Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
[5E] Urban Intrigue Campaign - Gating the Sandbox
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="77IM" data-source="post: 7622343" data-attributes="member: 12377"><p>Oh! I forgot a good one.</p><p></p><p><strong><em>No Map.</em></strong> Make the players map the place. They have to explore it. Talking to the locals might get them a good overview of the city, like district boundaries and major landmarks. But when the players realize that the local "general store" is selling everything for 50% markup, and they want to buy some fine leather goods at PHB prices, make them go on a quest to find that. Or, they need to find a particular person, to turn in a quest for a reward. Even better, <em>have a local give them directions</em> that don't make no sense until you follow them. "So take a left at the canal, and then cross the second bridge... or is it the third bridge? It's the one with the peach trees growing near it. That'll put you on West Peachtree Street, which, confusingly, is east of Peachtree Street, so don't get them mixed up. Then, after the Church of the Golden Sun, you'll want to take the left fork..." It's kind of like having a treasure map in the dungeon (treasure maps are excellent for megadungeons).</p><p></p><p>Anyway, treat accurate maps as treasure, and make the players map things themselves otherwise. The mere fact that the players don't know what's where should slow them down somewhat. Like, if getting to the Harbor District requires going through the crime-ridden, maze-like Lower Slums, do the PCs really want to try just sprinting from one side to the other? Do they hire a guide for 100 gp? (Probably they could Intimidate him down to like 5 gp...) Or do they cautiously map the place out, learning which areas to avoid, which gangs are more friendly towards outsiders, etc.?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="77IM, post: 7622343, member: 12377"] Oh! I forgot a good one. [B][I]No Map.[/I][/B] Make the players map the place. They have to explore it. Talking to the locals might get them a good overview of the city, like district boundaries and major landmarks. But when the players realize that the local "general store" is selling everything for 50% markup, and they want to buy some fine leather goods at PHB prices, make them go on a quest to find that. Or, they need to find a particular person, to turn in a quest for a reward. Even better, [I]have a local give them directions[/I] that don't make no sense until you follow them. "So take a left at the canal, and then cross the second bridge... or is it the third bridge? It's the one with the peach trees growing near it. That'll put you on West Peachtree Street, which, confusingly, is east of Peachtree Street, so don't get them mixed up. Then, after the Church of the Golden Sun, you'll want to take the left fork..." It's kind of like having a treasure map in the dungeon (treasure maps are excellent for megadungeons). Anyway, treat accurate maps as treasure, and make the players map things themselves otherwise. The mere fact that the players don't know what's where should slow them down somewhat. Like, if getting to the Harbor District requires going through the crime-ridden, maze-like Lower Slums, do the PCs really want to try just sprinting from one side to the other? Do they hire a guide for 100 gp? (Probably they could Intimidate him down to like 5 gp...) Or do they cautiously map the place out, learning which areas to avoid, which gangs are more friendly towards outsiders, etc.? [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
[5E] Urban Intrigue Campaign - Gating the Sandbox
Top