el-remmen
Moderator Emeritus
Last night as I drifted off to sleep, I did as I often do, and spent the time brain-storming for my next D&D campaign, and I started making a list of things, whether they be scenes, themes, conflicts or monsters that I try to hit on in each D&D campaign. Now, I don't claim these things are going to make for a great campaign for everyone, but rather these are the things that I have seen over the years that are fun for me and my players.
PCs Get Arrested
The players usually take care of this one for me and I don't have to work towards it, it just eventually happens when the headstrong adventurer type runs against the local law enforcement. But whether it be a the local corrupt constable, the misunderstanding sherriff, or the tragic conflict with an otherwise benevolent despot, I find these kind of scenes and situations to be fruitful for tense dramatic fight scenes, convoluted intrigue and good role-playing. It also helps establish the relationship between the local law and the power of figures like adventure, which is potentially disruptive to order.
Help from an Unexpected Source
Sometimes you just gotta throw your players a bone, and I like to do surprise them with this as much as with the dramatic twists that make them shake their fists at me with gleeful anger.
Whether it be the enemy of an enemy, local children, a wandering hermit, a good dragon in human form, a prophetic dream, etc. . . Of course, this is meant to balance the next item. . .
Some Random Really Bad Thing
THis is the reason why I use a crit chart in my campaigns. At least once per campaign I have to have some random awful thing happen to a PC, whether it be the loss of a limb or a loved one, the destruction of some property, or some other kind of bad luck, whether determined by the dice or DM fiat. I like how this kind of thing can be a turning point of any campaign, taking it in a direction even *I* had not foreseen. Also, the the random bad thing gives me the verisimilitude of the randomness of life and makes even the most powerful adventure consider the greater universe with a little humility. In the past campaigns, we had a a character lose an eye, another lost an arm, a hurricane destroyed the party's ship, a fireball from a wand of wonder killed a PC, and another had his parents get randomly shunted off to the outer planes due to a wild magic surge.
A Battles/Encounters At Sea
I love ships and sea stuff. It is for that reason that I created Aquerra as a world of many archipelagos. And so for most long journeys PCs are going to be on a ship - which allows for plenty of opportunities for sea monsters, pirates, storms, mutiny or denizens of the deep that climb aboard in the still of night. Being the type of DM (and player) that likes to use environmental conditions and topgraphy to allow/encourage different kinds of tactical thinking and dramatic scenes, combat at sea provides plenty of interesting variation for that kind of thing. Because there is so much water around in Aquerra, these encounters usually happen a few times in the timeframe of a campaign, but you can't do it too much or else the players will wonder how anyone gets anywhere if ships are constantly being attacked. . .
Something I have Never Done Before
Each campaign needs something new - especially when you are playing with the same basic group for years and years, you need to mix it up in a new way - whether it be setting the campaign in a part of the world they have never been to before, establish some theme from the very beginning, or reveal some campaign setting secret that has been floating around for years and never discovered before that will impress the players who have really "bought-in" to the setting. In my last campaign, "Out of the Frying Pan" (see sig) I had a very distinct set-up for the campaign and its initial direction. It was the first time I set up strident guidelines for making characters and required players to have one motivation in common in order to give the campaign a little push in a particular direction. The last long-term campaign before that was the first that ever had an over-arching plot from the very beginning of the game. In my next campaign we will be trying a collective form of character creation using a stat draft, and I have introduced influence and reputation rules (adapted from AGOT) for a more political game.
Playtest Some Crunchy Bits
While I do not use any supplemental D&D books, I am a homebrewer and a house-ruler. I would say that my groups plays about 65% 3.5 rules, 35% house rules - so that means there are lots of new spells, classes, feats, what have you that I have come up with that have never seen the light of day in-game. So once per campaign I usually see if one of the players is willing to play and use some of this stuff, with the understanding that I am looking for feedback and the character may change based on in-game results. I like having that kind of back and forth and critique process with my players.
Travel/Weather Encounters & Consequences
Whether it be traveling over snowy mountains, a trek over an arid region, a boat journey across a stormy bay, I love weather. And whether it be precarious cliffs, rope bridges, canyons, thick jungle, treacherous marshland with sinkholes or turbulent rapids, I love terrain and its effects. As a fan of Lord of the Ring style adventuring where just "getting there" can be half the adventure, I try to throw some of these things into each campaign. It is also a chance to allow PCs to use various skills, worry about damage from weather, forced marches and lack of food, and all that good stuff.
Developed Elements that are Consequences of Previous Campaigns
Whenever possible it is nice to bring back a loose thread from a previous campaign, or allow the PCs to interact with an NPC (or perhaps former PC) from a previous campaign that lets them see on a meta-level some of the things that have been happening since their old characters were running around the world. Sometimes it can be an old ally or rival, it could simply be a public figure, or even just hearing how the legends and rumors surrounding heroic (or anti-heroic) PCs have developed over time.
1E Fiend Folio Monsters
The 1E Fiend Folio is my favorite monster book of all time, so my players can expect to see a variety of those strange and wonderful monsters from that tome - whether it be the flail snail, the lizard king, the yellow musk zombie, the fire newt or the cifal - I am bound to use them.
So what is on your palette? What are the kinds of things you almost always use in a campaign when DMing?
PCs Get Arrested
The players usually take care of this one for me and I don't have to work towards it, it just eventually happens when the headstrong adventurer type runs against the local law enforcement. But whether it be a the local corrupt constable, the misunderstanding sherriff, or the tragic conflict with an otherwise benevolent despot, I find these kind of scenes and situations to be fruitful for tense dramatic fight scenes, convoluted intrigue and good role-playing. It also helps establish the relationship between the local law and the power of figures like adventure, which is potentially disruptive to order.
Help from an Unexpected Source
Sometimes you just gotta throw your players a bone, and I like to do surprise them with this as much as with the dramatic twists that make them shake their fists at me with gleeful anger.
Whether it be the enemy of an enemy, local children, a wandering hermit, a good dragon in human form, a prophetic dream, etc. . . Of course, this is meant to balance the next item. . .Some Random Really Bad Thing
THis is the reason why I use a crit chart in my campaigns. At least once per campaign I have to have some random awful thing happen to a PC, whether it be the loss of a limb or a loved one, the destruction of some property, or some other kind of bad luck, whether determined by the dice or DM fiat. I like how this kind of thing can be a turning point of any campaign, taking it in a direction even *I* had not foreseen. Also, the the random bad thing gives me the verisimilitude of the randomness of life and makes even the most powerful adventure consider the greater universe with a little humility. In the past campaigns, we had a a character lose an eye, another lost an arm, a hurricane destroyed the party's ship, a fireball from a wand of wonder killed a PC, and another had his parents get randomly shunted off to the outer planes due to a wild magic surge.
A Battles/Encounters At Sea
I love ships and sea stuff. It is for that reason that I created Aquerra as a world of many archipelagos. And so for most long journeys PCs are going to be on a ship - which allows for plenty of opportunities for sea monsters, pirates, storms, mutiny or denizens of the deep that climb aboard in the still of night. Being the type of DM (and player) that likes to use environmental conditions and topgraphy to allow/encourage different kinds of tactical thinking and dramatic scenes, combat at sea provides plenty of interesting variation for that kind of thing. Because there is so much water around in Aquerra, these encounters usually happen a few times in the timeframe of a campaign, but you can't do it too much or else the players will wonder how anyone gets anywhere if ships are constantly being attacked. . .
Something I have Never Done Before
Each campaign needs something new - especially when you are playing with the same basic group for years and years, you need to mix it up in a new way - whether it be setting the campaign in a part of the world they have never been to before, establish some theme from the very beginning, or reveal some campaign setting secret that has been floating around for years and never discovered before that will impress the players who have really "bought-in" to the setting. In my last campaign, "Out of the Frying Pan" (see sig) I had a very distinct set-up for the campaign and its initial direction. It was the first time I set up strident guidelines for making characters and required players to have one motivation in common in order to give the campaign a little push in a particular direction. The last long-term campaign before that was the first that ever had an over-arching plot from the very beginning of the game. In my next campaign we will be trying a collective form of character creation using a stat draft, and I have introduced influence and reputation rules (adapted from AGOT) for a more political game.
Playtest Some Crunchy Bits
While I do not use any supplemental D&D books, I am a homebrewer and a house-ruler. I would say that my groups plays about 65% 3.5 rules, 35% house rules - so that means there are lots of new spells, classes, feats, what have you that I have come up with that have never seen the light of day in-game. So once per campaign I usually see if one of the players is willing to play and use some of this stuff, with the understanding that I am looking for feedback and the character may change based on in-game results. I like having that kind of back and forth and critique process with my players.
Travel/Weather Encounters & Consequences
Whether it be traveling over snowy mountains, a trek over an arid region, a boat journey across a stormy bay, I love weather. And whether it be precarious cliffs, rope bridges, canyons, thick jungle, treacherous marshland with sinkholes or turbulent rapids, I love terrain and its effects. As a fan of Lord of the Ring style adventuring where just "getting there" can be half the adventure, I try to throw some of these things into each campaign. It is also a chance to allow PCs to use various skills, worry about damage from weather, forced marches and lack of food, and all that good stuff.
Developed Elements that are Consequences of Previous Campaigns
Whenever possible it is nice to bring back a loose thread from a previous campaign, or allow the PCs to interact with an NPC (or perhaps former PC) from a previous campaign that lets them see on a meta-level some of the things that have been happening since their old characters were running around the world. Sometimes it can be an old ally or rival, it could simply be a public figure, or even just hearing how the legends and rumors surrounding heroic (or anti-heroic) PCs have developed over time.
1E Fiend Folio Monsters
The 1E Fiend Folio is my favorite monster book of all time, so my players can expect to see a variety of those strange and wonderful monsters from that tome - whether it be the flail snail, the lizard king, the yellow musk zombie, the fire newt or the cifal - I am bound to use them.
So what is on your palette? What are the kinds of things you almost always use in a campaign when DMing?
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