a Steam Punk setting? [Archive] - Wizards Community

a Steam Punk setting? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
DragonbladeNinja
10-30-07, 10:30 PM Hmm, does this count as a poll... I dunno, so feedback is good anyways.

I want to make a campaign setting in the Steam-punk style. Steam-punk settings have appeared in many cartoons - One film by Hayao Miyazaki, and sadly was in an poorly written - over-hyped western film in the late 90s. It pretty much involves the use of steam technology and is normally used in times of war and revolution. People tend to be proficient as mechanics or soldiers in large cities, and agriculture is still there, but ignorable for the most part. Flying battleships cruise the skies and flying is one of the main modes of transportation.

First of all, I have to put up the question:
"would YOU play it if it was an available setting?"

"What kinds of classes would you like to see in this setting?"

Another thing that I think is a possible concept is that the characters don't have the traditional alignments. Not knowing who the bad guy is is something I'd like to work with. Of course, I'd also want the characters trying to do what's right.

"Is this an acceptable way to play, or do you just HAVE to play evil characters?"

I'm sorry if this is a bit wordy, but I'm pretty new to the area of world-building.

Any feedback will help
queenfange
10-31-07, 07:53 AM Would you play?
Well, you talked about steampunk settings in general, but not what makes yours different, so I'd say "maybe." I find the idea of steampunk interesting, but I'd want to know why your campaign would be special and not just like the poorly written film you mention.

What kinds of classes would you like to see?
Standard, plus perhaps one or two homebrew technology-focused classes.

Is this an acceptable way to play or do you just have to have evil characters?
There's no one right way to play, even in terms of character alignment. If you want a lot of moral ambiguity, you may want to consider getting rid of alignment though.

Your post was certainly not too wordy, but I'd like to see more specifics on YOUR steampunk setting, if you want better feedback.
Dog_O_War
10-31-07, 04:46 PM What would I play? If by setting (standard fantasy versus steampunk) I would play both. Can't take my heart out of fantasy, but there is certainly a punk there to steam. I by what concept (in steampunk) I'd be a steamborg!

What kinds of classes? Mad scientists, Gunmen, Soldiers, Warlocks, and any other concept ideas (that is warlock the concept not class) that are befitting of such a setting.

Do people have to be evil? Naw, but probably a heavy flavoring of anti-hero types (alignment doesn't matter in this regard) would be a must.
daytonj
10-31-07, 06:29 PM I think a class should be engineer.

I would play it, It sounds like good idea and I liked Steamboy so it would probably be fun.
DragonbladeNinja
10-31-07, 06:45 PM Thanks for the feedback. Its really all I needed. I'm going through a brainstorming session on how to get this setting workable, and I'm glad its not a bad idea to start with.

I know some people out there look down at anime in general, but the thing is - this isn't and it wont be related to any anime at all. It will be an original backstory and everything, so I'll stick a thread here and there as it develops.

The moral ambiguity is just an idea I wanted to kick around, it'll make things more difficult to put together, but its not a bad idea in my opinion.

I'll try to figure out how an engineer will fit in classwise - I'll have to take a look at the artificers I suppose.

Another thing I want to do is make some new prestige classes. Any ideas pitched are appreciated. This is a long term planning process, so I can definitely find the time to make prestige classes. Engineer may have to be one of them...

**Edit** Oh, this setting will be somewhat familiar to Howl's Moving Castle for the magic and the steam technology - taking the magic out of D&D is bad for the game - you end up with something like a shoot-em-up/slice-em-up rpg where all that matters is AC and Damage (even Barbarians sometimes have magic battle axes)
GowerHauk
11-01-07, 01:20 PM Two words: Iron Kingdoms

That is an awesome setting, has TONS of flavor to play around with, a huge mini base to use, and steampunk'd out.

Personally, I couldn't think of a better system to use.

Iron Kingdoms is gritty fantasy with a heavy overtone of steampunk.

Also, it has tons of conflict/history/etc to draw upon as a DM to create some really cool stuff.

OR

You could just make your own campaign around the Iron Kingdoms system. Throw the fluff out, I guess. I wouldn't mind doing that, myself.
daytonj
11-01-07, 07:04 PM I'm wondering what level guns and gunpowder are at now in the world. Or do you just wanna stick with mideval weaponry.
McPoyo
11-03-07, 09:23 AM Might also want to check out Sorcery and Steam by Fantasy Flight Games. It's got some good stuff in it for converting an existing setting to include steampunk elements, or just adding in steampunk into an existing homebrew.

I personally like their rules on blackpowder, myself.
ArkhamInmate
11-08-07, 08:44 PM I think a great place to look for some information on this would be these linkshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weird_west and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_steampunk_works I've been trying for the past year to work out a pretty good steampunk feel to a campaign world and those two pages have helped me entirely with a listing of movies and books i can use for reference, also a good series of books to look at technology wise if only for names would be the "His Dark Materials" trilogy
fodigg
11-09-07, 10:50 AM I would want to be a "warforged", but more like Calibretto from Battle Chasers.

http://battle.chasers.tripod.com/calab2.jpe
ArkhamInmate
11-09-07, 04:09 PM Also classwise, you'll obviously need fighters, wizards, and clerics(as they are the holy trinity basically) but some other classes that look like they would fit pretty well in a steampunk setting are artificers from eberron and if you have access to dungeonscape i think, Factotums would be a nice class as they are, even more than bards a jack of all trades class, and steampunk and any fantasy setting with a high amount of technology seems like it would totally call out for a type of character that can do a little of everything
DragonbladeNinja
11-10-07, 11:54 AM I've got to say... maybe fighters won't be entirely necessary. What of the new Version 4 coming out where everyone has bonus feats? This is for version 4 mind you... I probably should have brought that up... sorry.
As for the "holey trinity" of classes, I can say that all of the fighter, wizard, and cleric classes wont be necessary. Healers and damage dealers will of course be there with everything in between (perhaps some old ones with different names). I just don't see a Steampunk with anything called a wizard just walking about or adventuring for that matter. I may use gnomes for some "steampunk" technician flavor, and It might be a good Idea to make them a playable race for v4 (since I heard the rumor they are being removed). Oddly enough, one of the new core playable race I heard about (Tiefling) would also fit well into a steampunk as long as terms like "outsider" don't have to be used... The planes are not gonna work the same as a story mechanic...

Thanks for your comments and everything so far, the one thing I see most is the "easy way to make a campaign setting" by using other books, well the easy way is not going to work for me, since:
1. This is not the same old D&D
2. This is an original setting. I'm hoping to swing one past every other steampunk setting as far as the basis of the world and the stories that make up its past. I believe I said before that this is not a short project...

I'm gonna leave my post at that... will post again... sometime
Thanks for your comments and suggestions so far, they really do help.
Nor'Morgwae
11-11-07, 12:42 AM For 3rd ed compatible stuff Dragonmech (printed under Whitewolf's Sword and Sorcery label) has some great material. It has several classes specifically built for it's steampunk setting and some simple class variants for the rest. Of course that will be hard to convert to 4.0.

So far as ousting wizards I think that may cause you more problems than you realize. Especially early in 4th ed because that may very well mean cutting out a third of the classes. What I'd like to do is set up a magic vs. technology theme in the game where steamtechs don't like mages and mages don't like steamtechs. It may even boil over into wars and social purges all of which can be great game material. Or just make arcane magic very rare, so steam is the power of the masses and magic is usually dismissed as a myth. Think about western culture during the so called 'enlightenment' era. Mysticism and magic were dismissed as archaic and outdated ideas.

The steamtech's last words: 'No one believes in that stuff anymore'.

Also, Decanters of Endless Water and Heat Metal items would be great for steamtech.
DragonbladeNinja
11-13-07, 07:15 PM I had already thought of magic as either rare or commonplace. Either one is fun, but there are drawbacks to both - I know. I say it has to be rare, because in 4th ed. npc classes may very well be able to get feats for magic use. It would be awful silly to have a world where commoners can fling magic missiles at each other. Of course there are many levels of "magic rarity", a steampunk setting tends to have machinery that is more supernatural than the people who have made it. I'd actually like to see this as a steam-punk that doesn't look at the old-west for its inspiration. In fact, if I was the sole creator of this setting, I'd probably go far east.

Thanks for the comments and everything. I'll no longer be commenting on this thread, so I guess it can go on as a discussion thread if anyone is still interested in it.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DragonbladeNinja 10-30-07, 10:30 PM	Hmm, does this count as a poll... I dunno, so feedback is good anyways. I want to make a campaign setting in the Steam-punk style. Steam-punk settings have appeared in many cartoons - One film by Hayao Miyazaki, and sadly was in an poorly written - over-hyped western film in the late 90s. It pretty much involves the use of steam technology and is normally used in times of war and revolution. People tend to be proficient as mechanics or soldiers in large cities, and agriculture is still there, but ignorable for the most part. Flying battleships cruise the skies and flying is one of the main modes of transportation. First of all, I have to put up the question: "would YOU play it if it was an available setting?" "What kinds of classes would you like to see in this setting?" Another thing that I think is a possible concept is that the characters don't have the traditional alignments. Not knowing who the bad guy is is something I'd like to work with. Of course, I'd also want the characters trying to do what's right. "Is this an acceptable way to play, or do you just HAVE to play evil characters?" I'm sorry if this is a bit wordy, but I'm pretty new to the area of world-building. Any feedback will help
queenfange 10-31-07, 07:53 AM	Would you play? Well, you talked about steampunk settings in general, but not what makes yours different, so I'd say "maybe." I find the idea of steampunk interesting, but I'd want to know why your campaign would be special and not just like the poorly written film you mention. What kinds of classes would you like to see? Standard, plus perhaps one or two homebrew technology-focused classes. Is this an acceptable way to play or do you just have to have evil characters? There's no one right way to play, even in terms of character alignment. If you want a lot of moral ambiguity, you may want to consider getting rid of alignment though. Your post was certainly not too wordy, but I'd like to see more specifics on YOUR steampunk setting, if you want better feedback.
Dog_O_War 10-31-07, 04:46 PM	What would I play? If by setting (standard fantasy versus steampunk) I would play both. Can't take my heart out of fantasy, but there is certainly a punk there to steam. I by what concept (in steampunk) I'd be a steamborg! What kinds of classes? Mad scientists, Gunmen, Soldiers, Warlocks, and any other concept ideas (that is warlock the concept not class) that are befitting of such a setting. Do people have to be evil? Naw, but probably a heavy flavoring of anti-hero types (alignment doesn't matter in this regard) would be a must.
daytonj 10-31-07, 06:29 PM	I think a class should be engineer. I would play it, It sounds like good idea and I liked Steamboy so it would probably be fun.
DragonbladeNinja 10-31-07, 06:45 PM	Thanks for the feedback. Its really all I needed. I'm going through a brainstorming session on how to get this setting workable, and I'm glad its not a bad idea to start with. I know some people out there look down at anime in general, but the thing is - this isn't and it wont be related to any anime at all. It will be an original backstory and everything, so I'll stick a thread here and there as it develops. The moral ambiguity is just an idea I wanted to kick around, it'll make things more difficult to put together, but its not a bad idea in my opinion. I'll try to figure out how an engineer will fit in classwise - I'll have to take a look at the artificers I suppose. Another thing I want to do is make some new prestige classes. Any ideas pitched are appreciated. This is a long term planning process, so I can definitely find the time to make prestige classes. Engineer may have to be one of them... Edit Oh, this setting will be somewhat familiar to Howl's Moving Castle for the magic and the steam technology - taking the magic out of D&D is bad for the game - you end up with something like a shoot-em-up/slice-em-up rpg where all that matters is AC and Damage (even Barbarians sometimes have magic battle axes)
GowerHauk 11-01-07, 01:20 PM	Two words: Iron Kingdoms That is an awesome setting, has TONS of flavor to play around with, a huge mini base to use, and steampunk'd out. Personally, I couldn't think of a better system to use. Iron Kingdoms is gritty fantasy with a heavy overtone of steampunk. Also, it has tons of conflict/history/etc to draw upon as a DM to create some really cool stuff. OR You could just make your own campaign around the Iron Kingdoms system. Throw the fluff out, I guess. I wouldn't mind doing that, myself.
daytonj 11-01-07, 07:04 PM	I'm wondering what level guns and gunpowder are at now in the world. Or do you just wanna stick with mideval weaponry.
McPoyo 11-03-07, 09:23 AM	Might also want to check out Sorcery and Steam by Fantasy Flight Games. It's got some good stuff in it for converting an existing setting to include steampunk elements, or just adding in steampunk into an existing homebrew. I personally like their rules on blackpowder, myself.
ArkhamInmate 11-08-07, 08:44 PM	I think a great place to look for some information on this would be these linkshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weird_west and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_steampunk_works I've been trying for the past year to work out a pretty good steampunk feel to a campaign world and those two pages have helped me entirely with a listing of movies and books i can use for reference, also a good series of books to look at technology wise if only for names would be the "His Dark Materials" trilogy
fodigg 11-09-07, 10:50 AM	I would want to be a "warforged", but more like Calibretto from Battle Chasers. http://battle.chasers.tripod.com/calab2.jpe
ArkhamInmate 11-09-07, 04:09 PM	Also classwise, you'll obviously need fighters, wizards, and clerics(as they are the holy trinity basically) but some other classes that look like they would fit pretty well in a steampunk setting are artificers from eberron and if you have access to dungeonscape i think, Factotums would be a nice class as they are, even more than bards a jack of all trades class, and steampunk and any fantasy setting with a high amount of technology seems like it would totally call out for a type of character that can do a little of everything
DragonbladeNinja 11-10-07, 11:54 AM	I've got to say... maybe fighters won't be entirely necessary. What of the new Version 4 coming out where everyone has bonus feats? This is for version 4 mind you... I probably should have brought that up... sorry. As for the "holey trinity" of classes, I can say that all of the fighter, wizard, and cleric classes wont be necessary. Healers and damage dealers will of course be there with everything in between (perhaps some old ones with different names). I just don't see a Steampunk with anything called a wizard just walking about or adventuring for that matter. I may use gnomes for some "steampunk" technician flavor, and It might be a good Idea to make them a playable race for v4 (since I heard the rumor they are being removed). Oddly enough, one of the new core playable race I heard about (Tiefling) would also fit well into a steampunk as long as terms like "outsider" don't have to be used... The planes are not gonna work the same as a story mechanic... Thanks for your comments and everything so far, the one thing I see most is the "easy way to make a campaign setting" by using other books, well the easy way is not going to work for me, since: 1. This is not the same old D&D 2. This is an original setting. I'm hoping to swing one past every other steampunk setting as far as the basis of the world and the stories that make up its past. I believe I said before that this is not a short project... I'm gonna leave my post at that... will post again... sometime Thanks for your comments and suggestions so far, they really do help.
Nor'Morgwae 11-11-07, 12:42 AM	For 3rd ed compatible stuff Dragonmech (printed under Whitewolf's Sword and Sorcery label) has some great material. It has several classes specifically built for it's steampunk setting and some simple class variants for the rest. Of course that will be hard to convert to 4.0. So far as ousting wizards I think that may cause you more problems than you realize. Especially early in 4th ed because that may very well mean cutting out a third of the classes. What I'd like to do is set up a magic vs. technology theme in the game where steamtechs don't like mages and mages don't like steamtechs. It may even boil over into wars and social purges all of which can be great game material. Or just make arcane magic very rare, so steam is the power of the masses and magic is usually dismissed as a myth. Think about western culture during the so called 'enlightenment' era. Mysticism and magic were dismissed as archaic and outdated ideas. The steamtech's last words: 'No one believes in that stuff anymore'. Also, Decanters of Endless Water and Heat Metal items would be great for steamtech.
DragonbladeNinja 11-13-07, 07:15 PM	I had already thought of magic as either rare or commonplace. Either one is fun, but there are drawbacks to both - I know. I say it has to be rare, because in 4th ed. npc classes may very well be able to get feats for magic use. It would be awful silly to have a world where commoners can fling magic missiles at each other. Of course there are many levels of "magic rarity", a steampunk setting tends to have machinery that is more supernatural than the people who have made it. I'd actually like to see this as a steam-punk that doesn't look at the old-west for its inspiration. In fact, if I was the sole creator of this setting, I'd probably go far east. Thanks for the comments and everything. I'll no longer be commenting on this thread, so I guess it can go on as a discussion thread if anyone is still interested in it.