Ideas for a Dieselpunk Supplement

Kristiano Tiago · Mar 5, 2019

Hello Players and GMs!

I've started this new thread to ask for ideas to a 5e dieselpunk campaign.
Dieselpunk is a retrofuturistic cyberpunk derivative as well as steampunk, but instead of Victorian-era’s steam, wood, and metal,dieselpunk features the sinister-looking heavy machines of the diesel-based technology of the interwar period and through the 1950s.

Here are some features:
**A dieselpunk campaign allows firearms such as handguns, submachineguns, shotguns, machineguns, flamethrowers, and rocket launchers (think of weapons like Luger P08, Ithaca 37, and Sturmgewehr 44 rather than flintlocks, harquebuses, and muskets common to steampunk).
**Diesel is a valuable thing, especially in war-torn societies, diesel fuel can be used by stranded communities or rebel armies as a trading value instead of money. Diesel also can be used to feed Fueled Armors (dieselpunk version of Powered Armor; think of the first armor in the Iron Man movie [2008]). In more fantasy-inclined settings, diesel fuel also can have magical properties.
**Gothic and art decó aesthetics inspired mainly by Gears of War first trilogy, Batman [1989], and Brazil [1985]. Machine design were inspired by the vehicles in the Metal Slug series.

My aim is to provide a full guide, just as my Cyberpunk supplement (http://www.enworld.org/forum/rpgdownloads.php?do=download&downloadid=1473), plus some artworks of mine. The "Gear" section is almost finished, I would like to hear some ideas on new races, classes, backgrounds, or anything you want to share. What do you think of a dieselpunk campaign setting? Did you already know this genre?

Laurefindel · Mar 5, 2019

I love dieselpunk!

The Scythe board game immediately comes to mind. Like in this game, l like how dieselpunk can also mesh well with early electrical lighting and pre-transistor electronic components, radios, and the crazier Tesla-coil and lightning arc powered machinery.

jayoungr · Mar 5, 2019

One thing that goes hand-in-hand with dieselpunk is the rise of fascism. Useful for creating villains. This could play into the backgrounds section--make a heroic background for a former member of a fascist army or organization who got out but still knows their secrets (think Finn from the new Star Wars movies). Or an evil background for someone who is still involved.

Kristiano Tiago · Mar 6, 2019

Good idea. I don't know how I haven't thought it before. Dieselpunk is often mixed with Weird World War II. This gave me other other ideas: army auxiliary witch Warlock subclass and combat pilot background - besides the former axis soldier, of course.

Thanks jayoungr!

jayoungr · Mar 6, 2019

Kristiano Tiago said:
Good idea. I don't know how I haven't thought it before. Dieselpunk is often mixed with Weird World War II. This gave me other other ideas: army auxiliary witch Warlock subclass and combat pilot background - besides the former axis soldier, of course.

Thanks jayoungr!

Ooh, you could have LITERAL flying Night Witches!

ChameleonX · Mar 6, 2019

Maybe some sort of subterranean race like the Locust, that was awakened by drilling for oil/diesel? Maybe some sort of reptilian or mole-like aesthetic. Probably a strong and/or tough race, since they would need to be able to dig. Maybe give them blindsight?

EDIT
So, for instance...

Ability Score Increase. +2 Con, +1 to two other ability scores of your choice.
Size. Medium
Flexible. You can bend your joints in inhuman ways. You can enter a space large enough for a creature of one size smaller without squeezing.
Cave Dweller. You have Blindsight with a radius of 60ft, but are blind beyond this radius. Whenever you become deafened, you are also treated as blinded.
Sightless. Due to your lack of sight, you are immune to being blinded (unless you are also deafened), gaze attacks, and other spells or effects (such as hypnotic pattern) that rely on you seeing them.
Keen Senses. Due to being naturally blind, your other senses are much keener to compensate. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that don't rely on sight, and you can cast spells and use other abilities that normally require you to see your target, provided you can detect them with your other senses.
Mole Person. You have thick, spade-like claws that grant you a burrowing speed of 15ft, and you can tunnel through solid rock at a rate of 5ft per minute, leaving 3ft diameter tunnels in your wake.
In addition, your claws are natural weapons that can be used to make unarmed strikes; on a hit, they deal 1d6 slashing damage. You use either strength or dexterity (your choice) for the attack and damage rolls.
Natural Armor. Your hide has been toughened by decades of wandering in the cramped lightless world below; while you are wearing no armor, your AC can't be lower than 15. You can still gain the benefit of a shield.

jayoungr · Mar 8, 2019

Dieselpunk is also the era where things like electricity really come into their own. Technomancy and magitech seem like natural parts of the setting--more so than traditional spellcasters, really.

Have you looked at the "Modern Magic" Unearthed Arcana?

https://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/UA_ModernMagic.pdf

Most of it seems to be usable for a Dieselpunk setting, except for maybe the more sophisticated computer-related stuff. I also really like the City Domain Cleric.