Questions tagged [campaign-development]

For questions about writing, managing, and expanding campaigns.

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Size of a campaign world?

At this moment I am creating a world for my pathfinder game and I have no idea what the world's size should be. I know it ultimately depends on each GM and their group, but some information on the ...
Pyersamid's user avatar
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8 votes
3 answers
478 views

Limiting player freedom in introductory scenarios

As discussed in Would GURPS be a good choice for a non-magic, 19th century tech level, roleplay focused campaign?, I am planning to introduce a couple of friends to pen & paper tabletop RPGs. I am ...
dot_Sp0T's user avatar
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8 votes
2 answers
1k views

Sword of Truth 4e Setting

Has anyone seen or heard of anyone working up a Sword of Truth series 4e setting?
Präriewolf's user avatar
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8 votes
3 answers
833 views

What campaign wiki - or other collaborative tool - has these features? [closed]

I saw the question "Is there a campaign wiki with mobile support" and realized that perhaps I could find what i was looking for with a more targeted question. I am organizing a plot team (for a LARP) ...
corvec's user avatar
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8 votes
0 answers
1k views

Running a duet campaign and adjusting difficulty [closed]

I am now venturing, for the first time, as a DM and would like to start a campaign for my girlfriend. I have played D&D for several sessions (some 15?), but I am far from being experienced. ...
Sos's user avatar
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7 votes
2 answers
1k views

How can I decide whether being the GM is right for me?

I haven't played a table top RPG before. I've played RPGs in video game form for my entire life, though. I also write a good deal, and I've won like... two contests for short stories. I assume that's ...
Ice-9's user avatar
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7 votes
4 answers
612 views

Looking for local colour for a Cyberpunk set in Brazil

I have a plot line and with the addition of player characters' background I think I have a solid game planned. However, so far the plot could happen in any odd city in the world. I was thinking of ...
Sardathrion - against SE abuse's user avatar
7 votes
7 answers
1k views

What can I do when I've introduced an overpowered plot element?

In my homebrew setting, one god gave his cultists the recipe for a special alloy, and a rival god gave to a kingdom that opposes the cultists the same recipe. The PCs acquired a warhammer made of ...
user avatar
7 votes
6 answers
2k views

D&D 3.5E Campaign that supports a large number of PC players

Okay, so here's the problem. I'm going to be dming a large group of around 10 players that have mixed experience and since I'm used to being in small groups of around 4 players I'm not used to having ...
Miguel's user avatar
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7 votes
3 answers
6k views

Custom Race Creation for D&D 4e

The Monster Manual and Dungeon Master's Guide provides a few examples of how to adapt monsters into full-fledged PC races, but they're limited to only a few options. Are there any resources or other ...
Logan MacRae's user avatar
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7 votes
6 answers
419 views

How to run a month-long chase in Star Wars D&D

I am running a D&D 5e Star Wars campaign. The characters received a prophecy that told them the only way to prevent galaxy-ending destruction was to kill the Sith Lord, and that it must be done ...
Evoker of Mulmaster's user avatar
7 votes
4 answers
487 views

How do I promote my gaming campaigns?

I have two campaigns on two different sites and I need players. So how do I promote my games in order to get more players?
Reggie Olds's user avatar
7 votes
4 answers
662 views

How do I get my dresden files players involved in city creation?

I've tried to involve my players in city creation a few times through the course of the game, usually whenever they are about to finish up a story arc, but I usually all I get are just get a few ...
Tetra's user avatar
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7 votes
2 answers
1k views

How to play a Templar Knight [closed]

I am looking to create a character that is a member of a monastic order of Templar Knights. The game setting is a historical one set around the 1200s. Thus, I am looking at source material for "...
Sardathrion - against SE abuse's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
2k views

Give your players characters to play or let them decide for themselves? [closed]

I am starting out as a DM in my third D&D game (first as a DM), and during my time making a world and an adventurer I found out that the characters playing your game (ingame characters of the ...
Rafael Lambelin's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
448 views

What do I need to make a campaign?

I am a sorta newbie DM (been playing for about 5 months) and I have a couple dungeons. So is that all I need to make a campaign? I have about 6-8 friends that I play with every week, but they are ...
Aang's user avatar
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7 votes
3 answers
1k views

Are there any tools for creating a campaign from scratch? [closed]

I am toying with the idea of writing up a custom campaign from top to bottom. Are there any tools out there for this sort of thing? I'm thinking of an editor that allows you to insert the stuff you'...
dpatchery's user avatar
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7 votes
2 answers
455 views

What is a spell, curse, or illness that's long-lasting enough to drive a campaign?

Alright, so I want to make a villainous witch to be the villain that starts off the plot for a campaign. I want her to hex a beloved noble with either some format of permanent sleep, or impending ...
Levi's user avatar
  • 311
7 votes
1 answer
1k views

How do you transition from a one-shot to a campaign?

In previous games that I have both DMed and played, both homebrewed and published adventures, the games seemed to go nowhere. We went into the dungeon, slayed the things, looted the things, and left. ...
GuidingOlive's user avatar
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7 votes
1 answer
179 views

How can I balance and blend spotlight time between PCs of different Lodges?

Recently, one of the players in my Werewolf game has taken on the Lodge of Spires, which is effectively "Batman: The Lodge". One of the benefits of this lodge (for those who don't play, consider a ...
Bigeshu's user avatar
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7 votes
1 answer
258 views

How to design a maze without it being a time sink maze and unfun? [duplicate]

I was planning a 1e The One Ring game where the party gets trapped in the mines of Moria and have to get out. I had asked a question about the roles here. After discussing it with others, my idea of ...
Fering's user avatar
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6 votes
9 answers
798 views

What are ways player characters could awake an ancient evil? [closed]

Almost any epic level threat will do, but he/she/it should arise as a direct/indirect result of player character meddling (thereby making them responsible to destroy it). Preferable if PCs have a ...
Jason's user avatar
  • 385
6 votes
4 answers
821 views

How can I transform my script into a campaign?

I have the idea, the script is written and it looks like a sci-fi novel. Now how can I make this world "playable"? Do I just put a few players' characters into the scene where a series of actions are ...
Dan Wears Prada's user avatar
6 votes
6 answers
279 views

Any good resources for would-be authors of a line of gaming products? [closed]

Were you to move into authoring RPG material, where would you go to for advice? I am thinking of publishing a whole line of gaming products. However, I am not adverse to hearing more focused ideas. ...
Sardathrion - against SE abuse's user avatar
6 votes
5 answers
4k views

What are the best computer generators for historical timelines? [closed]

Every world or campaign setting has a timeline of historical events. Normally this has the format of a year number followed by a short description. For example: −9800 DR: The Yuirwood was settled by ...
Trobanoms's user avatar
  • 141
6 votes
3 answers
8k views

How do I determine an NPC's skill levels?

When developing a new NPC, how do I ensure that they have close to the skill rankings that I would expect them to have, yet not make them more powerful than the PCs? As an example, I want a noble ...
Aviose's user avatar
  • 8,453
6 votes
3 answers
704 views

Is there a "campaign background" story system or method?

microscope is a historical fractal story system that I've used successfully to generate background worlds for several campaigns, what it does it does very well. What I'm looking for is something ...
Rob's user avatar
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6 votes
4 answers
668 views

How to avoid the feeling of railroading in my campaign pregame?

This question is related to my other question. Please see that one for campaign background, rather than me repeating it all here. I don't want the players to feel "trapped" and forced into a "tunnel",...
Kheldar's user avatar
  • 331
6 votes
3 answers
639 views

Help with some ideas for a campaign [closed]

Okay, so I am a relatively new GM. I've started running the Road Trip campaign for Monsters and Other Childish things for my group. I thought I'd run a one night one-shot Halloween themed campaign for ...
Pokey's user avatar
  • 83
6 votes
2 answers
3k views

What information is available for the town Fallcrest?

My next campaign will have some town adventures. I'm looking at the Fallcrest town detailed in the Dungeon Master's Guide. Before I get too far into it, I'd like to know if the town has been ...
Pat Ludwig's user avatar
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6 votes
3 answers
512 views

What system or sourcebooks should I use to run a pre Roman, Celtic Britain campaign? [closed]

Someone I know, wants to run a campaign in Celtic Britain. He normally uses Pathfinder but is looking for something more appropriate to the background.
David Allan Finch's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
418 views

How to measure property awarded as treasure

I want to award property and land as a reward for a set of adventures. I'm creating a campaign in 5th Edition, and I want to follow the treasure per level guidelines. I know I can measure the building'...
as.beaulieu's user avatar
  • 5,288
6 votes
2 answers
1k views

Good source material for building a Kobold empire? [closed]

The game I'm currently running is starting to go up in scope and one thing I'm really looking forward to doing is introducing an empire of Kobolds. Are there any good books on what these would look ...
Erik's user avatar
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6 votes
3 answers
419 views

How can I give one of my players a powerful plot-device weapon without making the other players feel left out?

I am building a custom setting that is medieval fantasy (technology level is almost steam engine) where some pieces of ancient technology (ours) can be found. Players' weaponry is based off the ...
Liquid Same's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
291 views

How to adapt a 3e community-building system for a larger-scale use in a 4e game?

This question is a follow up to Point buy/structured system for cooperative 4e campaign building?. I've found a system that is quite close to what we want/need, but there's a catch: it's for 3e and ...
user avatar
6 votes
0 answers
307 views

Are there any big, pre-made city campaign maps? [closed]

I'm currently looking to create my first pbp campaign, which will be steampunk horror-themed survival as they fight to escape a labyrinthine underground city, but I am stuck on a way to map the place ...
Hadashi's user avatar
  • 617
5 votes
5 answers
2k views

Advice and sources for designing a fantasy political campaign? [closed]

A friend of mine is running a Middle-earth campaign and wants to make a political twist. As he knows I use to play that gamestyle (although in a contemporary setting), he has asked me to get involved ...
Flamma's user avatar
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5 votes
4 answers
645 views

How many (loosely linked) layers of story are managable for the players? [closed]

While plotting the course of our "campaign", picking up adventure or story ideas, I have come to a point where multiple plots interleave. But not in the classic, homogeneous "adventure -> story arc -> ...
TheNickOfTime's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
420 views

Will a C&C Forgotten Realms campaign without elves be unplayable?

I am a new DM. For my first campaign, I am going to kill off the entire race of non-Drow elves, except for the PCs who are the only survivors. Later on, I will be having them discover other ...
Eddie Studer's user avatar
5 votes
3 answers
3k views

Do creatures from other planes typically travel into the material plane? [closed]

I'm using Pathfinder and I'm a fairly new GM and I'm running my first campaign in a world I hand crafted. It's a planet in the material plane and has the usual characteristics that a real planet ...
Nerevar's user avatar
  • 4,975
5 votes
1 answer
419 views

What is an appropriate scope for a new GM's Dungeon World game?

I am going to be starting up a group playing Dungeon World pretty soon (I will be the GM). I have GM'd a very mechanics-driven game about 15 ago for maybe 5 years. In that game (which I wrote myself, ...
BlackVegetable's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
4k views

Is there an undead-heavy adventure that takes PCs from level 1 to level 20? [closed]

Is there either a single adventure or a collection of linked adventures that meets the following criteria: The primary foes are undead creatures. The adventuring sites include maps. The adventure ...
larkin80's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
714 views

How can I keep my players interested in the main plot during an open world campaign?

I'm going to DM my second campaign as an experienced DM. I already have the main lore all planned and also the initial events that will (or maybe won't) happen. I know it will be pure fire at the ...
Nick Castelo's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
347 views

Starting kit in RoleMaster during an unusual start

In RM players tend to start out with gear that they choose (or can afford to buy based on their wealth roll) to a limited degree and get rolls on the Special Items tables and what have you. I'm ...
Paul's user avatar
  • 635
5 votes
1 answer
228 views

How to balance a campaign without a magical restoration

I'm currently GMing a Starfinder game for a group consisting of an Envoy, a Mechanic, two Soldiers, and an Operative. With the Operative acting as a jack-of-all-skills, I'm less worried about mystical ...
Knight Porter's user avatar
5 votes
3 answers
2k views

What is the cost of returning to Barovia? (Adventure League Season 4, (04-14) Curse of Strahd)

After getting out of Barovia in Dark Lord, what is the cost of going back to Barovia, in terms of GP or downtime, if there is one? This is for D&D Adventurer's League 4-14. After I finish the ...
Richie King's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
801 views

"Empty" areas for me to add in an adventuring hub near the Sword Coast?

My setting is going to be near the 5e Sword Coast. My story is that the Sundering has brought back a creator race from Abeir, and I want them to have a presence south of what used to be Maztica on ...
Ron Frazier's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
509 views

Point buy/structured system for cooperative 4e campaign building?

Our group is currently building a campaign world (one nation per player) for the Pillars of the State campaign (as suggested in the DMG2 somewhere around page 170). Today we encountered the "problem" ...
user avatar
5 votes
0 answers
66 views

How would closing borders and supply routes affect local market prices? [closed]

I'm developing a world where governments are freaking out over a perceived threat (not a virus). The stars have disappeared and the gods have seemingly abandoned them. Many leaders have ordered their ...
Leviathann's user avatar
5 votes
0 answers
315 views

How to handle low-magic, fantasy banking? [closed]

How would you handle the transfer of large quantities of gold in a low-magic, medieval fantasy setting? I'm am running a campaign based on a homebrew variation of Pathfinder in which magic use ...
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