DM's: Player's Campaign Book Design Challenge (incl. House Rules)

[el-remmen]

Do your players have to reference the web during the game or do you have a house rule handout for them to reference during the game?

jh

If we need to look it up it is easily enough done since we play in a room that has a computer in it - but usually we are good at knowing any commonly used house rules (with players who know them better helping those that don't).

 

[Emirikol]

EDIT: It was too large to upload - so here is a link to it: http://www.aquerra.com/SecondSon/SSoaSS_Players_Guide.pdf

Oh, that's cool. I like the Table of Contents on the left hand side. it allows you to fit more on to your opening page.

As for content: I too run a humanocentric campaign. I like that you don't make any excuses about it. It's just how it is. Dont you love the players who freak out, "If I can't play a halfling, I don't want to play in your game." Heh, heh. That's the running joke in our game right now

There is a lot of description in there that I'd be willing to be players don't reference as often as you like. I'm torn between having it on the wiki though. When it's there, players simply can't reference it (unless you have players accessing online things during your game).

Things that I'd add: your phone number/contact information, some artwork

jh

 

[sjmiller]

That's the trouble with most people's booklets. They are usually so long that the players don't ever read the whole thing anyways. My book used to be 25 pages with tons of art, lots of useless nonsense, pages of redundant feats (that had appeared in other books by then) and so many house rules that players didn't know what to expect.

My book is designed so that a player can use this book and the PH and have everything they need to make a character. That's so that my players don't need to constantly bother me for my books (books they have no need to buy otherwise).

 

[el-remmen]

Things that I'd add: your phone number/contact information, some artwork

jh

My players already have all that - and if I could draw I would add more artwork - otherwise, unless it is a little thing to fill some dead space - i don't like stealing art from other sources.

 

[Emirikol]

My book is designed so that a player can use this book and the PH and have everything they need to make a character. That's so that my players don't need to constantly bother me for my books (books they have no need to buy otherwise).

Sj:
Thats why we all do it I think. Ours is set up so that we can play D&D in Hyboria (not have to beg/borrow/steal a bunch of new books..e.g. 'new RPG systems'). I did eventually get to a point though, that if players wanted access to other stuff, they were going to have to take their hobby seriously and buy some stuff on their own.

When 3.0 came out, I bought everything and since I DM'ed, I actually used very little of it (complete books or Dragon for example). It was annoying that I had to fund other people's gaming habits. Players should be getting their own stuff.

Not that I don't think it's meritorious to do all the work by putting that stuff in a HR book, but I just didn't find it enjoyable to do all that work anymore and it didn't take anything away from the campaign when I stopped.

Thoughts?

jh

 

[Emirikol]

Here's what I have used and am preparing to use SAVAGE TIDE...

Archade:

That's a friendly-use layout. I like your class layout. It encourages players to look at doing classes other than fighter, cleric, wizard, rogue.

Things I'd add: Contact information (so it's all in one place, a couple bits of art (I like to use stuff from google images), the campaign name (maybe a title page).

I can see you use UA stuff..house rulebook is especially necessary then

I'd add a caveat to your prestige classes "allowed/disallowed" that notes that "other PrC's not listed here/there will be assessed on a case by case basis by the dm.

 

[Nellisir]

That's the trouble with most people's booklets. They are usually so long that the players don't ever read the whole thing anyways. My book used to be 25 pages with tons of art, lots of useless nonsense, pages of redundant feats (that had appeared in other books by then) and so many house rules that players didn't know what to expect.

I cut my book to 8 pages. Players actually read it now.

jh

I don't expect players to necessarily read the whole book (though they get bonus points with the DM for doing so, and I have at least 2 players who do). I do expect them to read the parts appropriate to their characters, and I've found they will prompt one another to read sections.

 

[Nyaricus]

EDIT: It was too large to upload - so here is a link to it: http://www.aquerra.com/SecondSon/SSoaSS_Players_Guide.pdf

I'm in awe man. Complete awe. That's awesome.

 

[el-remmen]

I'm in awe man. Complete awe. That's awesome.

Thanks, man!

You can read a little more about it here.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I don't have a player's guide for my campaign but I do have House Rules and Table Rules that I give to each player to read before they start. Them actually reading them in another thing entirely! A bit sad considering that there is only 1 page of House Rules and 4 pages of Table Rules.

Note: If any of the House or Table Rules look familiar it is because I stole a lot of them from fellow EN Worlders!

Olaf the Stout