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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Henry" data-source="post: 725455" data-attributes="member: 158">My suggestions for you; hopefully they will be useful in some way.The important thing is to learn how to calculate the rules. The hardest section you'll ever have is Chapter 8 of the PHB, and if you get that down, the rest is easy. Most of the rules are based on simple math formulas; everything from additional spells due to high ability scores, to saving throws, base attacks, and even grappling are based on simple formulas.While some DM's never had problems with this in 2E, others had it all the time. (Such as myself.) The best thing is to establish a baseline WHEN THE CAMPAIGN STARTS, and only allow the PrC's, feats, etc. that YOU say. I even had to do this back in 2E, because players were coming to me with Player's Option stuff all the time, which I used to categorically strike down, because I didn't have time to read it all.Henry's 4 easy steps to creating an NPC:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Assign class, level, and motivations. These are the three most important things to know about your NPC.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Do not assign ability scores unless you must. If you must, assume all stats are average except for ones directly related to class. assign a 13 to 15 to these scores. If VERY good at what they do, assign a 16. Ignore racial modifiers.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Assume untrained proficiency in any skill unrelated to their profession. (NOT class) Any skill related to their job, assign ranks equal to their level. If they are supposed to be REALLY good at a skill, give them max ranks, and even assign a feat to skill focus.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Do not assume any feats unless necessary to their profession. (Track for a hunter, etc.) If reknowned for a feat, give it to them.</li> </ul>The above takes approximately 60 seconds to do, and are the ONLY things necessary to know about an NPC which the Players will be interacting with. If the NPC is an important person, is unique in some way, or is to be a main villain or ally, they need to be statted out fully. Your players will not care if the weaponmaster who trains them has every point allocated and every feat taken. The genius of this method is that room is left for plot necessities; if the character needs to know how to swim, jump, climb or weave baskets, there are enough points left over for them to have legally taken such a feat or skill. Once you know the being's class, level, and motivations, you know 80% of what the players need to know about your NPC. This hasn't changed since day one.On the contrary, there are several very good game worlds out there, with original themes, unlike any seen in TSR worlds, with support out the -- well, it's lots of support.Check out the following:--the Freeport setting at <a href="http://www.greenronin.com" target="_blank">www.greenronin.com</a>--the Scarred Lands and Ravenloft settings at <a href="http://www.swordsorcery.com" target="_blank">www.swordsorcery.com</a>--the Draognstar setting at <a href="http://www.fierydragon.com" target="_blank">www.fierydragon.com</a>There are many others, but these three have so much support that you can run full 20-level campaigns with little need for extra support. I submit that the preference fragmentation was always there, are was exaerbated by the market loss by TSR in the 1990's, but it is more vocal in the past 6 years than it ever was previously, due to the internet.Not had a problem, since I've played in three different groups from 1998 to 2003.See above with regard to the campaign settings. Some publishers rise to the top; Green Ronin, Malhavoc, S&S studios, Fiery Dragon, etc. are all top-notch producers of excellent material.As noted on a recent thread, slowing advancement is easy, if you cut not only the XP gained, but the magic and money gained as well. However, you are correct in that many mega-adventures requres you to go through them very quickly. Module series can be altered; just insert more adventures between the key modules in order to adjust the proper levels.  TV series do this with "filler" episodes all the time; after all, you can't appreciate the HUGE moments, without the little ones.I hope that some of this is useful. My current group has been playing 3E for a year and a half now, and we were all playing 3E since it came out. It's been nothing but fun. We play other games - star wars, call of cthulhu, d20 modern - but we always seem to return to the dungeons and dragons we love so well.</blockquote>

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