Ever play a single race campaign?

[Gareman]

I'm hoping to try something a little different by running a single-race campaign. For example, everyone would play a dwarf and be immersed in dwarven culture. The campaign would start in the city of the race, be concerned with racial issues and the players, some of whom are less knowledgeable about the game than they should be (I think) would get an opportunity to delve deeply into a classic fantasy race.

If you've done this before, what pitfalls can you steer me away from? Do the players get bored or did you find resistance? Do they end up developing unique characters or does it become a goofy snow-white-like story? Did you, as DM, find it tiresome after a while?

Let me know your thoughts....

 

[scourger]

I love this idea. I pitched it to one of my fellow gamers who started the all-dwarf game a couple of years ago. It only lasted 2 sessions, but everyone was on board and loving it.

I would DM this kind of game in a second. Any unifying element of commonality is great.

I ran a Judge Dredd game for all judges. I would run Mesopotamia or the Horned God as all-human games.

I would even run Star Wars as all-jedi (probably the only way I would do it). I've finally gotten a buddy to run an all-jedi game for 2 of us on intermittent weekends. I hope it continues!

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

You can see our very own PbP forums for at least two examples of such games. An all Kobold game(which rocks) and an all Halfling game(which I know nothing about other than Ferrix is great). They work, and there's actually tons of diversity within the groups.

I would even run Star Wars as all-jedi (probably the only way I would do it). I've finally gotten a buddy to run an all-jedi game for 2 of us on intermittent weekends. I hope it continues!

I'm actually running an all Jedi Tales of the Jedi era game on the PbP forums here. Most SW games I run are a mix of Force users and others, and it works fine. Though there's rarely a single race, as the diversity is one of the draws of SWd20.

 

[beaver1024]

In AD&D (2e) we had an all elf and all dwarf campaigns. Eventually they just acted like humans with pointy ears or short humans. I think that's when I stopped DMing AD&D (2e) entirely.

 

[Jeph]

The game I'm playing in currently is all-human, but that's an artefact of the setting--while elves, dwarves, etc exist, they are rather rare.

--Jeff

 

[TracerBullet42]

We just started an all-dwarf campaign today...I think it'll work out pretty well. I don't see why not...

As usual, it probably all depends on your group.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I ran an all-halfling campaign in the Five Shires, and it worked great.

 

[fusangite]

Neither was D&D but I've been in two games where the PCs were all of the same race. In both cases, the PCs believed themselves to be "human" and all the other races were described physically relative to the "human" norm. As it turned out, in both cases, the characters were not, in fact human.

So, I think the biggest advantage to this is giving the players the sense that they are playing humans but then hitting them, mid-campaign, with the realization that they are really elves or whatever.

Most of my campaigns are single-race campaigns but in the vast majority, the single race is really human.

 

[Aeolius]

I once ran a campaign where all the PCs began as larvae (1e AD&D MotP), and "mutated" their way to more powerful forms.

 

[Connorsrpg]

Have ran two 'all-dwarf' campaigns.

Both were amongst the longest-runnning amd most enjoyable campaigns i have run in 15+ years of gaming. Players still talk abou those characters.

Whilst it could be approached as a pitfall, having all characters the same race can really make personality and 'character' shine. Too many players rely on their race to be the personality. 'Oh I am an elf, I wouldn't do that. Get the halfling to.' But when all characters are dwarves then player HAVE to destinguish themselves from one another.

Give it a go. You will love it, and so will the players. There are so many hooks and adventure ideas you can throw in because generally dwarves will be united in what they want to achieve. Just make sure the players develop good personalities and backgrounds. (The old 2e Dwarven HB had some very good ready-to-go personalities - sometimes beginning players need these though they are also great use for experienced players needing to make dwarves all different).

Connors