Zardnaar
Legend
D&D is kind of a sandbox game and part of that sandox is ironically to run a themed game. A themed game is generally a campaign where the assumptions of the PHB D&D (pseudo European 14th-16th century game with magic) can drastically differ. This reached an apex in 2E where the various game worlds were exactly that along with various books allowing you to pull various levers to adjust things like the technology and magic rates through to rewriting the PHB in Darksun.
Most of the D&Ds have had this to various degrees with either campaign settings (, Dragonlance, Darksun, Eberron) or splat books (Oriental Adventures, Frostburn, Sandstorm).
Generally if you run a themed game the key aspect of that theme should be the focus of the game. You can move away from that theme a little bit as the game progresses but it should always be there in the back ground. Also any potential players should be made aware of what type of game you are running and the expectations of it, then they have the option of playing or not. Some of the themed games I have run over the years.
Evil
The PCs are all evil or at least most of them.
Drow. The PCs are all Drow or can conceivably exist in their world.
Class. The PCs are all wizards, rogues, fighters etc. This was suggested in the 2E Complete series of books and we did the all wizard thing. Level 19 Archmages can die to Troll Shaman as it turns out.
Settings Distinct From PHB D&D (Darksun, Spelljammer, Eberron etc).
Low Magic.
Ultimate Sandbox . Anything goes if it exists in a book you can probably use it (except some of the more broken stuff).
If you change the defaults to much the players might want to know why. This is the exploration side of D&D. The Prism Pentad series for Dark Sun for example reveal the worlds history which was not included in the boxed set.
The following list are some of the moe popular themes that have turned up in various D&D books over the years.
Low Magic
I thought I would cover this one 1st. Due to Game of Thrones being so big. There are a variety of ways of covering it. The expectation is magic is rare, hard, dangerous or unavailable. This is kind of hard in 5E since there are only 5 or 6 archetypes that do not use magic. There are a variety of ways to handle this.
1. Magic using classes are unavailable. Magic just doesn't work or something like the magic initiate feat is about all that is available.
2. Restrictions placed on magic using classes. The way I did it in 3E was you could only multiclass into those classes and you had to find an instructor. Those classes were hunted and you had to find a mentor. Or you can only take 5 levels total in magic using classes. Jedi in the imperial era are a good example. The force still works, good luck finding a teacher (PCs generally do).
3. Add rules restricting magic for whatever reason. The Historical series and Spells and Magic in 2E had rules for this. Perhaps only low level spells work or high level ones are miracles or they are gifts from the gods/outer planar beings and they exact a toll. 2E Birthright and Darksun tweaked magic slightly, optional rules existed to go further.
It depends on how much work you want to put into it. Generally you run less encounters and dungeon hack adventures. Magical healing is not needed as much with less combat or exploration type game. 95% of a soldiers life IRL even during war is quiet.
Oriental Adventures
This theme can go 1 of 2 ways. Either things like Samurai are a bit more historical (Fighter with Noble background) or crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Some D&D classes are already Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon so most games like this are often somewhere in the middle. 5E leans towards refluffing eg a katana is just a long sword, a Ninja is just a shadow monk, Yakuza is just a thieves guild.
Magitech
Magitech has been supported by official D&D settings. Eberron is the most prominent example, Spelljammer arguably is another. The expectation often is magic is used to duplicate 19th-21st century levels of technology. You may not have a magical 747 but something like a flying ship or Zepplin will exist. Some setting might have a touch of this such as an area that has it while the campaign world at large does not (Golarion, Mystara, city of Zobeck in the Midgar/Southland settings).
Varied Tech Level.
More often than not this means guns so the tech level is more the 17th century PHB D&D with guns. Advanced firearms (19th century+) may also exist. Going the other way the setting is more stone age with limited weapon options or inferior materials. Even things like lasers can be used but they are normally limited to a specific location (crashed space ship in the barrier peaks) or are functionally wands as you can't replenish the ammo supply (set in a post apocalyptic world). Recent settings I have run have included WW1 era rifles as a simple weapon but you can't buy them or the ammo on the open market.
Environmental
Darksun did this combined with stone age weapons. Sandstorm and Frostburn are other examples in 3.5.
These are probably the main ones. In general I like it when a setting or DM runs a themed game. I am also fine if it is a bit goofy on occasion (Dragonborn/Tiefling/Lizardmen pirates with six shooters). Generally I do not like anything goes sand box games as I find those games tend to collapse as you end up with whole parties of funny suit type PCs where the players enjoy annoying each other and the anything goes nature of the setting tends to bleed over into the campaign. If everything is different/weird then nothing is special. For example a reptile world game where Dragonborn, Lizard Men and Yuan Ti replacing Elves/Humans/Dwarves is better than IMHO than just adding them to a regular game. Once you head north of around a dozen races and classes (maybe 15 classes),whatever those races and classes are a campaign starts becoming less interesting. Its like a hamburger a basic beef+cheese burger works (add bacon, egg, pineapple perhaps), a beef, chicken+fish burger not so much. Some flavors add to the experience, others detract from it.
Most of the D&Ds have had this to various degrees with either campaign settings (, Dragonlance, Darksun, Eberron) or splat books (Oriental Adventures, Frostburn, Sandstorm).
Generally if you run a themed game the key aspect of that theme should be the focus of the game. You can move away from that theme a little bit as the game progresses but it should always be there in the back ground. Also any potential players should be made aware of what type of game you are running and the expectations of it, then they have the option of playing or not. Some of the themed games I have run over the years.
Evil
The PCs are all evil or at least most of them.
Drow. The PCs are all Drow or can conceivably exist in their world.
Class. The PCs are all wizards, rogues, fighters etc. This was suggested in the 2E Complete series of books and we did the all wizard thing. Level 19 Archmages can die to Troll Shaman as it turns out.
Settings Distinct From PHB D&D (Darksun, Spelljammer, Eberron etc).
Low Magic.
Ultimate Sandbox . Anything goes if it exists in a book you can probably use it (except some of the more broken stuff).
If you change the defaults to much the players might want to know why. This is the exploration side of D&D. The Prism Pentad series for Dark Sun for example reveal the worlds history which was not included in the boxed set.
The following list are some of the moe popular themes that have turned up in various D&D books over the years.
Low Magic
I thought I would cover this one 1st. Due to Game of Thrones being so big. There are a variety of ways of covering it. The expectation is magic is rare, hard, dangerous or unavailable. This is kind of hard in 5E since there are only 5 or 6 archetypes that do not use magic. There are a variety of ways to handle this.
1. Magic using classes are unavailable. Magic just doesn't work or something like the magic initiate feat is about all that is available.
2. Restrictions placed on magic using classes. The way I did it in 3E was you could only multiclass into those classes and you had to find an instructor. Those classes were hunted and you had to find a mentor. Or you can only take 5 levels total in magic using classes. Jedi in the imperial era are a good example. The force still works, good luck finding a teacher (PCs generally do).
3. Add rules restricting magic for whatever reason. The Historical series and Spells and Magic in 2E had rules for this. Perhaps only low level spells work or high level ones are miracles or they are gifts from the gods/outer planar beings and they exact a toll. 2E Birthright and Darksun tweaked magic slightly, optional rules existed to go further.
It depends on how much work you want to put into it. Generally you run less encounters and dungeon hack adventures. Magical healing is not needed as much with less combat or exploration type game. 95% of a soldiers life IRL even during war is quiet.
Oriental Adventures
This theme can go 1 of 2 ways. Either things like Samurai are a bit more historical (Fighter with Noble background) or crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Some D&D classes are already Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon so most games like this are often somewhere in the middle. 5E leans towards refluffing eg a katana is just a long sword, a Ninja is just a shadow monk, Yakuza is just a thieves guild.
Magitech
Magitech has been supported by official D&D settings. Eberron is the most prominent example, Spelljammer arguably is another. The expectation often is magic is used to duplicate 19th-21st century levels of technology. You may not have a magical 747 but something like a flying ship or Zepplin will exist. Some setting might have a touch of this such as an area that has it while the campaign world at large does not (Golarion, Mystara, city of Zobeck in the Midgar/Southland settings).
Varied Tech Level.
More often than not this means guns so the tech level is more the 17th century PHB D&D with guns. Advanced firearms (19th century+) may also exist. Going the other way the setting is more stone age with limited weapon options or inferior materials. Even things like lasers can be used but they are normally limited to a specific location (crashed space ship in the barrier peaks) or are functionally wands as you can't replenish the ammo supply (set in a post apocalyptic world). Recent settings I have run have included WW1 era rifles as a simple weapon but you can't buy them or the ammo on the open market.
Environmental
Darksun did this combined with stone age weapons. Sandstorm and Frostburn are other examples in 3.5.
These are probably the main ones. In general I like it when a setting or DM runs a themed game. I am also fine if it is a bit goofy on occasion (Dragonborn/Tiefling/Lizardmen pirates with six shooters). Generally I do not like anything goes sand box games as I find those games tend to collapse as you end up with whole parties of funny suit type PCs where the players enjoy annoying each other and the anything goes nature of the setting tends to bleed over into the campaign. If everything is different/weird then nothing is special. For example a reptile world game where Dragonborn, Lizard Men and Yuan Ti replacing Elves/Humans/Dwarves is better than IMHO than just adding them to a regular game. Once you head north of around a dozen races and classes (maybe 15 classes),whatever those races and classes are a campaign starts becoming less interesting. Its like a hamburger a basic beef+cheese burger works (add bacon, egg, pineapple perhaps), a beef, chicken+fish burger not so much. Some flavors add to the experience, others detract from it.
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