"low" magic campaign using D&D rules

[S'mon]

Yep. Demographics, economics, description, emphasis.

I'll agree with everyone else. I'd suggest that as well as changing NPC demographics you half XP awards - PCs advance at half rate, but they still advance relative to the rest of the world, because in the low-magic world the Wiz-10 is top guy, not Wiz-20. 3e after 10th is inherently very high-magic and can still be run, but treated as Epic; you may want to invest in a 3.0 Monster Manual though since in 3.5 Outsiders got a big power boost; the 3.0 Balors et al are fightable by a 10th level party.

When running published adventures with half XP, you need to take account of the assumed advancement rate within the module by starting PCs higher level; eg Vault of Larin Karr is 4th-9th, assumes PCs will level up 5 times in the module. You can start PCs off ca 6th-7th instead and let them level up 2-3 times during the module, maybe boosting the early encounters a little, but you don't need to boost treasure.

 

[S'mon]

Having said that, Remathilis' suggestions sound excellent, and I've had some success with Imp's idea of treating +1 to +3 (numerical bonus, not special ability) weapons as mastercraft or material bonuses rather than magic.

I'd rather reject this whole Cartesian dualist magic/not magic approach and simply say that in a magical universe, everything is magic, a +1 weapon is just _more magic_ than most- by reason of it being +1! So if a master smith makes a +1 weapon, he's made a magic weapon (like Conan's dad in Conan The Barbarian); just as much as if it were infused with power by a Wizard.

Edit: I think this is how real-world peoples think of magic - it's not rare and special because it's magic, it's magical because it's rare & special. So "magic as technology" is inherently impossible, because it's the rarity that marks it as magic. This implies that the PHB alchemical items be treated as 'magic', just very slight magic.

 

[theemrys]

I pretty much do a "rare magic" setting when I run my game set in the Kingdoms of Kalamar setting. I like the idea that magic is still powerful... just not common. Pretty much I go with the RAW and just limit the amount of magic accessible. Given the way 3.5 changed things so that DR is by type, having magic weapons is less of an issue. As long as you have a +1 sword, you can get by DR/Magic resistance.. and in some cases your better off with other exotic types.

I know they did something similar in the Magic Item Compendium, but I would sometimes put in an "legendary sword" which was only +1 (put a cool history to it and sometimes a PC would rather keep that than a more powerful one).. maybe even make it an inherited weapon or family heirloom. I would have some of the pommel gems missing. Instead of making magic items or finding more powerful items later, the party might come across gems that fit the sword that "boost it". By doing this, you can control the power but still let them "upgrade" but do it in a way that fits the legendary items they have. It's similar to the Items of Legacy concept, but you control it a bit more.

I love the rare magic settings because when the PCs do encounter a powerful cleric/sorcerer/wizard they are usually a force to be reconed with.

 

[theemrys]

Oh, one more thing. I find this type of setting (rare magic) works really well for setting up the characters to truly be the outstanding heroes. It doesn't mean there can't be others out there who have classes and/or high levels, but the characters are exceptional... and as time goes on and they do get magic (spells or items) they stand out even more. This attention can be good and bad... Sure the people know them and songs are written on them, but the enemy know about them and their strengths and weaknesses as well.

Also, I find this kind of setting can be a lot of fun for a bard character if the DM preps well. When any magic item is rare, I give backstories to them all... and following up on legends and stories to find where other "items of power" might be can be a plot driver.

 

[GlassJaw]

If you greatly reduce the amount of treasure you give out, you'll need to give the players action points to keep them at an equivalent power level. CR assumes the players will have an appropriate amount of gear to overcome the challenge.

 

[Brother MacLaren]

Make most NPC wizards suspicious and generally unhelpful -- keeping their spells secret and not making magic items for sale. Come up with an in-game reason for this. Perhaps wizards believe that the more magic is used, the more diluted and weaker the power becomes. Or perhaps at a certain level there can be only a fixed number (rather like druids or monks in 1e) so they are intent on keeping rivals down.

 

[DM-Rocco]

A simple way to do rare but powerful magic is to have the PCs roll d100% to see if they can even be a spell caster. Say they only have a 25% chance of having a calling to be a spellcaster. Then, they would have to roll on a seperate chart to see if they could be a cleric, mage, sorcerer, druid, adept, etc. The players will hate it because they won't want to take the chance they can't play what they want, but it will add a more rare quality to the game without changing the rules.

As to items, either have them have rare items to make, as someone above suggested, or offer them less in favor or better crafted non magical weapons.

One thing our surrent DM has done, which I really like from a role-playing point of view, is you have to go through a bonding ritual to bond to a weapon before you can use it. This might be simular to a legacy weapon, I'm not sure how those work, but this ritual involved stabbing yourself with the blade and making three fortitude saving throws, if you fail the last, you die, end of story. So, there is a risk to gain the magic. Armor is handled the same way, but of course you don't stab yourself with the armor, you bleed onto it and the armor absorbs the blood.

It might sound a bit harsh, but we really value the items once we live through the process.

Hoe that helps.

 

[GlassJaw]

A simple way to do rare but powerful magic is to have the PCs roll d100% to see if they can even be a spell caster. Say they only have a 25% chance of having a calling to be a spellcaster.

Any random element that dictates what a player can or can't play is always an incredibly bad idea and just plain bad design. No exceptions.

 

[Emirikol]

Ooo, my favorite topic - Low Magic D&D. I just wish this had it's own dept. I'll add my thoughts below

FIRST, YOU NEED A HOUSE RULEBOOK. Find a PRINTABLE format that works for you and sprinkle in some googled art.

Ok, I need some advice on crafting a "Low" magic campaign with D&D rules as is. Here is my goal:* Keep the same D&D magic level (magic items, spells) for players and monsters

This is kind of a conradiction, but I think I know what you mean. You want the "mystery" of magic back in the world, but you don't want to have to purchase a new ruleset or force a bunch of wierd stuff down your players throats.

Unfortunately, I've tried this for years and players will always see certain spells as "statistics" rather than something that gives you a gut feeling. You can make little campaign-based cosmetic modifications that will make players change their attitudes, but for the most part, it's a tough job.

For example: fireballs and fire spells in your campaign are green and obviously magical and tend to frighten locals.

* do not alter the class progression or rules

Great. I'd just add "organizations" though that have role-playing elements that are required to be "recognized." If you want "fear" in the local populace, then you're talking about organizations that would enhance that sort of feeling. You can't have good, charitable organizations running around if you want populace fear.

* do not make my content weaker or incompatible with official D&D content of the same level

So no EL modifications. Great. No problem. If you don't want to drop DR/magic from monsters, then you're going to have to figure that out I've dropped DR-magic from all monsters except incorporeal ones.

* make magic items more special and worth hanging onto

Consider "weapons of legacy" or "levelling items." Again, experienced players just don't get into this sort of thing. It's a huge waste of resources for the DM to come up with complicated stories for items..for which, players will read it once and say "Meh, what's the bonus?"

I know it sounds cynical, but that' sbeen my experience time and time again over the last 26 years.

* make magic items and spells special and mysterious again.

Enforce the "Identify" rules then for magic items and consider NOT handing out generic items (ie. no +1 swords).

As for spells, as I mentioned above, you can have simple cosmetic and cultural things that appear in your house rulebook that HAVE CONSEQUENCES.

* do not have magic items or spells something that players can walk into a town and buy.

Magic shops are NOT part of core D&D. Have a house rule that only potions of 150gp or less MAY be available in SOME towns and that magic items cannot be bought or sold except to the very wealthy.

* do not have commoners with magic items or spells being used as technology or for comfort

That one's easy. Note it in the "Campaign Background" section of your house rulebook. Rather than telling players to read it, make sure you go over it about every 3rd session about things that make the world unique.

I am looking to get the feeling of magic being wondrous and special back into standard D&D, where the common folk are uneasy about it and do not understand it, but the movers and shakers (players included) can still do what they normally do in a 3.5 D&D campaign. What should I do to make this happen with the least impact on the D&D rules as they are written? Note, that by low magic I really mean rare (but still powerful).

Good luck!

jh


..

 

[Rothe]

Ok, I need some advice on crafting a "Low" magic campaign with D&D rules as is.

Here is my goal:
...
* do not alter the class progression or rules

...

I think you might need to tweak the rules a bit or add some further rules but still get all the other things you want. My proposal.

(1) Make it harder to become a spell caster. Not for PCs but in the apprenticeship phase. You may want to require a minimum IN or WS. If you don't want to do that, you could postulate that becoming a spell caster is hard, requireing a grueling 10 year + apprenticeship. Normally one would have to make some sort of Will based roll to keep at it and not just give up. PCs are those who by some inner drive made it through apprenticeship.
This can drastically decrease the number of spell casters per capita. And hence, the prevalance of spell casting and magic items (more on items later). This may make many spell casters arrogant and not well liked or understood by the common folk.

You an add in the idea that sometimes there are "accidents" in the training that can injure, kill or drive insane the apprentice. The common folk are not going to look to kindly on this profession that maims and there sons and daughters. If you up the mental requirements or just make it harder to get in the door on being a caster, there could be increased competition for good apprentices, thus even common folks with the ability can apply. Of course the nobility are not going to like this equal opportunity policy. You can also imagine the competition between the divine casting professions and the arcane casting professions for apprentices, eading to some bad blood between the two camps.

(2) Magic Items. A very hard rule to change it seems is item construction. I make it far harder than base D&D (of any edition) scrolls and poptions are more straight forward but still take on the order of weeks per level. A stay at home mage can do very well jsut cranking out these things. Given the difficulty and rarity they are way beyond the means of the average citizen, but kings, nations and adventurers can afford them. So you won't see these things being used to solve everyday problems when a much more cost effective solution is present. In addition, these thiings are likely to be considered a strategic resource. Kings hording healing potions to give to their elite troops or themselves.

A corrallary it items like swords etc. take so long to make that PCs are unlikely to do this. Such items are made slowly.

So how do you make sure there are still plenty of magic itmes about? Well people have been making them for millenia, add in a ew extra-planar sources and you have quote a stock built up over time. The good thing is theses things are not floating around the marketplace, but lost here and there in various dungeons and wilderness areas. just the kinds of places the PCs go. So the PCs are going to have the standard itme mix, and it will be even more special as few non-adventurers will be so well equipped.

I know players like to design their own items. here's how I work it. I have them tell me what they want, at the start of the campaign preferrably. If it is a good idea, someone is likley to have thought of it before and they have been made and exist in the world. In a sense the players are helping you build the world. If you want you can always have them search for runmors of such items and then seek them out.

Another way to allow customization without allowing easy creation, is to let players "meld" items to make unique ones. The base items still take a while to make but the combination of the powers of two into one is fairly straight foward spell/feat & spell. You can even port over the creation cost, xp cost, etc for this "melding."

I've found players don't normally want to roleplay item creation, they just want to design them. The above allows them to do that without the logical consequences on teh campaign wolrd if 1 in 400 people can make a magic sword in 1 month.

In the end, players don't care that it is harder to maek items as they have a sufficient supply and the dungeons are still stocked.