Games with non-fantasy aspects? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Neongelion Jun 21, 2015 12:17:23	I'm curious, how many of you guys are or were involved with 5e games that had non-fantasy aspects in them? Let me clarify what that means for me, since that's a pretty broad term: -A game with science fiction/modern day aspects that are distinct from fantasy (technology powered by science, not supernatural power ie "magitech", for example). Are these aspects in your game abundant and/or obvious (ie Pathfinder RPG's "Iron Gods" Adventure Path or Expedition to Barrier Peaks) or hidden away/in the background (the super secret source of Radiance magic in Mystara being a nuclear reactor, or the Shannara series's apocalyptic backstory)? I suppose steampunk technically falls under this, but I'm more curious about sci-fi/modern day stuff. -Firearms. How are they handled in your game if you included them? I know the DMG touched on them briefly but they seem extremely lackluster and I'm curious what you guys have done with them in your 5e games.
#2 MechaPilot Jun 21, 2015 13:12:32	Haven't done any of those things as part of a 5e campaign yet (I'll be running my first 5e campaign very shortly), but I did attempt to homebrew my own firearms rules during the latter part of the playtest. Here is a link if you care to look. Since one of my favorite settings was the D20 Urban Arcana setting (where D&D races came into the modern world as extra-dimensional refugees), I'll probably end up doing a modern game with the 5e ruleset eventually.
#3 CCS Jun 21, 2015 14:28:37	Right now, in the 5e Game I DM, there's some non-magic high tech present. But it's not sruff thats going to be able play much role combat wise. Likewise it's not really stuff the party can loot & still have function. The party is exploring a mysterious tower that recently appeared. They're encountering (working) things like plasma TVs, refrigerators, electric fireplaces, a roomba, etc. Probably the most useful tech thing they've found is a fire extinguisher. But I'm sure it'll get used up before they leave the tower....
#4 TiaNadiezja Jun 21, 2015 16:08:12	My game is early Industrial tech level. I've also done my own firearms rules... simple weapons, high damage, low close range, ridiculously long long range (unrifled guns - deadly but not accurte past a few steps). It's cool!
#5 Zardnaar Jun 21, 2015 18:01:29	I have used things like gunpowder a lot over the years. On Saturday I used some of the future tech from the DMG and the PCs encountered a Last Guardian assassin equipped with a rocket pack, laser rifle and a jet pack. They couldn't figure out how they managed to concentrate on a fly spell and vreater invisability spell.
#6 Ralif_Redhammer Jun 22, 2015 7:08:38	Currently running a campaign set in the Renaissance era (albeit with all the other D&Disms there too). Firearms use has been minimal by the group. Indeed, the DMG rules make them not that spectacular compared to how expensive they are. I was originally using a blend of the old Spelljammer and Lamentations of the Flame Princess firearms rules (Ignore 4 points of armor, roll a 6 on d6 and you get to roll another die), but switched over to the official line when the DMG came out. I think I’m going to introduce an enchanted pistol or rifle and see what happens then. As far as technological elements, there are printing presses, elevators and some other sundry stuff. Currently developing a plot involving a printing press that can reproduce scrolls, but that’s got to be handled carefully.
#7 Miladoon Jun 22, 2015 7:08:57	IMHO modern day gaming is more 'realistic' so I tend to pass on those settings. It is far easier for me explain, 'its magic', or 'its sci-fi" than to formulate rationale that makes actual sense. I am a gamer, not a scientist.
#8 Marandahir Jun 22, 2015 13:49:25	Arcane Magic is Science, in my view. That said, I've modified the firearms from the DMG for my 1800s-era-type game; I weakened several of the modern firearms to reconciled the innacuracies of firearms. I felt they were too powerful, compared to other martial weapons. I did keep them as martial weapons – if you don't know how to use a gun, you tend to hurt yourself or your friends, especially older guns from the 1800s, EVEN if guns are "simpler" than bows to learn to use. I also put costs on them as I felt were reasonable. Mostly, the firearms cost around the same as plate armour, so they're too expensive to really get at 1st level, unless you invest all your funds into one hand revolver or something, but later on you can use one really well.
#9 shintashi Jun 22, 2015 17:31:50	Silk Punk. I want to put that stuff out there. its a new genre and people need to get into it. That being said I like Clockwork and that gummibear waterwheel wooden peg mounted davinci gear work N stuff. I mean, its one thing to say you build a fantastical machine that you roll a check to make work, but its another to doodle it out, describe it, and have at least a reasonable feeling that it would do something cool. Even a windmill is pretty fantastic.
#10 Wuzzard Jun 22, 2015 17:45:17	I find no problem at all in incorporating non-typical-fanstasy elements in my game, as long as it fits the environment. But so far, only as items & information discovered by players through play, so no shopping marts full of rifles, blasters or lightsabers. You'll have to make up your mind before you start the campaign, whether you have a world with tech already in it, common or rare, or possibly something discovered by exploration of ancient relics, portals to other places where it might be common, or maybe even time travel. Who knows. Never say never.

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

Neongelion

Jun 21, 2015 12:17:23

I'm curious, how many of you guys are or were involved with 5e games that had non-fantasy aspects in them? Let me clarify what that means for me, since that's a pretty broad term:

-A game with science fiction/modern day aspects that are distinct from fantasy (technology powered by science, not supernatural power ie "magitech", for example). Are these aspects in your game abundant and/or obvious (ie Pathfinder RPG's "Iron Gods" Adventure Path or Expedition to Barrier Peaks) or hidden away/in the background (the super secret source of Radiance magic in Mystara being a nuclear reactor, or the Shannara series's apocalyptic backstory)? I suppose steampunk technically falls under this, but I'm more curious about sci-fi/modern day stuff.

-Firearms. How are they handled in your game if you included them? I know the DMG touched on them briefly but they seem extremely lackluster and I'm curious what you guys have done with them in your 5e games.

MechaPilot

Jun 21, 2015 13:12:32

Haven't done any of those things as part of a 5e campaign yet (I'll be running my first 5e campaign very shortly), but I did attempt to homebrew my own firearms rules during the latter part of the playtest. Here is a link if you care to look.

Since one of my favorite settings was the D20 Urban Arcana setting (where D&D races came into the modern world as extra-dimensional refugees), I'll probably end up doing a modern game with the 5e ruleset eventually.

CCS

Jun 21, 2015 14:28:37

Right now, in the 5e Game I DM, there's some non-magic high tech present. But it's not sruff thats going to be able play much role combat wise. Likewise it's not really stuff the party can loot & still have function.

The party is exploring a mysterious tower that recently appeared. They're encountering (working) things like plasma TVs, refrigerators, electric fireplaces, a roomba, etc. Probably the most useful tech thing they've found is a fire extinguisher. But I'm sure it'll get used up before they leave the tower....

TiaNadiezja

Jun 21, 2015 16:08:12

My game is early Industrial tech level. I've also done my own firearms rules... simple weapons, high damage, low close range, ridiculously long long range (unrifled guns - deadly but not accurte past a few steps). It's cool!

Zardnaar

Jun 21, 2015 18:01:29

I have used things like gunpowder a lot over the years. On Saturday I used some of the future tech from the DMG and the PCs encountered a Last Guardian assassin equipped with a rocket pack, laser rifle and a jet pack. They couldn't figure out how they managed to concentrate on a fly spell and vreater invisability spell.

Ralif_Redhammer

Jun 22, 2015 7:08:38

Currently running a campaign set in the Renaissance era (albeit with all the other D&Disms there too). Firearms use has been minimal by the group. Indeed, the DMG rules make them not that spectacular compared to how expensive they are. I was originally using a blend of the old Spelljammer and Lamentations of the Flame Princess firearms rules (Ignore 4 points of armor, roll a 6 on d6 and you get to roll another die), but switched over to the official line when the DMG came out.

I think I’m going to introduce an enchanted pistol or rifle and see what happens then.

As far as technological elements, there are printing presses, elevators and some other sundry stuff. Currently developing a plot involving a printing press that can reproduce scrolls, but that’s got to be handled carefully.

Miladoon

Jun 22, 2015 7:08:57

IMHO modern day gaming is more 'realistic' so I tend to pass on those settings. It is far easier for me explain, 'its magic', or 'its sci-fi" than to formulate rationale that makes actual sense.

I am a gamer, not a scientist.

Marandahir

Jun 22, 2015 13:49:25

Arcane Magic is Science, in my view.

That said, I've modified the firearms from the DMG for my 1800s-era-type game; I weakened several of the modern firearms to reconciled the innacuracies of firearms. I felt they were too powerful, compared to other martial weapons. I did keep them as martial weapons – if you don't know how to use a gun, you tend to hurt yourself or your friends, especially older guns from the 1800s, EVEN if guns are "simpler" than bows to learn to use. I also put costs on them as I felt were reasonable. Mostly, the firearms cost around the same as plate armour, so they're too expensive to really get at 1st level, unless you invest all your funds into one hand revolver or something, but later on you can use one really well.

shintashi

Jun 22, 2015 17:31:50

Silk Punk. I want to put that stuff out there. its a new genre and people need to get into it. That being said I like Clockwork and that gummibear waterwheel wooden peg mounted davinci gear work N stuff. I mean, its one thing to say you build a fantastical machine that you roll a check to make work, but its another to doodle it out, describe it, and have at least a reasonable feeling that it would do something cool. Even a windmill is pretty fantastic.

#10

Wuzzard

Jun 22, 2015 17:45:17

I find no problem at all in incorporating non-typical-fanstasy elements in my game, as long as it fits the environment. But so far, only as items & information discovered by players through play, so no shopping marts full of rifles, blasters or lightsabers. You'll have to make up your mind before you start the campaign, whether you have a world with tech already in it, common or rare, or possibly something discovered by exploration of ancient relics, portals to other places where it might be common, or maybe even time travel. Who knows. Never say never.