Starting a FR's campaign as a new DM. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Starting a FR's campaign as a new DM. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Raul Windrider
08-07-06, 04:24 AM Since I can’t find much to interest me as a player, I'm considering starting my own campaign, and since I've never DMed before, I thought I'd ask some burning questions that I'm sure will seem utterly simplistic to most of you knowledgeable folk. What I would like to do is balance my first campaign with "generic" DnD themes (that is, "easy" game mechanic stuff) but with the flavor of the Realms. I want to start off relatively simple, but I want to play in the FR's and not the generic core world featured in the core rulebooks. Ideally I'd like to use what I have and not but anything else. And, if it matters, this will be a live online game using Gametable. That being said, a few questions:

1. I have the 3.5 PHB... but I also have all three 3rd Edition core books. Could I simply use the 3rd Edition DM's Guide and update it with the 3.5 SRD? Or should I simply use the 3rd Edition rules since I have all the core books and the FR's setting was written for 3rd Edition?

2. My Realms resources include: the FRCS (of course), Races of Faerun, and the Silver Marches. I'm thinking my best bet is to focus on a Silver Marches campaign. I know that the campaign setting book recommends the Marches or the Dalelands as the ideal place to start. Agree? Disagree?

3. On the subject of what year the game will start. The FRCS starts at 1372 DR, but I'm aware that time and events have progressed a bit since that printing. Would it be better to simply start at that date, ignoring what's official transpired, or would it be easy to get a summary of the big events that's taken place and go from there?

4. Are ECL characters like drow and duergar that big of a pain for starting DM’s? I’m big on the idea of allowing variety and don’t have that big a problem with reasonable “neutral” characterizations of some of those traditionally evil races. That is if someone came up with a REALLY good concept I would hate to turn it down on principle.

Thanks in advance.
Lord Karsus
08-07-06, 08:13 AM 1. I have the 3.5 PHB... but I also have all three 3rd Edition core books. Could I simply use the 3rd Edition DM's Guide and update it with the 3.5 SRD? Or should I simply use the 3rd Edition rules since I have all the core books and the FR's setting was written for 3rd Edition?

-3.0 and 3.5 are mostly interchangable. I, myself, use the 3.5 PHB, 3.0 DMG and 3.0 MM. There have been no problems thus far, and we've been doing it like that for two years or so.

2. My Realms resources include: the FRCS (of course), Races of Faerun, and the Silver Marches. I'm thinking my best bet is to focus on a Silver Marches campaign. I know that the campaign setting book recommends the Marches or the Dalelands as the ideal place to start. Agree? Disagree?

-Many people say that the Silver Marches and/or the Dalelands are the best place to start a game, along with Waterdeep and Cormyr. I can't tell you from personal experience. But, I can tell you that you might want to pick up these sourcebooks: Faiths and Pantheons (Deals with the deities of the Realms moreso than the FRCS) and the Player's Guide to Faerūn (Which is basically a FRCS v.1.5)

3. On the subject of what year the game will start. The FRCS starts at 1372 DR, but I'm aware that time and events have progressed a bit since that printing. Would it be better to simply start at that date, ignoring what's official transpired, or would it be easy to get a summary of the big events that's taken place and go from there?

-I'd say to just get a summary of what has happened since, and start at the current date.

4. Are ECL characters like drow and duergar that big of a pain for starting DM’s? I’m big on the idea of allowing variety and don’t have that big a problem with reasonable “neutral” characterizations of some of those traditionally evil races. That is if someone came up with a REALLY good concept I would hate to turn it down on principle.

Thanks in advance.

-You are the DM. Don't let the characters take advantage of you. If you think that a certain player creating a certain type of character will unbalance it, or throw certain elements off, deny that person use of the character, for now. Since you are a new DM, I think you should simply employ the "standard" character races, for now. Eventually, when you get the hang of it, you can start employing new and varied creatures, races and alignments.
Faraer
08-07-06, 10:11 AM 2. The Sword Coast North and the Dalelands are both excellent starting places -- they're where Ed Greenwood's two campaigns, the Company of Crazed Venturers and the Knights of Myth Drannor, are set. Do you prefer an idealistic nation surrounded by cold and bleak wilderness, or small pastoral dales around a ruin-studded elven wood?

3. In general, I strongly recommend starting before the 'current' timeline: probably in the 1350s DR. With the Silver Marches, because they were founded so recently, decide whether you want the campaign to start before, shortly after, or a while after that founding. Playing through those events would be a great way to emotionally attach the players to the setting.

4. Though I dislike monsters as PCs, I don't forbid them absolutely in the abstract. I'd wait to see what really good concept you get. Sticking to mainly humans, with a few demihumans, will also better capture the core feeling of the Realms.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Raul Windrider 08-07-06, 04:24 AM	Since I can’t find much to interest me as a player, I'm considering starting my own campaign, and since I've never DMed before, I thought I'd ask some burning questions that I'm sure will seem utterly simplistic to most of you knowledgeable folk. What I would like to do is balance my first campaign with "generic" DnD themes (that is, "easy" game mechanic stuff) but with the flavor of the Realms. I want to start off relatively simple, but I want to play in the FR's and not the generic core world featured in the core rulebooks. Ideally I'd like to use what I have and not but anything else. And, if it matters, this will be a live online game using Gametable. That being said, a few questions: 1. I have the 3.5 PHB... but I also have all three 3rd Edition core books. Could I simply use the 3rd Edition DM's Guide and update it with the 3.5 SRD? Or should I simply use the 3rd Edition rules since I have all the core books and the FR's setting was written for 3rd Edition? 2. My Realms resources include: the FRCS (of course), Races of Faerun, and the Silver Marches. I'm thinking my best bet is to focus on a Silver Marches campaign. I know that the campaign setting book recommends the Marches or the Dalelands as the ideal place to start. Agree? Disagree? 3. On the subject of what year the game will start. The FRCS starts at 1372 DR, but I'm aware that time and events have progressed a bit since that printing. Would it be better to simply start at that date, ignoring what's official transpired, or would it be easy to get a summary of the big events that's taken place and go from there? 4. Are ECL characters like drow and duergar that big of a pain for starting DM’s? I’m big on the idea of allowing variety and don’t have that big a problem with reasonable “neutral” characterizations of some of those traditionally evil races. That is if someone came up with a REALLY good concept I would hate to turn it down on principle. Thanks in advance.
Lord Karsus 08-07-06, 08:13 AM	1. I have the 3.5 PHB... but I also have all three 3rd Edition core books. Could I simply use the 3rd Edition DM's Guide and update it with the 3.5 SRD? Or should I simply use the 3rd Edition rules since I have all the core books and the FR's setting was written for 3rd Edition? -3.0 and 3.5 are mostly interchangable. I, myself, use the 3.5 PHB, 3.0 DMG and 3.0 MM. There have been no problems thus far, and we've been doing it like that for two years or so. 2. My Realms resources include: the FRCS (of course), Races of Faerun, and the Silver Marches. I'm thinking my best bet is to focus on a Silver Marches campaign. I know that the campaign setting book recommends the Marches or the Dalelands as the ideal place to start. Agree? Disagree? -Many people say that the Silver Marches and/or the Dalelands are the best place to start a game, along with Waterdeep and Cormyr. I can't tell you from personal experience. But, I can tell you that you might want to pick up these sourcebooks: Faiths and Pantheons (Deals with the deities of the Realms moreso than the FRCS) and the Player's Guide to Faerūn (Which is basically a FRCS v.1.5) 3. On the subject of what year the game will start. The FRCS starts at 1372 DR, but I'm aware that time and events have progressed a bit since that printing. Would it be better to simply start at that date, ignoring what's official transpired, or would it be easy to get a summary of the big events that's taken place and go from there? -I'd say to just get a summary of what has happened since, and start at the current date. 4. Are ECL characters like drow and duergar that big of a pain for starting DM’s? I’m big on the idea of allowing variety and don’t have that big a problem with reasonable “neutral” characterizations of some of those traditionally evil races. That is if someone came up with a REALLY good concept I would hate to turn it down on principle. Thanks in advance. -You are the DM. Don't let the characters take advantage of you. If you think that a certain player creating a certain type of character will unbalance it, or throw certain elements off, deny that person use of the character, for now. Since you are a new DM, I think you should simply employ the "standard" character races, for now. Eventually, when you get the hang of it, you can start employing new and varied creatures, races and alignments.
Faraer 08-07-06, 10:11 AM	2. The Sword Coast North and the Dalelands are both excellent starting places -- they're where Ed Greenwood's two campaigns, the Company of Crazed Venturers and the Knights of Myth Drannor, are set. Do you prefer an idealistic nation surrounded by cold and bleak wilderness, or small pastoral dales around a ruin-studded elven wood? 3. In general, I strongly recommend starting before the 'current' timeline: probably in the 1350s DR. With the Silver Marches, because they were founded so recently, decide whether you want the campaign to start before, shortly after, or a while after that founding. Playing through those events would be a great way to emotionally attach the players to the setting. 4. Though I dislike monsters as PCs, I don't forbid them absolutely in the abstract. I'd wait to see what really good concept you get. Sticking to mainly humans, with a few demihumans, will also better capture the core feeling of the Realms.