Colonial RPG?

Woas

First Post

• Dec 19, 2006

• #1

Hi party people.

A couple friends of mine, along with myself were thinking of starting an RPG that was themed off of some old unknown video game called War Along the Mohawk. Basically an RPG set in 17th century America.

Ideally we would like a d20 type game since we all know the rules. But I was wondering if anyone knew of any good books out there that might have some details about this already. We aren't looking to have anything mystical - that is no witches or magical spell stuff. A pretty grim-n-gritty mundane type of game.

Because my friends an I are all familiar with basic 3rd Edition Revised D&D, I have started the long task of pretty much rebuilding the front end of it to fit into a Colonial RPG: basically all new classes, feats and races (well... more like cultures since everyone is human) and perhaps adding in something like Combat Rites from Arcana Evolved to give some flare. But if there was anything already out there that has done some or all of this I would greatly appreciate knowing about it.

Thanks,
Woas

 

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Aussiegamer

First Post

• Dec 19, 2006

• #2

any chance of getting to see the new gear?

and I don't know any books that might help you, sorry.

 

Steve Jung

Explorer

• Dec 19, 2006

• #3

Northern Crown seems just what you're looking for.

 

Justin D. Jacobson

First Post

• Dec 19, 2006

• #4

Northern Crown is definitely situated in the 18th century. If you're really talking about 17th century, you might give a look to Roanoke. It's technically 16th century but seems more like what you are talking about. I've heard very good things about it. It's not d20 but Wushu is available for free online and is broadly considered a very good system.

(I'm actually going to be releasing a Revolutionary War setting for my upcoming Bullseye 20 system, but that won't be out until next year some time.)

 

Stormborn

Explorer

• Dec 19, 2006

• #5

Northern Crown, while a great product, is not what you are looking for. There are three basic reasons: magic, fantasy races, and an alternate history. You might look at it for some era tech, but otherwise its not what you want. My suggestion would be Grim Tales. If you can play DnD you can play Grim Tales. It has 6 basic classes that correspond with the 6 ability scores. Each one is customizable with skills and class features, and through multiclassing you can be anything you want. The reason that it sounds perfect for what you want is the abilty to set the level of lethality - to make it more or less "grim and gritty" as you see fit. I would suggest True 20, but GT really sounds more like what you are looking for, and has pleanty of rules on how to create the stuff you want.

 

Last edited: Dec 19, 2006

Morgan Keyes

First Post

• Dec 19, 2006

• #6

Another option to look at would be the Colonial Record supplement for Coyote Trail.

 

Woas

First Post

• Dec 19, 2006

• #7

@Aussiegamer

Sure. As it stands I'm still working on everything "by hand" as I mentioned before. Although I have a few leads now for some books to check out.


@Steve Jung

Although its probably bad form on my part, I had done some searching on my own prior to posting and found this Northern Crown stuff you mentioned. But after reading into it I found that it wasn't really what I needed for the reasons Stormborn mentioned. But yea know... great minds and everything


@Stormborn
All this time I thought Grim Tales was an RPG that revolved around the Grimm Fairy Tales! I guess I never thought about that missing m. From what I've looked at so far, Grim Tales is promising. My only concern is that the system might be too in line with "fantasy"? I don't know really cause I haven't checked the book out at a LGS yet, but I will make a point to do so.

@Justin D. Jacobson and Morgan Keyes
Those look like a nice pdfs. Although we'd like to stick to just d20 for ease I could definetly mine them for some plot hooks. Especially that Coyote Trail supplement. Thanks for the links.


Thanks for the replies so far. Any other suggestions are still welcome.

 

Stormborn

Explorer

• Dec 19, 2006

• #8

The art on the cover might make you think Grim Tales was for Sword and Sorcery fantasy type games, and it can do that, but there is no reason at all that any fantasy elements have to be included. Just skip the section on magic and focus on the guns and other real world elements. It really is a tool kit. If we keep talking about it we will conjure Wulf and he can give you a better idea. Or you could start a threat about using GT for a Colonial setting.

 

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dougmander

Explorer

• Dec 19, 2006

• #9

Justin D. Jacobson said:

Northern Crown is definitely situated in the 18th century

Click to expand...

No.

Northern Crown is set in 1666. And it's very easy to ignore the magical and alt-history elements and play a straight 17th-century historical campaign. It has tons of cultural and historical background info about the Puritans, the French, the Dutch, the Mohawk, a map of the region, all the guns and armor of the period, the list goes on. The Soldier, Scout, and Rake classes are all non-magical, ditto the Officer and Frontier Legend prestige classes. I think you'd find it really helpful. And it continues to be supported through PDFs, a periodical fanzine and podcast.

Grim Tales conversions have been done, I think, or at least pondered on this forum. Heck, I'd play a GT Northern Crown campaign in a second. Not so sure how Roanoke, a non-d20 indie game about Elizabethan colonists in Virginia, figures into the OP's concept, but I'm all ears.

 

Justin D. Jacobson

First Post

• Dec 19, 2006

• #10

dougmander said:

No.

Northern Crown is set in 1666. And it's very easy to ignore the magical and alt-history elements and play a straight 17th-century historical campaign. It has tons of cultural and historical background info about the Puritans, the French, the Dutch, the Mohawk, a map of the region, all the guns and armor of the period, the list goes on. The Soldier, Scout, and Rake classes are all non-magical, ditto the Officer and Frontier Legend prestige classes. I think you'd find it really helpful. And it continues to be supported through PDFs, a periodical fanzine and podcast.

Grim Tales conversions have been done, I think, or at least pondered on this forum. Heck, I'd play a GT Northern Crown campaign in a second. Not so sure how Roanoke, a non-d20 indie game about Elizabethan colonists in Virginia, figures into the OP's concept, but I'm all ears.

Click to expand...

My apologies. I confess, I've only skimmed it, but I know Ben Franklin is prominently mentioned in much of the marketing text. He wasn't alive in the 17th century. So, now I'm genuinely curious: What's the deal with that?