Edge Studio Midnight 5E - Campaign Sustainability

[R_J_K75]

I was looking through the new Midnight campaign setting last night, reading bits and pieces of the PC creation and a few other parts. We are thinking of running a new 5E game in the setting and I kind of got the impression that keeping a long-term game going there may prove challenging for a number of reasons, though I've never run a campaign in the setting.

1) The PCs seem like they may be quite a bit more powerful with the heroic paths on top of the standard 5E classes and not using feats doesn't seem like an option. So theyd be more complicated for the players and DMs to keep track of.
2) I think the gloom and doom, grim dark theme of the setting may become old rather quickly for the players
3) From a DM standpoint it seems like it might be hard to come up with unique adventures that properly portrays the setting without making it too deadly and also finding ways that aren't contrived for keeping the players alive
4) Lack of magic and the laws of the land may make survival rather difficult

Has anyone ran a 3E or 5E campaign in the setting and come across any of these problems and how did you avoid them? I haven't read the whole book so I'm sure there's lots of places to explore etc, but this was just my first impression that it might get monotonous and boring sooner than later.

EDIT: I just got an iPhone 13 and I'm not sure but I dont think push notifications come through from this website on Safari. So I'll check my laptop from time to time.

 

[TwiceBorn2]

I ran a Midnight campaign using a mix of 3.5/Pathfinder rules several years ago. My players still bring it up as their favourite campaign, thus far. We're all quite bummed that there's been no distribution of Midnight 5E in Canada.

As to your questions...

1) In 3.5, many heroic paths were unbalanced when compared to one another, but that didn't bother us too much. I made magic items really hard to come by, so the heroic paths compensated for that somewhat. My understanding is that in 5E, the heroic path feats are taken as normal feats would be, and not in addition to feats you would normally receive. Many of the old guard have been disappointed by the new approach to heroic paths. I won't comment one way or another, as I don't have the 5E book.

2) For some (many?) players, I can certainly see the gloom and doom getting old after a while (or very quickly, even) -- especially if they prefer high adventure and a lighter mood in their RPG, and they want to forget the horrors of reality and the depressing stuff we see on the news. That said, keep in mind that a grim setting does not mean a humourless setting, especially if your players develop characters along the lines of Tyrion, Bronn, Varys, etc., in Game of Thrones. Nevertheless, I can see some (many?) players not enjoying the "small victories" against overwhelming evil. I would suggest playing a finite campaign arc with a fixed objective other than killing Izrador (not going to happen) or one of his Night Kings (also very unlikely to happen). Maybe crippling the Shadow's weapons production by mounting a successful attack on Steel Hill, or freeing slaves and leading them to "safety" in Erethor? The only official 3E adventure (Crown of Shadows), an updated version of which will be coming out soon for 5E, involves trying to bring a maguffin from one end of Eredane to allies at the other end of the continent without getting caught by the Shadow... perhaps that would be the best way to get your players to dip their toes in the setting and see if they (and you) like it?

3) Yes, I agree that developing thematically satisfying stories in Midnight was more challenging for me as DM. It's much more difficult to just pick up any old D&D adventure and make minor tweaks to make it fit in, as you might in a standard D&D campaign. I think it's really important to focus on the characters in Midnight (PCs and NPCs), and to make sure that whatever scenarios you generate flow from them, rather than trying to adapt a bunch of generic quests to the setting... which, when I did do it, left me less than satisfied. Still, Midnight is a setting that lends itself particularly well to great storytelling, if you and your group are up for the challenge.

4) Yep, and that's the beauty of it (IMO). Magic truly is special in Midnight... but is the power it brings worth the risk and the cost? You will need to make adjustments to your game, either by making stealth and bluffing a more realistic/achievable option than straight up combat, by reducing the frequency of straight-up combats, and by making sure at least one player considers taking the Healer feat from the PHB. In 3.5, Midnight had expanded rules for healing via herbalism... sounds like that unfortunately did not make it into the 5E version.

I'd be happy to answer any other questions you may have.

 

[R_J_K75]

I'd be happy to answer any other questions you may have.

You answered alot of my questions, thank you. About two years ago I adapted the 3,5 version to 5E set in Swift Water. It was really fun but only ran for about 2 months. Campaign started about Halloween time and involved a haunted house, Scarecrows and Jack-O-Lanterns Kobolds Presses Pumpkin King and the Keg or Drunken Gremlin made an appearance too. That ws a fun adventure although short lived.

I think I'll start again in Swift Water, its a safe haven and base the game out of there and center it around the freedom movement and couriering supplies.

You gave me a good perspective, perspective that I pretty much already had but was looking for someone elses point of view. I really appreciated tht you addressed my questions without saying...."heres how you should do it, heres what youre doing wrong"....

Seems like a good setting with player buy in. Its me DMing and 2 other players so I think we can make it work.

Thnks, KIT

 

[5atbu]

Symbaroum is similarly dark. As is A Song Of Ice and Fire. Yet these two have given us over five years of excellent, deep and satisfying gaming.

 

[TwiceBorn2]

Based on a quick "skim" of the Midnight - Legacy of Darkness PDF, I have a feeling that I'll be importing a lot of the mechanics from Ruins of Symbaroum 5E into my forthcoming Midnight campaign. I own all of the original edition Symbaroum books released in English to date, and the reviews I've been reading of Ruins 5E make it sound promising as a dark fantasy tool kit. Can't wait for that to release here in Canada... which, sadly, is likely to happen before MLoD makes it to retail.

 

[R_J_K75]

I have a feeling that I'll be importing a lot of the mechanics from Ruins of Symbaroum 5E into my forthcoming Midnight campaign

On their website description of the core books say its a simple, yet modular system full of optional rules, any idea where I can get more information on what these modular rules are?

 

[TwiceBorn2]

On their website description of the core books say its a simple, yet modular system full of optional rules, any idea where I can get more information on what these modular rules are?

I've mostly been looking at online text and YouTube reviews.

This one does a fairly deep dive on the Ruins of Symbaroum 5E Player's Guide: Ruins of Symbaroum Player's Guide Review

YouTube overview of the player's guide:


An overview of the GM's guide:


Overview of the bestiary:


The RoS books just released in Canada, so let's hope they don't sell out before I manage to scrounge enough pennies to buy them... because the 5e content sounds amazing.

 

[R_J_K75]

I've mostly been looking at online text and YouTube reviews.

This one does a fairly deep five on the Ruins of Symbaroum 5E Player's Guide: Ruins of Symbaroum Player's Guide Review

YouTube overview of the player's guide:


An overview of the GM's guide:


Overview of the bestiary:


The RoS books just released in Canada, so let's hope they don't sell out before I manage to scrounge enough pennies to buy them... because the 5e content sounds amazing.

I read one review last night which gave a decent summary. $100 for all 3 core books doesnt seem too steep but I'll watch these reviews then decide if I want to invest in them and use these to supplement my upcoming Midnight game.

 

[5atbu]

Or run Symbaroum!

 

[R_J_K75]

Or run Symbaroum!

OK so Im assuming you've played it? What makes one setting better than the other?