Tell me about your low magic campaign.

[der_kluge]

Shurai - not long winded at all. Very good advice there. Also, you might consider checking out Artificer's Handbook - it has some rules that work well for item creation in a low-magic setting.

GrumpyOldMan - what exactly is Harn? I hear a lot about it, but I admit I've never seen it. Is it good? Where can I get it?

 

[Ry]

Easy as pie: My campaign world limits PCs to 6th level as a cap - once they've achieved this, they can buy feats and skill points, but they're already among the great people of their time (of which there are many). This means that confrontations with something like an adult dragon take months of planning and development - initiated by the PCs who are less interested in exp than in really engaging the world. Makes things like Chimeras nice and epic, too.

 

[deltadave]

How about making some kind of modification to the magic system to make magic less common?

something like a 2 Con per level of the spell temporary energy drain... would cut back on magic use dramatically.

 

[Krieg]

How about making some kind of modification to the magic system to make magic less common?

something like a 2 Con per level of the spell temporary energy drain... would cut back on magic use dramatically.

That is essentially how Grim Tales handles it.

 

[GrumpyOldMan]

GrumpyOldMan - what exactly is Harn? I hear a lot about it, but I admit I've never seen it. Is it good? Where can I get it?

Is it good? I think so! In fact it’s my perfect medieval fantasy world (with emphasis on the medieval). But, I know that lots of people claim to dislike it (though in most discussions I’ve seen, the people who profess dislike actually appear to know very little about the world or the rules).

Check out www.columbiagames.com for more information. CGI are a mail order only company these days, but they offer a no quibble money back guarantee.

The world information (HârnWorld) is almost rules free (some major NPC’s are given HârnMaster stats) but other than that, the stuff is all background & motivation.

If you want a taste of what the world is like you can check out www.lythia.com for some of the best quality free fan produced downloads you’ll ever see (this is NOT an exaggeration). I’d particularly recommend checking Charmic, Cyre, Naniom Bridge, Ravin, Selvos Expansion & Vil abbey from the ‘places’ files. Though you really need CGI’s Selvos article to do the expansion justice). I’d also recommend the adventures, Carved in Stone, The Bastard Bailiff and The Sleeping Heir.

And if you’ve any questions check out www.harnforum.com a very helpful group of people (most of the time).

GOM

 

[Li Shenron]

How about making some kind of modification to the magic system to make magic less common?

something like a 2 Con per level of the spell temporary energy drain... would cut back on magic use dramatically.

This way actually sounds like making spellcasting completely nonexistent... at least among adventurers. Maybe NPCs which stays in town can cast a couple of spells per day because they are far from battle, but which arcane caster PC could afford to lose constitution to cast a spell?

What do Grim Tales players here say? I suppose it works because the system is very popular... but how many PC/NPC cast spells at all in Grim Tales? Isn't it more simple to just ban all spellcasting classes?

 

[Desdichado]

This way actually sounds like making spellcasting completely nonexistent... at least among adventurers. Maybe NPCs which stays in town can cast a couple of spells per day because they are far from battle, but which arcane caster PC could afford to lose constitution to cast a spell?

What do Grim Tales players here say? I suppose it works because the system is very popular... but how many PC/NPC cast spells at all in Grim Tales? Isn't it more simple to just ban all spellcasting classes?

Bah! That's a total exaggeration. Just because there's a cost (a temporary one, mind you) doesn't mean that spellcasters will become non-existent. Frankly, it doesn't work too differently than spell slots, it just has a lot more flavor.

 

[Bihor]

I tryed to make a low magic world with divine spellcaster more frequent one than any other spellcaster, and I ended up with 2 mage, a cleric, and a paladin, in the group.

I decided to limit the magic item by giving less money, I don't have magic shop but churchs need money. But the players don't care much about magic item, they just want to burn thing with spell (they got tired to use greekfire)

So my player want magic, so I gave it to them.
I made a contry ruled by mages, I use the Glantry box, invading the wold continent. The got ther power by the god of magic Boccob, with big monolith comming out of the ground. Touching the monolith give knowledge in the form of spell or general knowledge.

Why this appens? Orcus as capture Boccob and is stealing power from the god to make himself the god of magic. He do so to make the mortals forget the gods in giving them real power.
So now it depend on what the character will do save the divine magic or the arcane magic.

Then it will be a real low magic world.

 

[diaglo]

what exactly is Harn? I hear a lot about it, but I admit I've never seen it. Is it good? Where can I get it?

whoa... how long have you played this game??? and you don't know about Harn.


my low magic world is based in the County of Margrave on the Borderlands with the Wilderness (Wilderlands).

it uses elements from many settings and many novels/authors.

the system in use is of course the Only True Gaming system... OD&D(1974).

the PCs start at level 1. they know themselves. and possibly a little about the town around them. and it builds from there.

more magic can be added... as they explore outside of their box/County.

they have lived sheltered lives.

the outside world is a dark dangerous place. and more than likely will get them killed.