I'm currently mastering a D&D campaign (3.5e rules). My story arrived in a particular point, I always told myself I would never reach there knowing my lack of perseverance, but believe or not, I managed it!
Quick resume: A warlock (one of the five characters who's cuyrrently playing) made a pact with a demon and fulfilled all the request, managing to become a half-fiend. Happy about it, he is currently ravaging islands and villages, to drain his bloodthirst and in order to sacrifice everyone for his God, Nerull. The other four helped him to achieve this power, someone knowing what was the finality, and someone not. Because of that, the group is now divided in two: The warlock and the warrior on one side, the rogue, the mage and the bard on the other.
The warlock is protected by his boss, a powerful Nalfenshee who controls the region with his others demonic friends. The three who went against the warlock (who does not know anything about that), managed to get in a big network of thief, corrupted politics and intelligent animals who had a lot of problems in the past with those demons. They are currently organizing a secret invasion of the demonic area, where they will attack, in order to secure the area and defeat the demons, or at least try.
Now, my main problem is the invasion. I don't know how to handle it as a DM. I can play for myself and choose which will be the outcome of the army and let the players play their own little story meantime, or I can give the total control of the army, creating a map and choosing what to do (Like a general who gives commands during a battle). I checked in different manuals, but I haven't found something about organizing a war, controlling an army, or even something about a bigger perspective.
What would you do? Do you have any past experience? I'm open to any critics, recommandations!
PS: I'm new in this forum, I hope I did not break any rules writing right after the registration ^^'
Fair warning - This is a primarily 5e forum, so it may take some time for you to get an educated response. Some of the people here have played older editions but just as many have only been involved in 5e. I'm sure someone will have a good answer for you, but it may take some time.
Also, Don't worry, you should be fine as far as site guidelines go. I have a vague memory of not being allowed to discuss older editions but I couldn't find an official rule about it on the Site Rules and Guidelines Thread that explains everything, so I am probably misremembering.
No matter what edition of D&D you're playing, mass combat is something the game has done poorly. Even though 3.5 edition had a supplement book dedicated entirely to large-scale combat, it was still a very clunky and awkward system.
My recommendation is to not do it and just have things happen narratively.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I think you need to figure how you're going to handle your party when they are all not on the same page.
Regarding warfare, I would go with setting up goals - attack supply lines, free slaves, destroy siege engines, construct barriers or traps, eliminate scouting elements, kill commanders, things like that. Then whether they succeed at their tasks the battle is altered. Sometimes choosing to do one thing over another will alter events.
For instance, there is the supply train, the siege engines, and the caster group. Going after the siege engines, stops them from smashing the walls but allows the casters to wipe out the archers.
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"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
I am willing to avoid the large-scale combat, but I prefer to put this possibility on as a plan B, due to the fact I know my friends would love to try it out. it must be worthy, indeed.
I will check the books, hope I can manage to do that. Thank you very much guys, you already helped a lot! I'll refresh the post telling you how was the outcome, and maybe share some details to help someone else in the future after!
Thaaaaaanks again
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Hello to everyone!
I'm currently mastering a D&D campaign (3.5e rules). My story arrived in a particular point, I always told myself I would never reach there knowing my lack of perseverance, but believe or not, I managed it!
Quick resume: A warlock (one of the five characters who's cuyrrently playing) made a pact with a demon and fulfilled all the request, managing to become a half-fiend. Happy about it, he is currently ravaging islands and villages, to drain his bloodthirst and in order to sacrifice everyone for his God, Nerull. The other four helped him to achieve this power, someone knowing what was the finality, and someone not. Because of that, the group is now divided in two: The warlock and the warrior on one side, the rogue, the mage and the bard on the other.
The warlock is protected by his boss, a powerful Nalfenshee who controls the region with his others demonic friends. The three who went against the warlock (who does not know anything about that), managed to get in a big network of thief, corrupted politics and intelligent animals who had a lot of problems in the past with those demons. They are currently organizing a secret invasion of the demonic area, where they will attack, in order to secure the area and defeat the demons, or at least try.
Now, my main problem is the invasion. I don't know how to handle it as a DM. I can play for myself and choose which will be the outcome of the army and let the players play their own little story meantime, or I can give the total control of the army, creating a map and choosing what to do (Like a general who gives commands during a battle). I checked in different manuals, but I haven't found something about organizing a war, controlling an army, or even something about a bigger perspective.
What would you do? Do you have any past experience? I'm open to any critics, recommandations!
PS: I'm new in this forum, I hope I did not break any rules writing right after the registration ^^'
Welcome! Glad to have you join us on the forums!
Fair warning - This is a primarily 5e forum, so it may take some time for you to get an educated response. Some of the people here have played older editions but just as many have only been involved in 5e. I'm sure someone will have a good answer for you, but it may take some time.
Also, Don't worry, you should be fine as far as site guidelines go. I have a vague memory of not being allowed to discuss older editions but I couldn't find an official rule about it on the Site Rules and Guidelines Thread that explains everything, so I am probably misremembering.
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"Play the game however you want to play the game. After all, your fun doesn't threaten my fun."
No matter what edition of D&D you're playing, mass combat is something the game has done poorly. Even though 3.5 edition had a supplement book dedicated entirely to large-scale combat, it was still a very clunky and awkward system.
My recommendation is to not do it and just have things happen narratively.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I think you need to figure how you're going to handle your party when they are all not on the same page.
Regarding warfare, I would go with setting up goals - attack supply lines, free slaves, destroy siege engines, construct barriers or traps, eliminate scouting elements, kill commanders, things like that. Then whether they succeed at their tasks the battle is altered. Sometimes choosing to do one thing over another will alter events.
For instance, there is the supply train, the siege engines, and the caster group. Going after the siege engines, stops them from smashing the walls but allows the casters to wipe out the archers.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
I am willing to avoid the large-scale combat, but I prefer to put this possibility on as a plan B, due to the fact I know my friends would love to try it out. it must be worthy, indeed.
I will check the books, hope I can manage to do that. Thank you very much guys, you already helped a lot! I'll refresh the post telling you how was the outcome, and maybe share some details to help someone else in the future after!
Thaaaaaanks again