Objective: Create a series of one-shot games with rotating DMs so people can try out high-powered builds in challenging combats. Can be expanded to normal-powered builds in combat, or even full-on roleplaying sessions if there is enough interest in that (although I might not organize those).
I'll admit it: I'm a powergamer, and I frequent the official Character Optimization boards a lot. As such, I frequently come across builds that look very fun to play that I want to try out. 4e is almost here, and time is running out in a sense. Even if I continue to play 3.5e campaigns, there's no way I can see all those builds in action.
Then again, if I have this thought, then perhaps others do too. Maybe someone wants to see a CoDZilla in action, and try out a high level shapeshifting druid or a persistent-DMM cleric. Maybe they want to see just how powerful a certain prestige class is, or maybe they even want to try out a third-party class (Society Minds, I'm looking at you!). If there is interest, perhaps this can be expanded to normal-power characters as well. It might even be possible for role-players to set up a similar type of game where the focus is less on combat performance and more on character development, but that might be more difficult.
So I had this thought: we could have a series of one-shots. The objective would be to allow players to try out some powerful and interesting builds in combat. Since people can play different characters for each one-shot, if we have these with any regularity people would be able to try out tons of different characters!
There would be a rotating DM, perhaps people who want to try their hand at making a short and simple scenarios of around 3-5 players each that can challenge high-powered players, DMs who want to playtest part of their adventure (just scaled up a bit due to the high power level), or players who want to help out by taking a turn at DMing. This could happen with some regularity, and as long as we have a DM who's willing to run a high-powered game, then we can have a game!
Thoughts about Logistics:
These are just my thoughts, and I encourage you to comment on them.
Players:
These higher-power games will be primarily for those who want to try out some interesting and powerful build. If there is enough interest, it can be expanded to other types of characters: maybe an all-sneaky party, or a normal-powered game, or someone might even be able to figure out how to set up a series focused towards role-playing. I'd like the focus of this series to be on higher-power characters and combat, though.
Character Options:
This could be up to the DM. Due to the objective of these games, I'd encourage DMs to be open to as many supplements and such they're comfortable with allowing. Options from books a certain DM doesn't have can be typed up by the player and PM'd to the DM, or some other arrangements can be made.
Infinite loops like the Cancer Mage and Pun-Pun and game-breaking effects on the order of high level Diplomacy (everyone is my loyal friend!) and Explosive Spell Find City (cast it twice; if the second one fails, the first one succeeded!
) should not be allowed. I'd also hesitate to allow invincible characters like the Cheater of Mystra or Darkstalker Hide-freaks. Other stuff would be the preference of the DM, but again, I highly encourage you to ban only the truly game-breaking stuff and allow the stuff that is merely very powerful.
For players, make life for the DMs as easy as possible. Please know the rules well; don't be a munchkin and create a powerful character by breaking the rules. If you're going to use any sort of polymorphing, have the alternate stats written up before-hand, and if you're going to use monsters outside of core, make sure the DM has those books and can find the pages easily.
Scenario Format:
These should facilitate the objective. A simple scenario could mimic a standard adventuring day with 3-5 fights, but what happens between fights should speed up getting to the next fight and perhaps have less roleplaying and puzzle solving (I'm worried it could take a bit too long otherwise, but these items can be up to the individual DMs). Traps should be more of the full-encounter traps that they seem to be trending to in 4e and less of the "make your Search check or die" stuff that's results in "twiddle your thumbs and watch the Rogue roll stuff for a while".
The number of players in each scenario can vary, but keep in mind that having more players means fights take longer and people tend to get fewer turns. However, if someone dies, a party with more players won't suffer as much as a party with fewer players.
EDIT TO ADD: Fights should be challenging, but not impossible. Your fights can make Gary Gigax or Mike Mearls proud, but make sure the players have a chance, ok? If you're using just standard monsters, you might need to up the CR of the fights a bit. On the other hand, if you're using customized monsters, see if you can keep the CR the same while still making the fights very tough.
Whether you actually want to kill your players or not is up to you, but if you want to do the former, make sure you have a way of dealing with that. Perhaps what Mearls did with his lunchtime campaign; just let those who died reroll (possibly very similar characters) and jump right in, story and versimilitude be damned! As long as everyone has fun, things are OK.
Play Format:
We should probably do this by play by post. The main trouble is the amount of time it takes, but since most of the RP is cut out, that might not be too bad. It also makes complex fights easier to run. The DM should also provide a map, and I recommend using a paint program or drawing shapes in Excel (change the column and row widths so the cells resemble squares) over text maps, but either way works.
The other method would be something like Maptools or OpenRPG, but I'm worried about complex combats lasting too long and not being able to get through the scenario in one day. Other problems include scheduling and mapmaking. On the other hand, there's no waiting around for people to check in and make their move.
Any other thoughts? If we get enough interest, I might write up a quick and dirty scenario for 4 level 20 players and run it in a week or two.
I'll admit it: I'm a powergamer, and I frequent the official Character Optimization boards a lot. As such, I frequently come across builds that look very fun to play that I want to try out. 4e is almost here, and time is running out in a sense. Even if I continue to play 3.5e campaigns, there's no way I can see all those builds in action.
Then again, if I have this thought, then perhaps others do too. Maybe someone wants to see a CoDZilla in action, and try out a high level shapeshifting druid or a persistent-DMM cleric. Maybe they want to see just how powerful a certain prestige class is, or maybe they even want to try out a third-party class (Society Minds, I'm looking at you!). If there is interest, perhaps this can be expanded to normal-power characters as well. It might even be possible for role-players to set up a similar type of game where the focus is less on combat performance and more on character development, but that might be more difficult.
So I had this thought: we could have a series of one-shots. The objective would be to allow players to try out some powerful and interesting builds in combat. Since people can play different characters for each one-shot, if we have these with any regularity people would be able to try out tons of different characters!
There would be a rotating DM, perhaps people who want to try their hand at making a short and simple scenarios of around 3-5 players each that can challenge high-powered players, DMs who want to playtest part of their adventure (just scaled up a bit due to the high power level), or players who want to help out by taking a turn at DMing. This could happen with some regularity, and as long as we have a DM who's willing to run a high-powered game, then we can have a game!
Thoughts about Logistics:
These are just my thoughts, and I encourage you to comment on them.
Players:
These higher-power games will be primarily for those who want to try out some interesting and powerful build. If there is enough interest, it can be expanded to other types of characters: maybe an all-sneaky party, or a normal-powered game, or someone might even be able to figure out how to set up a series focused towards role-playing. I'd like the focus of this series to be on higher-power characters and combat, though.
Character Options:
This could be up to the DM. Due to the objective of these games, I'd encourage DMs to be open to as many supplements and such they're comfortable with allowing. Options from books a certain DM doesn't have can be typed up by the player and PM'd to the DM, or some other arrangements can be made.
Infinite loops like the Cancer Mage and Pun-Pun and game-breaking effects on the order of high level Diplomacy (everyone is my loyal friend!) and Explosive Spell Find City (cast it twice; if the second one fails, the first one succeeded!
) should not be allowed. I'd also hesitate to allow invincible characters like the Cheater of Mystra or Darkstalker Hide-freaks. Other stuff would be the preference of the DM, but again, I highly encourage you to ban only the truly game-breaking stuff and allow the stuff that is merely very powerful.For players, make life for the DMs as easy as possible. Please know the rules well; don't be a munchkin and create a powerful character by breaking the rules. If you're going to use any sort of polymorphing, have the alternate stats written up before-hand, and if you're going to use monsters outside of core, make sure the DM has those books and can find the pages easily.
Scenario Format:
These should facilitate the objective. A simple scenario could mimic a standard adventuring day with 3-5 fights, but what happens between fights should speed up getting to the next fight and perhaps have less roleplaying and puzzle solving (I'm worried it could take a bit too long otherwise, but these items can be up to the individual DMs). Traps should be more of the full-encounter traps that they seem to be trending to in 4e and less of the "make your Search check or die" stuff that's results in "twiddle your thumbs and watch the Rogue roll stuff for a while".
The number of players in each scenario can vary, but keep in mind that having more players means fights take longer and people tend to get fewer turns. However, if someone dies, a party with more players won't suffer as much as a party with fewer players.
EDIT TO ADD: Fights should be challenging, but not impossible. Your fights can make Gary Gigax or Mike Mearls proud, but make sure the players have a chance, ok? If you're using just standard monsters, you might need to up the CR of the fights a bit. On the other hand, if you're using customized monsters, see if you can keep the CR the same while still making the fights very tough.
Whether you actually want to kill your players or not is up to you, but if you want to do the former, make sure you have a way of dealing with that. Perhaps what Mearls did with his lunchtime campaign; just let those who died reroll (possibly very similar characters) and jump right in, story and versimilitude be damned! As long as everyone has fun, things are OK.
Play Format:
We should probably do this by play by post. The main trouble is the amount of time it takes, but since most of the RP is cut out, that might not be too bad. It also makes complex fights easier to run. The DM should also provide a map, and I recommend using a paint program or drawing shapes in Excel (change the column and row widths so the cells resemble squares) over text maps, but either way works.
The other method would be something like Maptools or OpenRPG, but I'm worried about complex combats lasting too long and not being able to get through the scenario in one day. Other problems include scheduling and mapmaking. On the other hand, there's no waiting around for people to check in and make their move.
Any other thoughts? If we get enough interest, I might write up a quick and dirty scenario for 4 level 20 players and run it in a week or two.
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