Anybody have any advice on running an Exalted campaign?

[blackshirt5]

OK, I know that this is primarily a D&D/D20 board. Sue me. Exalted is awesome.

Does anybody have any advice on how to run a really good Exalted campaign? I tried once before, but the whole thing lost steam a little ways into the campaign. I'd like to avoid that this time around.

This was prompted by the fact that I just bought Exalted: Lunars at the mall today! It's really a pretty awesome book.

 

[EarthsShadow]

What kinds of ideas do you have floating around, and how interested are the players? I have found that in order to have a good exalted game you need a group of players that are really into cinematic fighting and epic stories, much different than in your typical d20/D&D game.

Do you also have the Abyssals sorcebook, and Creatures of the Wyld for some truly good monsters to throw at them? Both are awesome and the Abyssals would really help in making some good antagonists for the players.

Lunars is also good. I would recommend anybody read the setting chapter alone for just how barbarians and tribes live out in the harsh wilderness of any game world. It's a good read.

Possible suggestions:
Pick a region and type of exalted they can play. If people want to play two different kinds of exalted, then read up in the books how to come up with stories for combining them so they don't kill each other. If you pick a specific region (The North is one of my favorites) then it is really easy to create enough details for it to get them to stay interested.

Don't get so overwhelmed by the dice pools that can occur, that's just part of the fun of seeing a scatterbomb of dice explode when you hit with that really awesome combo of charms that destroys the creature so you save the day...you know what I mean.

Start small, with a specific focus, and gradually lead into the epic story you have in mind. It must be epic, or else its not exalted, and you'd be better playing d&d if you want something typical.

Make sure they understand their backgrounds, and a good thing to do would be to have them roleplay thorugh their initial exaltation and have anybody around them freak out and treat them horribly because they are suddenly Anathema and are bad to be around, things like that. They might have the powers of gods, but make sure you let them know that they have to be careful or else. I would even have the Wyld Hunt chase them initially to put the fear in them that this is not your typical world.

ummmm, anybody else have any suggestions?

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

 

[Angcuru]

*Disguises self as PirateCat before entering thread*

Well, blackshirt5, I think what you should do is give Angcuru's character GODLY bonuses to whatever is primary to his character, just because.

 

[blackshirt5]

MY players told me last week that they'd be interested in an Exalted campaign. In fact, Angcuru might be here later on to gen up a character.

The available types of Exalts are:
Solars
Lunars
Dragon-Bloods, but they have to be cooperative with the others. No making a DB just to try calling in the Realm on the other PCs.

Without revealing too much of the plot, it's going to start out near Nexus, but could eventually travel all across Creation. The idea of it is going to be a battle against the powers of the Death Lords(not sure which Death Lord yet; i.e., it isn't known who is really pulling the strings, although being near NExus I can definitely see a lot of conflict with Mask of Winters). There will be First Age Artifacts that need recovering, raging spirits that need stopping, epic battles within ancient ruins and deadly tombs(kudos if you can get the hint there), and much more. If you would like more elaboration, come into the chat server, because if I leave it all up here, then my players could read it and ruin the surprises for themselves.

 

[Angcuru]

...and deadly tombs(kudos if you can get the hint there), and much more.

If you'll excuse me, I'll go think up the perfect combo of skills and stats to allow for the ducking and dodging of countless bladed weapons spinning and floating outside of an ancient tomb.

 

[Angcuru]

If you'll excuse me, I'll go think up the perfect combo of skills and stats to allow for the ducking and dodging of countless bladed weapons spinning and floating outside of an ancient tomb.

But before I get to that I'll go play Starlancer - Tis like Wing Commander and Tie Fighter combined. *squeals with glee*...if it would only stop quitting at random...[/B][/QUOTE]

 

[Gumby]

Dragon-Bloods, but they have to be cooperative with the others. No making a DB just to try calling in the Realm on the other PCs.

Somehow, I don't see that as a problem...
"Ha-ha! I, and my fellow Dragon-Blooded of the Wyld Hunt, have surrounded your pitiful band of Anathema! Now, prepare for your absolute--"
POUND POUND SMASH SLASH FIVE-FOLD BULWARK FIRE AND STONES IRON WHIRLWIND ESSENCE-GATHERING DEADLY BEASTMAN IRRITABLE MONKEY INVINCIBLE SWORD POUND POUND MULTIPLIED BY POUND SQUARED TO THE POUNDTH POWER POUND
"So Ted, gonna roll up a Solar or a Lunar like the rest of us for your next character?"
"Yeah... yeah, I think so."

 

[Staffan]

The available types of Exalts are:
Solars
Lunars
Dragon-Bloods, but they have to be cooperative with the others. No making a DB just to try calling in the Realm on the other PCs.

If you're interested in game balance, I don't think it's a good idea to mix Exalted types. OK, starting Solars and Lunars are roughly comparable, but Solars get cooler things way faster (on account of cheaper essence and not having as convoluted charm trees), but Dragon-Bloods are pretty weak individually compared to those (the strength of the DBs is that there are about 100 of them for each Solar).

 

[Darkness]

*Disguises self as PirateCat before entering thread*

Well, blackshirt5, I think what you should do is give Angcuru's character GODLY bonuses to whatever is primary to his character, just because.

*Disguises self as Darkness... no, wait a minute! *

What for? Exalted characters are very powerful anyway.

 

[blackshirt5]

Well, the plus for being a DB comes from RP, because it's easier to get around and negotiate as a DB than as a Celestial. Easier to get some guy to submit to your demands when he can't call down the Wyld Hunt on you for showing off your majesty.