Campaigns w/ core rules only. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Campaigns w/ core rules only. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
mhr74
06-16-05, 02:28 PM Anyone prefer to run campaigns w/ core rules (and house rules) only?
weasel fierce
06-16-05, 02:29 PM Most RPG supplements have large quantities of junk, with small quantities of good material, regardless of system or edition, so yeah. I prefer using the basics, with small additions here and there
Illion the Red
06-16-05, 02:29 PM Anyone prefer to run campaigns w/ core rules (and house rules) only?

Prefer? Yes.

Enforce? No, I give my playes the opportunity do other things.
KenSeg
06-16-05, 03:08 PM Our campaigns have almost always been with just the core books as we have neither the time nor desire to become rules jukkies.

-KenSeg
DungeonMaster
06-16-05, 04:01 PM I run a core game 3rd edition rules game. I include very little in terms of extra stuff and no "prestige class".
It can be a lot of fun.
Additional mechanics are often just that, additional mechanics. They don't necessarily add to the game. And there are so few flavor based supplements for 3rd edition (or 3.5) that truly there's nothing else to add to my game.
Board_Rider
06-16-05, 04:15 PM There are times when I would prefer it...especially when creating characters.

However I must disagree with my peers here in the fact that some new mechanics are nice. Well maybe not mechanics per se but some of the way things are detailed, such as variant skill uses, which I may not have thought of before, are nice. And I would have never have seen them if I went "core only". But some things are a bit much, like Swift actions.....
Dave Stebbins
06-16-05, 06:20 PM Yes, our current campaigns are core-only. We rotate Dming, so it makes things much easier. Very few books outside of the core ones have been purchased by anyone in my group, so it's not that big of a deal for us. If someone wants to use something out of a 3rd-party book, the four DMs will discuss it, usually by e-mail between sessions and if agreed adopt a specific house rule, but we won't add the book wholesale to our game.

-Dave
Andrew_980
06-16-05, 06:51 PM My group does any core+what is specificly allowed for one particular PC by the DM. All feats,classes,races, ect that are not in the phb/dmg are allowed only on a case-by-case basis, never "anything from book X"
It allows more DM control and a higher insidence of PCs being unique for who they are than for being a template stack with an odd class
Joe Khol
06-17-05, 05:53 AM Anyone prefer to run campaigns w/ core rules (and house rules) only?

My group runs core only (with a few house rules and a generally rules-light style) but since we've never played with lots of supplements, I guess I can't say 'prefer'. We've just never felt the need or desire to add anything else mechanically.
Tenzhi
06-17-05, 05:57 AM Personally, I tend to use a lot of homebrew rules. The core rules don't behave quite the way I'd like.
CzarGarrett
06-17-05, 08:47 AM Obviously the core rules make up the most of the rules I wind up using.

But the splat books and houserules make up a fair amount so that its a little more interesting and different feeling from other campaigns.
rbrt_Spade
06-17-05, 10:44 AM i see no point on buying just the core books-buying more books gives lots of new things to add to your game-dont want to spend much money-order older supp. from 2000-2002 and see how cheap they are.
Arrowhen
06-17-05, 11:59 AM buying more books gives lots of new things to add to your game
Yes, but does your game really need lots of new things?
Yoho1.5
06-17-05, 06:26 PM I'm DMing a core only game right now with a generic setting and everyone is having fun! Most of my players are new to D&D so this works well.
Caterane
06-17-05, 07:08 PM *Hears the word "Core" in his far-away Realm* *teleports here* :D

I think I can add my 2 €uro to this discussion as I have experienced what non-core material can do, in my real gaming group as well as here on my board.

The Core Coliseum is the third attempt to create an arena enviroment. The predecessors failed because they became too imbalanced. D&D is a highly complex system where a little new addition can create huge loopholes. Of course it's nice to have nigh unlimited options but not even Wizards of the Coast can see what a newly released book will do to the system, and no amount of playtesting can change that.

The Core Rules are more or less balanced and with one or three small changes, they work fine. The CoCo is going into year 3 which confirms what I've just said.

Speaking of Campaigns, I want to tell you that this is our newest addition to the CoCo. The first Campaigns are being prepared right now and are still looking for players to join. Campaigns work similar to those on the Real Adventures board, but core only (plus psionic and divine SRD) and your character will be no one-shot character but an integral part of the world.

If you're interested, follow the Rabbit :)

http://alice.sollitaire.com/images1/Follow.gif (http://boards1.wizards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=483)

See you there
Cat
Hengwrt Ellesmere
06-17-05, 10:39 PM I tend to stick to core. I'm in the fortunate position such that my players only have the PHB, while I have pretty much all the non-FR/Eberron supplements that WotC has made. So if I find something I like in those books, I make it a house rule and tell my players about it. As far as they know, though, it's just something I made up as part of my campaign world.
Skeane
06-17-05, 10:50 PM We're currently running a core-only (w/ v. minor house rules). I prefer it. Seems to allow for more creativity.
VirgilCaine
06-18-05, 05:38 AM The Core rules don't go into a lot of detail, but they allow for a lot of flexibility. For example, the Monster Manual has at least 4 of every type of creature--4 fey, 4 plants, 4 shapeshifters, or whatever. A basic foundation of the type. The MM contains enough to give you options so you don't go stale, even accounting for a DM slightly changing things like vampire weaknesses or breath weapons or energy resistances (and of course appearances, etc.)
Like a "thunder jann" with electricity resistance and such or an acid behir or whatever.
Or for example, a group of jann with class levels, fulfilling the role of adventurers or thieves or bandits or assassins or whatever. You can get a lot of flexibility out of class levels on monsters (Drd6/Sorc6....Shambling Mound?).

Same goes for the PHB and the DMG with spells. There's a spell for just about anything or one close to it.

So you have a lot of options with just the Core rules.
Kursk
06-18-05, 05:59 PM Anyone prefer to run campaigns w/ core rules (and house rules) only?

Yes, I allow very little else without play-testing. Wish Wizards would spend the $ to play-test before just puking the stuff onto the store shelves.
OctoberRaven
06-19-05, 12:28 AM I currently DM a 3.5 core-only with one house rule (Nat-1 is a chance of a critical failure like Nat-20 is a chance of critical damage) and I have no plans on adding more to it. If I do, it will be a military-based PrC (my campaign is set at the beginning of a war between a mix-human/elven land (with a slight Heironous-follower dominance) and a land dominated by a ruler who openly follows Hextor.)
CannonFodder2244
06-19-05, 02:14 AM I allow only the core, and even Prestige Classes need to be approved by me first. I tend to get really annoyed when PCs make getting a prestige class for that extra +1 to basketweaving the whole point of their game.

Especially when they haven't even mastered the core rules first.

My basic philosophy is this: Keep it simple early on. Achieve mastery. Get the system out of the way of your roleplaying - don't make the system god.

Or, as I like to say to my players, "That D20 is NOT your friend. It's a pretense that we all share. Your creativity is what will save your butt, not the +5zillion you have to hit that you have with a weapon you discovered in some random book you found in the back of the game shop."

Roleplay, not rollplay!
Nomad4life
06-19-05, 08:34 AM The core books were the only books we ever really “needed” until recently (for reasons explained in another thread.) Sometimes I would play with other groups that were really into “outside” rules/classes/races. I remember these sessions as being slow, “klunky” and far, far too high-powered hack n' slash for my tastes- More like we were playing a video game than actually RPing characters.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
mhr74 06-16-05, 02:28 PM	Anyone prefer to run campaigns w/ core rules (and house rules) only?
weasel fierce 06-16-05, 02:29 PM	Most RPG supplements have large quantities of junk, with small quantities of good material, regardless of system or edition, so yeah. I prefer using the basics, with small additions here and there
Illion the Red 06-16-05, 02:29 PM	Anyone prefer to run campaigns w/ core rules (and house rules) only? Prefer? Yes. Enforce? No, I give my playes the opportunity do other things.
KenSeg 06-16-05, 03:08 PM	Our campaigns have almost always been with just the core books as we have neither the time nor desire to become rules jukkies. -KenSeg
DungeonMaster 06-16-05, 04:01 PM	I run a core game 3rd edition rules game. I include very little in terms of extra stuff and no "prestige class". It can be a lot of fun. Additional mechanics are often just that, additional mechanics. They don't necessarily add to the game. And there are so few flavor based supplements for 3rd edition (or 3.5) that truly there's nothing else to add to my game.
Board_Rider 06-16-05, 04:15 PM	There are times when I would prefer it...especially when creating characters. However I must disagree with my peers here in the fact that some new mechanics are nice. Well maybe not mechanics per se but some of the way things are detailed, such as variant skill uses, which I may not have thought of before, are nice. And I would have never have seen them if I went "core only". But some things are a bit much, like Swift actions.....
Dave Stebbins 06-16-05, 06:20 PM	Yes, our current campaigns are core-only. We rotate Dming, so it makes things much easier. Very few books outside of the core ones have been purchased by anyone in my group, so it's not that big of a deal for us. If someone wants to use something out of a 3rd-party book, the four DMs will discuss it, usually by e-mail between sessions and if agreed adopt a specific house rule, but we won't add the book wholesale to our game. -Dave
Andrew_980 06-16-05, 06:51 PM	My group does any core+what is specificly allowed for one particular PC by the DM. All feats,classes,races, ect that are not in the phb/dmg are allowed only on a case-by-case basis, never "anything from book X" It allows more DM control and a higher insidence of PCs being unique for who they are than for being a template stack with an odd class
Joe Khol 06-17-05, 05:53 AM	Anyone prefer to run campaigns w/ core rules (and house rules) only? My group runs core only (with a few house rules and a generally rules-light style) but since we've never played with lots of supplements, I guess I can't say 'prefer'. We've just never felt the need or desire to add anything else mechanically.
Tenzhi 06-17-05, 05:57 AM	Personally, I tend to use a lot of homebrew rules. The core rules don't behave quite the way I'd like.
CzarGarrett 06-17-05, 08:47 AM	Obviously the core rules make up the most of the rules I wind up using. But the splat books and houserules make up a fair amount so that its a little more interesting and different feeling from other campaigns.
rbrt_Spade 06-17-05, 10:44 AM	i see no point on buying just the core books-buying more books gives lots of new things to add to your game-dont want to spend much money-order older supp. from 2000-2002 and see how cheap they are.
Arrowhen 06-17-05, 11:59 AM	buying more books gives lots of new things to add to your game Yes, but does your game really need lots of new things?
Yoho1.5 06-17-05, 06:26 PM	I'm DMing a core only game right now with a generic setting and everyone is having fun! Most of my players are new to D&D so this works well.
Caterane 06-17-05, 07:08 PM	Hears the word "Core" in his far-away Realm teleports here :D I think I can add my 2 €uro to this discussion as I have experienced what non-core material can do, in my real gaming group as well as here on my board. The Core Coliseum is the third attempt to create an arena enviroment. The predecessors failed because they became too imbalanced. D&D is a highly complex system where a little new addition can create huge loopholes. Of course it's nice to have nigh unlimited options but not even Wizards of the Coast can see what a newly released book will do to the system, and no amount of playtesting can change that. The Core Rules are more or less balanced and with one or three small changes, they work fine. The CoCo is going into year 3 which confirms what I've just said. Speaking of Campaigns, I want to tell you that this is our newest addition to the CoCo. The first Campaigns are being prepared right now and are still looking for players to join. Campaigns work similar to those on the Real Adventures board, but core only (plus psionic and divine SRD) and your character will be no one-shot character but an integral part of the world. If you're interested, follow the Rabbit :) http://alice.sollitaire.com/images1/Follow.gif (http://boards1.wizards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=483) See you there Cat
Hengwrt Ellesmere 06-17-05, 10:39 PM	I tend to stick to core. I'm in the fortunate position such that my players only have the PHB, while I have pretty much all the non-FR/Eberron supplements that WotC has made. So if I find something I like in those books, I make it a house rule and tell my players about it. As far as they know, though, it's just something I made up as part of my campaign world.
Skeane 06-17-05, 10:50 PM	We're currently running a core-only (w/ v. minor house rules). I prefer it. Seems to allow for more creativity.
VirgilCaine 06-18-05, 05:38 AM	The Core rules don't go into a lot of detail, but they allow for a lot of flexibility. For example, the Monster Manual has at least 4 of every type of creature--4 fey, 4 plants, 4 shapeshifters, or whatever. A basic foundation of the type. The MM contains enough to give you options so you don't go stale, even accounting for a DM slightly changing things like vampire weaknesses or breath weapons or energy resistances (and of course appearances, etc.) Like a "thunder jann" with electricity resistance and such or an acid behir or whatever. Or for example, a group of jann with class levels, fulfilling the role of adventurers or thieves or bandits or assassins or whatever. You can get a lot of flexibility out of class levels on monsters (Drd6/Sorc6....Shambling Mound?). Same goes for the PHB and the DMG with spells. There's a spell for just about anything or one close to it. So you have a lot of options with just the Core rules.
Kursk 06-18-05, 05:59 PM	Anyone prefer to run campaigns w/ core rules (and house rules) only? Yes, I allow very little else without play-testing. Wish Wizards would spend the $ to play-test before just puking the stuff onto the store shelves.
OctoberRaven 06-19-05, 12:28 AM	I currently DM a 3.5 core-only with one house rule (Nat-1 is a chance of a critical failure like Nat-20 is a chance of critical damage) and I have no plans on adding more to it. If I do, it will be a military-based PrC (my campaign is set at the beginning of a war between a mix-human/elven land (with a slight Heironous-follower dominance) and a land dominated by a ruler who openly follows Hextor.)
CannonFodder2244 06-19-05, 02:14 AM	I allow only the core, and even Prestige Classes need to be approved by me first. I tend to get really annoyed when PCs make getting a prestige class for that extra +1 to basketweaving the whole point of their game. Especially when they haven't even mastered the core rules first. My basic philosophy is this: Keep it simple early on. Achieve mastery. Get the system out of the way of your roleplaying - don't make the system god. Or, as I like to say to my players, "That D20 is NOT your friend. It's a pretense that we all share. Your creativity is what will save your butt, not the +5zillion you have to hit that you have with a weapon you discovered in some random book you found in the back of the game shop." Roleplay, not rollplay!
Nomad4life 06-19-05, 08:34 AM	The core books were the only books we ever really “needed” until recently (for reasons explained in another thread.) Sometimes I would play with other groups that were really into “outside” rules/classes/races. I remember these sessions as being slow, “klunky” and far, far too high-powered hack n' slash for my tastes- More like we were playing a video game than actually RPing characters.