Post/Author/DateTime	Post
monstermaster 10-05-07, 03:33 PM	i was wundrin about runnin a prehistoric campaign and i need to know about wepons, monsters, items, spells etc. it is fantasy and it will b set in stone-age to iron age. plz help
taradusis 10-05-07, 06:16 PM	The monsters should be dire beasts and dinosaurs.I would consider limiting weapons to sling,blowgun,club,spear,handax,dagger,s taff,greatclub.limit technology to before the bronze age is my suggestion.disallow clerics and bards,use adepts.RANDOM THOUGHTS.
Averroes 10-05-07, 06:34 PM	I would suggest getting the Arms and Equipment Guide, its got a handy chart showing what weapons and armor are available for what eras. Also make sure you figure out the differences between metal and stone and bone weapons. I'm pretty sure there is negatives for using those. Should be pretty intutive for figuring out whats around, just depends on what is around. Are the elves around, are they in stone age too? Dwarves? Are all the races at the same kind of society? For classes your going to want to limit it to classes that don't require orginzation. No Wizards, No Clerics, no Paladins. I probably wouldn't allow monks or fighters either. I would push for the players who want to be divine casters to Sprit Shaman. Got a good primitive feel to the class. For Arcane probably Sorcerers only. For classes I would suggest for people would be things like Barbarian, Scout, Ranger, and the like. Also I'd be seriously limiting skills. No Disable device, I wouldn't even allow knowledge, spellcraft, open lock, umm...basically anything that is dependent on education to exist. Just keep the players mindest on Quest for Fire types and you should be alright. Items? Well....none really, apart from what they can make. I would really make this a point by literally making them role a craft check for anything they want. Let them know this ahead of time, that way they will make characters that would actually serve a useful role in the tribal society. You don't have dedicated warriors back then, everyone worked, crafted, and hunted (or gathered) Keep it basic, don't do gold, don't do magic weapons (give them a magic rock is you really want to, they could make a spear or ax head out of) Armor should be hide at the very best. Disuade modern thinking.
bloodtalon 10-05-07, 07:00 PM	as for weapons i would allow the following, (all stone or bone), dagger, club, short spear, staff, sling, hand axe, sap, great club, short bow armors, hide, leather,bark, bone, wicker, and wood classes: barbarian, druid, fighter, ranger, rouge, sorcerer from PHB::: dragon shamans from PHBII::dragoon fire adepts from DRAGON MAGIC:: prestige classes:: COMPLETE WARRIOR, bear warrior, dark wood stalker, eye of gruumsh, nature warrior, skills almost anything not needed an education, hp's maybe start with more with that type fo campaign survival will be more dependent on getting food then anything else magic items, all potions are like good berries the druid or such enchants the berry to do the same thing, no rings but have a bracelet to do the same thing, and fort he item to work every day must do some type of ceremony to reawaken the spirit in your item
HCL 10-05-07, 10:02 PM	I have a stone age setting its going to be during an ice age so I am not allowing leather armor, the plothook is that the adventurers are scouting for a mixed tribe of humans/halflings/good orcs/halforcs fleeing from orcs, winterwolves, and frost giants, and are trying to flee south where they will eventually meet the more advanced dwarves and gnomes and be saved. Only classes allowed are barbarian (req 13+ str 13+ con), Druid (req 14+ wis) and sorcerer (req 14+ cha) they will be doing 7 rolls of 3d6 dropping lowest one to set their stats anyone who doesnt qualify for pc class has to be warrior or adept (it is meant to be hard as hell)
Return of the Flumph 10-06-07, 12:48 AM	If your entire world is going to be set in the stone age, I wouldn't nerf the weapons for being stone or ivory; that messes with game balance too much. Instead, make metal weapons extra powerful. For the rare and valuable metal weapons, add +1 or +2 to their attack and damage rolls.
JulesCARV 10-06-07, 09:34 AM	First, some copied stuff from a different thread: -Does magic start off very powerful, and then gradually fade as civilization advances, with higher technology being associated with diminished connection to magic (a common fantasy trope)? Or does magic advance as if it were itself a technology, becoming more powerful as society accumulates knowledge and technology (less common in most fantasy, but fairly common in D&D specifically)? -Does this take place far in a paleolithic setting where hunter-gatherer cultures are universal, or might there be neolithic agricultural civilizations? (I think an organized, expansionist neolithic agrarian theocracy (complete with blood-stained ziggaruts, a king-priest with 80 wives, etc) could be a very scary opponent for PCs from hunter-gatherer backgrounds. From an in-game perspective, such a large, organized force might seem incomprehensible. From an out-of-character perspective, of course, players are likely to have a sense -- correct or not -- that the hunter-gatherers are doomed in the long run.) -Are all races in the same stone age level of technology, or are they different? Might some dwarves, for instance, be experimenting with tin, copper, or electrum? Also some thought of my own: -Psionics might gain increased prominence, probably, since psionics is a very "cheap" form of magic, requiring no intricately crafted or expensive material or focus components; also, some of the psion's major competitors in attracting intelligent minds (such as the archivist, wizard, and wu jen) will be confined to the rare literate neolithic societies or not exist at all. "Feral fighter" type psychic warriors might also be common, fighting with claws and bites with no need for armor or weaponry. Wilders, along with sorcerers, would probably be about as common as in normal D&D. -Druids may or may not yet exist. Certainly, druids are possible in such a setting; the question is whether the druidic tradition exists yet. Some druidic codes, such as the ban on wearing metal armor (which applies to all druidic sects, orders, etc, implying that it was found in the common ancestor of all surviving druidic orders) seem to be in reaction to technologies like metal working, and the druidic language itself is literate and has its own alphabet. Of course, it could be that druidism developed in the stone age, then druids later all banned metal armor once it existed, and that the druidic language existed before literacy, and then later druids developed an alphabet for it once they found out about other alphabets. Still, it seems fairly likely -- although not certain -- that druids didn't exist in the stone age, and only came into existence later, in reaction to technological advances such as the development of metal working and associated mining and such.
Rhineglade 10-06-07, 10:43 AM	If you can get access to VERY old issues of Dragon Magazine, Issue #68 had an article about a game set during the Ice Age set in the Pleistocene Epoch. A few points the article mentions: - There is no metal-working. No armor, no steel for weapons, no coinage. - Importance of the "Clan." Author mentions the novel "Clan of the Cave Bear" and suggests the importance of small tribal society of hunter-gatherers. - Absence of civilization. No cities, no complex buildings other then simple tents. No agriculture, no politics, no organized warfare, no crowds, no books, no scolls, no glass, no wheels, no woven fabrics. - Clans spend most of the day working just to survive. However they also can tell stories, worship, play and make romance :D: but there are few solitary pursuits. - To nutritionally sustain one person for one month requires 1 HD of meat-bearing animals or fish plus 2 bushels of roots, grains and edible plants. Children require half that much. Therefore, the article points out that a clan of 15 adults and 4 children would have to kill 221 HD worth of creatures every year and gather 442 bushels of plant materials. - Animals provide not only food but also leather for clothing, waterskins and shelter, fat for oil, ivory for decorative objects, etc. Plant materials provide reeds for weaving, sticks for utensils and even medicine. - In terms of Character races, obviously human cavemen are a given. Dwarves, according to this article, would be few and live in deep, secret places where perhaps they are skilled enough to develop metal weapons. Elves would gain a +1 bonus with the spear and sling instead of the use of the bow and sword. Elves would also specialize in making wine from wild grapes. Gnomes would be great stonecutters and flintworkers. All of the gnomish stone weapons would be considered +1 on attack rolls. Half-elves would be virtually non-existant. Halflings would be tamers of wild dogs. While other groups may capture animals, only halflings would have the skill to domesticate them and learn to breed them. Half-orcs could be the inventors of the blow-gun and will be the only race to use poisoned darts. - All classes would be available EXCEPT there should be no paladins or monks. There would be no "common" language and clans would be EXTREMELY suspicious and fearful of any outsiders (non-clan members). - Suggested weapons include: Stone Knife: 1-4 dmg Stone Axe: 1-6 dmg Stone-headed hammer: 2-5 dmg Spear: 1-6 dmg (double dmg when set for a charge) Bola*: 1-3 dmg Sling: 1-4 dmg Staff: 1-6 dmg Wooden club: 1-6 dmg Wooden javelin: 1-6 dmg (double dmg when set for a charge) Blowgun & Dart: 1-3 dmg Net: no damage but entangles enemy Unarmed: as per PHB Flaming Oil *= Creatures successfully hit by a bola must make a Ref Save or be tripped. Creatures with more than 9hp would be too large to be tripped. - Magic Items would be VERY rare. Since there is no written language, there would be no scrolls. Wizards would instead use carved sticks and sacred rocks. Most available magic items would be limited to potions only. - Highly developed religions are non-existant. Most humans would practice totemism. Each individual would have a "totem" or guardian spirit. "Lucky" and "unlucky" days would have to be determined to plan the best days for hunting. Roll d10. On a result of 1-3= unlucky day (-1 penalty on all die rolls). On a result of 4-7= nothing significant (no penalties or bonuses for the day). On a result of 8-10= lucky day (+1 penalty on all die rolls). - Druidism would be very primitive and more "nature-oriented." Paranoia is VERY prominent so encounters with undead or nature spirits would be very telling.
Old_School_Overlord 10-06-07, 10:54 AM	The important thing to get right is language: Each character should have a vocabulary equal to their intelligence score, so have them write down the words they're able to speak at the start of the game. The maximum number of sylables in any chosen word is the character's intelligence modifer. This brings in the new feat Improved Vocablary (General) The character's vocabulary increases by a number of words equal to their intelligence score. A few useful ones: food, argh, pain, run! fight, cold, mastodon, woman! chief, storm, water you get the idea
taradusis 10-06-07, 10:25 PM	You could visit this thread by Habronicus,it was pretty active at one time.934161
Shimura 10-07-07, 11:50 AM	If your in the jungle then watch Apocalypto for a primitive, if savage, way of life! I'd limit classes somewhat to things like scout/ ranger/ spirit shaman/ barbarian/ bard (but give spells as spirit shaman) and more or less any class with survival on its spell list. Frostburn can help out a little with the "neanderthal race" for either PC's or a planet of the apes style primitive empire and it also has a wide variety of weapons from primitive materials (like jawbones & skulls). Adventures would be hunting dire animals, dinosaurs and battling rival tribes. Although it could be interesting to have a non-humanoid culture as the Aztec style sacrificing pyramid culture. Something sinister like Mindflayers, Azer or salamaders might do. they would also be the only society with brass/ copper weapons.
Delfedd 10-07-07, 12:49 PM	If your in the jungle then watch Apocalypto for a primitive, if savage, way of life! Right. Because the 1600s in the biggest empire on a continent is "primitive." This is my rebuttal. What evidence do we have that early humans have a limited vocabulary? And how would it add to the players fun? This is stone to iron age for Petes sake! these aren't Anthropithicuses, these are humans. Why limit prestige classes at all? In fact, why limit classes at all? A paladin is so much more than his armor and sword. He is chosen by the gods. I'd think there would be more paladins than modern times. Monks? What is a monk but someone who mimics nature? The lightning strike, the flowing stream. Again, monks fit in perfectly. Don't try to make the players feel primitive. Just make it feel like a world where they have to survive in. I would suggest setting it around the time of Otzi the Iceman. There are occassional towns and villages that the players can call home, and there are occasionally wars over resources in other times. Make copper weapons effectively magical. Also, why limit magic items? Most characters won't be a high enough level to make them, so what does it matter? I would stay away from dungeon delves however, unless there is a very good reason. Perhaps it is the fortress of an ancient civilization of Giants or dragons, and the players have to look through it. There is no evidence that neanderthals where less intelegent than humans. An interesting spin on things would be to make the Neanderthals the dwarves. If you need someone to make you a copper weapon, you go to a neanderthal.
Averroes 10-08-07, 10:15 AM	Obviously you can do this how you want to, but I actually ran a similar 'mini-campaign' with Centaurs. Basically they were a tribal society that survived and made all thier own items. They didn't trade with the humanoids, infact they avoided all other non-prey creatures at most all costs. Similar restrictions that people have listed above. But I did something different with Loot than with a normal game. Rather than finding a magic spear in a pile of gold or any sort of loot like that. All thier items came from what they killed. (With the approprate craft checks of course) For example the group took down a wyvern. From the tail they were able to make a spear with wyven poison on it, they made the hide into armor (using part of the creatues Natural Armor rather than the basic hide armor, So it kind of translates into 'Magic' just for giving the players higher AC, no auras or anything) It actually made for some really interseting items. And the players looked at thier hunting in a much more proactive way. Rather than just 'kill for food' they would get excited when they saw an elephant, because they could use the ivory in all sorts of good ways. Or I had them fight a triceitops (young one) and one of the players walked away with a very cool shield. you want to promote creative and non-explotive thinking. This help bring to life the idea that when you kill a creature in this kind of situation you use all of the animal. Giving the player 'treats' rather than just RP rewards. You don't have to use this, but I found it brought an interesting new angle to rewards in this type of setting.
fodigg 10-08-07, 01:00 PM	Remember that there is a lot of history in D&D. Eras where old empires of monstrous races and demonic forces ruled the earth (and no I'm not talking about Eberron which makes it obvious). The ruins that you would find in "normal" era D&D should be big and bustling. I think that would be the most exciting part of a "prehistoric" campaign, the fact that even though "our" history hasn't begun, the world still ran and society still existed, just not one we would recognize. Maybe the earth was populated mostly by Yuan-ti? Who knows? It's pre-history! Just because we don't remember it doesn't mean it didn't happen.