The Possibility of "Too Fantastic" Fantasy

[wolfen]

Good points. However...

I would disagree with your statement that putting more fantasy in D&D puts the creative advantage in their corner. I think I can come up with some pretty interesting fantastical ideas... and I think a lot of other people can too. The problem is making those fantastic ideas fit in a slightly mundane setting.

I agree. And I honestly believe that this is a normal, reasonable effort to get more players/DM's to pick up wotc modules. Because it isn't a matter of coming up with fantastical ideas -- the DnD userbase is full of wonderful crazy people. (I love you all, I really do.)

But if wotc comes up with a bold new world/physics/mindscape/whatever, the average person will be more inclined to buy a module than if wotc pumps out the S o S. These modules will be used to explore and expand customer consciousness, which is an attraction the existing assembly line is failing to provide. I haven't bought a module since 1983. But if the new stuff is substantially paradigm-altering, I'm likely to do so. Because I've been doing some variant of the SoS (same old sh..) for 20 years and it will be a challenge to really make the most of a new mind space unless I see it in action.

 

[EATherrian]

My biggest problem is that I make more history than I will ever use. I realized a week ago that a world I started building but never got too far in was in fact a POL (tm) setting. I've decided that this world should be my 4th Edition world, and to retire my 20+ year original campaign setting. This time I'm starting with the modern lands in the broadest terms possible, setting up some interesting cultures or societies, and not charting out the history to the degree I usually do. As an example of my insanity my old campaign settings has more pages dedicated to its history than the actual playable parts. I'm using much of what I read on the board as inspiration, you all are so talented.

 

[Daniel D. Fox]

Forgotten Realms has been too "fantastical" for its own good -

What use are adventurers to investigate the death of a merchant if the local guard can simply cast Speak With Dead?

Cure Disease can be cast X number of times per day. With the abundance of casters in the Realms, there should likely never be disease.

Who needs catapults when the town guard has a wizard with Fireball? For that matter, Warp Wood or a bevy of stone-shaping, rock to mud spells on the walls?

 

[The Ubbergeek]

Forgotten Realms has been too "fantastical" for its own good -

What use are adventurers to investigate the death of a merchant if the local guard can simply cast Speak With Dead?

Cure Disease can be cast X number of times per day. With the abundance of casters in the Realms, there should likely never be disease.

Who needs catapults when the town guard has a wizard with Fireball? For that matter, Warp Wood or a bevy of stone-shaping, rock to mud spells on the walls?

Not Forgotten Realms, but any campaign setting, really.

No, common NPC are barely higher in levels from GH or Eberron, really.

 

[Raven Crowking]

My biggest problem is that I make more history than I will ever use.

Regardless of what world you end up using, there will always be a point where you have created more than you can use. Remember, though, that this is a good thing. It means that, if you want a pick-up game, or if the players go off in some crazy direction, you've still got game.

What is really fun is, if you can get the players for it, to have each player operate a "character pool" and have multiple adventuring parties explore a single world. If you've got a lot of material, it can be fun. Works for POL, too.

RC

 

[Hussar]

Forgotten Realms has been too "fantastical" for its own good -

What use are adventurers to investigate the death of a merchant if the local guard can simply cast Speak With Dead?

Cure Disease can be cast X number of times per day. With the abundance of casters in the Realms, there should likely never be disease.

Who needs catapults when the town guard has a wizard with Fireball? For that matter, Warp Wood or a bevy of stone-shaping, rock to mud spells on the walls?

How is this a FR problem and not an issue with D&D as written, in every edition? Heck, back in 1e, my fighter equiped his followers with hippogriffs and rocks inscribed with Sepia Snake Sigil (goes off on contact in 1e IIRC). Why not? Nothing I did was out of lines with the rules and we simply had enough money to go out and buy hippogriff eggs. Or rather pay other to get them.

This is one thing I hope will actually be addressed in 4e. The per encounter and at will abilities seem to be more combat oriented and less functional. After all, even something like Purify Food and Drink would have a huge effect on a D&D world. Even a 1st level cleric can do that 3 times a day, and a wand would be ridiculously cheap for a town to afford.

Never mind what something like a Lyre of Building or a Decanter of Endless Water would do.

If they move utility spells into rituals, then perhaps casters will have less of an effect on world design.

 

[Brother MacLaren]

Even a 1st level cleric can do that 3 times a day, and a wand would be ridiculously cheap for a town to afford.

This became a problem in 3E, with magic items being trivially easy to create, magic items assumed to be for sale, 1st-level casters having multiple useful spells, and DMG demographics suggesting multiple mid-level (5+) PC-classed individuals in every town.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I'm using much of what I read on the board as inspiration, you all are so talented.

It's nice to hear that someone like me with only 6-7 years in RPG still has the same impression as someone with a 20 year old campaign setting - people on this board are fantastic and tend to give me great ideas...

 

[quixoteles]

That "elitist vibe": It's all in your head. I'm just arguing against what is IMO a poor choice of direction for core D&D. I even explain why that might be so.

I concur dude, you're are an elitist. Just embrace your inner snob man, you like your DND the way it is, all trust. don't tell me why it sucks, tell me what's really good. That's talking about what made your favorite game awesome, is what makes for a populist disposition. But listen to me telling you how to debate, I am such a burnt pot this afternoon! I apologize, no hard feelings?

But seriously dude, you come off snob-like rounser, chill out.

 

[Hussar]

This became a problem in 3E, with magic items being trivially easy to create, magic items assumed to be for sale, 1st-level casters having multiple useful spells, and DMG demographics suggesting multiple mid-level (5+) PC-classed individuals in every town.

First off, you demographics is flawed. The DMG demographics don't actually state that. You need pretty large centers to get any large number of high level PC's in a settlement.

Secondly, it was a problem in earlier editions as well. Continual light for a perfect example. No casting cost, permanent light source that's very, very bright.

But, I refuse to get dragged into an edition war on this. The point I was trying to make is that it wasn't the fault of Forgotten Realms but of D&D as written.