Mittlands Campaign Guide: Includes House Rules, Witch Class, Archetypes, Spells, Potions, Etc.

[bmcdaniel]

Attached is my 5e campaign guide. Breaking out the specific classes, rules, spells, etc is too much tourble, so I'm uploading the whole thing.

It includes:
* Witch Class
* Bard Archetype: College of Love
* Cleric Domains: Exorcism Domain, Liberation Domain
* Fighter Archetype: Knight
* Rogue Archetype: Masked One
* Many Backgrounds
* Many Spells
* Many Potions and Poisons
* Houserules on sprinting, jousting, rope proficiency, lingering injuries
* A bunch of other stuff that is really only relevant for my players

Any and all feedback appreciated.

Cheers,
Brian

 

[the_redbeard]

I dig it. I've got a similar set of guides for my campaign, with a similar setting. We've taken different departures of course (I'm using the Warhammer map, Sol Invictus and minor pagan deities instead of monotheism plus saints).

How has your resting mechanic worked in play so far? Classes whose abilities only recharge on a long rest (usually no more than 1/week and must be within a class dependent safezone) seems a bit harsh for some classes. I wonder how low-level wizards meet their needs when traveling.

I've got requirements on resting on a per hit die basis and tied in to food/water (which are then tied in to encumbrance.) Still early to say, about 8 sessions in and several of those were spent in a tavern or with a caravan avoiding those requirements.

Do you have rangers and sorcerers in your setting, or are they just not mentioned in your guide because they are by the book?

 

[bmcdaniel]

How has your resting mechanic worked in play so far? Classes whose abilities only recharge on a long rest (usually no more than 1/week and must be within a class dependent safezone) seems a bit harsh for some classes. I wonder how low-level wizards meet their needs when traveling.

Actually, its worked out pretty much fine and it fits my campaign style. I intentionally try to keep the same ratio of encounters::short rests:: long rests, but I just change the narrative scope. Standard 5e D&D is designed for overnight sleep (long rest) followed by 5-6 dungeon (normal) encounters, with a short break inbetween (short rests) and a dungeon climax (deadly encounter). I use homebase R&R (long rest) followed by 5-6 wilderness (normal) encounters, with overnight sleep (short rest) and a quest climax (deadly encounter).

This matches my pace and sense of realism much better and doesnt seem to change balance much at all. I like it because it also seems to put more emphasis on resource management/attrition because sleeping in the dungeon for a full recovery is never an option.

I do find that I think spellcasters need a little bit of ability to recover spells, so I give bards and cleric a recovery mechanic similar to wizards.

Do you have rangers and sorcerers in your setting, or are they just not mentioned in your guide because they are by the book?

Standard rangers. I don't really have any concepts for rangers that aren't well-covered by the standard classes. No sorcerers (yet); though that may change as the game expands into areas outside the Mittlands proper. In my game, I try to make archetypes especially, and to a lesser degree classes, have a sense of geographic or ethnic identity.


Cheers,
BMM

 

[Ryian Jovan]

I'm going to try to play a political intrigue campaign with this setting and my character is a Rhennee male witch (trained by nature witch but became a veiled witch) with a unique background. But to be simple he looks effeminate and his minor practice is textile working (spinning, weaving, dying, & clothier). He hids his practice as he knows the church's influence is grand. I want to base him in a cottage outside the the town of Restenburg or inside it. But I'm stuck on thinking about taxes being layed or getting in legal trouble for settling on land I don't own (even though my character wouldn't really care, he'd still want to keep his skin out of trouble. And if i just settled inside how on earth would i explain away having the money to own or rent a home.

I get it seems of little consequence but i like having more emersive details. Plus I'm trying to get a starting foothold in the town so I have better chance at using my other skills i haven't mentioned to get a chockhold on the political powers.

 

[Ryian Jovan]

I found that there are multiple versions of your pdf. Do you have more information on your homebrew universe i could use?

 

[Redthistle]

Oh, this looks good, and as per your usual, the presentation is top-notch.

The "Secure Home" and "Secure Ship" spells are delightful additions to the game.

 

[bmcdaniel]

I've only released what is attached in the first post. I have a bunch of campaign notes, but they aren't organized and would be impossible for anyone else to understand.

I do have an updated version of the guide I've been working on. Will probably release it on DM's Guild within a week or two.