Harry Potter Campaign Setting
 

I am currently running a game based out of an adventuring university, somewhat similar to Harry Potter (and the PC's are currently serving detention, of course).

Is anyone aware of a d20 Harry Potter supplement out there anywhere? Has anyone done one of their own? I'd be interested in hearing about it.

What I've heard is that the author of the series REALLY doesn't anyone messing with their story, so I don't think there is going to be an RPG for it (card games are ok, even if they're tanking).

Last I heard the author was talking a lot of smack about gamers in general, roleplayers in particular... :confused:

Log on to chat.psionics.net if you have mIRC. There are some fellows there who run a RPG campaign inspired by Harry Potter. They may be able to help you out.

Surly ye be barmier than a Chaosman! erm, anyways. I implore you... run away! Harry Potter is eeeeeeeevil!

Do you have a reference for this? The exact opinion of J.K. Rowling when it comes to RPGs in general (and specifically a Harry Potter RPG) has been the subject of some discussion on one of my lists for some time. All we really know at the moment is that she won't let anyone make a Potter RPG.

hey maybe the author will learn that the people in your campaign are actually better actors than the children in the movie!

ziing!

JK Rowling is dead on persuaded that people who play RPGs are satanical weirdoes that practice sorcery for real and that they form a sort of evil sect.

What's funny is to compare this with her reply to the people that accuse her, Harry Potter and her readers of being satanical weirdoes that practice sorcery for real and that they form a sort of evil sect. She will say it's bull:):):):) from extremist obscurantists who are the one who can't discern fiction from reality.

Yet, her thoughts hadn't gone any further.

You're always somebody's fool...

Hey! The kid who played Ron Weasley was pretty good...Harry Potter was ok...Hermione made me gag a few times, but was generally tolerable.

With due respect, I would appreciate a reference - an article on the Web or in a magazine back issue or some such. Something that can be verified.

There are people who claim that Rowling has said that kids have come up to her and said they wanted to be witches, or had become witches because of her book. Rowling has publicly denied the latter, at least. Hearsay is...well, a bit difficult to deal with.

Discworld!
 

What we really need is a discworld campaign setting!

She's got it all confused. Rowlings is thinking of people who actually LIKE Harry Potter.

Only Joking. :p


I can't stand the whole Potter thing, but I can see where it could be used as perhaps a stepping stone into roleplaying for younger people, perhaps.

OK, I'm going to draw fire and claim that I actually liked Potter. LOTR it isn't, but it's good for what it aims at, and it's a lot better than many D&D games I've played in. That doesn't mean it's a good RPG setting, but I'll give you the pointers that I can.

First, every wizard in Hogwarts will have to have a special focus (wand), and suffer penalties when using another's wand. (1/2 caster level? -2 caster level? How do you want to play it?) But most material components will be right out, as well as the bulk of somatic ones. And of course, spells per day and spellbooks will become a thing of the past, but while that's the left-hand road to no balance whatsoever in most games, it'll be less unbalanced in Hogwarts since everyone will be a Wizard/Sorcerer/whatever hybrid you want.

You'll have to be careful with power levels, since in theory any wizard can learn any spell, even if he doesn't have the power to do much of anything with it. I don't care if you're just talking kids in detention, gamers are gamers, and a relatively "simple" Hold Person style spell will see far too much use, a Cloth to Dust style effect will probably be more trouble than it's worth, and be very afraid if a player hears the words "adevera kadevera" (or how does that one go?)

I'd reccomend that you look into an Ars Magica style game for ideas, though, or look at the "skill based magic" threads around. D&D, with its vancian magic and spell levels and everything, is suitable more for a game than for any form of actual story.

You probably want to pick up Natural 20 Press's Wild Magic supplement and look for ways for your spells to go wrong! :p I don't think the wizard or the sorceror classes are appropriate either: perhaps Sovereign Stone-style magic makes more sense in a Harry Potter-esque setting.

As to those complaining about Harry Potter here, no thanks. The guy was looking for help, not ridicule. I wonder how many of those who decry Harry Potter have read the books, though. I used to think Harry Potter could surely offer me nothing, but to my surprise, I found the books extremely enjoyable.

I too like harry potter and my wife who is an English teacher loves it.
There only 2 things wrong with it.
1. Except for updating language and time period (ninetodeo etc) there has been really nothing new added.
2. What is it that the English hate their relatives kids? Harry Potter sleeps in a cupboard/closet. Willy Wonka, dickens, the greyhound, etc.

The 3E does not led itself to a magic school. I would just try adjusting the 0 1 2 level spells into new charts.

Spells seem to be focus and verbal. With potions including material.
I would drop all spells above 2nd. and then rearragne the others to be 0 to 9th.

good luck and post what you finally do.

If I remember correctly, J.K.'s reasoning was basically that to have an RPG game based on the HP universe, she would need to reveal certain facts about some characters before all the books are done and out. It's not necessarily so with a card game, because you only use the characters as they are thus far, and expansion sets expand upon the amount of cards you have available to use.

In the RPG on the other hand, the ending of the saga might have an impact on how certain races are viewed in the light of events that happened.

That doesn't preclude a game from being created, but I see how she might want to wait. Besides, you may be able to jury rig your own RPG based on it anyway once D20 modern becomes available.

--*Rob

You married an teacher and yet you fail to see the obvious parralel made between Harry and Cinderella (with Hagrid in the role of the fey that frees the orphan from the evil "adoptive parent" and show the world of wonder that awaits the kid) ? Shame on you ! D- !

Or maybe teachers in your country are different from those in mine and don't make people decorticate the stories into the archetypes and recipes used.

Another Log for the Fire?
 

The only rumor I have heard in this respect (before reading this thread) is that Ms. Rowling will not approve a Harry Potter RPG because she's dead set against allowing persons other than herself to put words in the mouths of her characters. I'm also willing to lend credence to the "not willing to reveal secrets of her world" rumor already mentioned.

Personally, I found the first three books (I am waiting to read the fourth until it reaches paperback) very charming and imaginative, and I happen to think the world would make an especially attractive RPG setting for younger (10-14 yo) gamers. YMMV. HAND.

I've been thinking about this a lot. The books have inspired me for some of my D&D games. This will become my new project.

Re: Another Log for the Fire?
 

As I understand it, it has more to do with an unwillingness to reveal secrets.

As such, I am hopeful that an RPG will be possible after the seventh and final book is published. In the meantime, there's nothing she can do if I work up an RPG treatment just for myself. I have found that BESM works wonderfully for handling Harry Potter.