I am currently developing a spelljammer pirate game (original I know) taking some inspiration from One Piece and the movie Treasure Planet. TP has always been a favorite of mine so running a game in that world sounds incredible to me and my group. Thankfully were mid campaign for another DM and there is already several people wanting to do one shots and another person wanting to run his campaign so I have time to finalize more details.
House of Lament from Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft was a blast to run. I played it as a Halloween one-shot for my group, complete with creepy music, and candle lighting. They had a blast, I had a blast, and we still talk about that game from a year ago. I also randomly throw in references to it in our normal campaign.
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#OpenD&D #ORC
"...or you can find the secret tunnel that leads to the Vault of Dickish DM which is filled with 10,000,000 copper coins and a 5,000 pound solid gold statue of a middle finger that is too big to fit through the door."
I am currently developing a spelljammer pirate game (original I know) taking some inspiration from One Piece and the movie Treasure Planet. TP has always been a favorite of mine so running a game in that world sounds incredible to me and my group. Thankfully were mid campaign for another DM and there is already several people wanting to do one shots and another person wanting to run his campaign so I have time to finalize more details.
that's cool. It's always nice to have breathing room. spelljammer and TP would work veeeeery well together
I've had an idea for a while of a sort of mid-magic modern set zombie apocalypse game. It would probably be better for a different system because of the modifications i want to make to the rules, but i like the idea of dnd characters built like dnd characters who just happen to be in an alternate history earth. It would be low level, like 1-5 max, with full casters leveling like half casters or something like that. Resource management, finding hideouts, making allies with other small surviving parties in the abandoned wastes of the small town they all grew up in. The first mission would be a food/medicine/resource run to the nearby 7/11, which is surrounded by zombies and has been trapped by others trying to secure the load for themselves, making it a sort of really funky mini-dungeon. The BBEG would be like, Fantasy Technomancer Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk or something who's somehow been causing all of these problems. Also a lot of the magic would be reflavored to the point that, like, it's still obviously magic, but healing would be things like being able to command medical equipment to work faster, and stuff like that. So you can still play a tiefling or an aarakocra if you want fgdhsjkhgdf
Another that i've been actually working on instead of just having simmering in the back of my mind, is a sprawling, cross-plane, macguffin searching, political intruigue, heists and masquerade balls campaign. Essentially, at least half of the party will have been sent by the queen of their fey court to track down a magic artifact that's been stolen, eventually they'll meet up with the rest of the party as they track it through to the material plane, where the magic in it is less stable and is causing adverse effects wherever it goes. They'll find out it's been stolen by rebels who know that the queen was somehow using the item to further corruption, both political and magical in her court, and they'll need to decide whether they want to stand with her and keep up this trend, or destroy the artifact and risk war with several other fey courts (because of a plethora of reasons that have been held off by the power the party's court had when wielding the object). Either way will lead them through different paths, breaking criminals out of prison or trying to unseat the captain of the fey royal guard, and who KNOWS how it'll end, because in a completely homebrew world, i like to make things up as i go in order to really solidify the most impactful course of action towards the end.
I've had an idea for a while of a sort of mid-magic modern set zombie apocalypse game. It would probably be better for a different system because of the modifications i want to make to the rules, but i like the idea of dnd characters built like dnd characters who just happen to be in an alternate history earth. It would be low level, like 1-5 max, with full casters leveling like half casters or something like that. Resource management, finding hideouts, making allies with other small surviving parties in the abandoned wastes of the small town they all grew up in. The first mission would be a food/medicine/resource run to the nearby 7/11, which is surrounded by zombies and has been trapped by others trying to secure the load for themselves, making it a sort of really funky mini-dungeon. The BBEG would be like, Fantasy Technomancer Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk or something who's somehow been causing all of these problems. Also a lot of the magic would be reflavored to the point that, like, it's still obviously magic, but healing would be things like being able to command medical equipment to work faster, and stuff like that. So you can still play a tiefling or an aarakocra if you want fgdhsjkhgdf
Another that i've been actually working on instead of just having simmering in the back of my mind, is a sprawling, cross-plane, macguffin searching, political intruigue, heists and masquerade balls campaign. Essentially, at least half of the party will have been sent by the queen of their fey court to track down a magic artifact that's been stolen, eventually they'll meet up with the rest of the party as they track it through to the material plane, where the magic in it is less stable and is causing adverse effects wherever it goes. They'll find out it's been stolen by rebels who know that the queen was somehow using the item to further corruption, both political and magical in her court, and they'll need to decide whether they want to stand with her and keep up this trend, or destroy the artifact and risk war with several other fey courts (because of a plethora of reasons that have been held off by the power the party's court had when wielding the object). Either way will lead them through different paths, breaking criminals out of prison or trying to unseat the captain of the fey royal guard, and who KNOWS how it'll end, because in a completely homebrew world, i like to make things up as i go in order to really solidify the most impactful course of action towards the end.
idea 1)
very cool, love zombie apocalypse stuff. I agree on making it low level, but you don't have to slow caster leveling; instead, hold the entire party to resource rules. normally, saying something like that makes people tense up, because no one likes encumbrance (with good reason, its normally stupid), but in a survival horror apocalypse campaign, having to manage resources adds to the fear. It's no fun to make your ranger count and retrieve all of his arrows in an epic fantasy setting, but in your idea, say the party is holed up in a tower against a zombie horde, eventually you will run out of arrows, spells, rocks, etc., and someone will either have to plan an escape or make a daring dash for resources. Instant immersion. I also like the modern twist, that adds a fun element. I recommend buying VRGtR if you don't already have it, not only one of the best wizards 5e books period, but good for the setting you're trying to pull off.
idea 2)
I love fey stuff, that's a fun idea. I like giving players choices, kudos for that. you sound like a good homebrew dm. A tip for the McGuffin item the players are searching out, maybe consider making it sentient or adding a twist to it that they discover as they go. Depends on how soon you have them discover it, but making it more than just 'the thing the queen wants' would be really cool and a fun twist. Maybe the queen lied about how powerful it is. Maybe it's a person trapped inside the item who just wants to be free. Maybe it has some hidden insane power. Your choice, but have fun with it!
@Gh0styy Thanks so much!! This is some really good advice, I’ll definitely take a look at VRGtR, it’s one of the few sourcebooks I haven’t read yet :))
@Gh0styy Thanks so much!! This is some really good advice, I’ll definitely take a look at VRGtR, it’s one of the few sourcebooks I haven’t read yet :))
Buy it. and buy a copy for your friends, your grandma, your grandma's dog, basically anyone who hasn't read it. One of the few really useful Dm books all the way around
A campaign where every single class is just a mech. Like, the characters aren't the fighters, they pilot mechs that do the fighting in battles against other mechs and giant monsters. Oh, and it also takes place in space. I.e:
The monk character can't use ki himself; his giant robot has special technology that allows it to harness ki.
The sorcerer channels his magic through the engine of his mech, amplifying his power while also allowing him to use it via his mech.
The fighter literally just has a giant robot with a giant sword. You don't need anything else.
The ranger's mech has scanners that allow it to analyze the environment for tracks.
The warlock's mech is granted to him as a gift from his patron. He thinks, "Losers, the rest of my party needs to BUY their mechs."
A campaign where every single class is just a mech. Like, the characters aren't the fighters, they pilot mechs that do the fighting in battles against other mechs and giant monsters. Oh, and it also takes place in space. I.e:
The monk character can't use ki himself; his giant robot has special technology that allows it to harness ki.
The sorcerer channels his magic through the engine of his mech, amplifying his power while also allowing him to use it via his mech.
The fighter literally just has a giant robot with a giant sword. You don't need anything else.
The ranger's mech has scanners that allow it to analyze the environment for tracks.
The warlock's mech is granted to him as a gift from his patron. He thinks, "Losers, the rest of my party needs to BUY their mechs."
if you haven't already, I suggest playing or researching Titanfall. Very helpful lore and practicality for what I think you want to accomplish. sounds like an awesome idea! do they get any special features from using the mechs (other than class features obviously) such as temp hp, extra abilities, etc?
A campaign where every single class is just a mech. Like, the characters aren't the fighters, they pilot mechs that do the fighting in battles against other mechs and giant monsters. Oh, and it also takes place in space. I.e:
The monk character can't use ki himself; his giant robot has special technology that allows it to harness ki.
The sorcerer channels his magic through the engine of his mech, amplifying his power while also allowing him to use it via his mech.
The fighter literally just has a giant robot with a giant sword. You don't need anything else.
The ranger's mech has scanners that allow it to analyze the environment for tracks.
The warlock's mech is granted to him as a gift from his patron. He thinks, "Losers, the rest of my party needs to BUY their mechs."
if you haven't already, I suggest playing or researching Titanfall. Very helpful lore and practicality for what I think you want to accomplish. sounds like an awesome idea! do they get any special features from using the mechs (other than class features obviously) such as temp hp, extra abilities, etc?
Thanks, I'll make a note of that. Even the name "Titanfall" makes it sound like something I'd wanna play lol! And in terms of special features, idk, I guess I just figured there wouldn't be any difference between regular features and mech features aside from a noticeable contrast in HP. The mechs are just more of a supersized version of typical DND mechanics. Reskinning it, you could say. Sometimes, all it takes for a game to be interesting isn't throwing in a bunch of new concepts and mechanics, it just takes putting things in a new perspective.
... It would be cool though to include parts that the mechs can equip. Like, a new targeting computer for its ranged weapons, a cloaking system, etc. Ways to upgrade the mechs that don't rely on conventional weaponry or class/subclass features. I'm definitely gonna brainstorm on that.
The Oak Father Lord Silvanus God of Nature Has Been MURDERED.
The Gods of Fury (Auril, Umberlee, Talos, Malar ) Now squabble over Silvanus's Domain, Destroying Nature's carful balance.
Mielikki, Chauntea, Eldath have a plain to restore Silvanus ,However they need his heart which is being fought over by The Gods of Fury.
Quickly and Quietly Servants of Mielikki, Chauntea, Eldath Seek Heroes to recover The Heart while the Goddesses prepare a Ritual.
Can Heroes traverse an everchanging harsh terrain and Steel a dead God's heart out from under four waring Gods. Will the Land be forever changed into Lands of Perpetual Snow, Raging Seas, Endless storms and Savage Beasts. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This could be a level 20 1 off, Or start everyone at level 3 and pace it out till 20 using Milestone on a generous curve.
The game would feature shifting terrain and weather as well as fierce Beasts not commonly seen in most D&D games.
Silvanus's Heart is an Acorn roughly the size of a Basketball. It must be kept away from agents of The Gods of Fury, As its an artifact of immense magical power.
The Oak Father Lord Silvanus God of Nature Has Been MURDERED.
The Gods of Fury (Auril, Umberlee, Talos, Malar ) Now squabble over Silvanus's Domain, Destroying Nature's carful balance.
Mielikki, Chauntea, Eldath have a plain to restore Silvanus ,However they need his Heat which is being fought over by The Gods of Fury.
Quickly and Quietly Servants of Mielikki, Chauntea, Eldath Seek Heroes to recover The Heart while the Goddesses prepare a Ritual.
Can Heroes traverse an everchanging harsh terrain and Steel a dead God's heart out from under four waring Gods. Will the Land be forever changed into Lands of Perpetual Snow, Raging Seas, Endless storms and Savage Beasts. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This could be a level 20 1 off, Or start everyone at level 3 and pace it out till 20 using Milestone on a generous curve.
The game would feature shifting terrain and weather as well as fierce Beasts not commonly seen in most D&D games.
Silvanus's Heart is an Acorn roughly the size of a Basketball. It must be kept away from agents of The Gods of Fury, As its an artifact of immense magical power.
The Oak Father Lord Silvanus God of Nature Has Been MURDERED.
The Gods of Fury (Auril, Umberlee, Talos, Malar ) Now squabble over Silvanus's Domain, Destroying Nature's carful balance.
Mielikki, Chauntea, Eldath have a plain to restore Silvanus ,However they need his Heat which is being fought over by The Gods of Fury.
Quickly and Quietly Servants of Mielikki, Chauntea, Eldath Seek Heroes to recover The Heart while the Goddesses prepare a Ritual.
Can Heroes traverse an everchanging harsh terrain and Steel a dead God's heart out from under four waring Gods. Will the Land be forever changed into Lands of Perpetual Snow, Raging Seas, Endless storms and Savage Beasts. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This could be a level 20 1 off, Or start everyone at level 3 and pace it out till 20 using Milestone on a generous curve.
The game would feature shifting terrain and weather as well as fierce Beasts not commonly seen in most D&D games.
Silvanus's Heart is an Acorn roughly the size of a Basketball. It must be kept away from agents of The Gods of Fury, As its an artifact of immense magical power.
nice! I think it would be cool to see the land slowly change as certain gods gain more power, changing terrain and weather and the nature spirits.
I’m making more of a setting than a campaign considering how little of it the players will see. But anyways a very long time ago there was a war, fueled by the wrath of gods, which eventually had to be trapped in a time loop. It was the stuff of legend and fear, like a world war. Eventually the seventh one of these wars opened a permanent planar incursion with limbo. This made the surface world uninhabitable and so some people, the ancestors of goblins, hobgoblins, orcs, and bugbears, moved underground with the dwarves and a few humans. They became even more adept at subterranean life than dwarves creating epic civilizations and incredible technology, including something they called a drill. These drills were vehicles with a ridged cone affixed to the front and treads so they could move. They were used to burrow and bore tunnels, as well as for transportation and military. Eventually their civilization collapsed, however they left behind their drills which have been updated and improved over time. In the present technology is sort of steam punk, however it’s expensive, somewhat inefficient, and rare. Energy sources are also expensive and finite and the alternative is dangerous to collect. Now the main kingdom, Thelds, is a democratic monarchy, and it functions fairly well, aside from the corrupt and very nonfunctional law enforcement (more on that later). Instead the government mainly employs private military companies due to the indirect liability and the fact that they don’t care enough to fix the existing law enforcement. In fact many, many people hire private military companies to protect goods, or do a job. There are three main PMCs one of the which is mainly just a mixed bag of guards, archers, thugs, and veterans, while the other two are networks of adventuring parties with a loose affiliation. Anyways the BBEG is a beholder who wishes to prove that they are more dangerous than their deceased parent, and has started a criminal organization called the eyes of truth, made up of corrupt politicians and crime lords. They call themselves the eyes of truth. The Eyes of truth is a criminal organization that at it’s lowest is a drug cartel and is a cult at it’s heighest. The organization consists of nine tiers. The first is a drug cartel that fuels several gang wars and owns several gangs. Next up it’s a shell law firm that uses it’s lawyers to protect or condemn powerful political figures. The next component is the Central Thelds Task Force, or at least a good part of it, which is used to dispose of obstacles and will turn a blind eye to crime if bribed. Then it is Rose and Key Labs which develops illegal technology. The fifth part is the Thelds Renaissance Party, operating at low levels of government to plant politicians and leaders who will work in the interests of the eyes of truth. Then it is a covert ring of expert assassin and spies. One step higher it is the Round Ring, a circle of mages, especially necromancers bent on the destruction of all nations except for Thelds. Then it is the Truth’s Gaurdians Traditionalist Monastery, a seemingly innocuous nonprofit church which is actually a terrifying death cult. Then it is the Eyes of Truth, nine people, lead by the BBEG. The first eight components are not aware of any other parts of the Eyes of Truth, however they work in perfect synchrony. The true ninth part of the organization is aware of all others and is the mastermind behind their actions. So they are basically trying to take over Thelds and personally rule it, and will stop at nothing, save carrot made of pure platinum which has been digested by a rust Monster and remains intact, to achieve there goals. Now players don’t have to fight them, but they do have to pick a side, Thelds or the Eyes of Truth. Anyways adventuring parties generally have to join a PMC or register as their own. Because of laws in Thelds PMC members sort of act as judge, jury and executioner. Most large PMCs have codes of conduct, and it’s not incredibly expensive to hire one to protect yourself from another one so it sort of-ish balances out.
I’m making more of a setting than a campaign considering how little of it the players will see. But anyways a very long time ago there was a war, fueled by the wrath of gods, which eventually had to be trapped in a time loop. It was the stuff of legend and fear, like a world war. Eventually the seventh one of these wars opened a permanent planar incursion with limbo. This made the surface world uninhabitable and so some people, the ancestors of goblins, hobgoblins, orcs, and bugbears, moved underground with the dwarves and a few humans. They became even more adept at subterranean life than dwarves creating epic civilizations and incredible technology, including something they called a drill. These drills were vehicles with a ridged cone affixed to the front and treads so they could move. They were used to burrow and bore tunnels, as well as for transportation and military. Eventually their civilization collapsed, however they left behind their drills which have been updated and improved over time. In the present technology is sort of steam punk, however it’s expensive, somewhat inefficient, and rare. Energy sources are also expensive and finite and the alternative is dangerous to collect. Now the main kingdom, Thelds, is a democratic monarchy, and it functions fairly well, aside from the corrupt and very nonfunctional law enforcement (more on that later). Instead the government mainly employs private military companies due to the indirect liability and the fact that they don’t care enough to fix the existing law enforcement. In fact many, many people hire private military companies to protect goods, or do a job. There are three main PMCs one of the which is mainly just a mixed bag of guards, archers, thugs, and veterans, while the other two are networks of adventuring parties with a loose affiliation. Anyways the BBEG is a beholder who wishes to prove that they are more dangerous than their deceased parent, and has started a criminal organization called the eyes of truth, made up of corrupt politicians and crime lords. They call themselves the eyes of truth. The Eyes of truth is a criminal organization that at it’s lowest is a drug cartel and is a cult at it’s heighest. The organization consists of nine tiers. The first is a drug cartel that fuels several gang wars and owns several gangs. Next up it’s a shell law firm that uses it’s lawyers to protect or condemn powerful political figures. The next component is the Central Thelds Task Force, or at least a good part of it, which is used to dispose of obstacles and will turn a blind eye to crime if bribed. Then it is Rose and Key Labs which develops illegal technology. The fifth part is the Thelds Renaissance Party, operating at low levels of government to plant politicians and leaders who will work in the interests of the eyes of truth. Then it is a covert ring of expert assassin and spies. One step higher it is the Round Ring, a circle of mages, especially necromancers bent on the destruction of all nations except for Thelds. Then it is the Truth’s Gaurdians Traditionalist Monastery, a seemingly innocuous nonprofit church which is actually a terrifying death cult. Then it is the Eyes of Truth, nine people, lead by the BBEG. The first eight components are not aware of any other parts of the Eyes of Truth, however they work in perfect synchrony. The true ninth part of the organization is aware of all others and is the mastermind behind their actions. So they are basically trying to take over Thelds and personally rule it, and will stop at nothing, save carrot made of pure platinum which has been digested by a rust Monster and remains intact, to achieve there goals. Now players don’t have to fight them, but they do have to pick a side, Thelds or the Eyes of Truth. Anyways adventuring parties generally have to join a PMC or register as their own. Because of laws in Thelds PMC members sort of act as judge, jury and executioner. Most large PMCs have codes of conduct, and it’s not incredibly expensive to hire one to protect yourself from another one so it sort of-ish balances out.
wow. thats a lot but i like the idea for the eyes of truth. having nine crime bosses who don't know who each other are but work in perfect synchronicity is awesome. it would be really cool for the party to try to take them down and have a hard time finding out about other bosses because they're so secretive. I also like the levels. Having a bunch of different organization is fun, especially in a sandbox, so that way they might be super involved with some parts of the organization, and barely see others (for instance, they might fight the death cult a lot, but very rarely run into the law firm, maybe not even realize until late in the campaign that the lawyers are actually a front.
A party of adventurers walks into a city. While at the tavern they notice everyone in the city is… off to say the least. They soon discover a secret group of Arvini (Half elf half devils that serve as agents of Asmodeus) performing an unknown ritual below the city. They are found, and defeated because the ones they found are way too powerful at their current level. After waking up with their memories wiped by the Arvini, they are located by a group of people who hunt Arvini, who then restore their memories. However, the party is in far deeper than they realize, and now must stop the Arvini elder performing the ritual, or the entire continent may suffer disaster ocs consoquences.
This is just a draft.
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Call me Zeg.
I enjoy making homebew, and making characters in hero forge. Shoot me a message if you want your character created at no charge.
A party of adventurers walks into a city. While at the tavern they notice everyone in the city is… off to say the least. They soon discover a secret group of Arvini (Half elf half devils that serve as agents of Asmodeus) performing an unknown ritual below the city. They are found, and defeated because the ones they found are way too powerful at their current level. After waking up with their memories wiped by the Arvini, they are located by a group of people who hunt Arvini, who then restore their memories. However, the party is in far deeper than they realize, and now must stop the Arvini elder performing the ritual, or the entire continent may suffer disaster ocs consoquences.
This is just a draft.
So Arvini are like tieflings?
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I really like D&D, especially Ravenloft, Exandria and the Upside Down from Stranger Things. My pronouns are she/they (genderfae).
Yes, but no. Tieflings are human-devil hybrids, while Arvini are elf-devil hybrids. Arvini also live longer, have a much stricter society, and have the ability to shift into a fixed elven form. Some even have the ability to transform into a more devil-like form (basically just the Devil Trigger ability from the Devil May Cry series.)
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Call me Zeg.
I enjoy making homebew, and making characters in hero forge. Shoot me a message if you want your character created at no charge.
My campaigns always run in a heavily modified Faerun that is set up for my original PCs from 40+ years ago that are long since epic. They are now the behind the scenes NPCs. That said the present campaign is designed to run into tier 4 and possibly beyond. I’ve set it in a reborn Lurien and eventually the Beastlands. During the 4e ( spellplague) years Delzimmer was a port city on the southern ocean and Luiren was “elsewhere” . With its return, folks have been moving back in and reestablishing the lost towns one of these, the center of the campaign, is a merger of Phandalin and Saltmarsh using all the Phandalin adventure modules (including Acquisitions Inc). And the Saltmarsh adventures as a sequence to bring the PCs up into tier 4 before sending them after the beast rulers of the Beastlands to try to neutralize them and then after the yuan ti servitors of the Sarrukh beneath the lake of Salt. By the time they get done with both of those they are probably going to be epic characters themselves - assuming the campaign lasts that long of course.
I have a sandbox-like, very fey heavy game planned where the party jumps back and forth from the material plane to the feywild and have to find and slay the Jabberwock who will show up several times before the final battle and they have to survive its attacks and save others before gaining the strength to fight back.
I also think it would be fun to DM Tomb of Annilhation but use more liches, like the eldritch lich, the lichen lich, another normal lich, a warrior lich flavored off of Koshchei the deathless, demilich, and a dracolich, that all are trying to do something (I don't know what the campaign is really about) and the party has to find and slay each one.
But the one that I have spent the most time on, is a time travel dinosaur campaign that I have been writing about over here:
I am currently developing a spelljammer pirate game (original I know) taking some inspiration from One Piece and the movie Treasure Planet. TP has always been a favorite of mine so running a game in that world sounds incredible to me and my group. Thankfully were mid campaign for another DM and there is already several people wanting to do one shots and another person wanting to run his campaign so I have time to finalize more details.
House of Lament from Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft was a blast to run. I played it as a Halloween one-shot for my group, complete with creepy music, and candle lighting. They had a blast, I had a blast, and we still talk about that game from a year ago. I also randomly throw in references to it in our normal campaign.
#OpenD&D #ORC
"...or you can find the secret tunnel that leads to the Vault of Dickish DM which is filled with 10,000,000 copper coins and a 5,000 pound solid gold statue of a middle finger that is too big to fit through the door."
that's cool. It's always nice to have breathing room. spelljammer and TP would work veeeeery well together
Updog
I've had an idea for a while of a sort of mid-magic modern set zombie apocalypse game. It would probably be better for a different system because of the modifications i want to make to the rules, but i like the idea of dnd characters built like dnd characters who just happen to be in an alternate history earth. It would be low level, like 1-5 max, with full casters leveling like half casters or something like that. Resource management, finding hideouts, making allies with other small surviving parties in the abandoned wastes of the small town they all grew up in. The first mission would be a food/medicine/resource run to the nearby 7/11, which is surrounded by zombies and has been trapped by others trying to secure the load for themselves, making it a sort of really funky mini-dungeon. The BBEG would be like, Fantasy Technomancer Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk or something who's somehow been causing all of these problems. Also a lot of the magic would be reflavored to the point that, like, it's still obviously magic, but healing would be things like being able to command medical equipment to work faster, and stuff like that. So you can still play a tiefling or an aarakocra if you want fgdhsjkhgdf
Another that i've been actually working on instead of just having simmering in the back of my mind, is a sprawling, cross-plane, macguffin searching, political intruigue, heists and masquerade balls campaign. Essentially, at least half of the party will have been sent by the queen of their fey court to track down a magic artifact that's been stolen, eventually they'll meet up with the rest of the party as they track it through to the material plane, where the magic in it is less stable and is causing adverse effects wherever it goes. They'll find out it's been stolen by rebels who know that the queen was somehow using the item to further corruption, both political and magical in her court, and they'll need to decide whether they want to stand with her and keep up this trend, or destroy the artifact and risk war with several other fey courts (because of a plethora of reasons that have been held off by the power the party's court had when wielding the object). Either way will lead them through different paths, breaking criminals out of prison or trying to unseat the captain of the fey royal guard, and who KNOWS how it'll end, because in a completely homebrew world, i like to make things up as i go in order to really solidify the most impactful course of action towards the end.
:)
idea 1)
very cool, love zombie apocalypse stuff. I agree on making it low level, but you don't have to slow caster leveling; instead, hold the entire party to resource rules. normally, saying something like that makes people tense up, because no one likes encumbrance (with good reason, its normally stupid), but in a survival horror apocalypse campaign, having to manage resources adds to the fear. It's no fun to make your ranger count and retrieve all of his arrows in an epic fantasy setting, but in your idea, say the party is holed up in a tower against a zombie horde, eventually you will run out of arrows, spells, rocks, etc., and someone will either have to plan an escape or make a daring dash for resources. Instant immersion. I also like the modern twist, that adds a fun element. I recommend buying VRGtR if you don't already have it, not only one of the best wizards 5e books period, but good for the setting you're trying to pull off.
idea 2)
I love fey stuff, that's a fun idea. I like giving players choices, kudos for that. you sound like a good homebrew dm. A tip for the McGuffin item the players are searching out, maybe consider making it sentient or adding a twist to it that they discover as they go. Depends on how soon you have them discover it, but making it more than just 'the thing the queen wants' would be really cool and a fun twist. Maybe the queen lied about how powerful it is. Maybe it's a person trapped inside the item who just wants to be free. Maybe it has some hidden insane power. Your choice, but have fun with it!
Updog
@Gh0styy Thanks so much!! This is some really good advice, I’ll definitely take a look at VRGtR, it’s one of the few sourcebooks I haven’t read yet :))
:)
Buy it. and buy a copy for your friends, your grandma, your grandma's dog, basically anyone who hasn't read it. One of the few really useful Dm books all the way around
Updog
A campaign where every single class is just a mech. Like, the characters aren't the fighters, they pilot mechs that do the fighting in battles against other mechs and giant monsters. Oh, and it also takes place in space. I.e:
The monk character can't use ki himself; his giant robot has special technology that allows it to harness ki.
The sorcerer channels his magic through the engine of his mech, amplifying his power while also allowing him to use it via his mech.
The fighter literally just has a giant robot with a giant sword. You don't need anything else.
The ranger's mech has scanners that allow it to analyze the environment for tracks.
The warlock's mech is granted to him as a gift from his patron. He thinks, "Losers, the rest of my party needs to BUY their mechs."
if you haven't already, I suggest playing or researching Titanfall. Very helpful lore and practicality for what I think you want to accomplish. sounds like an awesome idea! do they get any special features from using the mechs (other than class features obviously) such as temp hp, extra abilities, etc?
Updog
Thanks, I'll make a note of that. Even the name "Titanfall" makes it sound like something I'd wanna play lol! And in terms of special features, idk, I guess I just figured there wouldn't be any difference between regular features and mech features aside from a noticeable contrast in HP. The mechs are just more of a supersized version of typical DND mechanics. Reskinning it, you could say. Sometimes, all it takes for a game to be interesting isn't throwing in a bunch of new concepts and mechanics, it just takes putting things in a new perspective.
... It would be cool though to include parts that the mechs can equip. Like, a new targeting computer for its ranged weapons, a cloaking system, etc. Ways to upgrade the mechs that don't rely on conventional weaponry or class/subclass features. I'm definitely gonna brainstorm on that.
The Oak Father Lord Silvanus God of Nature Has Been MURDERED.
The Gods of Fury (Auril, Umberlee, Talos, Malar ) Now squabble over Silvanus's Domain, Destroying Nature's carful balance.
Mielikki, Chauntea, Eldath have a plain to restore Silvanus ,However they need his heart which is being fought over by The Gods of Fury.
Quickly and Quietly Servants of Mielikki, Chauntea, Eldath Seek Heroes to recover The Heart while the Goddesses prepare a Ritual.
Can Heroes traverse an everchanging harsh terrain and Steel a dead God's heart out from under four waring Gods.
Will the Land be forever changed into Lands of Perpetual Snow, Raging Seas, Endless storms and Savage Beasts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This could be a level 20 1 off, Or start everyone at level 3 and pace it out till 20 using Milestone on a generous curve.
The game would feature shifting terrain and weather as well as fierce Beasts not commonly seen in most D&D games.
Silvanus's Heart is an Acorn roughly the size of a Basketball. It must be kept away from agents of The Gods of Fury, As its an artifact of immense magical power.
That’s really cool!
Only spilt the party if you see something shiny.
Ariendela Sneakerson, Half-elf Rogue (8); Harmony Wolfsbane, Tiefling Bard (10); Agnomally, Gnomish Sorcerer (3); Breeze, Tabaxi Monk (8); Grace, Dragonborn Barbarian (7); DM, Homebrew- The Sequestered Lands/Underwater Explorers; Candlekeep
nice! I think it would be cool to see the land slowly change as certain gods gain more power, changing terrain and weather and the nature spirits.
Updog
I’m making more of a setting than a campaign considering how little of it the players will see. But anyways a very long time ago there was a war, fueled by the wrath of gods, which eventually had to be trapped in a time loop. It was the stuff of legend and fear, like a world war. Eventually the seventh one of these wars opened a permanent planar incursion with limbo. This made the surface world uninhabitable and so some people, the ancestors of goblins, hobgoblins, orcs, and bugbears, moved underground with the dwarves and a few humans. They became even more adept at subterranean life than dwarves creating epic civilizations and incredible technology, including something they called a drill. These drills were vehicles with a ridged cone affixed to the front and treads so they could move. They were used to burrow and bore tunnels, as well as for transportation and military. Eventually their civilization collapsed, however they left behind their drills which have been updated and improved over time. In the present technology is sort of steam punk, however it’s expensive, somewhat inefficient, and rare. Energy sources are also expensive and finite and the alternative is dangerous to collect. Now the main kingdom, Thelds, is a democratic monarchy, and it functions fairly well, aside from the corrupt and very nonfunctional law enforcement (more on that later). Instead the government mainly employs private military companies due to the indirect liability and the fact that they don’t care enough to fix the existing law enforcement. In fact many, many people hire private military companies to protect goods, or do a job. There are three main PMCs one of the which is mainly just a mixed bag of guards, archers, thugs, and veterans, while the other two are networks of adventuring parties with a loose affiliation. Anyways the BBEG is a beholder who wishes to prove that they are more dangerous than their deceased parent, and has started a criminal organization called the eyes of truth, made up of corrupt politicians and crime lords. They call themselves the eyes of truth. The Eyes of truth is a criminal organization that at it’s lowest is a drug cartel and is a cult at it’s heighest. The organization consists of nine tiers. The first is a drug cartel that fuels several gang wars and owns several gangs. Next up it’s a shell law firm that uses it’s lawyers to protect or condemn powerful political figures. The next component is the Central Thelds Task Force, or at least a good part of it, which is used to dispose of obstacles and will turn a blind eye to crime if bribed. Then it is Rose and Key Labs which develops illegal technology. The fifth part is the Thelds Renaissance Party, operating at low levels of government to plant politicians and leaders who will work in the interests of the eyes of truth. Then it is a covert ring of expert assassin and spies. One step higher it is the Round Ring, a circle of mages, especially necromancers bent on the destruction of all nations except for Thelds. Then it is the Truth’s Gaurdians Traditionalist Monastery, a seemingly innocuous nonprofit church which is actually a terrifying death cult. Then it is the Eyes of Truth, nine people, lead by the BBEG. The first eight components are not aware of any other parts of the Eyes of Truth, however they work in perfect synchrony. The true ninth part of the organization is aware of all others and is the mastermind behind their actions. So they are basically trying to take over Thelds and personally rule it, and will stop at nothing, save carrot made of pure platinum which has been digested by a rust Monster and remains intact, to achieve there goals. Now players don’t have to fight them, but they do have to pick a side, Thelds or the Eyes of Truth. Anyways adventuring parties generally have to join a PMC or register as their own. Because of laws in Thelds PMC members sort of act as judge, jury and executioner. Most large PMCs have codes of conduct, and it’s not incredibly expensive to hire one to protect yourself from another one so it sort of-ish balances out.
wow. thats a lot but i like the idea for the eyes of truth. having nine crime bosses who don't know who each other are but work in perfect synchronicity is awesome. it would be really cool for the party to try to take them down and have a hard time finding out about other bosses because they're so secretive. I also like the levels. Having a bunch of different organization is fun, especially in a sandbox, so that way they might be super involved with some parts of the organization, and barely see others (for instance, they might fight the death cult a lot, but very rarely run into the law firm, maybe not even realize until late in the campaign that the lawyers are actually a front.
Updog
A party of adventurers walks into a city. While at the tavern they notice everyone in the city is… off to say the least. They soon discover a secret group of Arvini (Half elf half devils that serve as agents of Asmodeus) performing an unknown ritual below the city. They are found, and defeated because the ones they found are way too powerful at their current level. After waking up with their memories wiped by the Arvini, they are located by a group of people who hunt Arvini, who then restore their memories. However, the party is in far deeper than they realize, and now must stop the Arvini elder performing the ritual, or the entire continent may suffer disaster ocs consoquences.
This is just a draft.
Call me Zeg.
I enjoy making homebew, and making characters in hero forge. Shoot me a message if you want your character created at no charge.
So Arvini are like tieflings?
I really like D&D, especially Ravenloft, Exandria and the Upside Down from Stranger Things. My pronouns are she/they (genderfae).
Yes, but no. Tieflings are human-devil hybrids, while Arvini are elf-devil hybrids. Arvini also live longer, have a much stricter society, and have the ability to shift into a fixed elven form. Some even have the ability to transform into a more devil-like form (basically just the Devil Trigger ability from the Devil May Cry series.)
Call me Zeg.
I enjoy making homebew, and making characters in hero forge. Shoot me a message if you want your character created at no charge.
My campaigns always run in a heavily modified Faerun that is set up for my original PCs from 40+ years ago that are long since epic. They are now the behind the scenes NPCs. That said the present campaign is designed to run into tier 4 and possibly beyond. I’ve set it in a reborn Lurien and eventually the Beastlands. During the 4e ( spellplague) years Delzimmer was a port city on the southern ocean and Luiren was “elsewhere” . With its return, folks have been moving back in and reestablishing the lost towns one of these, the center of the campaign, is a merger of Phandalin and Saltmarsh using all the Phandalin adventure modules (including Acquisitions Inc). And the Saltmarsh adventures as a sequence to bring the PCs up into tier 4 before sending them after the beast rulers of the Beastlands to try to neutralize them and then after the yuan ti servitors of the Sarrukh beneath the lake of Salt. By the time they get done with both of those they are probably going to be epic characters themselves - assuming the campaign lasts that long of course.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
I have several campaign ideas:
DM Icewind Dale but replace Auril with Krampus.
I have a sandbox-like, very fey heavy game planned where the party jumps back and forth from the material plane to the feywild and have to find and slay the Jabberwock who will show up several times before the final battle and they have to survive its attacks and save others before gaining the strength to fight back.
I also think it would be fun to DM Tomb of Annilhation but use more liches, like the eldritch lich, the lichen lich, another normal lich, a warrior lich flavored off of Koshchei the deathless, demilich, and a dracolich, that all are trying to do something (I don't know what the campaign is really about) and the party has to find and slay each one.
But the one that I have spent the most time on, is a time travel dinosaur campaign that I have been writing about over here:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/dungeons-dragons-discussion/dungeon-masters-only/160790-time-travel-dinosaur-campaign