[3.5e] Martial-oriented campaign from a magic-lover

[joela]

I love magic, and have some played of magic-user in every fantasy rpg that I've played in.

But in a weekly ToB: Bo9S campaign, I'm learning the joys of near-nonexistent magic gaming. Suddenly, hit point loss, poison, disease, and death are actually meaningful (e.g., "My PC's infected? I'll just go to the temple priest to remove it...what do you mean I have to roll 3 Fort. saves over the next three days to prevent 1d6 permanent Strength loss? Oh, man...").

The following low-magic DnD campaign popped into my head after the latest game:

* Wizards, sorcerers, and all their variations (e.g., wu gen, etc.) are gone. All arcane spells and most divine spells are cast using the Incarnations rules from Unearthed Arcana.
* Barbarians, fighters, monks, and rogues are unmodified. Paladins and rangers are replaced by their non-magic using variants. (The source book escapes me at the moment. PHII?) Only non-magic using optional classes from Complete Warrior, Adventurer, and Scoundrel are available as a PC (e.g., swashbuckler is fine, but not a hexblade).
* Clerics receive only their domain granted powers and domain spells. Unlike the standard rules, clerics have access to both domain spells per day instead of the usual one. They also lose the spontaneous casting ability. The restriction on spell-casting and alignment still applies to divine incarnations. Optional classes from Complete Divine and Champion Champion are affected by the same rules.
* Druids lose their spell-casting abilities. The restriction on spell-casting and alignment still applies to divine incarnations.
* If ToB:Bo9S is used, the martial disciples Desert Wind and Shadow Hand are not available.
* No psionics.
* Both Action Points and Reserve Points options from Unearthed Arcana are used.
* Magic items are very, very, rare.

Opinions? As a DM, I would careful select opponents with the above houserules in mind.

 

[blargney the second]

Sounds like Iron Heroes.
-blarg

 

[Arkhandus]

Seconded.

You may as well pick up Iron Heroes by Malhavoc Press (though designed by Mike Mearls, not Monte Cook).

In Iron Heroes, magic items and spellcasting are of minimal presence/significance. Only martial classes exist in Iron Heroes, aside from the one Arcanist class, which is only there as a last-minute add-on, and not at all necessary. You can throw in as few magic items as you feel like, and the characters will still be very effective.

Just ditch the Arcanist, use Incantations as you were already planning, use the other Iron Heroes classes instead of D&D martial classes, and perhaps throw in the weakened Cleric and Druid that you mentioned, if you want, but they're not needed.

It'll probably be easier to learn the differences between Iron Heroes rules and 3.x D&D rules than to try and make normal D&D work without standard spellcasting classes and magic item abundance. Iron Heroes classes are stronger because they're designed under the assumption of few or no magic items.

 

[Khuxan]

I don't think you should allow clerics at all. Given you have struck out all arcane spellcasters, I don't think it's unreasonable to finish the job.

I would also allow Shadow Hand and Burning Wind. This is not a no-magic game, it is a low-magic game. I play a swordsage, and they do not have a huge number of options for manuevers. If you're going to let someone turn into a giant bear, I think it's fair to let them set their sword on fire.

 

[Whimsical]

Yep, you definitely want to check out Iron Heroes.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Sounds like Iron Heroes.
-blarg

I don't know? Fourthed? Let's say nthed.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Re-nthed.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Iron Heroes is quite a different type of game. Apart from its general lack of magic items and spellcasting, I mean.

It won't necessarily appeal to DMs or players of 3e. . . or of any other system, for that matter.

In the end, I found it to be far too crunchy (and time-consuming) in all the wrong ways, without offering anything that other options can't. Lots of neat ideas, sure, but with a very rushed feel throughout.

So, FWIW, I would personally recommend sticking with your original plan, more or less. Experiment with the rules a bit, or a lot. Just with the core rules, Unearthed Arcana available, the Book of Nine Swords empowering melee types, and the internet providing stupendous amounts of other variant rules, you could most likely find a ruleset that works for you.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

If I were running such a campaign, I might consider putting the Soulknife in as the sole Psionic class...but that's me.

 

[Kmart Kommando]

Iron Heroes is awesome.

I've been running a game for a little while.

I made a new version of the Arcanist from parts of the Spiritualist, but so far, no one has wanted to play a caster.

I redid the Eberron setting and run IH there, took away most of the magic-do-dads, added guns.

My players are still trying to play like it's D&D though, finally had the harrier to a tumble stunt and one-shot some pirate.

One guy charged a boatload of enemies boarding an airship, D&D style, let himself get surrounded, and got beat down, then got caught in the open trying get away and fell to a poorly-timed volley of max-damage arrows. (he went to like -24 hit points and rolled a 1 on his Fort save, alternate death and dying rules I found on this board and modified for IH)
Luckily, the airship crashed into a lake and the rest of the party survived, barely.