I need to play D&D. What's my system, what's my campaign setting?

[Ravellion]

Hello everyone,

Having played 4e till mid Epic levels (which burned me out spectacularly, so I am not touching it again), we switched to Star Wars Saga. Me and two out of four players liked it, but one of the "likes star wars" players wants to mostly stop playing, and the other players were basically going along with Star Wars to keep him in the group. They want fantasy.

So now here I am, continuing with 3 players, looking for a D&D like system and a campaign setting. I liked how the world felt in 4e, with players not using magic to solve every problem. (I also liked dragonborn, the feywild, and the eladrin/elf split, but none of these are sacred to me or my players). But 4e, despite being easy to dm, annoyed me too much in what it allowed players to do during combat and how/when it allowed to do them. 4e is simply right out.

We originally stopped playing 3e because I though it was too much homework after about 8th level. I also often started to play opponents suboptimally because of the many options available to them. Before that, 3e did everything it needed to do. I am therefore contemplating E6 or E8. Are there any other systems that capture that general power level of magic, and have a high degree of PC customization?

Also, what campaign setting would you suggest for such a level of power? I am contemplating Kalamar because the power level seems to fit the lore, but reading it never made me want to DM it. I am a big Greyhawk fan, but I don't think it would fit the lower level of magic I am looking fot.

 

[Diamond Cross]

Well, there are some things I can suggest:

Hero Systems Fantasy Hero
Warhammer FRPG
Palladium FRPG (NOT RIFTS)

That is, if you like learning new systems.

Otherwise, I'd suggest sticking with 3.5e.

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

Perhaps Dark Sun? Either a Heroic tier only short campaign with 4E or a similarly capped adaptation to Pathfinder or 3.5?

 

[S'mon]

None of the pre-3e versions of D&D are 'magic solves everything' versions. Magic tends to be pretty rare, both items and spells. For the rarest magic in the D&D family I'd suggest either Moldvay/Cook-Marsh Basic/Expert D&D, or failing that Labyrinth Lord. Basic Fantasy RPG is also good as it caps spells at 6th level.

Another approach is to use AD&D/OSRIC retro-clone, but reduce magic item preponderance by not using the rules for assigning magic items to NPCs - those rules IME are the main source of magic items in a standard 1e/OSRIC game.

Standard 1e NPC demographics mostly work well, where 9th level characters are dominion rulers. There's a few things to keep an eye on like some very high NPC levels in the Men entry in 1e Monster Manual (because it was OD&D-based), but nothing an experienced DM can't handle.

Edit: For high degree of PC customisation I guess you want 2e AD&D, or for even more stick with E6 or E8 3.5e like you say.

Actually I suspect that the ideal for you might be to use E10 3.5 D&D, set NPC demographics so they're all in the 1st-10th range also (so halve levels from standard 3e), and keep monster CRs in the 1-14 range, eg reskin young dragons as old dragons; maybe use 3.0 demon & devil stats. Allow Forge Ring and Greater Weapon Specialisation as 9th level feats.

3e is a great game for the first 10 levels, but IME breaks down after 12th. You'll probably want to make magic item creation harder/more expensive for low end items like 1st level scrolls and wands, though.

 

[Connorsrpg]

Tried Savage Worlds?

Core Explorers Rulebook is only $10. There are fantasy expansions.

Have played some non-fantasy sessions and we really liked its ease of use....and players got into their pregenerated characters very quickly - there is quite a bit of customisation for an easy system.
C

 

[amerigoV]

I second Savage Worlds. Fast, Furious, and Fun! Easy prep for the GM, customizable characters for the players. It "feels" like the older versions of D&D to me (note I am not talking mechanics, but the feel of the game).

I have eyed Dragon Age as well. You do not have to worry about it being overpowered at this point - levels 1-5 are released and 6-10 are in Beta - built in cap

 

[Ravellion]

I second Savage Worlds. Fast, Furious, and Fun! Easy prep for the GM, customizable characters for the players. It "feels" like the older versions of D&D to me (note I am not talking mechanics, but the feel of the game).

I have never seen it in the Netherlands, but I will try and track it down. I think I will be able to special order it (either online or through the FLGS). I have heard good things.

S'mon, I don't know why I blindsided myself thinking it had to be E6 or E8. E10 might indeed be just what I am looking for. If only the rarest and greatest heroes and villains can teleport/raise dead, I still have a "D&D flavour world" but only two levels of over-the-topness (I do think levels 9 and 10 are a bit too much - hit point inflation is the primary cause for this, IMO). And I would be able to run Red hand of Doom, which I haven't done so far. I think I could also tone down Greyhawk to E10 without hurting the lore too much, and play in my favourite campaign setting.

Alright, E10 it is, Greyhawk, and I already have adventure material for half the campaign. After that, I will give savage worlds a spin. Thanks guys!

 

[ValhallaGH]

Congratulations on solving your quandary! I hope you enjoy it.

Savage Worlds is great. A very flexible system with a lot of hidden depth to it (it feels rules light but it is actually very crunchy if you dig into it). Most settings are easy to "savage", converting the feel rather than the mechanics (I savaged a version of the Halo video games in about 8 hours, as a non-magical example). Lots of great options for low-fantasy, high-fantasy, pulp, modern, and sci-fi gaming. A small ton of third-party support, too.

Dragon Age is also worth looking into if you get the chance. No rush, but it's a simple, fast-playing, flexible system with very little homework, easy DMing, no magical "I win" buttons, and some active publisher support. I was surprised just how much I enjoyed playing it, and the expanded general mechanics (social and role-play stunts) in the 6-10 Beta really flesh out the weak points of the system.


Best of luck. And that is an excellent signature.

 

[Steel_Wind]

Bah! Go for Pathfinder!

Pick up Lone Wolf's Herolab Character Creation software. Your problems with tracking things in terms of character development go away. The core presumptions of the game system are already known to you and your group.

Your players can pick up the pdf of the PFRPG Core Rules for $10. For a 600 page book, that's pretty decent. You can grab your own dead-tree version and a copy of the Bestiary off of Amazon for about $57, all-in, for nearly 1,000 pages of hardbound gaming goodness.

Then, run the Kingmaker Adventure Path. That's the one benefit you get from Pathfinder that no other RPG (not even 4E) can touch: it has the best published adventures for the game in the industry and no other RPG comes close to touching that aspect of the game's strength.

With Kingmaker, you and your players will quickly be having FAR more fun than you have had in a very long time at the game table. Kingmaker: Stolen Land won the Gold ENnie for a reason.

You can pick up the Golarion campaign setting book in the spring if you want to -- but it's not necessary for Kingmaker. The AP volumes provide all you really need for that campaign which should last you a year or so of weekly gaming.

 

[pawsplay]

My first suggestion would be to run Pathfinder, using the slow advancement rate and low magic options.

My second would be Fantasy Craft, which can be dialed easily enough to fit the kind of campaign you are talking about. By default, magic items are fairly rare but attainable. Magic definitely does not solve all problems.

Apart from that Dragon Warriors or Dragon Age are well-reputed, though I have tried neither. Mutants & Masterminds 2e published a swords-and-sorcery sourcebook which is quite good. Then of course there are every other universal game you can think of. GURPS is tremendous for fantasy, Hero System is also quite good, there's Savage Worlds, etc.