D&D 5E Help me design my next campaign - Low magic world

[dontpunkme]

So I'm starting to think up plans for my next homebrew. 3.5 rules. I probably won't run the game for at least a year plus. I plan on keeping the world relatively low-magic. Background wise, I'm thinking of using some type of war of attrition, reciprocating assassinations (possibly still on-going) to explain the lack of high-to-mid level spellcasters between arcane and divine (I'm thinking of going with a monotheistic world) spellcasters. Nature-based divine (hereafter referred to as either hippies or tree-huggers) would kind of be exceedingly rare and were probably caught in the middle and purged by both sides. Still, exceptions still apply in the world: wizards and wizard colleges have mainly if not completely destroyed, but the occassional sorceror still pops up, but very uncommonly. But powerful ones would be the target of constant threat of assassination.

As far as PC classes go, the list currently includes:
Fighter
Rogue
Barbarian
Paladin, Ranger, Hexblade (uncommon, but they still exist, but they would not travel together nor would there be more than 1 in the same party)
Scout
Knight
Marshall
Any pure spellcasters would be completely off limits. It'd be way too much of a pain to deal with constant threat of assassination. And frankly how many times can that really still be fun. I have Bo9S, but I've never played in a game that includes it and I have to admit, I'm only mildly familiar with the classes and their actual play and will have to really study up before I decide (any input you have on the book would be most welcome) I don't plan to include monk, samurai, and the other asian themed classes because they really don't fit my campaign concept.

Storywise, I'm think some type of crusades-themed game. Think of it centered in Jerusalem and the church as the Christians, the arcane casters Muslims, and the hippies represented by Judaism. ***Please don't interpret this idea as my judgment of history or the religions or in any way my backhanded attempt to turn this into a religious message. It's not my intent and I plan on showing all sides in the conflict in positive and negative lights as well as in several shades of gray.

Demi-humans (god, I feel old calling them that) would also be exceedingly rare in the lands of men where I plan on HQing the campaign (but would likely be pagans for most intents and purposes). They tend to be isolationists in my mind and the rare one in the lands of men is either under strict exile or possibly a convert.

Basically, does anybody have any experience running this type of game. I know iron heroes is out there, but I don't have it neither does my FLGS. I'm not sure if I want to use prestige classes (most wouldn't be allowed anyway and I'm sorry, but I've grown quite sick of them over the years. Too many and its just pure splat). If I do include prestige classes which non-obvious ones should I include/exclude. Obviously, I'm gonna have to be selective with what monsters I include (humans to me would be the most common). What mechanics do I need to tweak/adjust. How do I handle smite evil (smite non-believer perhaps?) and turning (undead would be next to nonexistent given the lack of dark spellcasters to create them). What can I fairly replace these with. Magic items would be rare and next to non-purchasable. I want to bring back the true specialness of magic items (sorry too much pc apathy and casual disregard).

The campaign will very likely start at 1st level and I plan on slowing down level advancement by level 4 or so (read: remove some of the fragileness of the characters) possibly even implementing some 2nd edition style advancement table. I'm also debating possibly more feats (every odd level) just to help compensate for the lack of magic in the party and the next to nil healing. I'm definitely gonna go with max HP every level for the same purpose.

So yeah, I'm sorry for the absolute book I wrote on this, but I'm curious to get feedback and definitely could use advice on how to make this a good game.

 

[Aus_Snow]

You evidently have Complete Warrior, so I recommend using the magic-free versions of the Paladin and Ranger classes that can be found therein. If you must have those classes in the first place, that is. Given that you'll have Knights and Scouts, that's definitely down to a judgement call.

There might be one or two things here as well, despite most of them being to do with spellcasting (this is 3e, after all ).

Because physical combat will be so much more important, I'll suggest using some kind of rules variant to spice said combat up a bit, whether that's the Book of 9 Swords, the Book of Iron Might, Torn Asunder: Critical Hits, or even just the Critical Hit Deck and Critical Fumble Deck.

There are some appropriate prestige classes, in Complete Warrior, Complete Adventurer, and elsewhere. Actually, even the Duelist could work. Perhaps the [no longer just Dwarven] Defender too. If you do use PrCs, you'll find there are hundreds or more out there, that could work for this kind of campaign.

 

[dontpunkme]

Yeah, I'm debating using the non-spellcasting versions of the ranger and paladin, but then I think I'd have to nix the hexblade altogether, they're roughly equal in my mind in terms of their place in the game. Plus, I don't think they're minor spells or lay on hands will be that much of a game changer in the long run nor will they ruin the low-magic flavor.

I have torn asunder, but I think that might be overkill without major healing (especially over several levels). Who publishes the book of iron might, I may have to try to get access to a copy to see what it can do.

If I do allow PrCs, it will definitely not be easy to gain entry. It would have to be justified in game and yeah, classes like the duelist would be allowed.

 

[Aus_Snow]

I'd also suggest nixing the Hexblade, yep. If you're going basically magic-free for PCs, anyway. Seems strange, to me, having one (or two or three) classes with some limited spellcasting, but none of the other magic-users. In the given context, at least.

The Book of Iron Might was put out by Malhavoc Press. It pretty much gives everyone options for combat manoeuvres, stunts, that kind of thing, without anything remotely magical or supernatural being involved.

Reserve Points have been used by quite a few DMs of lower-magic 3e campaigns. Worth a look. Once again, from Unearthed Arcana, originally.

 

[dontpunkme]

Yes, I plan on combing through UA over the development process. I've used it in the past to decent results. As for the inclusion of the weak spellcasting classes: magic (of all sources) isn't completely dead, the major 2 factions (nature-based is more fringe in my mind) both have a presence in the base city, although there is a very shaky truce between their forces. Also, I don't want the paladin (even non-spellcaster) variant's lay on hands and remove disease to be the deciding force in which side of the conflict they want to be on.

I did some review of Bo9S last night and on the surface, I don't see it fitting the overall concept. I'm not sure if I want that strong of a Asian flare. Some of the maneuvers on the surface appear fine, but when it goes up to the more higher level ones, it seems almost complete splat.

 

[metgyre]

if your looking into a military non-magic party, the iron kingdoms ranger could be a nice fit. they dont use magic, and are more of a scout than any other class variant i've found. if you dont plan on using firearms, remove that from the skill list. also from iron kingdoms, they have some pretty good alchemy items that heal. they are kind of expensive if i remember, and they don't work quite as well as normal healing.
also, there are some nice knightly prestige classes in the book legends and lore: excalibur. obviously its a high magic world, but there are a few prestige classes that might fit. one other thing. for turning, i have a pamphlet i boutght called power classes: excorcist. its a cleric that turns all kinds of extradimensial beings. they turn fae, demons, angels, and all sorts of other crazy things. obviously it is a spellcasting class, but you can take the turning tables and add it to a non-spellcasting class with little to no trouble in my mind.

 

[Arkhandus]

Well, you're gimping the arcane side of the conflict, in any case. Even the nature-casters are getting a better deal and seem like they'd be in a better position to become the second major power instead of the arcanists. Especially since all those pagan demi-humans are likely to have plenty of rangers and perhaps druids in their midst, that might be persuaded into joining their druidic/rangerly comrades in some kind of coup against the Church and the arcanists (probably the latter first, to steal their goodies and then take on the Church).

Hexblades suck, and both the Paladin and Ranger are better suited to supporting their factions in the conflict. The arcanists have only primitive, mundane healing resources, so each one that gets injured is likely to die, either of infection or during combat because they can't use quick-healing magic in the heat of battle. The best they can manage are some plundered potions, which aren't very effective.

As kinda-broken as the Duskblade is, you might want to consider using it, just to balance things out a bit by giving the arcanists back their superior firepower, given their utter lack of healing magic. Or just put Bards back in.

Don't forget that undead may still be around from before the conflict, and that restless souls probably still become undead without any spellcasters interfering.

And for replacing the abundance of magic items, you might add something like +1 dodge AC per 2 levels, +1 inherant bonus to an ability score every odd-numbered level past 1st (stacks up to a maximum of +5 to each score), +1 resistance on saving throws per 4 levels, +1 competence on attack rolls and physical damage per 5 levels, and that may just about do it, at least for replacing the common magic items that are expected in D&D.

 

[dontpunkme]

Well, the arcane side still has some wizards left (just like their are some clerics and druids, etc), however they're exceedingly rare and like I said marked targets. They're really just not available for PCs. Also, I forgot to include swashbuckler as an allowed class in my original post.

If I go with non-spellcasting versions of the paladin and ranger, I may just scrap hexblade altogether and make paladin and ranger non-specific. The idea of throwing the duskblade back in is enticing and it makes balance sense if the aforementioned classes retain their spellcasting abilities.

I'm debating scrapping the alignment restrictions on classes (perhaps eliminating the detect spells and all the word of law, blasphemy, etc).
I can see undead still making occasional appearances, but not really being a commonly encountered enemy (same goes for aberrations).

 

[Arkhandus]

Well, the existence of rare NPC full-casters was already mentioned.... But the arcanists are still getting the short end of the stick for sure. ESPECIALLY with the destruction of mage academies and other sources of arcane lore. Unlike clerics and druids, a wizard relies on being able to research their spells, and with so little remaining, they'll find it harder and harder to maintain the breadth of spells and potency of spells they once had access to.....

As more mages get assassinated, there are fewer for the less-experienced mages to learn from and study the spellbooks of, so after a while, there won't be any mages left who know any high-level spells, unless the most powerful mages manage to somehow avoid being found and destroyed before they can pass on their arcane lore to new students that, themselves, manage to somehow elude capture and death even after their masters have died of old age or combat....

Also, the arcane classes are just generally WEAKER than the divine ones, in most cases (Duskblades might just have a slight edge on Clerics in combat, but not likely, given the Clerics' spells....at least at middle to upper levels, though low-level Duskblades are certainly superior). Wizards and sorcerers and bards are so frail, a single Sound Burst from a low-level cleric, or a single Inflict X Wounds, or a single Searing Light, or a single Flame Strike may K.O. an arcanist of similar level, or keep them stunned/blinded/whatever long enough for the Church's or the wild's forces to finish them off. The mages are also more reliant on preparation; if a divine caster can just get some measure of surprise or unexpected nearness to them, they can take out the arcanists with mundane weapons and fighting skills, if nothing else.


Ergo my suggestion regarding the Bard or Duskblade being used instead of the Hexblade. Both are at least decent incentives to consider the arcane faction over the other two who have superior resources for the conflict. Especially since religion is a more significant motivating force than whatever scheme the arcanists may be doing to try getting allies and students and such.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I'm designing a world in which (for reasons I won't go into here) academic arcane education is extremely rare- IOW, there are few wizards. In that, it is somewhat similar to your world.

The consequences are:

1) Due to a lack of schools and the destruction of most spellbooks & scrolls, all wizards determine their initial spells randomly. Spells from the PHB are more common, those from other sources are rare- and this affects how likely a mage is to learn a particular spell. There are no "automatically gained" spells for leveling- you have to find a source for your knowledge in the campaign world- another PC, NPC, an extremely rare scroll or rarer still, a spellbook.

2) Specialists and Focused Specialists are just as common as generalists, and all are far less common than spontaneous casters

3) Because sources of new spells are so rare- mainly other casters- most full casters multiclass or do their own spell research- IOW, they metamagically modify spells they already know into more powerful spells.

In this case, this means that someone who learns Magic Missile at 1st level might research MM as a Still Spell for his second level slot when he advances to 3rd level and he hasn't found a 2nd level spell. He doesn't need the Metamagic Feat- he's redesigned the spell to be more powerful. Its entirely possible that he "specializes" in a certain spell by this method.

In the world you describe, there might be other logical changes as well:

1) I'm not sure your player would appreciate having pure caster classes being the sole domain of NPCs. It rings of "unfairness." A better path might be to say that no PC can take a level in a full-casting class until 2nd (3rd, 4th, etc.)

2) Because arcane spellcasting is essentially illegal, many arcane students would be multiclassed. In fact, that could be a HR- no more than 1/2 (1/3, 1/4, whatever) of all of a PC's class levels may be taken in a full-casting class.

3) Exchange Still Spell or Silent Spell for Scribe Scroll as the 1st level Wiz bonus feat. The First Rule of Wizardry is that the Arcane Art is the Hidden Art..."We don't talk about Wizard School."

4) Its entirely possible that there might be "tamed" arcanists within the hierarchies of the various faiths. After all, arcane magic may be "illegal," but who cares when you're using it against unbelievers. Regardless, their status would be made apparent to all by some kind of distinctive dress or symbol of office- a special staff, a pin of rank, a differently colored ramient to the normal clergy, etc.

5) Demihumans might be treated the same way. Those who convert to one faith or another may be given some outward sign of their conversion- a brand, a tattoo, a piece of jewelry not easily hidden or removed, or distinctive clothing- that entitles them to move freely in the lands of men, with (almost) no fear of harassment.

I also suggest you take a look at Harry Turtledove's Darkness series. Not only is it a pretty good read, I think you'll find it a VERY helpful set of books. Turtledove is a professional historian who also writes fiction- some of the best alt-history fiction there is. His Darkness series is his telling of a WW2 type story in a low-magic* world.

* Most magic in Turtledove's Darkness world is simple enough for everyone to do- if they know a true incantation- and its used like most simple tech in the RW. In D&D terms, most of the magic in the world is Cantrips. The next most visible form of magic are the magic staves most of the soldiers carry or cannisters dropped by dragonriders- fantasy world firearms and bombs- and other items. The powerful magics are all at the ritual level- there isn't the equivalent of a "Tim" lobbing fireballs all over the battlefield, no summonings, no shapechangers. Most of the magic you'd see in a typical FRPG is simply absent...but the rituals are truly, truly terrible.