D&D PCs Acquiring Land?

[TeeSeeJay]

Back when hitting 9th level meant you had reached "name level," you could build a stronghold and attract followers. It was great. How 'bout that.

Am I glossing over something obvious, or does 3e itself gloss over the act of actually obtaining land? Both the PHB and the DMG mention Land as a "reward," and then the Stronghold Builder's GB goes right into actually building a stronghold. What about what comes in-between? Are there published resources (WoTC D&D or 3rd Party d20) that describe various ways PCs can acquire land, and the pitfalls that come along the way?

If not, say the word, and I'll come up with my own crap and send it to Dragon.

 

[Mark]

I think they wanted to remove the dictates of at what level a campaign was to culminate and leave that to the individual DMs. If a DM wants to have a low level game that progresses through only mid-levels and climaxes at tenth level, restrictions that require only 20th level characters can build strongholds would dampen that quite a bit. While it would still be done, why restrict it if it means that you are alienating part of your market? Just my guess, of course...

 

[jgbrowning]

I think they wanted to remove the dictates of at what level a campaign was to culminate and leave that to the individual DMs. If a DM wants to have a low level game that progresses through only mid-levels and climaxes at tenth level, restrictions that require only 20th level characters can build strongholds would dampen that quite a bit. While it would still be done, why restrict it if it means that you are alienating part of your market? Just my guess, of course...

Course they could have just said what you said mark

joe b.

 

[jasamcarl]

Course they could have just said what you said mark

joe b.

Yeah, they could have said a lot of things, but limited page space and the quantity of common sense possessed by many if not most consumers puts this near the bottom of the priority list.

 

[TeeSeeJay]

Really I couldn't care less about the "proper" level at which PCs could/should acquire land. I was just prefacing my question with that little factoid.

Yeah, you can just "give" your PCs some land and be done with it. However, if you were running a campaign with feudal trappings, there's some things there that require attention:

Whose land was it before the PCs got it? Is a lesser noble unhappy about having some of his land taken away? Are the neighbors friendly? If the land was a grant from the King, maybe he granted a tract of land on the frontier of the empire, and expects the PC to build a stronghold there to hold back the heathens.

These are the sorts of details I'm thinking about. I'd like to write some of this down in game-form, but I don't want to duplicate any effort if it's been done.

 

[Tonguez]

Whose land was it before the PCs got it? Is a lesser noble unhappy about having some of his land taken away? Are the neighbors friendly? If the land was a grant from the King, maybe he granted a tract of land on the frontier of the empire, and expects the PC to build a stronghold there to hold back the heathens.

These are the sorts of details I'm thinking about. I'd like to write some of this down in game-form, but I don't want to duplicate any effort if it's been done.

The thing is these factors you mention above are all 'plot' issues NOT 'rules' issues and so if you want to create a module which incoporates these things than I wish you all the luck and hope you get it published.

personally I am one of those DMs who consider Level 10 to be 'Epic' and so my characters have been leaders of their village and acquiring land since they were level 3 (the explored a newly discovered Island, negotiated with the native gnomes, made peace with the local 'Guardian Spirit ' and built a village...).

 

[TeeSeeJay]

The thing is these factors you mention above are all 'plot' issues NOT 'rules' issues and so if you want to create a module which incoporates these things than I wish you all the luck and hope you get it published.

personally I am one of those DMs who consider Level 10 to be 'Epic' and so my characters have been leaders of their village and acquiring land since they were level 3 (the explored a newly discovered Island, negotiated with the native gnomes, made peace with the local 'Guardian Spirit ' and built a village...).

Right; and I'm one of those DMs/players who prefer "plot" books instead of "rule" books. I guess you guys call rule content "crunchy" these days. Frankly, I got so burned out on rules after 2e got so bloated with all the splatbooks and players options. Everytime I pick up a new accessory, I'm actually disheartened to see huge page counts devoted to new classes and skills. Like the only way to create an interesting and unique product is to fill it up with yet more crap to notate on a character sheet.

I yearn for the days where an accessory was all plot. Shadowrun is my other game of choice, and when they gave you a sourcebook, you'd have to look long and hard for the "crunchy" bits.

Long post short, "plot" issues is what I'm interested in re: this whole land issue. If no one's touched on it I'll feel fine in coming up with my own stuff. Rules issues are boring. (roll)You get 40 acres, plus (roll) a village and (roll) three dungeons on the property. (roll)Your neighbor hates you.

 

[arwink]

Rules issues are boring. (roll)You get 40 acres, plus (roll) a village and (roll) three dungeons on the property. (roll)Your neighbor hates you.

Hmm. Sounds suspiciously like an adventure-plot to me

 

[TeeSeeJay]

Hmm. Sounds suspiciously like an adventure-plot to me

There's always multiple ways to look at a result in an RPG. On one hand, generating plot issues arbitrarily by rolling against tables can have some pretty arbitrary and illogical results. On the other hand, as you mention, it can set up a month's worth of campaign material in the blink of an eye.

 

[arwink]

For what it's worth, I still use about a half-a-dozen older sets of rules for land management, picking and choose between them to suit the style of game I'm running.

In general, it's a very hard level to generalize in, because there's way to many approaches to the subject matter to encompass all the options in one way. The only option, really, that's missing for me in d20 is a set of compatible nuts and bolts rules. How many people do you govern, tax revenue, etc and so forth.

And to be honest, most of the time that doesn't concern in the slightest.