Lets Talk Midnight! [ Jerod Please Stay Out ]

[Gregor]

Hey everyone,

I was reading through the Pro and Con thread about different settings and it basically sealed the deal for me. I went out and bought Midnight. I have been playing FR for a while and I was getting a little tired of all my players knowing everything about the setting and magic EVERYWHERE. Dont get me wrong I still dig FR and I'll keep DMing it, but I wanted to try something completely different...I think Midnight is an almost polar opposite of FR. My players are into trying this new campaign and I'm pumped to get started, but I want to do it well.

A few questions:

Those of you who are DMing or playing in a Midnight campaign, have you found the magic system to work well?

Have you found that a Channeller has been able to keep up with the other classes?

Do you think the Heroic Paths are too powerful or are they a good replacement for the lack of magic items and spells?

Would it be too over-the-top to start my players out with covenant items but almost completely restrict the purchasing of magic enchantments so as to force them to unlock their weapon's abilities and become attached to the item? (grammar= )

Overall, how have you found your Midnight experience? Is it difficult to get your players to wrap their heads around the fact that they will probably NEVER defeat Izrador?

My thanks in advance for any and all comments. Im excited about Midnight and Im curious what you all think!

Cheers,

 

[Paka]

Those of you who are DMing or playing in a Midnight campaign, have you found the magic system to work well?

I only played one game using the D&D magic system with a Channeler in the party. It seemed to work well.

Have you found that a Channeller has been able to keep up with the other classes?

I found that it did, the Channeler in my party took Lorebook,w hich meant he had a Bardic Lore-like ability. I am fond of that ability and the players in my games put them to good use.

Do you think the Heroic Paths are too powerful or are they a good replacement for the lack of magic items and spells?

Heroic Paths are swell. I dig 'em. The party's expectations needs to be quite different from what they are used to. My party scrounges for Orcish daggers, boots and venison jerky like most parties would go through a Great Wyrm's hoard.

Would it be too over-the-top to start my players out with covenant items but almost completely restrict the purchasing of magic enchantments so as to force them to unlock their weapon's abilities and become attached to the item? (grammar= )

I think Covenant Items are fantastic and I would entirely reccommend starting your party out with one each, allowing it to grow with each P.C. They are an amazing magic item. As I said before, the party must change its expectations a bit.

Overall, how have you found your Midnight experience? Is it difficult to get your players to wrap their heads around the fact that they will probably NEVER defeat Izrador?

My players are ready for their P.C.'s to perish. They are ready to die and know that it will likely happen. Still, they want their deaths to mean something, even if that just means fighting Izrador with their last, dying breath.

 

[Wombat]

I have several problems with the Midnight setting.

First, I dislike the basic concept of the setting. Guess that sets me out of the loop straight away. What has happened? Essnetially Sauron has the One Ring back -- okay, different names and world, but the same situation -- the Ultimate Evil has wrested total control of all of creation (well, the world anyway) and there is no way at all that he will ever be defeated. Period. So, with that as a given, I don't even see the slightest point to gaming in the world. No, I'm not fond of "god killing" campaigns, but since there is absolutely no hope for anything even approaching good will ever do more than scrabble on rocks and fight cruelly for survival I cannot even begin to organize a campaign that would suit the tastes of myself or my players.

Second, once the base concept is accepted, I like the concept of little magic, few magic items, etc., yet the Heroic Paths take all that feeling away. Essentially what you have with each Heroic Path is a set list of magical items that can never be taken away from you. Not only that, but you know in advance what magical bonuses you will get, rather than finding more random magical items over the course of time. You are pre-tailored and the power level of the campaign is pre-set. And, for my tastes, the power levels of the Heroic Paths are too high. Of course that is assuming that the characters would actually survive to those levels.

I have other problems, but since these are so basic and fundamental, I cannot see myself ever running (or playing in) the game. I am one of those rare people who find the campaign utterly unappealing.

 

[Paka]

We need to get something out of the way.

I say - Midnight ROCKS. You SUCK.

You say - Midnight Sucks and so do you for thinking it rocks when X rocks so much harder.

I say - Obviously you are disturbed because of Point A and Point B of your former post.

You say - Explative YOU!

I say - Explative YOU!

There, now we can move on.

Still, we have to nod to tradition.

 

[Gregor]

I have several problems with the Midnight setting.

First, I dislike the basic concept of the setting. Guess that sets me out of the loop straight away. What has happened? Essnetially Sauron has the One Ring back -- okay, different names and world, but the same situation -- the Ultimate Evil has wrested total control of all of creation (well, the world anyway) and there is no way at all that he will ever be defeated. Period. So, with that as a given, I don't even see the slightest point to gaming in the world. No, I'm not fond of "god killing" campaigns, but since there is absolutely no hope for anything even approaching good will ever do more than scrabble on rocks and fight cruelly for survival I cannot even begin to organize a campaign that would suit the tastes of myself or my players.

Second, once the base concept is accepted, I like the concept of little magic, few magic items, etc., yet the Heroic Paths take all that feeling away. Essentially what you have with each Heroic Path is a set list of magical items that can never be taken away from you. Not only that, but you know in advance what magical bonuses you will get, rather than finding more random magical items over the course of time. You are pre-tailored and the power level of the campaign is pre-set. And, for my tastes, the power levels of the Heroic Paths are too high. Of course that is assuming that the characters would actually survive to those levels.

Thats a good critique and I agree to an extent.

I think the "impossibility" is easily played upon and modified to the DM's taste. For example, the premise of the campaign could be to re-establish the link between the gods and the material plane to bring light back to the world. Its the idea that its impossible to succeed at everything singlehandedly that appeals to me. Maybe it will drive the PCs to unify the towns, liberate villages and attract armies of followers, create alliances or discover old forgotten arcane secrets. Strength in numbers and a hope to survive can overcome the odds? I think thats the true point of Midnight...but just some ideas...

I think you raise a good point when you say that players are aware of everything within their heroic paths from day one. I think a little mystery is needed. Perhaps the players should only be told about the heroic paths, given a synopsis of its general benefits but not told the specifics of the abilities? Perhaps this will give players a surprise every level?

Some good points though...

Cheers,

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Welcome to the fold....

That said, pardon me while I pimp the Tome of Sorrows. It's a free Midnight Suppliment you can download out of my sig.

Also, be sure to check out www.againsttheshadow.org

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

We need to get something out of the way.

I say - Midnight ROCKS. You SUCK.

You say - Midnight Sucks and so do you for thinking it rocks when X rocks so much harder.

I say - Obviously you are disturbed because of Point A and Point B of your former post.

You say - Explative YOU!

I say - Explative YOU!

There, now we can move on.

Still, we have to nod to tradition.

lol

 

[Trickstergod]

Little bit trite, little bit cliche, but all the same anyway...

So I've been off on a bit of a music and poetry kick. So sue me, it seemed to fit.

"Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightnin they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay
Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

And honestly, from all I've seen and heard about Midnight thus far, that about sums up the setting.

At the moment I'm all kinds of broke, as per usual, and, king of the quick fix that I am, tend to lay down money for what's available now, as opposed to later, and Midnight always seems lacking when I've money on hand.

With that said, it's currently on the top of my little Christmas wish list. The premise of the setting appeals to me on so very many levels. I want a setting where heroes are heroes, not adventurers and mercenaries. The fact that evil seems just about this side of insurmountable in the setting is what strikes my fancy.

Virtue should be its own reward, after all.

Now I'll trundle off, and curse my empty wallet for a few hours.

 

[Nifft]

I like Midnight, and I have to point out that Izrador has been defeated two out of three times he attacked. We can do it again! We can wipe his stain from our land! We may not be able to gut him like a craven Orc, but we can surely cleanse the land of his damned minions! We can reduce his power and bringing hope back into Aryth, until such time as Aryth herself vomits his foul soul into the blackest hell!

-- N

 

[Gregor]

I like Midnight, and I have to point out that Izrador has been defeated two out of three times he attacked. We can do it again! We can wipe his stain from our land! We may not be able to gut him like a craven Orc, but we can surely cleanse the land of his damned minions! We can reduce his power and bringing hope back into Aryth, until such time as Aryth herself vomits his foul soul into the blackest hell!

-- N

Could you tell me how you really feel?