homebrew needs help [Archive] - Wizards Community

homebrew needs help [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Arko-Strass
03-17-08, 01:32 AM hey guys ive been playin d&d for a little while and im always dm. until now ive just ran mini adventures in small random dungeons and caves and im about to start my first REAL campaign and i suppose the first thing i need is a map for my campaign the problem......i dont know were to start, how i should go about creating the world, i need help with regional and cultural geography, and i also need to know how in-depth i should go with things such as seasons, weather, solar and lunar setup, monster and animal habitat.

i dont expect anyone to answer all or even any of these question but ANY help relating to building a campaign and/or world is appreciated

p.s. buying a campaign setting is not really an option because i dont have any money and my mom wont buy it for me
GoriceXII
03-17-08, 02:46 AM Actually it's best to start small. So let me ask a few questions:

1. What general ideas do you have? If you want some help for a regular D&D type campaign look no farther than this very WOTC site--I'll link you to the archives. The out of print stuff is kind of dated as far as stats and things goes but you want maps and ideas for places, right? A lot of Forgotten Realms stuff can be downloaded here for free. http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads

2. If you want more original stuff then I advise you to concentrate more on what your adventures are going to be and work the setting around that. I find that helpful myself, otherwise you get bogged down in cosmology, trade routes and so on.
Naderion
03-17-08, 06:05 AM It's usefull to start with some basic things first:
- Which races live in the world?
- What classes are used in the world?
- Which monster should exist in the world?
- What deities exist that people worship?

Easiest way would be "Those in the PHB and the MM" and that should work just fine, but you might like to add some own creations or remove some. My setting has no monks and halflings, and probably only 2/3 or 1/2 of the monster manual creatures.

When you've decided on these things, just start with a central city and maybe two or three towns nearby. Add some hills, mountains, forest, and a swamp, and you should have about all you need for quite some time. If you want to visit a place that doesn't fit on your map, you can add new areas and locations to it.

You also might want to download some free stuff from wizards website (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads). When you download "Savage Frontier" and "Volo's Guide to the North", you have about everything you need for playing in The North of the Forgotten Realms. Sure, it looks a bit old and there are no NPC stat blocks you can use, but everything else works completely the same as if it would be brand new.

Oh, and I see they also have "The North", a must-have when you like to play in that land. With those three files, you have more infos on the setting, than you could ever get with 3rd Ed. books.
Shiftkitty
03-17-08, 03:44 PM Aye to all of the above. Every time I've tried to establish a canon campaign, my players ran off in another direction and it became homebrew by default. Now I don't even try.

You could take the area you live in and imagine it before anybody built anything there. Then put your town in the scene, but make the buildings and people have a medieval flavor. The drugstore/pharmacy down the street is now the apothecary. The hospital is a temple where the PCs can get some healing. That cop car that went by is now a constable on horseback.

I'd stay simple and use weather patterns you know. I live in California's Central Valley, so the weather here is pretty temperate most of the time. I know how the seasons flow, so that's what I use. I'm also familiar with the Southwest deserts, so I'm comfortable with those as well. I don't run things too far into the North of the FR because I've never been through a harsh winter like those I've seen described in the books.
Arko-Strass
03-17-08, 04:16 PM :) thank you guys for all the help. i appreciate it, this info should be enough but if anyone else has a different oppinion i'd love to hear it:)
Arko-Strass
03-17-08, 04:51 PM and as for your questions goricexii.

1- i just finished reading the first dragonlance book in the "elven nations trilogy" and there was a giant forest with wild elves living in it. that was my favorite part so i guess i want a lot of forests. i want there to be all kinds of races, heres the details on my idea about races.

Humans- lot of 'em in lots of ares

Elves- lots of 'em in fewer ares

Dwarfs- not very many, they live together and are wary of outsiders

Gnomes- very few, i'll probly have 'em live in a forested city or somthing like that

Halflings- very few & far between

Half Orcs- .......ewwwww......aside from a few there wont really be any of these.........who would "do it" with an orc anyways

Half Elves- live with humans, because elves dont like them :(

i wont go into detail about sub-races but im posotive i want wild elves. and i might take out halflings all together, theyre like taiwanese hookers, theyre small and good with there hands but thats about all they got goin for 'em

and as for building my game around my adventures. i have a rough idea of what i want. im thinkin that there will be a group of 6 spellcasters perhaps they'll be dragon shaman/wizard or sorcerer. each dragon shaman will represent a different type of evil dragon and 1 will command them and they'll need to capture the pcs for some reason (havent worked out that part yet) and they'll need them to bring the dragonqueen to earth. (compliments of "the legend of huma") anyways i think each baddy will have his own lair
yellowdingo
03-20-08, 08:47 AM and as for your questions goricexii.

1- i just finished reading the first dragonlance book in the "elven nations trilogy" and there was a giant forest with wild elves living in it. that was my favorite part so i guess i want a lot of forests. i want there to be all kinds of races, heres the details on my idea about races.

Humans- lot of 'em in lots of ares

Elves- lots of 'em in fewer ares

Dwarfs- not very many, they live together and are wary of outsiders

Gnomes- very few, i'll probly have 'em live in a forested city or somthing like that

Primitive Folk scattered through a forest (Pre Nation structures)?

Halflings- very few & far between

Swamp Folk, might want to add Half-Elf Half-Troll to that. Call em Bogfolk, or swampElf.

Half Orcs- .......ewwwww......aside from a few there wont really be any of these.........who would "do it" with an orc anyways
I put them in my steamtech city keeping the machines running, stoking the boilers beneath human cities as an underclass. As to how they happened...Rape, Pillage in the past then Inbreeding amongst this slave race.

Half Elves- live with humans, because elves dont like them :(
Ooh! Outcasts dumped in the wilderness...how Spartan of you.

i wont go into detail about sub-races but im posotive i want wild elves. and i might take out halflings all together, theyre like taiwanese hookers, theyre small and good with there hands but thats about all they got goin for 'em

and as for building my game around my adventures. i have a rough idea of what i want. im thinkin that there will be a group of 6 spellcasters perhaps they'll be dragon shaman/wizard or sorcerer. each dragon shaman will represent a different type of evil dragon and 1 will command them and they'll need to capture the pcs for some reason (havent worked out that part yet) and they'll need them to bring the dragonqueen to earth. (compliments of "the legend of huma") anyways i think each baddy will have his own lair

Elf Shaman (Barbarian/Sorcerer/Druid metaclass)
taradusis
03-20-08, 11:58 PM Geographically speaking try to leave part of the map blank so you can fill it in later. Put in a large island chain like the Bermudas so you can have an Age of Exploration/Pirate campaign later on. Try your hand at creating a unique monster or race,it will help your campaign to be memorable.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Arko-Strass 03-17-08, 01:32 AM	hey guys ive been playin d&d for a little while and im always dm. until now ive just ran mini adventures in small random dungeons and caves and im about to start my first REAL campaign and i suppose the first thing i need is a map for my campaign the problem......i dont know were to start, how i should go about creating the world, i need help with regional and cultural geography, and i also need to know how in-depth i should go with things such as seasons, weather, solar and lunar setup, monster and animal habitat. i dont expect anyone to answer all or even any of these question but ANY help relating to building a campaign and/or world is appreciated p.s. buying a campaign setting is not really an option because i dont have any money and my mom wont buy it for me
GoriceXII 03-17-08, 02:46 AM	Actually it's best to start small. So let me ask a few questions: 1. What general ideas do you have? If you want some help for a regular D&D type campaign look no farther than this very WOTC site--I'll link you to the archives. The out of print stuff is kind of dated as far as stats and things goes but you want maps and ideas for places, right? A lot of Forgotten Realms stuff can be downloaded here for free. http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads 2. If you want more original stuff then I advise you to concentrate more on what your adventures are going to be and work the setting around that. I find that helpful myself, otherwise you get bogged down in cosmology, trade routes and so on.
Naderion 03-17-08, 06:05 AM	It's usefull to start with some basic things first: - Which races live in the world? - What classes are used in the world? - Which monster should exist in the world? - What deities exist that people worship? Easiest way would be "Those in the PHB and the MM" and that should work just fine, but you might like to add some own creations or remove some. My setting has no monks and halflings, and probably only 2/3 or 1/2 of the monster manual creatures. When you've decided on these things, just start with a central city and maybe two or three towns nearby. Add some hills, mountains, forest, and a swamp, and you should have about all you need for quite some time. If you want to visit a place that doesn't fit on your map, you can add new areas and locations to it. You also might want to download some free stuff from wizards website (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads). When you download "Savage Frontier" and "Volo's Guide to the North", you have about everything you need for playing in The North of the Forgotten Realms. Sure, it looks a bit old and there are no NPC stat blocks you can use, but everything else works completely the same as if it would be brand new. Oh, and I see they also have "The North", a must-have when you like to play in that land. With those three files, you have more infos on the setting, than you could ever get with 3rd Ed. books.
Shiftkitty 03-17-08, 03:44 PM	Aye to all of the above. Every time I've tried to establish a canon campaign, my players ran off in another direction and it became homebrew by default. Now I don't even try. You could take the area you live in and imagine it before anybody built anything there. Then put your town in the scene, but make the buildings and people have a medieval flavor. The drugstore/pharmacy down the street is now the apothecary. The hospital is a temple where the PCs can get some healing. That cop car that went by is now a constable on horseback. I'd stay simple and use weather patterns you know. I live in California's Central Valley, so the weather here is pretty temperate most of the time. I know how the seasons flow, so that's what I use. I'm also familiar with the Southwest deserts, so I'm comfortable with those as well. I don't run things too far into the North of the FR because I've never been through a harsh winter like those I've seen described in the books.
Arko-Strass 03-17-08, 04:16 PM	:) thank you guys for all the help. i appreciate it, this info should be enough but if anyone else has a different oppinion i'd love to hear it:)
Arko-Strass 03-17-08, 04:51 PM	and as for your questions goricexii. 1- i just finished reading the first dragonlance book in the "elven nations trilogy" and there was a giant forest with wild elves living in it. that was my favorite part so i guess i want a lot of forests. i want there to be all kinds of races, heres the details on my idea about races. Humans- lot of 'em in lots of ares Elves- lots of 'em in fewer ares Dwarfs- not very many, they live together and are wary of outsiders Gnomes- very few, i'll probly have 'em live in a forested city or somthing like that Halflings- very few & far between Half Orcs- .......ewwwww......aside from a few there wont really be any of these.........who would "do it" with an orc anyways Half Elves- live with humans, because elves dont like them :( i wont go into detail about sub-races but im posotive i want wild elves. and i might take out halflings all together, theyre like taiwanese hookers, theyre small and good with there hands but thats about all they got goin for 'em and as for building my game around my adventures. i have a rough idea of what i want. im thinkin that there will be a group of 6 spellcasters perhaps they'll be dragon shaman/wizard or sorcerer. each dragon shaman will represent a different type of evil dragon and 1 will command them and they'll need to capture the pcs for some reason (havent worked out that part yet) and they'll need them to bring the dragonqueen to earth. (compliments of "the legend of huma") anyways i think each baddy will have his own lair
yellowdingo 03-20-08, 08:47 AM	and as for your questions goricexii. 1- i just finished reading the first dragonlance book in the "elven nations trilogy" and there was a giant forest with wild elves living in it. that was my favorite part so i guess i want a lot of forests. i want there to be all kinds of races, heres the details on my idea about races. Humans- lot of 'em in lots of ares Elves- lots of 'em in fewer ares Dwarfs- not very many, they live together and are wary of outsiders Gnomes- very few, i'll probly have 'em live in a forested city or somthing like that Primitive Folk scattered through a forest (Pre Nation structures)? Halflings- very few & far between Swamp Folk, might want to add Half-Elf Half-Troll to that. Call em Bogfolk, or swampElf. Half Orcs- .......ewwwww......aside from a few there wont really be any of these.........who would "do it" with an orc anyways I put them in my steamtech city keeping the machines running, stoking the boilers beneath human cities as an underclass. As to how they happened...Rape, Pillage in the past then Inbreeding amongst this slave race. Half Elves- live with humans, because elves dont like them :( Ooh! Outcasts dumped in the wilderness...how Spartan of you. i wont go into detail about sub-races but im posotive i want wild elves. and i might take out halflings all together, theyre like taiwanese hookers, theyre small and good with there hands but thats about all they got goin for 'em and as for building my game around my adventures. i have a rough idea of what i want. im thinkin that there will be a group of 6 spellcasters perhaps they'll be dragon shaman/wizard or sorcerer. each dragon shaman will represent a different type of evil dragon and 1 will command them and they'll need to capture the pcs for some reason (havent worked out that part yet) and they'll need them to bring the dragonqueen to earth. (compliments of "the legend of huma") anyways i think each baddy will have his own lair Elf Shaman (Barbarian/Sorcerer/Druid metaclass)
taradusis 03-20-08, 11:58 PM	Geographically speaking try to leave part of the map blank so you can fill it in later. Put in a large island chain like the Bermudas so you can have an Age of Exploration/Pirate campaign later on. Try your hand at creating a unique monster or race,it will help your campaign to be memorable.