HM's swashbuckling adventure (game postponed)

[HolyMan]

Sorry it has takin a little while to set this up but I haven't been idle about it. There is just so much you can do with a swashbuckling game that I had to get some ideals down first.

Ok let's start with: HI, I am planning on running a swashbuckling adventure here in EnWorld and before I can I need your help in determining what type of game you really want. So we need to discuss the 3 S's (System, Setting, and Style).

System:

First I want to list the systems easiest for me to use and they are:

AD&D 2e
D&D 3.5
D&D 4e (not great with this but if game is low-lvl shouldn't be a problem)
Pathfinder
Dragon Age Roleplaying

This is what I have on hand but if the group consensus is for something else I will look into it. I will give all things consideration.

Setting:

Now this I think needs looked into carefully do we play...

Fantasy - with monsters and magic abound
Semi Real - kind of an Indian Jones or Pirates of the Caribean magic in the world but very low, unknow to the common people
Real - No magic casting PC classes and even lower magic than in a Semi Real game (but some)

In all of the above there will be flintlocks, canons, and muskets

Style:

Besides the obivious humorous, serious, action based, mystery based type things to determine, there are others.

Treasure hunting
World saving
Ship only based
Ship and coastal only based
All pirates
All pirate hunters
New world expolers (could be just islands)
In the royal navy
Want out of the royal navy
musketeerish (is that a real word?)

and the list goes on, you all as a group should decide what it is you wish the style to be along with a level of play (are you new pirates or old sea dogs?) and I will provide the adventure.

After we get through the 3 S's we can look into character gene I have some grand ideals if we play in the Real world setting.

ok will be pm those of you who showed an interest before (now that I have a link to give you LOL)

HM

 

[HolyMan]

Character gene:

Starting LVL = 5th
Starting Gold = 3,000gp
Sources = 3.5 Core, Completes, Unearthed Arcana, and Stormwracked
Abilities = point buy 35 pts.
Race = Human only (no additions added to race)
Class = any but magic based classes will need twiking
Skills = You may custom your class skills by switching one skill for another (like I said may not be alot of need for fighters to have Ride as a class skill) and add +2 skill points to each classes base as I see this as a heavy skill based game
Feats = normal, and each character starts with Skill Focus of their choice
Equipment = magical items to need approval
Additional rules = so far Defensive Bonus and Armor giving DR bonus from d20srd any others? And will have healing surge rule to be added soon.

 

[Voda Vosa]

Well:

System:

D&D 3.5: A classic, always goes right.
D&D 4e: Great for tactical movements on ships! Confirmed by one of my games, currently developing combat on a pirate ship (Check "A paid trip to Spellhold")
Dragon Age: I'll like to explore this system more, it's nice.

I'll also suggest d20 for a pirates of the Caribbean/Indiana Johnes type of game.

I like semi-real world.



Except these:
New world expolers (could be just islands)
In the royal navy
Want out of the royal navy
musketeerish (is that a real word?)

I'll vote for any of the rest.

 

[perrinmiller]

AARGH! And ahoy matey.

System:
3.5Ed and/or d20 Modern Rule Sets only for me.

Setting:
I can live with any of them, but I was always assuming we were talking about a Pirates of the Caribbean time period. So I guess I am leaning towards the Semi-real World to Real World.

Style:
Been awhile since I read my CS Forester books, but I am not sure there is enough people that could get into the tactical issues and seriousness of that type of game.

To me swashbuckling implies combat and adventure. There should be pillaging and sacking of towns, whether by us or the bad guys. The scenery should have sailing ships and tropical air in the background while our heroes are clashing swords amongst the roar of the cannons unleashing their fury. Then we rest drinking beer in a tavern on a tropical island with busty barmaids on each arm.

Another aspect of style that wasn't addressed, but I think should be, is the style of gameplay. I was hoping for a mixture of tactical combat with role-playing, and a steady progression of the game. I have too many games already where the game stalls out because players don't or cannot post because the characters don't have anything meaningful to say or they cannot understand the combat situation. I am versatile and can play in RP heavy or tactical heavy games too, but prefer a balance of both somewhere in the middle. I would hope we can get a crew together that are all on the same page so there is no false impressions once we are out to sea.

 

[Herobizkit]

Based on the other two's interests, I may be out before I even get in.

For me:
3.5 is ok, Pathfinder is better (with 3.5 prestige classes, of course).
4e would be nice to get a first look at the rules in action from level 1, but seems too "rulesy" for PbP.
2e is right out for me, and I know nothing about the Dragon Age rules/setting.

d20 Modern/Past and even True20 would work well for a Semi-real game... but I was looking for something a touch more fantastic, believe it or not. Still, PotC/Indy-type game would be interesting.

IMO, tactical game-play does not suit PbP well, and doesn't suit me at all. I feel that a narrative-driven game played out like an ep of Hercules/Xena to be ideal... ie the 'minions' are always 'minions' unless they're important. 4e 'got it right' in that regard, if you ask me.

I have other PbP's with both of the above players, and I was hoping to play with a new bunch of people. We'll just wait and see on this one. I'm in, but I don't know for how long.

 

[Vertexx69]

I'm rather partial to pathfinder for the basics + all the other 3.5 material, but am fairly familiar with all versions of D&D. Never used the dragon age system. I'm all about high fantasy, the more monsters and magic, and the higher the level the better.

 

[Walking Dad]

System:

AD&D 2e - Don't like the saving throws and % str.
D&D 3.5 - What support books? Only core is a bit bland.
Could become very nice with Stormwrack or the Green Ronin Pirate book.
D&D 4e (not great with this but if game is low-lvl shouldn't be a problem) - No. Great tactical combat. But is tactical good for swashbuckling?
Pathfinder - same as 3.5. Would be very interesting if you would allow APG stuff
Dragon Age Roleplaying - looks good, but really lacks and armorless fighter option for the warrior class

Other suggestions:
Pirates of the spanish main (Savage World)
7th Sea

Setting:

I will bind this to the rules system, as they lend to and/or forbid certain settings.

Fantasy - with monsters and magic abound
- default for D&D based games.

Semi Real - kind of an Indian Jones or Pirates of the Caribean magic in the world but very low, unknow to the common people
- Spanish Main, 7th Sea. Could work with all systems.

Real - No magic casting PC classes and even lower magic than in a Semi Real game (but some)
- Not really interested. Would suggest Spanish Main or d20 modern for this.

Of the existing settings I would really suggest Thea (7th sea) or Freeport (has rulebooks for most of the above systems. Also some background material for using it with Dragon Age in a Kobold issue).


Style:

humorous, serious - balanced
action based - yes
mystery based - in measures

Treasure hunting - yes
World saving - ok
Ship only based - no
Ship and coastal only based - ok
New world expolers (could be just islands) - still swashbuckling?

 

[GandalfMithrandir]

I can really only play D20 (preferably Pathfinder), Seventh Sea is good as well

and would like something especially swashbuckly, maybe as actual pirates or else privateers. Treasure hunting, combat based would be AWESOME. Don't care on setting, Fantasy or semi-real would be better.

But I am definitely interested.

 

[HolyMan]

That's for all the responds let's see if we can narrow some of this down a bit.

Looks like d20 would be the system of choice and that leads us to 3.5 then. (But if we were to seperate into two groups perhaps the other could be Pathfinder let's see about that first). And I have read some reviews on AEG's swashbuckler camapaign book (also 3.5ish) and saw some interesting things. (Thanks Gandalf )

On that subject there are enough people interested (and I think two more out there) to play a game where all of you are the crew of a caravel type ship. The Captain and first mate would be NPCs and hand out jobs (adventures) for you all to go and do. If you play pirates then there will be some raiding going on and a little ship to ship combat.

Swashbuckling is all about flamboyant characters and combats. So will be changing up a few things rule wise to help with that.

Lets see I think I am rambling what do we have so far:

3.5 game in a semi-real world setting, with nothing truly agreed on about the style.

Let's narrow it down.

Would everyone like to be pirates operating along the merchant lines sacking ships and raiding towns (and then be pursued by the authorities).

Or would you like to play as a ships company who patrols the waters and takes on the pirates and no-gooders whenever they come across them. They work for no one but themselves kind of a seamen's vigilante.

And I'm thinking 5th lvl characters (alot of houserules) and my games are usually 60% RP - 40% combat.

Will decide on books to use soon. It may not be an issue with the houserules in place.

HM

 

[GandalfMithrandir]

I don't have long before I get kicked off the computer, but I would like, personally to be raiding pirates on merchant lines, it sounds very fun and especially swashbuckly (using that word a lot).

I could be the ships navigator, I can also email or PM you the rules for the ship-ship combat, if you would like.