D&D (2024) Urban Fantasy via D&D 2024

[TwoSix]

In previous iterations of the setting (and the one I am using for fiction) Earth is different from the fantasy world in that it does not possess an "arcanosphere" -- that is, there is no magical energy inherent on Earth. That's why we don't have wizard and dragons and stuff. When the refugees flee to Earth, they bring with them magic items and animals, and the only way to cast spells etc is to draw energy from those items and animals. And, yes, "animals" here includes sentient beings of various sorts.

Makes sense. Is the connection between magic source (item/being) a reciprocal bond, or more of a draining?

If the general narrative around magic is an "acquire and use up" model, I would lean towards less magical classes being necessary, since the narrative around different branches and styles of magic isn't really the focus.

What about classes like fighter, barbarian, and monk? Are they narrated as being just very skilled, and higher hit points are more "luck and skill" than any sort of supernatural resilience?

 

[Reynard]

The issue isn't that they are individually OP. It is that they are, by comparison to the cost of adventurers and their built up experience, dirt friggin' cheap and easy. Any municipality and field a phalanx of people with guns when monsters come a calling.

Sure, but in the genre, monsters are relatively rare. They are something a hero or two have to deal with, not the cops.

 

[Reynard]

Makes sense. Is the connection between magic source (item/being) a reciprocal bond, or more of a draining?

Draining. Of course, if you are responsible, a charmed mug that keeps beer cold can still power your magic for a long time. But if you want to really do something big, you will burn out such a minor item.

One of the "setting secrets" is that using magic in this way actually releases the energy into the Earth arcanosphere and eventually magic is going to be generally accessible.

What about classes like fighter, barbarian, and monk? Are they narrated as being just very skilled, and higher hit points are more "luck and skill" than any sort of supernatural resilience?

It is probably more by subclass?

 

[UngainlyTitan]

The first thing that strikes me is that guns need to impose status effects, not just knock off hit points. One does not stand there and take it with modern firearms in the mix. One goes prone, finds cover gets suppressed. First fire effects can be devastating, akin to a sneak attack.
Are you familiar with Squad Leader or Tide of Iron?
A lot of Urban Fantasy, that I am familiar with involves a lot of social and investigation, so perhaps modifications of the skill systems from some compatible game that does it better. Or introduce degrees of success into the D&D skill system.

Is the Arcaneosphere complementary to or a replacement of how the earth universe currently works?
Can someone create a magic circle to gather power by inlaying the circle and its runes in copper, connecting it to a generator and charge a "magic battery"?

 

[Reynard]

The first thing that strikes me is that guns need to impose status effects, not just knock off hit points. One does not stand there and take it with modern firearms in the mix. One goes prone, finds cover gets suppressed. First fire effects can be devastating, akin to a sneak attack.
Are you familiar with Squad Leader or Tide of Iron?

Again, making guns OP turns the game into a different genre.

A lot of Urban Fantasy, that I am familiar with involves a lot of social and investigation, so perhaps modifications of the skill systems from some compatible game that does it better. Or introduce degrees of success into the D&D skill system.

Maybe not skills per se, but the systems behind them, for sure. Investigation is always a sticky one for D&D: do you make a system for it, or let the GM handle it?

Is the Arcaneosphere complementary to or a replacement of how the earth universe currently works?
Can someone create a magic circle to gather power by inlaying the circle and its runes in copper, connecting it to a generator and charge a "magic battery"?

Earth has no arcanosphere. you cannot cast any spell at all unless you directly draw magical energy from something invested with that energy (primarily monsters and artifacts from Fantasy Earth -- but a case could be made for the Spear of Destiny or whatever, if you found it).

 

[Umbran]

Sure, but in the genre, monsters are relatively rare. They are something a hero or two have to deal with, not the cops.

I think maybe the word "monster" is in the way here.

You want high-powered action. That means high-powered enemies, right? Whether they are "monsters" or not, why don't people just call the cops, or the national guard, or a mercenary company, or whatever other body of normal people with guns can be arranged?

This is an issue of the genre as a whole, that most writers try to find some way around, involving secret second-worlds that somehow remain secret in the age of mass communication. What's going to be your approach to not having the issues of this world solved by normal people with many, many bullets and explosives?

 

[Reynard]

I think maybe the word "monster" is in the way here.

You want high-powered action. That means high-powered enemies, right? Whether they are "monsters" or not, why don't people just call the cops, or the national guard, or a mercenary company, or whatever other body of normal people with guns can be arranged?

This is an issue of the genre as a whole, that most writers try to find some way around, involving secret second-worlds that somehow remain secret in the age of mass communication. What's going to be your approach to not having the issues of this world solved by normal people with many, many bullets and explosives?

First, they are rare. There may well be a federal response team (I have run that campaign in the setting) to deal with those things, but typical municipalities don't have the resources. hence, adventurers. And sometimes you cure can fill a displacer beast full of lead and kill it, but sometimes the monster is immune to non-magic damage, so...

The point is that the world in which the PCs operate is one of magic and power, but the world overall has suffered something of a shock but is not fundamentally changed on a day to day basis for most people -- other than sometimes it is an ork that "takes their jerb."

 

[TwoSix]

First, they are rare. There may well be a federal response team 9I have run that campaign in the setting) to deal with those things, but typical municipalities don't have the resources. hence, adventurerers. And sometimes you cure can fill a displacer beast full of elad and kill it, but sometimes the monster is immune to non-magic damage, so...

Yea, I think "immune to non-magic damage" is the key here. Having a good narration around what exactly that means within the fiction is important for the genre.

Strong monsters having some kind of aura effect that wipes out mundanes with 4-5 Hit Points is also good for explaining why adventurers are needed to take care of a dragon, versus just calling in the Army.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I’ve watched too many 50s/60s B movies and episodes of Doctor Who to rate the ability of the military to deal with monsters particularly highly.

 

[AlViking]

In many stories about urban fantasy, the people called in to deal with monsters are the cops in a special unit or hired to deal with the monsters. The idea is that the protagonists of these stories are especially capable and trained in order to deal with the bad guys in way most people are not. That may mean that they are at least a little bit supernatural, a little tougher, hit a little harder. I don't see that really interfering with the core assumptions of DnD. It's like pro football players versus kids that play in high school. They kind of look the same but end of the day they are just worlds apart.

Most police will never fire their guns in the line of duty and they are not trained to be soldiers on the front line. As far as getting shot at and surviving, it's just typical action movie logic and not really that different from standard DnD assumptions. Most normal people wouldn't stand a chance against a brown bear but in the game it's only a CR 1. Adventurers are just built different.

I would just make monsters resistant to normal bullets. The ones adventurers use would be specially blessed and more expensive than your normal police department can afford since monsters are rare. Even the special bullets have only limited effectiveness. Melee weapons are made with special materials but since they can be used over and over, armor is made with special metals, Kevlar or carbon fiber. On a side note bullet proof vests aren't particularly effective against knives because they are designed to stop hits from high velocity but low weight bullets. Of course the vests also are more bullet resistant since no vest will stop all bullets.

I'd look to something like the Anita Blake novels for inspiration even if I'm not sure they're worth reading them after about book 10.