someone who grew up as an Urchin fought to prove themselves and became a soldier. A noble child got tired of the intrigues and turned away from the family to pursue a life as an acolyte.

2) I'd be in favour, but only if you're consistent about it. Either use all the Discworld stereotypes (and make up your own for races not in there), or don't use them. Mixing&matching will make it confusing.

There's also a Discworld RPG game. See if you can take a look at that for some extra inspiration.

[Helliquin]

1) snip

Yes, the GURPS system. I have the book and will be transporting some main characters across to suit 5e.

Re: point 2) - the plan would be to get the racial stereotypes for each player character, not necessarily for mechanic reasons, but for thematic. Additional starting gear (what Dwarf would leave home without an Axe or Armour, even if forced by their parents), racials such as Elves as described above, etc.

[noob]

Yes, the GURPS system. I have the book and will be transporting some main characters across to suit 5e.

Re: point 2) - the plan would be to get the racial stereotypes for each player character, not necessarily for mechanic reasons, but for thematic. Additional starting gear (what Dwarf would leave home without an Axe or Armour, even if forced by their parents), racials such as Elves as described above, etc.

I have the feeling elves are probably creatures with LA or not even playable by reading the book about them.

[Helliquin]

I have the feeling elves are probably creatures with LA or not even playable by reading the book about them.

Yes it might be difficult to fit the full Discworld experience in.

You know the later books how the Watch gets Vampire recruits, Igors, etc and they are grudgingly accepted - I'd trying to figure out a way where this could happen for Elves also. Or a minority of elves who are outliers for their race. At least if the PC is Good - or pretending to be - if they are evil it makes converting them to a playable race pretty easy.

Of course I am telling players prior to their character creation so they will be aware of the adjustments for each race.

[drunkonduty]

I think an issue to be aware of with the races of DnD and the races of Discworld is that the Discworlders are frequently deconstructions of the average DnD race. This can be said of much more than just the races of course.

As system has been brought up already have you considered just using the GURPS supplement and saving yourself a lot of work?

[noob]

I think an issue to be aware of with the races of DnD and the races of Discworld is that the Discworlders are frequently deconstructions of the average DnD race. This can be said of much more than just the races of course.

As system has been brought up already have you considered just using the GURPS supplement and saving yourself a lot of work?

I think the elves are not a deconstruction of the dnd elves.
It is more similar to myths about elves and fey because the word elf have been used a whole lot before tolkien did and there have been a whole lot of different uses for the term of elf.

[Anymage]

I'd be very tempted to just make a Disc inspired world that still ran on D&D rules. D&D elves are just some other kingdom out there instead of disc elves, trolls are regenerating creatures instead of living rocks, spellcasting is common instead of something that UU members go out of their way to avoid doing, and don't sweat the finer details too much. More on the nose, instead of having them walk a beat around Ankh-Morpork for their first few settings, give the characters an excuse to go out and explore.

I'm going to be blunt here. Most campaigns fall apart before they reach their grand climaxes, and lots of D&D tropes happen because that's what happens when you have a bunch of geeks at a table together. Long term planning and trying to smooth over all the differences between the Disc and archetypal D&D is unlikely to see payoff. So plan just a couple of sessions ahead, stick in Discworld references as much as you like, and enjoy it while it lasts. But don't get too hung up on mimicking Pratchett too closely. You'd have to make allowances in even the most ideal circumstances, which doesn't include any edition of D&D. Embrace the fact that you'll have a hybrid frankengame, and have fun with it.

[Helliquin]

Been a while for updates, but have migrated all NPC's from GURPS to DND and my players are starting to roll characters.

Players have additional races to use (Vampires, Igors, Golems, Trolls, Werewolves) and a few extra classes (Witches, Watchmen).

Maps and encounters starting to come together also.

Im writing individual story hooks for each player so they all have lvl 1 session and end up at the same place - Psuedopolis Yard. They are becoming members of the City Watch (at least initially)

[Tom Kalbfus]

There is a discworld in the Spelljammer setting.

[Beleriphon]

There is a discworld in the Spelljammer setting.

Now quite the same thing as Discwold.

As for how to do it, I'd borrow the D&D stats when necessary for things like dwarves and reskin golems using warforged stats with appropriate updates to the personality traits. Discworld elves however are more like the Eladrin/fey lords in D&D. They don't share much in common with the D&D elf other than name.

[Tom Kalbfus]

Now quite the same thing as Discwold.

As for how to do it, I'd borrow the D&D stats when necessary for things like dwarves and reskin golems using warforged stats with appropriate updates to the personality traits. Discworld elves however are more like the Eladrin/fey lords in D&D. They don't share much in common with the D&D elf other than name.

I'd say make your own version of silly rather than copying someone else's. Jokes are funniest when they are unexpected.

[Wizard_Lizard]

Tere would hav to be tiny races too, mayb put feegle as a subrac of gnome?
because I want to pay my feegle gonnagle (bard), by crivens!