Honestly, have a look at Odyssey of the Dragonlords, it's really incredible. I'm only a player in the campaign, so I don't know all the secrets, but there is a free player book available.
Apart from this, the greatest "bronze age" game ever has always been Runequest, and it's still alive and very much kicking, best lower fantasy game ever, and with Heroquest to take up the relay you can really do the whole range. The only thing is that Glorantha is everything but classical, and it might take a bit of effort to take it all in, but it's an unbelievable setting, far more intricate, detailed and fantastic in its concepts and building than anything D&D has ever done.
Wow, your DM puts some effort, looks neat! Thanks for all the info.
I’d say no- it’s be a tough fit. Keep in mind the wheel and writing happened in the Bronze Age....wizards wouldn’t work that well-Imo.. No steel (and other advanced alloys including Mithral). The weapon/armor system would have to be totally revamped imo.
Honestly, have a look at Odyssey of the Dragonlords, it's really incredible. I'm only a player in the campaign, so I don't know all the secrets, but there is a free player book available.
Apart from this, the greatest "bronze age" game ever has always been Runequest, and it's still alive and very much kicking, best lower fantasy game ever, and with Heroquest to take up the relay you can really do the whole range. The only thing is that Glorantha is everything but classical, and it might take a bit of effort to take it all in, but it's an unbelievable setting, far more intricate, detailed and fantastic in its concepts and building than anything D&D has ever done.
I can vouch for this. The setting is great and I read the adventure book all the way through. I have the physical copies still sitting on my shelf and I plan to use one of the classes from it in my DM's campaign when my wizard dies off.
Shibari is a subspecies of bondage, that is, the practice of limiting mobility, which in turn is part of BDSM. When tying, the shibari ropes lie flat, symmetrically and beautifully, so shibari bondage also has an aesthetic component.
I think it depends on the kind of game you’re all trying to play, but generally the actual mechanics of 5e lend themselves well to any setting. Overlooking/ignoring the lore and hooks, it’s a pretty solid framework for gameplay.
I think it could work very well. Conan the Barbarian was probably one of the biggest influences on D&D, and it’s not far off thematically. However, D&D has become much, much more high-magic since 1e (which I’d happily rant about but now isn’t the time), so make sure you’re okay with that.
Nitpick: High fantasy, high maigc, and high adventure are all technically different things. Conan the Barbarian was very much high adventure (lots of person v. nature conflicts and epic fights), but low magic (ie heavily restricted to a chosen few instead of widely available) and low fantasy (world generally ran on scientific principles with some magic on top, instead of one that operates heavily on magic principles).
Anyways, as for the OP. Go for it. You'll have to tweak weapon options a bit, and how the wizard works (runes, probably?), but I see no reason for it to not work just perfectly.
Only a DM who is familiar with reallife Bronze Age cultures, would be able to set the tone for a Bronze Age -esque setting. The players dont need to know about the archeology, but the DM would.
Assuming the DM knows what oneself is doing, the 5e mechanics works well to support the concepts.
It is worth pointing out, the biblical books of the Tora (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) are stories about the Bronze Age, written from the perspective of the Iron Age. In my view, also the book of Yhoshua (Joshua) refers to the Bronze Age, roughly 1550 BCE (dating to the destruction layer of the town of Yrikho). The book of Shoftim (Judges) splits. The prophet Yiftakh (Jepthah) marks the beginning of the Iron Age, which is also when the nomadic tribes of Yisrael begin to urbanize, living in houses rather than tents. Before him is the Late Bronze Age, and after him is the Early Iron Age, when also the coastal Plishtim rise in power, and eventually when the tribes organize a monarchal form of government.
Note, iron exists during the Bronze Age, but is a rare treasure as valuable as gold, and mostly comes from meteorites. There are iron-smiths in northern Turkey, but their technology is a closely guarded secret, moreorless equivalent to a magic item.
Keep in mind, during the Bronze Age, most "towns" are about the size of a football stadium. They are essentially walled government complexes, surrounded by open farmlands and wildernesses.
Also keep in mind, different parts of the world have the Bronze Age happening during different centuries. While Northeast Africa and Southwest Asia experience a Bronze Age (herder-gardners), the rest of the world still experiences a Stone Age (hunter-gatherers).
Bronze Weapons: each natural-1 fumble on a d20 attack reduces the damage die by one-step (such as d10→d8). Bronze Armors: each natural-20 crit on a d20 against the armor, reduces the armor AC by one point (such as AC13→AC12).
Smithing tools can repair bronze equipment, during a long rest.
Each town is ruled by a "monarch" who is more like a modern mayor. Some cultures democratically elect their leader, because the main loyalty is to ones own clan and tribe, and the clan elders from different clans must trust whoever will be leader.
The main purpose of a leader is to regulate a common multi-clan military. Otherwise, each clan has its own militia. If there is a shared army, each clan is duty bound by multi-clan agreements to send a certain number of members from their own clan militia to the army, depending on the size of the clan.
Each tribe divides into clans, which are extended families. The elders from each clan ally with each other to define the government of the tribe.
Occasionally, "prophets", who are more like shamans, from one clan become spiritual leaders who other tribes trust as authoritative. However, even when clan elders respect a particular famous shaman or a particular local-monarch, it is the clan elders who remain the final authority.
Does it fit well with 5e mechanics?
Wow, your DM puts some effort, looks neat! Thanks for all the info.
I’d say no- it’s be a tough fit. Keep in mind the wheel and writing happened in the Bronze Age....wizards wouldn’t work that well-Imo.. No steel (and other advanced alloys including Mithral). The weapon/armor system would have to be totally revamped imo.
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks
I can vouch for this. The setting is great and I read the adventure book all the way through. I have the physical copies still sitting on my shelf and I plan to use one of the classes from it in my DM's campaign when my wizard dies off.
gosh thanks you
Shibari is a subspecies of bondage, that is, the practice of limiting mobility, which in turn is part of BDSM. When tying, the shibari ropes lie flat, symmetrically and beautifully, so shibari bondage also has an aesthetic component.
I think it depends on the kind of game you’re all trying to play, but generally the actual mechanics of 5e lend themselves well to any setting. Overlooking/ignoring the lore and hooks, it’s a pretty solid framework for gameplay.
I think it could work very well. Conan the Barbarian was probably one of the biggest influences on D&D, and it’s not far off thematically. However, D&D has become much, much more high-magic since 1e (which I’d happily rant about but now isn’t the time), so make sure you’re okay with that.
Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club
Nitpick: High fantasy, high maigc, and high adventure are all technically different things. Conan the Barbarian was very much high adventure (lots of person v. nature conflicts and epic fights), but low magic (ie heavily restricted to a chosen few instead of widely available) and low fantasy (world generally ran on scientific principles with some magic on top, instead of one that operates heavily on magic principles).
Anyways, as for the OP. Go for it. You'll have to tweak weapon options a bit, and how the wizard works (runes, probably?), but I see no reason for it to not work just perfectly.
I can also highly recommend Primeval Thule.
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/168149/Primeval-Thule-5e-Campaign-Setting?language=fr
Only a DM who is familiar with reallife Bronze Age cultures, would be able to set the tone for a Bronze Age -esque setting. The players dont need to know about the archeology, but the DM would.
Assuming the DM knows what oneself is doing, the 5e mechanics works well to support the concepts.
It is worth pointing out, the biblical books of the Tora (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) are stories about the Bronze Age, written from the perspective of the Iron Age. In my view, also the book of Yhoshua (Joshua) refers to the Bronze Age, roughly 1550 BCE (dating to the destruction layer of the town of Yrikho). The book of Shoftim (Judges) splits. The prophet Yiftakh (Jepthah) marks the beginning of the Iron Age, which is also when the nomadic tribes of Yisrael begin to urbanize, living in houses rather than tents. Before him is the Late Bronze Age, and after him is the Early Iron Age, when also the coastal Plishtim rise in power, and eventually when the tribes organize a monarchal form of government.
Note, iron exists during the Bronze Age, but is a rare treasure as valuable as gold, and mostly comes from meteorites. There are iron-smiths in northern Turkey, but their technology is a closely guarded secret, moreorless equivalent to a magic item.
Keep in mind, during the Bronze Age, most "towns" are about the size of a football stadium. They are essentially walled government complexes, surrounded by open farmlands and wildernesses.
Also keep in mind, different parts of the world have the Bronze Age happening during different centuries. While Northeast Africa and Southwest Asia experience a Bronze Age (herder-gardners), the rest of the world still experiences a Stone Age (hunter-gatherers).
he / him
Regarding Bronze Age equipment:
Bronze Weapons: each natural-1 fumble on a d20 attack reduces the damage die by one-step (such as d10→d8).
Bronze Armors: each natural-20 crit on a d20 against the armor, reduces the armor AC by one point (such as AC13→AC12).
Smithing tools can repair bronze equipment, during a long rest.
he / him
The government of a Bronze Age culture:
Each town is ruled by a "monarch" who is more like a modern mayor. Some cultures democratically elect their leader, because the main loyalty is to ones own clan and tribe, and the clan elders from different clans must trust whoever will be leader.
The main purpose of a leader is to regulate a common multi-clan military. Otherwise, each clan has its own militia. If there is a shared army, each clan is duty bound by multi-clan agreements to send a certain number of members from their own clan militia to the army, depending on the size of the clan.
Each tribe divides into clans, which are extended families. The elders from each clan ally with each other to define the government of the tribe.
Occasionally, "prophets", who are more like shamans, from one clan become spiritual leaders who other tribes trust as authoritative. However, even when clan elders respect a particular famous shaman or a particular local-monarch, it is the clan elders who remain the final authority.
he / him