D&D (2024) Bastions in organised play? Can they work?

[DragonLancer]

For a weekly series of D&D 2024 pick up games I run at my FLGS, I have been running the old Pathfinder Society one shot adventures (in order from start on season 0 and onwards) which I have converted to D&D 2024. The players have now levelled at least one character to 5th and we've been talking about the possibility of using Bastions but we're not convinced we can make it work. We had the idea that they can use their Bastion but they get the use at the end of a scenario that they specific character plays and we assume one in setting week between each time that character is played. So far, so good. Well, until the concept of crafting items came up. One character wanted to make a suit of full plate but by the crafting rules it would take 150 days (21 weeks roughly), which is a bit long for something like this.

We could just say that Bastions won't work in this sett up but I have been asked tonight, if anyone out there in ENWorld land might have some helpful insights or ideas to help us out.

Thanks.

 

[jgsugden]

The Bastion rules take a role playing scenario and attempt to give it detailed and replicable structure. To me, this is problematic role playing in that it does too much rigidly and gives the players 'entitlement' to options that should be determined by role playing and scenario. I don't like that Special Facilities 'pop into existence' when the PCs level up. I don't like that they give the PCs abilities at specific levels (which in many games means each PC will gain their stuff at the same time - which is fine for PC advancement, but awkward when we're talking about buildings being built). The biggest concern, however, is that the PCs feel entitiled to something akin to treasure. Treasure is a part of the game that works best when it feels organic, not calculated.

My suggestion is to use the Bastions rules for inspiration, but take great liberties to keep things fun. I would consider giving one 'Bastion' for all PCs to share (similar to how Dragonheist provides an opportunity to run a location in Waterdeep) and try to make it less 'transactional' (I spend X time so I get X) and more story driven ("We've been working on your bastion, Ma'am, but that Arcane Study is proving tricky. The wizard you hired says you need four snifters of residuum in order to enchant the crafting table. He provided a list of merchants that sell it, but said the prices are steep. There is Dwarven Mine about 4 days North that found pockets of Residuum here and there, but they abandoned it when the Mithril ran dry a century ago. You could explore there a bit and see if you can scrounge up the ounces there... might save yourself a coin load. Or you can toss a merchant some of your haul from last week...")

 

[ECMO3]

We are playing with them in one campaign. They are really effective for powergamers and substantially increase the power of a PC if they have downtime.

Generally not a fan though.

 

[jgsugden]

We are playing with them in one campaign. They are really effective for powergamers and substantially increase the power of a PC if they have downtime.

Generally not a fan though.

I was on my year hiatus from Enworld when these rules came out, but the first thing I assumed was that they were going to be selling "build your bastion" terrain sets with plug and play rooms you could form into a bastion. I am kind of surprised we have not seen that as a product - it seems like a way for them to monetize.

 

[kigmatzomat]

I assumed was that they were going to be selling "build your bastion" terrain sets with plug and play rooms you could form into a bastion. I am kind of surprised we have not seen that as a product - it seems like a way for them to monetize.

The vtt got killed. Guessing they were originally going to monetize digital assets.

 

[LordEntrails]

Depends what you want to use about bastions. Things like once per session perks like Temp HP, Adv on certain saves, and such work fine. Crafting...? No, nope, not going to work. You already are well aware of some of the key issues, and their will just be more.

But, like with most rule additions/changes, I ask, what's broken that you are trying to fix? What's your goal?