Post/Author/DateTime	Post
jow253 07-11-07, 12:08 AM	I recently came up with the idea of a bandit flavored campaign. I know that the idea isn't that new, but I think i can add enough spice to it to keep it interesting in a way that good campaigns can't touch. I'd like to put my thoughts here to be appraised. For reference, I've played a few dnd videogames in the past, but most importantly I've been studying the dnd books for the past three years. Much to my disappointment, I hadn't played at all during that time until the last year. (The books were entertaining enough to keep me interested without even a party). Last year I dmed my first d20 campaign (which I wrote) followed by two campaigns in the world's largest dungeon. As you can see, I'm relatively inexperienced as a dm, but I assure you I know enough to do very well. Anyway (sorry about so many words) I thought a bandit campaign would be a welcome deviation from the helpful adventurer cliche. In effect, the PCs would play as what are usually the NPCs in a dnd game. They would have and manage a lair, have minions (or perhaps be minions early on), camp trade routs, plan ambushes, defend against/run from do-gooder crusaders. I'm aiming for a very social, clever, witty game, with plenty of planning (or should I say scheming), tactical fighting, political intrigue, economics (?). Everything would revolve around getting as much money as possible, and not to mention being notorious and hated, except by the people you pay off. It would enable the players to do everything they really want to do in dnd anyways, and without questionable moral justifications to avoid the alignment shift. I was thinking of allowing only CN alignment, and only goblinoid/reptilian/giant/ugly races. Does anyone have any suggestions, warnings, recommended books, villains, ideas, etc. I'll post more specific plans if people are interested. Thanks (first post)
PenderGrass 07-11-07, 03:59 AM	First, I hate CN - it brings with it a stigma and precedent of bad gaming behavior. I would change it to allow neutral with chaotic tendencies. This allows the player the ability to pretty much do the same thing without the constant insanity of CN. Second, I would read and find everything you can on Thieves' World - Green Ronin carries d20 stuff based on the original writings, rpg, and themes. You can probably find it at a local hobby store or online. But - I would highly recommend reading the original series of fiction before you buy the other stuff. Third, read some Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser stuff by Fritz Leiber (if you haven't already). Whatever way you do go, it will likely be fun so long as you make sure to strike the best balance of role-playing, hacking and slashing, and just plain old being the bad guys for the players. Good luck! :dragon: ****
jow253 07-11-07, 06:24 PM	Thanks Pender, I'll look up those books (though I only have a month to get ready, and I'm learning Chinese concurrently :D ). You're probably right about the CN, I just want to be sure there's no one there who's at all hesitant to kill a caravan escort. I've been reading the Faerun campaign setting, but have not yet chosen a place to center the campaign. Are there any suggestions about that? Are there any books detailing more the more economic side of cities? I'm studying the Complete Scoundrel, the Complete Adventurer (though I mostly have that memorized by now), the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, the Player's Guide to Faerun, etc etc. are there other rulebooks available that might inspire me or my players? Sorry this is such a bland topic, I should probably say something controversial to heat things up... Bush is great!
PenderGrass 07-11-07, 07:05 PM	Bush is great! All sexual preferences aside, I would definitely look at the Green Ronin stuff. I would actually not base the campaign in the FR, as it never struck me as being as cutthroat and seedy as you seem to be aiming for. :dragon: ****
jow253 07-11-07, 07:18 PM	Where would you base it? I've been creating my own local region for some time, and have been somewhat successful. But on seeing the detail put into the Forgotten Realms world from the FRCS, I was daunted out of the task. I like the reliability of a pre-made world in terms of consistency, realism (haha), etc. Then I don't have to worry about so many names, so much politics, etc. Is Eberron a better idea? yay dendrophilia!
PenderGrass 07-11-07, 07:46 PM	Where would you base it? Thieves' World is its own campaign setting. Try this site - as it has most everything you will need to read up on the setting and ordering more stuff that is all d20 (http://www.thievesworld.info/) :dragon: ****