Fast-Paced, Hybrid 1E, 2E, 5E Campaign

[dmw71]

I have been slowly working on the details for a custom game (borrowing rules from 1E, 2E and the 5E playtest) but wanted to gauge the interest level in such a game before fully committing to it. I am planning on this being a fast-paced game (with almost daily posting) so my target player will have high availability.

I am still in the Alpha phase of development, but I could ramp up my efforts if there is enough interest in order to get the game started relatively quickly.


Questions? Any takers?

- Dave

[onlyme]

I have been slowly working on the details for a custom game (borrowing rules from 1E, 2E and the 5E playtest) but wanted to gauge the interest level in such a game before fully committing to it. I am planning on this being a fast-paced game (with almost daily posting) so my target player will have high availability.

I am still in the Alpha phase of development, but I could ramp up my efforts if there is enough interest in order to get the game started relatively quickly.


Questions? Any takers?

- Dave

Since one of the games I am in seems to be DOA, I could play another game. I usually have daily or even 2-3 times a day access, as long as it doesnt require too much rule checking, etc.

How would the custom rules work? i.e. which guide would we use for discrepancies, etc. I dont have access to 2e or 5e...

[dmw71]

I usually have daily or even 2-3 times a day access, as long as it doesnt require too much rule checking

Sounds perfect.

How would the custom rules work? i.e. which guide would we use for discrepancies, etc. I dont have access to 2e or 5e...

The game will be heavily slanted towards 1E as it's the edition I know best, but I plan on sprinkling in a few aspects I like from 2E and 5E into it. Any customization I make will be clearly defined in a rules thread prior to the game starting so you shouldn't need access to any of the the actual 2E or 5E materials.

By the way, much of 5E I do not care for, as it borrows heavily from 3E and 4E, but there are a few things which I really do like. If you're interested, you should be able to download their playtest materials from here: DND Next

In fact, it is the "house" rules information that I have already started working on (not the actual adventure itself, though I have some ideas). For the most part, the game will play mostly by the 1E book... with a few tweaks. Some adjustments I am considering may feel more extreme than others, but all changes will make sense (at least to me) and will hopefully not distract from the game itself. Once I have a chance to finalize a few decisions and formally type my ideas out, I will have ToniXX open a new forum for me so I can begin posting them for public review.

It's worth mentioning that I consider myself to be pretty open-minded. Some of the ideas I am considering (mainly, the material from 5E) might seem a bit experimental... probably because it is. If, before the game starts, there is strong enough opposition to a rule I introduce, I'm not above modifying it. I don't believe anything I am thinking of introducing will be too extreme, however, so I ask for a little open-mindedness from my players as well.

If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask.


- Dave

[onlyme]

Sounds interesting. I'm game...

[dmw71]

Sounds interesting. I'm game...

Consider yourself in.

If there are any house rules you know you enjoy from other games you participate in, feel free to offer any suggestions.

[Alethan]

As we discussed before, Dave, I'd be up for a fast-paced mostly 1E rules game.

I would highly recommend posting some kind of written guideline for moderating the consequences of not posting at the required game rate, though. Could be anything from missing out on any XP given during unresponsive periods to being removed from the game.

I'm a firm believer in following the set guidelines for a game. If you can't meet the DM's posting rate, then this probably isn't the game for you.

Eventually, when I get around to running something, I'll have something like that in place for certain.

The game is only as much fun as the combined efforts of the party and DM'S make it. Slack one one side means more work on the other.

Anyway... Enough soap boxing. I'm up for joining your game when you are ready to run it.

[dmw71]

I'm up for joining your game when you are ready to run it.

Nice. You're in, too.

I would highly recommend posting some kind of written guideline for moderating the consequences of not posting at the required game rate, though. Could be anything from missing out on any XP given during unresponsive periods to being removed from the game.

I've had some thoughts on this. One thing I might require each player to do is establish a set of default actions or a general philosophy for their characters during the creation process. If a normally active poster happens to miss a day or two, the action can still be pushed along where the DM could apply this previously outlined default action into the current situation. I hadn't considered any penalties for unresponsive periods, but that is something I will need to obviously consider so I'm glad you mentioned it.

If you can't meet the DM's posting rate, then this probably isn't the game for you.

While I don't want to necessarily exclude people, my goal is to get a high-action game going on these boards.

One of the games I'm a player in on the RPoL site has multiple groups running through the same campaign at the same time. Different players. Different locations. Different situations. My first group was so slow, the DM allowed me to create a second character to run with a different group of players. Sadly, combined, those two characters see very little action as the game is pretty slow.

Anyway, my reason for mentioning it is: I might consider doing something similar. I'm not sure, logistically, how that would work on this message board (a completely separate forum for each game, or simply different threads within the same forum?), but that might be an option. There are a few reasons for doing this: One reason would be that I'd like to keep the total party size somewhere between three to five. If there becomes more interest, even over time, I could open up additional groups. Running multiple groups would also allow me to at least try and group players with similar posting frequencies together. Basically, I could have a "fast" game running for more active posters and a "slow" game for another set of players that don't have the same availability.


Ideally I would like to run a single, fast-paced game (especially at first), but we'll see what kind of interest I can attract.

[Nuke66]

I might be tempted as well. I think you know my posting rate and style by now. At least once, sometimes twice a day, though football season has begun, so my time is more limited.

One of these days I'm gonna roll a monk.

[dmw71]

I might be tempted as well. I think you know my posting rate and style by now. At least once, sometimes twice a day, though football season has begun, so my time is more limited.

Nuke, it'd be good to have you on board.

I hear you about football season. I'm not nearly as obsessed with it as I once was, but I am committed to participate in three fantasy football leagues this season which will take up some of my time, but not too much.


With three players already expressing an interest, it looks like I need to ramp up my efforts and get this game started.

1. onlyme
2. Alethan
3. Nuke66

[Alethan]

As a general rule, I try not to follow any sports with regularity. With few exceptions, I can sit down in front of most any game and get sucked in within a matter of minutes.

(Basketball being the one big exception.)

[Nuke66]

I guess I should explain. I am assistant coach for our local High School. About 20 hours a week of practice, some film study and field painting thrown in, plus the actual Friday nights under the lights, it can damn near be a full time job.

[Alethan]

Dave, since Acerak seems to be MIA, would you mind if I were to import that character from Tomb of the Iron God into your game?

I'll pull her from that one, obviously. Even though the XP doesn't show it, I've been running her for well over a year now. Hate to see her not get any play time because the game shut down...

[Alethan]

Ah, wait... She is a LL character (b/e rules). Never mind.

[dmw71]

I guess I should explain. I am assistant coach for our local High School. About 20 hours a week of practice, some film study and field painting thrown in, plus the actual Friday nights under the lights, it can damn near be a full time job.

Ahh, you have actual involvement once football season begins, not the elective involvement I have. Seeing as how you indicated your interest in the game knowing this obligation was coming up, I trust you'll be able to manage it.

[dmw71]

Ah, wait... She is a LL character (b/e rules). Never mind.

I'm glad you caught that. I was looking at her and I wasn't sure how she would be able to be worked in.

[onlyme]

Interesting. I just submitted a post, but it never showed up. In a game setting, there is a warning that shows you if someone posted between you reading and submitting a post. I this one, I didnt get that warning, though a couple posts occurred. I wonder if there is a difference in these sections and the game ones?

I will wait to see if the other post shows up before I rewrite it...

[dmw71]

I'm actually on vacation this week so my posting will be less frequent than normal (once per day as opposed to many times throughout the day). I will be working on formalizing the rules for this game, though, as I'm excited to get it started.


- Dave

[Stonjuz]

ive had good luck with vargrs eye of serpent and am enjoying it so far but find i can play another character somewhere perhaps. Lurking is making me uptight.
Also i know NOTHING of 5th edition and probably dont want to.
i dont really want to download the playtest thing from wizards either.
Perhaps i just give you an idea for some unique?/ characters and you tell me if one will work?....
mischievious male halfling thief, mage (sort of common in 2e?)
stubborn male minotaur fighter mage (probably common most in 2.5)
male goblin thief (trap specialist - again 2.5)
male dwarven bard (big bass drum- 2e?)
(dunno, these ideas are just coming to mind but i bet that we could modify to rules)

[dmw71]

Also i know NOTHING of 5th edition and probably dont want to.
i dont really want to download the playtest thing from wizards either.

Understood. And downloading the playtest material is definitely not required. There are only two or three things I plan on borrowing from 5E, and all will be clearly spelled out by me in the rules document I am currently working on.

Perhaps i just give you an idea for some unique?/ characters and you tell me if one will work?....
mischievious male halfling thief, mage (sort of common in 2e?)
stubborn male minotaur fighter mage (probably common most in 2.5)
male goblin thief (trap specialist - again 2.5)
male dwarven bard (big bass drum- 2e?)
(dunno, these ideas are just coming to mind but i bet that we could modify to rules)

Those are some interesting suggestions. Unfortunately, only the 'mischievious male halfling thief, mage' would qualify as I'm not opening up monsters (e.g.minotaur or goblin) as races available to characters, and I'm also not allowing bards for the following reason:

"Bards begin play as fighters, and they must remain exclusively fighters until they have achieved at least the 5th level of experience. Anytime thereafter, and in any event prior to attaining the 8th level, they must change their class to that of thieves. Again, sometime between 5th and 9th level of ability, bards must leave off thieving and begin clerical studies as druids; but at this time they are actually bards and under druidical tutelage."

I'm looking for a fast-paced game, but it's unrealistic to think that a character will advance that far as to be able to qualify to become a bard. I've also never (ever!) been involved in a game where a bard has been in play and don't have the faintest idea how to officiate them.

You know what, though, if someone does get a character powerful enough to qualify for a bard... let's talk.

[Alethan]

So are the core rules more 1E, with house rules pulled in from other places, then?

Doesn't really matter to me, I guess. I always let the dice tell me what the build is going to be. Sometimes trying to shoehorn the build you want into the dice rolls you have makes for an awkward character...