combining material from various sources - relaying info to players?

[GlassJaw]

I know many people combine odds and ends from many sources for their campaigns. What I'm curious about is if you introduce material for the players, how do you present the info to them, assuming they won't have the books themselves?

Do you photocopy material for the players? Do you have a character creation session before the campaign starts to go over any new material?

 

[Jdvn1]

Players can look through books on their own time. If they don't hav books or access to the books, they can browse through the ones we have available before game.

 

[raineym]

I always tweak the rules in some form or fashion, so we always have character creation sessions before any campaign starts.

Generally, most of us in our group have the books we use. As DM, I try to not introduce new materials into the game unless I know they may be beneficial. If there is something that I know the players don't have access to, I try to tell them about it at least a few days before-hand, so that may look at it if its web-based or I photocopy the pages so that they do have access. I never spring new material or rules on players at the gaming table.

 

[Turanil]

Normally, as a DM, I create a large campaign setting / rule document in which are detailed the races, classes, etc. available plus a description of the world. Then, the players have just to get a look at the PHB for everything that is not precisely detailed in that document. I consider such a document important to explain the world and flavor of the campaign to the players.

 

[reanjr]

I know many people combine odds and ends from many sources for their campaigns. What I'm curious about is if you introduce material for the players, how do you present the info to them, assuming they won't have the books themselves?

Do you photocopy material for the players? Do you have a character creation session before the campaign starts to go over any new material?

If it's integral to the campaign, I go over it with them. If not, they can go buy their own books. I am very stingy with letting people touch my books. Think of the guy at the table who goes into seizures when you even *look* at his dice. That's me with books.

 

[philreed]

This is exactly the sort of thing my Campaign Planner product was designed for. It includes several sheets for recording changes and customizations to the game and a place to note the source.


http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=2097&SRC=EnWorld

 

[Li Shenron]

I know many people combine odds and ends from many sources for their campaigns. What I'm curious about is if you introduce material for the players, how do you present the info to them, assuming they won't have the books themselves?

Do you photocopy material for the players? Do you have a character creation session before the campaign starts to go over any new material?

If you mean here about material which is available to PC, usually it's the players who have a non-core book and ask if they can use something from it.

Strictly campaign issues arise usually only from non-core races and prestige classes (sometimes from weird or exotic weapons), tho the latter are easier to accomodate flavor-wise, compared to races.
If otherwise I want to emphasise a non-core race in a campaign, including encouraging it as a PC, then I usually make the proposal to the group, and if someone decides to try such a character but doesn't have the book, I hand him photocopies.

That's not a common thing however, as IMXP it almost always come from player's books.

 

[Voadam]

I know many people combine odds and ends from many sources for their campaigns. What I'm curious about is if you introduce material for the players, how do you present the info to them, assuming they won't have the books themselves?

Do you photocopy material for the players? Do you have a character creation session before the campaign starts to go over any new material?

Usually it is simply myself or the other player who has tons of stuff saying "Hey I saw this neat thing that looks like it fits your character." and then e-mailing a copy of the prc or feat or whatever to the other player for him and the DM to consider.

I'll also lend a book to the DM and say "this part here looks neat, let me know if my character can get it."

As a DM I don't bring out every book I own for players to consider in making their characters although if they have a concept and I remember appropriate stuff I will bring it to their attention.

In the e-mail game I run, any player material (feats, class powers, spells, items, etc.) from stuff not available in the srd must be spelled out in a text file so I can reference the exact rules as I run the game.

 

[TerraDave]

Like Turanil, we have a singlle document, a player's guide (in sig), that has any third party stuff they need to know upfront included. The amount of outside stuff is not huge, so adding it is not a big deal. The problem is all the new stuff I felt compelled to add...

 

[GlassJaw]

Let me cite a specific example. One guy in my group is preparing a pirate campaign (CarlZog on the boards). He is mostly using Green Ronin's Skull & Bones and a few more classes from AEG's Swashbuckling Adventures.

Other than the GM, I'm the only player in the group who has S&B and I don't have SA. The only things that will be used in the PHB are a few classes, the skills, and feats. Most of the classes will be new as well as the magic system. There are also some new skills, feats, equipment, and additional rules.

I don't think requiring players to buy the books is an option in this case. Unfortunately, none of those books are available as pdf's either. I think there almost has to be a character creation session in this case.