D&D 5E How do you do Bastions?


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In the past, I've let players build a base or modify a structure they've cleaned out. This can happen at any time, depending on the group's wishes and money. They have always build a joint structure.

All I want from a Bastion system is a sample list of costs and some ideas and costs for more extraordinary additions, like an alchemy lab or strange mushroom garden. I prefer it grow naturally from the fiction. And that event table should be huge, full of interesting, mundane and weird. The GM should also tailor it according to the stronghold and its location.

I thoroughly dislike the WotC Bastion system. It's too abstract, mechanistic and just plain boring.
 

Yeah, if players want to buy a house or a base, or reclaim one, or whatever, then they are welcome to go for it. I wouldn't want to spend a lot of game time together unless they come up with something exciting out of the process, but I've had campaigns where the group decided on some sort of base. I've never had one where they spent a ton of time developing that idea, though.

I'm certainly not interested in the super basic Sim City of the DMG's bastion system. I think it's a half-baked idea that doesn't synergize with the rest of the game.
 

I've heard a lot of vitriol toward Bastions online so I'm curious...
Why? I mean why is there vitriol towards bastions at all not why are you curious.
Unless players seem really into them and want them, I am 100% ignoring that chapter of the DMG and pretending it doesn't exist, is how I'm handling them.
It's not something I have a keen interest in. I play D&D to adventure not to run Sim Castle or something. But since this is my first campaign with the new rules, I plan on giving them a try. The campaign is set in the free city of Greyhawk, and I'm hoping for the characters to build ties to NPCs and organizations within the city, so I'm assuming that's where the bastions will be located or at least close by. I imagine we'll get out of bastions whatever the players put into it.
 

From what I've seen in videos on YouTube, this rule seems to be based a lot on Forbidden Lands and video games in general. What difference would you say it would have in practical game terms from 1e domain management? In any case, it seems to me that WOTC has been looking back to the past a lot (Greyhawk, etc.) and this thing about domains or strongholds is very characteristic of the early years of the game.
 

At first glance: I don't much care for how they work the event system; and I'm a bit skeptical or at least iffy on the prospect of PCs receiving bastions without at least SOME level of baseline personal cost or time investment. But the power level seems appropriate and the simplicity of the system seems pretty good for an initial foray into personal stronghold building. Nothing that can't be tweaked to personal taste.

Waiting to see how well they function in (prolonged) play.
 

From what I've seen in videos on YouTube, this rule seems to be based a lot on Forbidden Lands and video games in general. What difference would you say it would have in practical game terms from 1e domain management? In any case, it seems to me that WOTC has been looking back to the past a lot (Greyhawk, etc.) and this thing about domains or strongholds is very characteristic of the early years of the game.

It seems to me that they didnt want to do full Domain Management but rather were attempting to get a balance between Stronghold Management and 'standard' Adventuring - the compromise between the two is what we get as Bastions and its actions.

Like most compromises it doesnt really satisfy those who like Stronghold Management and seems pointless to those who just want to go on adventures. It certainly has gaps and definitely needs further refining
 


They were inspirational for me because they reminded me of Birthright- I loved the idea of random event tables rolled to see what happens, but I'm big into improv and random tables are fuel for that. It's the only part of the new DMG that I saw a lot of value to.

Basically I want to mash them up with the MCDM Strongholds, and Kingdoms organizations. I'm doing this with a game I started recently that is based on Birthright- the thing with bastions is that IMO they require buy-in from the whole table, so starting a game with them as a stated and soon-reached goal is helpful in that regard.

My biggest need is more random events and/or tables for the Bastion turns!
 

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