any Christian roleplayer would know the story of David and goliath. so I'm trying to translate it to work in the worlds of Dungeons & Dragons. So what do you recommend to pull it off?
tbh i don't know if a simple story like David and Goliath from the Bible is the best for transcription into a module (though it could make as a good jumping off point for a larger adventure, or a one-off), for a few reasons.
One, is the boy David going to be a Non-Player-Character, or are the player characters going to have to fill his shoes instead? If David is included as an NPC, you run the risk of having the PCs not matter, as divine intervention basically just causes Goliath to die from a sling bullet. Not a fun game to play. On the other hand, if David isn't included, the player characters could take any number of actions contrary to what is expected, from joining Goliath to running away.
However, I do think a better Intrigue-based story can be formed from during and after David's ascension to kingship. There's a lot of cool ways to spin that story of David/Saul's conflict, which is much more engaging than "David shot this big man he never met before with a slingstone and he died"
Are you looking to re-create this story in D&D? Are you looking to create an Adventure inspired by this story, and are using it to determine the Theme(s) of your Adventure ( overcoming impossible odds through courage and faith )?
If the former, I think Stardust_Strifer is right - it's not really an externally complex enough story to flesh out an entire playable Adventure/Module. It might translate into a single Encounter ( the actual combat ), but the events leading up to that Encounter are largely background story ( the story of the war, and the continual challenges of Goliath for single combat ), or internal to the heroic Character ( David's personal faith ). It's hard to cast the exact story into an Adventure, because you can't control how the Player will act or feel about the material.
If you want to take the moral of the story, and its themes, and incorporate them into a narrative sketch, without being tied to the exact series of events in that story - that can be easily done. Story themes are broad enough to be worked into many different plot lines.
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There really needs to be a determination if the ending is David slaying Goliath, or, a twist, Goliath slays David because “his lack of faith is disturbing.” (Ok, a little Star Wars in there)
or , it could be that was David wounded and the team takes a distraught David with them on adventures because his fellow Jews kicked him out.
then work out a couple of adventures with David (Paladin?) earning his chops, getting his faith back, and then facing Goliath and the philistines.
or maybe David dies and the team has to adventure following his loss. Perhaps they find a holy sling and bullets and one of the party ends up challenging Goliath
I'd suggest having the players take the role of David (they're the only ones brave enough to face the opposing nation's challenger and settle the war). Maybe Israel is a besieged town, the Philistines are orcs, and Goliath is an ogre.
The thing is, you'll need more encounters to weaken the players before they face Goliath. So maybe Saul entrusts them with different missions during the battle (maybe they have to assassinate a powerful general or recover a stolen artifact, which, if you don't mind messing with timelines, could give you a chance to reference other Bible stories like Judith or the Ark of the Covenant). These missions eventually weaken the Philistine orcs enough that they propose a group of Israel's heroes fight their challenger, Goliath, to settle the war in an epic showdown.
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any Christian roleplayer would know the story of David and goliath. so I'm trying to translate it to work in the worlds of Dungeons & Dragons. So what do you recommend to pull it off?
tbh i don't know if a simple story like David and Goliath from the Bible is the best for transcription into a module (though it could make as a good jumping off point for a larger adventure, or a one-off), for a few reasons.
One, is the boy David going to be a Non-Player-Character, or are the player characters going to have to fill his shoes instead? If David is included as an NPC, you run the risk of having the PCs not matter, as divine intervention basically just causes Goliath to die from a sling bullet. Not a fun game to play. On the other hand, if David isn't included, the player characters could take any number of actions contrary to what is expected, from joining Goliath to running away.
However, I do think a better Intrigue-based story can be formed from during and after David's ascension to kingship. There's a lot of cool ways to spin that story of David/Saul's conflict, which is much more engaging than "David shot this big man he never met before with a slingstone and he died"
How about throwing in a beholder for one of the encounters?
Beholders aren't "one of the encounter" type monsters IMO, more like main antagonists in their own right. But I guess you could introduce a beholder.
Seems out of left field, to be honest.
Are you looking to re-create this story in D&D? Are you looking to create an Adventure inspired by this story, and are using it to determine the Theme(s) of your Adventure ( overcoming impossible odds through courage and faith )?
If the former, I think Stardust_Strifer is right - it's not really an externally complex enough story to flesh out an entire playable Adventure/Module. It might translate into a single Encounter ( the actual combat ), but the events leading up to that Encounter are largely background story ( the story of the war, and the continual challenges of Goliath for single combat ), or internal to the heroic Character ( David's personal faith ). It's hard to cast the exact story into an Adventure, because you can't control how the Player will act or feel about the material.
If you want to take the moral of the story, and its themes, and incorporate them into a narrative sketch, without being tied to the exact series of events in that story - that can be easily done. Story themes are broad enough to be worked into many different plot lines.
My DM Philosophy, as summed up by other people: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rN5w4-azTq3Kbn0Yvk9nfqQhwQ1R5by1/view
Disclaimer: This signature is a badge of membership in the Forum Loudmouth Club. We are all friends. We are not attacking each other. We are engaging in spirited, friendly debate with one another. We may get snarky, but these are not attacks. Thank you for not reporting us.
check out an obscure 3rd Edition book, Testament: Roleplaying in the Biblical Era by Green Ronin
it's weird and brutal and should give you some good ideas
There really needs to be a determination if the ending is David slaying Goliath, or, a twist, Goliath slays David because “his lack of faith is disturbing.” (Ok, a little Star Wars in there)
or , it could be that was David wounded and the team takes a distraught David with them on adventures because his fellow Jews kicked him out.
then work out a couple of adventures with David (Paladin?) earning his chops, getting his faith back, and then facing Goliath and the philistines.
or maybe David dies and the team has to adventure following his loss. Perhaps they find a holy sling and bullets and one of the party ends up challenging Goliath
I'd suggest having the players take the role of David (they're the only ones brave enough to face the opposing nation's challenger and settle the war). Maybe Israel is a besieged town, the Philistines are orcs, and Goliath is an ogre.
The thing is, you'll need more encounters to weaken the players before they face Goliath. So maybe Saul entrusts them with different missions during the battle (maybe they have to assassinate a powerful general or recover a stolen artifact, which, if you don't mind messing with timelines, could give you a chance to reference other Bible stories like Judith or the Ark of the Covenant). These missions eventually weaken the Philistine orcs enough that they propose a group of Israel's heroes fight their challenger, Goliath, to settle the war in an epic showdown.
Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club