Sparta-like Empire

[bestone]

Another idea i had, and this one requires a bit more work

Is you could possiblly make people start off as the more "standard" classes. They do thier duty, and as long as they fulfull it when needed, you could perhaps have a "battle school" what im thinking is, they have thier duty "sparta" and thier normal training, then some time off, if they wish they could take even more time, and go to some sort of battle school, to learn specialized fighting.

Of course this school would be run by the elderly *a nice high level fighter?*

This way you satisfy most of what they represent, and even give a perhaps flavourfull way for them to explore more options.

They can be dedicated fighter, who use thier own time to further thier combat prowess in specialized areas.

You could make one school of training be forest combat (ie druid). If you did this i'd take away the companion and do somethign else, as that still wouldnt be much sense.

So they are still fighters, and still serve as warriors, but also know specialized combat

Honestly i can see barbs as normal, they are just fighters who loose it (tho discipline is very important). You dont become absolutely brainless when you rage. I could see the occasional huge buff ass beast, who is a madman in combat, as long as he also follows the normal edicts.
-Being undisciplined would probably, as i said earlier, earn them some lashes

(im not so sure about the school idea, just making suggestions)

 

[bestone]

The Spartan helots—if compared to slaves in other Greek city-states—were very privileged indeed. Helots were not chattels. They could not be bought and sold by their "masters." They could marry who and when they willed. They even legally had parents and children. (In other Greek states, a slave was not allowed to marry, and offspring of sexual intercourse, regardless of the partner, "belonged" to the owner of the slave; parenthood was not recognized.) They could keep half the produce of their labor—and presumably sell it on the market for a profit. They could accumulate wealth and spend it as they pleased. Many acquired not inconsiderable fortunes, and when given the opportunity to purchase their freedom from the government, many could afford to do so.

taken from here - http://elysiumgates.com/~helena/Economy.html

I could see a bard being a helot. Spartans werent allowed other professions that werent arms. So its possible they had some helot minstrel types.

Probably have to be indentured to one of the other pc's

 

[ThorneMD]

You should give me all the info when your done ;P what you come up with, i'd like to use it myself if thats ok

Hey no problem. If I'm still motivated as much as I am now (which shouldn't be a problem given I'll see the movie soon after it comes out) I'll work on it over Spring Break. Ironically its the week after the movie comes out so...

I like the school idea. I'm gonna work on it a little and mold it around my ideas. But I do like it. Gives an option for those other classes and would possibly make the non-core classes easier to introduce.

As for the barbarian. The only problem I see with it is the non-lawful alignment requirement. They wouldn't fly too well in a Lawful society. But the gears are turning as I type this so I might have something soon.

And the website and information on the helots is nice. That might solve the bard issue.

Oh and bestone - Just for your info. The world I'm writing this for is deeply homebrew so when its done there might be some confusing points. You can just email me and I can explain whatever it is. But then again, thats gonna be a little while from now.

 

[bestone]

If you do the school idea, perhaps count thier starting level of fighter as a non class level? what i mean by this is, if they go 19 mage, 1 fighter, their next class is epic right? well just consider it part of the spartans "racial hd" (thier first level of fighter that is). So they can (once they level) pursue a class they want and if they choose take 20 levels in that.

I think thats kinda flavourfull too, every adult male spartan being a level 1 fighter by default

 

[Nifft]

Suggested classes:

- Fighter (duh!)
- Cleric
- Knight (PHB2)
- Paladin of Tyranny (UA)
- Marshal (MiniHB)
- Lawful Bard variant -- Inspiring Officer (Perform: Oratory granting a combat bonus? Yes please!)

(from Tome of Battle)
- Warblade (White Raven focused)
- Crusader (White Raven focused)

Those last two particularly can keep pace with Wizards and Sorcerers even at high level. Of course, so can Clerics.

Cheers, -- N

 

[D.Shaffer]

I was going to mention the possibility of variant bards, but it looks like someone else beat me to the punch.

That said, militaries through out history have used instruments/calls when marching. A lawful variant bard that uses perform to help with marching, counter fear effects, and generally bolster the troops while they're heading into battle wouldnt be a bad idea.

WOTC has the Dwarven Chanter as a potential mining source.

 

[rgard]

In light of the upcoming movie I have had recent inspiration to develop a previously undeveloped area of my world after the Spartans. I'm just running into a little problem. How to effectively make them like the Spartans.

Historically, the Spartans did not value formal educaiton above military education until around age 60. This would make wizards (unless they are war wizards) impossible. As a DM, that is not a problem, but what if a player wants to play a Spartan Wizard? Does he basically have to be of old age?

Also, does anyone know the Spartan view on entertainment? What would be the view on Spartan bards or druids or even clerics?

Is my idea of an entire region based on Spartans even possible?

And in terms of everything, I am not looking to be 100% exact, but as close as possible to historical Spartans. Basically, I'm looking to combine real Spartans with the movie and make it playable and fun.

Any help? I know I can't be the only one

You could do all or any of the following for arcane casters:

1. Let them take any arcane class. Just because the Spartans didn't value non-martial education, it doesn't mean there won't be misfits who break from the norm.
2. Duskblade, Battle Sorcerer (UA) or Warmage are all martial enough to warrant acceptability to the Spartans.
3. Make all the Spartans take at least one level of some type of warrior class before multiclassing to arcane spell casting.
4. Make all the wizards use the Armored Mage variant from Complete Mage. This variant limits the highest level spell the the wizard can cast to his/her fighter level +1.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[ThorneMD]

Suggested classes:
- Lawful Bard variant -- Inspiring Officer (Perform: Oratory granting a combat bonus? Yes please!)

See, I've been thinking about this, but really don't want to go and make another varient bard. I already changed the bard around in my world. Is there anything that is published like this?

That said, militaries through out history have used instruments/calls when marching. A lawful variant bard that uses perform to help with marching, counter fear effects, and generally bolster the troops while they're heading into battle wouldnt be a bad idea.

Same as above. This has been bothering me, but then again no bards isn't really too much of an issue. Most D&D armies don't actually have bards with them, but more like experts with a drum.

You could do all or any of the following for arcane casters:

1. Let them take any arcane class. Just because the Spartans didn't value non-martial education, it doesn't mean there won't be misfits who break from the norm.
2. Duskblade, Battle Sorcerer (UA) or Warmage are all martial enough to warrant acceptability to the Spartans.
3. Make all the Spartans take at least one level of some type of warrior class before multiclassing to arcane spell casting.
4. Make all the wizards use the Armored Mage variant from Complete Mage. This variant limits the highest level spell the the wizard can cast to his/her fighter level +1.

Thanks,
Rich

Spartans didn't really have misfits. If you broke from the norm, you were banished. And as far as education. Males didn't have a choice. Its train in the military or be exiled. Your choice, but remember you're seven.

That being said, I'm putting in a warmage school that goes concurrently with the military school, and as I said after my initial post, if one shows enough charisma at a young age they are put into the warmage school instead. I haven't really looked at the other classes that are around.

Most likely going to start writing up a little of this into work format every day. It'll get done eventually.

 

[Darthbelch]

I was reading this, and you guys have come up with alot of great thoughts on this whole Sparta thing, so Im not going even to try and touch the whole Which classes, society, and the spell caster roadblocks.

But....

Why even have it be people at all?

The warforged seem to be really bored, ya know, being lost in the world. [If your doing eberron.]

I say, if Warforged exist in your campaign, or you want to include them, Boom! I mean this Sparta idea is fantastic for them, Why not create a society based on war/military? its all they know in life!
Then again....meh. Maybe. Oh yea, is it alright if I email you for the info as well?

 

[ThorneMD]

I was reading this, and you guys have come up with alot of great thoughts on this whole Sparta thing, so Im not going even to try and touch the whole Which classes, society, and the spell caster roadblocks.

But....

Why even have it be people at all?

The warforged seem to be really bored, ya know, being lost in the world. [If your doing eberron.]

I say, if Warforged exist in your campaign, or you want to include them, Boom! I mean this Sparta idea is fantastic for them, Why not create a society based on war/military? its all they know in life!
Then again....meh. Maybe. Oh yea, is it alright if I email you for the info as well?

I do have Warforged in my world, but I don't know about this idea. It could work in theory, but then it takes away from them a little. I mean its just the way I picture them. I see Warforged as creatures who once only knew war, but now wish to learn new skills. Maybe in the future they will be part of this, who knows?

And as for you emailing me. No problem. Since this is a shared account between me and my brother, send emails concerning this to Ares0415@yahoo.com. I knew I wasn't the only one to like the idea of a Sparta-like Empire.