Random Background - Fair? Good?

[Sigurd]

I'm toying with a campaign where the players start in a town but come from a random quadrant of a world map.

They'd likely have a couple of rolls to make and the rolls would locate a continent (bias for the local one) and then an area on that continent. They would only be able to choose a race from the prevalent races of that area.

The players could be human in almost every region. The rest would vary.


Do you think this would be fun? Fair?


I'm interested in people's opinions.


S

 

[Allenchan]

My only thought is why? What would it bring to the game, and add to it?

 

[Treebore]

I make such things optional. Its really helped out in one of my current games, we are going to a new region, and it happens to be the homeland of one of our characters, so we are not going into the area blind or unable to speak the local language.

 

[Sigurd]

My only thought is why? What would it bring to the game, and add to it?

I"m trying to mix up the choice of races a bit and get the players to connect with the world map. Too often the characters are chosen based on the +/- of rules and not on geographical loyalties etc....


sigurd

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

If your players are fine with it, it sounds like a great idea.

Personally, I like working with that kind of limitation to provide a skeleton to flesh out into a full character and connect him to the world. OTOH, I know some players prefer having full control over character creation for various reasons.

You know your group best!

 

[Nifft]

I"m trying to mix up the choice of races a bit and get the players to connect with the world map. Too often the characters are chosen based on the +/- of rules and not on geographical loyalties etc....

The game gives mechanical benefits to some choices, so your players take advantage of that. This is neither good nor bad, but you can use it to your advantage.

Since you know your players use mechanical benefits to help them make their choices, make "geographical loyalty" grant a mechanical advantage. Basically remove races, and grant the same bonuses they'd normally get for a race instead by their "geographical loyalty" (whatever that means).

Cheers, -- N

 

[Gilladian]

I have very detailed birth charts that players CAN roll on. They give place of birth, social status, wealth of family, relationships to family, birth order, etc....

Every player is more than welcome to roll on them, and some do. They usually find it quite fun and character personality building. But I would NEVER insist on it, and in fact I am more happy if a Player wants to generate that kind of detail for themselves.

It DOES make my players feel a somewhat deeper connection to the world, however.