Questions tagged [campaign-development]

For questions about writing, managing, and expanding campaigns.

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52 votes
11 answers
7k views

How do you discourage "player knowledge" as a GM?

As a trivial random encounter is winding down, a player thinks "That was too easy... The GM wouldn't give us an encounter that doesn't give XP," and starts searching for hidden bad guys or other clues....
dpatchery's user avatar
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74 votes
20 answers
65k views

I'm creating an original setting for D&D—where do I start? [closed]

Creating a new fantasy setting for D&D is daunting but I don't want to use one of the published settings. I have a blank piece of paper in front of me and a whole world to create. My friends want ...
Adam Dray's user avatar
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78 votes
11 answers
16k views

How to ease down the munchkin factor?

I've been playing RPGs since the early eighties and have come to terms with the fact that not everyone enjoys this hobby for the same reasons as myself. I'm into it for the sake of the adventure, the ...
thomax's user avatar
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34 votes
8 answers
3k views

Am I designing my campaign setting to be too specific?

I'm a first time DM (3.5e), and, being a passionate writer, I decided to create the entire campaign and campaign setting myself. It's been good fun, and I have about 12 pages of (elaborated upon) ...
Maulrus's user avatar
  • 443
17 votes
2 answers
23k views

What are all the ways a player can get to the Astral Plane?

I am planning a campaign where the characters must travel to the astral plane several times, though each subsequent time they lose one of the means to do so (i.e., Astral Projection spell, through the ...
SeeDerekEngineer's user avatar
60 votes
16 answers
58k views

With the lifespan of elves, would you ever encounter a low-level elf?

Elves and other races have hundreds of years to get good at what they do — is the expectation that NPCs of these races would mostly be of high level? How do I build a campaign setting that makes ...
Karl's user avatar
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55 votes
6 answers
8k views

Preventing saturation in a horror campaign

I am currently designing my first horror campaign and what I've come up with so far is pretty dark and gruesome. I worry that if it is gut wrenching the whole way through, eventually the players will ...
user2525's user avatar
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13 votes
3 answers
3k views

Adapting literary works into RPG adventures

Beowulf is a classic tale which has been translated many times and has had many film adaptations. Seamus Heaney's new translation and Frederick Rebsame's translation are good starts if you have not ...
Sardathrion - against SE abuse's user avatar
57 votes
13 answers
2k views

How do I help my players not get caught up on smaller plot points?

I just finished having a conversation with one of my players, and was led to a question I'm not sure I know how to answer. I'm running a sandbox campaign (D&D 4e, if it makes a difference) where ...
Numenetics's user avatar
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56 votes
9 answers
44k views

What are the essential features of a successful evil campaign?

Until this point, I have demanded that my players not build characters with evil alignments, as I am familiar with how to design campaigns and adventures around "good" or "redemption" themes. However,...
Cat's user avatar
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20 votes
3 answers
4k views

Good resources for travel times? [closed]

What are some good resources, on or off-line, for determining clear travel times for: different methods of travel (eg: foot, horse, vehicles by period and type, etc) different terrain types (eg:...
Runeslinger's user avatar
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19 votes
5 answers
5k views

How can I GM and play a PC without spoiling the fun?

We're returning to D&D 4E after a long absence from it, coming back from Savage Worlds since we've really missed HP-based battles and videogame-like logic. However, as we talked about our new ...
Aldath Le'Carde's user avatar
17 votes
5 answers
9k views

Are there any good websites which have story hooks and plots points for campaigns? [closed]

Are there any good websites which have story hooks and plots points for campaigns?
Präriewolf's user avatar
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46 votes
9 answers
27k views

How do I run a successful and engaging campaign without combat?

I'm thinking of starting my own campaign with a few of my friends with me as DM, primarily because I wasn't extremely impressed with the campaign my friend was DMing. When I started thinking about the ...
Gordon Gustafson's user avatar
38 votes
11 answers
3k views

How to get better feedback from players?

OK, we started a new campaign yesterday and I really want to take quality feedback from my players. When I ask, "How was it? Do you like it?", I generally get some vague answers like "It was good, I ...
Gokce Ozan's user avatar
25 votes
18 answers
3k views

Overpowered PCs (Gabe's Dilemma) [closed]

Penny Arcade recently ran the following strip: (Original strip here) While the resolution of this thread hasn't yet been posted, I'm wondering what we think here. How do you game with PCs who are ...
JSBձոգչ's user avatar
24 votes
6 answers
3k views

How to make large number of NPCs manageable to the GM?

I'm planning a game where there is about a dozen important NPC actors, with some more less important ones. "Important" means that even if they are not directly involved in current events, they play a ...
eimyr's user avatar
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21 votes
10 answers
8k views

How do I tie episodic sessions together to make larger campaign arcs?

My D&D group only plays perhaps once a month and occasionally one of them won't be able to make it. I (the DM) home-brewed our last campaign and, whilst fun, the big story arcs and multiple NPCs ...
McMechanism's user avatar
20 votes
8 answers
2k views

How do I create a sense of mystery about magic?

Magic in so many games is something mechanical and fully understood. Assuming I control the setting (and have a group of players willing to try new rules), how do I make magic something mysterious? ...
Joe's user avatar
  • 17.1k
19 votes
3 answers
64k views

Any good premade campaigns for beginners? [closed]

Does anyone know of some good premade campaigns for a small (not more than 5) players, all of whom are new to D&D? I want to start them at low level since they haven't played before. I'm finding ...
MasterWaldo's user avatar
17 votes
7 answers
3k views

Are there any RPGs/settings where a character's class is not chosen but "earned" through their actions? [closed]

My experience RPGing has thusfar been limited to Dungeons and Dragons v3.5. As I've grown more experienced playing the game, I've toyed with creating my own campaign settings and am now playing with ...
Cat's user avatar
  • 3,862
16 votes
8 answers
3k views

How do you keep PCs from killing each other when 1 or more is evil?

I'd like to run a more mature themed campaign, along the lines of game of thrones. In that story, several of the main characters have an evil alignment. I'd like to do something similar to this ...
Quest Kick's user avatar
15 votes
2 answers
562 views

Are D&D novelizations considered canonical source materials?

I'm curious if the works of R.A. Salvatore and the like are considered canon source material for D&D campaign games. Or if they are treated more like fanfictions.
Bradley Lindsey's user avatar
15 votes
6 answers
7k views

Starting the first game tips? [closed]

I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to start our very first session. Everyone, counting the DM, has yet to play the game and we are not exactly sure were to start. Our PCs are: Drow Warlock ...
Jeremiah Page's user avatar
14 votes
4 answers
3k views

How to go from a humorous campaign to a more serious one?

I am currently running a D&D 4E game. The game started off kind of goofy (we have a thrikreen rogue with glowing blonde hair, an ale-obsessed dwarf battlemind, a ditzy human wizard, and a dwarf ...
Popo's user avatar
  • 571
13 votes
5 answers
1k views

A campaign based on a novel: Let the plot deviate or make the PCs' thread unrelated?

I want to start a Game of Thrones (d20) campaign. My idea is based on the first book of seven (which comprises the whole story). I don't want to change the course of the novel, but if my PCs are ...
apacay's user avatar
  • 2,558
12 votes
1 answer
490 views

Has "write in to impact the metaplot" been tried since the 90s?

The Wikipedia article on Torg describes a way that players could attempt to influence the metaplot of the default setting: At the time of its release Torg's 'Infiniverse' campaign was an ambitious ...
Thunderforge's user avatar
  • 15.8k
10 votes
3 answers
4k views

Any mechanics out there for developing and maintaining a spy/information network?

I have a player who would like his character to begin developing a network of people in the towns they visit. For lack of a better phrase, and because it seems that would be the most likely mechanic ...
Numenetics's user avatar
  • 5,610
3 votes
2 answers
330 views

Reasons for being sent to retrieve an all-powerful artefact? [closed]

I'm considering (first time) DM'ing "The Silvyr Tower" for a group. However I am not sure how to sell the starting situation to my players. Summarizing the starting situation: the group is ...
bobismijnnaam's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
777 views

How can I make a Pathfinder campaign like the Monster Hunter video game series? [closed]

I was thinking about how one would go about making a Monster Hunter (the video game) style campaign for Pathfinder, but I have a small number of problems. Figuring out CR for "Monsters" to fight (Yes ...
Cataru Moore's user avatar
  • 1,640
55 votes
10 answers
15k views

How can I use powerful NPCs without overshadowing the player characters?

I’ve been playing P&P for years and have taken my first tentative steps into DM’ing over the last year, mostly leading One-Shots. I am also a passionate world-builder and so I jumped at the chance ...
HideAndSeek's user avatar
  • 3,959
53 votes
5 answers
29k views

How to build an evil campaign

I'm going to start DM'ing for the first time next week. When I got together with my group to figure out what type of game to play, when we got to alignment, I told them they either all needed to be ...
user avatar
46 votes
15 answers
13k views

Accidentally let party wander into a high level situation, how do I help them get out without cheesing?

TL;DR - due to poor planning on my part in my sandbox-esque game, a party of four Level 5s (fighter, warlock, non-healer bard, wizard) is about to wander into a high level situation and I'd like them ...
user avatar
42 votes
13 answers
3k views

What are some dangerous non-fantasy creatures?

We're running a fantasy game where the adventurers frequently travel through the wilderness. Too many of the threatening encounters they have are with fantasy creatures (like goblins, orcs, etc.). ...
Joe's user avatar
  • 17.1k
37 votes
17 answers
12k views

How can I have a campaign where not everyone shows up to each session? [closed]

I'm starting a D&D (5e) club at my school. As most high schoolers don't show up to every club meeting, how can I account for this in creating parties? The club will likely have 20+ members, so ...
Jon Takagi's user avatar
  • 1,066
32 votes
18 answers
10k views

How can my villain intimidate my players' characters into submission?

I'm planning a new campaign where the villain will force the party to do his bidding, starting from level 3. The opening will be an encounter with the villain, where he will "ask" them to do not-so-...
Vylix's user avatar
  • 32.5k
31 votes
3 answers
4k views

Should I discuss the type of campaign with my players?

The campaign I’m preparing is designed to give the illusion of choice via side quests and an open world (not really open), but with a main story line that will be pushed into them sooner or later. The ...
Jorge Córdoba's user avatar
28 votes
10 answers
6k views

Creating a campaign that ends with a TPK by design

I'm creating a campaign that takes players from level 3 to level 15+. The premise is that the party is granted a special role by the reigning good King to protect and serve (essentially they are ...
Porschiey's user avatar
  • 538
27 votes
6 answers
5k views

How can I have a mixed game of nWoD without having a thematic mess?

I'm planning on starting a full-on mixed nWoD game, but I don't know how to avoid having it feel like a fantasy kitchen sink, since that can easily destroy the feel of a game. What are scenarios or ...
user avatar
24 votes
7 answers
36k views

How to make sure the players escape but feel like it was because of their wit?

Setting I'm preparing for my first time as a DM in D&D 5e (as a player I have gotten to level 4 in 3 campaigns so I have a good grasp of the game, in my group everyone wants to have a go as DM and ...
fejfo's user avatar
  • 353
24 votes
7 answers
1k views

How can I convey the nonsensicality of a dream world?

Soon I will be GMing a campaign that allows the players to move freely back and forth between the "real" world and the "dream" world. I do not want this to be a secret or try to confuse the players; ...
dpatchery's user avatar
  • 17.5k
23 votes
4 answers
7k views

Is it plausible to have a Player Character play as a villain against the rest of the party?

If anyone has experience running a game like this, what are some common errors to avoid and tips you would give to a GM embarking on such a campaign? Specifically I intend to have a 3 PC party with 2 ...
Yoshiki's user avatar
  • 333
23 votes
8 answers
4k views

Is there an effect on player's reaction to treasure when raising the value of gold relative to other coins?

In fantasy games related to D&D the currency usually follows the 10 cp = 1sp, 10sp = 1gp pattern. This is convenient and fairly logical, but in my play throughs gold just didn't have much weight ...
HighlandRat's user avatar
  • 1,050
23 votes
4 answers
827 views

How do I construct an individual session as part of a larger campaign?

I've been GMing/DMing on and off for years. I prefer playing. Mainly because when I run a game, I'm more a fly by the seat of your pants kind of dm, and it works sort of.. My problem is that, while I ...
Arr MiHardies's user avatar
23 votes
5 answers
6k views

How can I deliver in-universe written lore to players without it being dry exposition?

I DM for a D&D (5e) group in a custom campaign setting which I worldbuild as we go. One of my players is very much interested in the history and lore of the world and often tries to find out bits ...
Harm van den Brand's user avatar
23 votes
9 answers
1k views

What ways are there to convey loneliness and betrayal in an encounter?

A little background: I am designing a campaign that largely takes place in the mind of a twisted wizard. The wizard was shunned and exiled from his home due to a physical disfigurement, and after a ...
dpatchery's user avatar
  • 17.5k
22 votes
6 answers
2k views

Rules system for playing out the details of founding and developing a city? [closed]

I want to run a campaign in which the players control individual but influential characters (maybe heads of families), with the main focus of play on the PCs building up a city over time, starting ...
Percy's user avatar
  • 221
21 votes
9 answers
2k views

What makes a good pitch for a new game?

What should make up a pitch about a new game to a prospective group of players? What does a good RPG pitch entail? What should go into the case for why a game should be played (and why that GM is the ...
user avatar
20 votes
5 answers
17k views

Middle age transportation by river questions [closed]

I am playing in a medieval fantasy type setting and am trying to determine travel speeds when people are traveling on rivers. This is similar to this previous question, but that question really only ...
Chris's user avatar
  • 563
20 votes
3 answers
1k views

How can I have mystery in a Fate plot?

I am going to run a session for a plot. This is going to be an introduction to RPGs, and what I'm trying to do is to add an element of mystery to the plot to keep the players hooked. The plot goes ...
Parham Doustdar's user avatar