Running D&D for the first time (or so it seems to me!)

[Wraith101]

I run D&D regularly, so why the question?

Because I realised something recently that I have never actually ran a game of
D&D as written!
Not in the way it is presented in the core rulebooks. Whenever I run a game I never think about the magic level or any of that stuff but it always ends up as a sort of low magic gritty setting with a focus on realistic societal and cultural models.

For example, I tried to up the level of magic in a campaign and try to run something a little bit more fantastical. I opted for a city suspended in some unknown plane, bathed in darkness with portals to many other worlds. You can find an old, unedited version of the setting here.

You know what? It ended up the same, I didn't increase the magic level enough and the campaign ended up as a social commentary on hightened security and what happens when you deprive a populace of food!

So this time I want to do it properly!

I am setting the campaign in Monte Cook's Ptolus

I want to do magic items / general level of magic exactly as it is stated in the core rulebooks

I want the experience to be as DnDish as possible

Any hints?

By this I mean, as a DM what do you do to make a game feel as much like 'hardcore D&D' as possible?

Any easy preperation methods for making NPC's (I have a feeling I am going to be doing a lot more preperation than usual)

What everyday things happen to people in a DnD world as opposed to a medieval fantasy world?

Thanks in advance for anyone willing to give me a hand!

 

[Treebore]

Use modules as your guidelines. Its the only solid way to learn to run a stock/standard D&D game. In my opinion you have always ran a "hard core D&D game" from the sounds of it. The rules aren't what matters. For example, I may be using the C&C rule set, but you can bet every last cent you have that I am running just as hard core of a D&D game as anyone else or like I ever did using 3e, 2E, 1E, and OD&D rules.


If your feeling a need to change up your M.O. modules worked best for me.

 

[caudor]

To run a game that feels more like 'rule-based D&D', try approaching the task from the bottom-up and expand outward from there. Using a single adventure that incorporates many of the rules you seldom used in the past is a good way to start.

One thing that really helped me was reading through Player's Handbook -again. I was surprized to find many odd things I had not picked up on previous readings...just things like using a jump check to do a 'hop-up' or animal companion tricks.

It is hard to explain, but just delving into the 'rules detail' again, from the bottom up, got me excited about my campaign all over again.

 

[Wraith101]

Hmmm, good ideas, I dont really run modules but in this attempt I am going to try it!

Great idea about looking back through the rulebook. Now that you mention it but I realise that I havn't actually looked in my Players Handbook for over three years now (let alone a 3.5 version) apart from referencing spells.

Consider it done!

 

[mhacdebhandia]

I would suggest getting either something like The Red Hand of Doom (which by all accounts is a really good module) or a couple of issues of Dungeon Magazine.

 

[DethStryke]

Dungeon is a great source of new adventure ideas these days... by all accounts that mag is seeing some of its best days thus far.

I like to read through my DMG (both for 3.5 & 1st editions) to get back to basics. Like you, my games seem to veer away from "D&D" into my own stylized version which can be very removed from each other. Being true to your roots is important for you to enjoy yourself, but temper that with pre-generated material to keep an even keel.

I'd also write out a list of things you like and dislike about the way you run a game in two columns. Perhaps there are a few things that you like or don't like (but aren't really aware of them per se) that are key in your straying away from "core D&D", and getting those details on paper can help you understand them better and adjust as necessary. Sometimes just a little thought directly on the matter at hand provides valuble insight.