Twists from the norm

[Dicejockey]

Was wondering what strange twists people have added to their campaigns?

This would be anything that breaks the mold from the "standard" D&D games.

Examples:

Oriental Elves in the Sovereign Stone setting.

Monstrous humanoids (Ogres, goblins, kobolds) are the good races, whereas the elves , humans, dwarves ect. are evil.

Even cool rule twists. Such as a sub-race of dwarves who have a bonus to Dex or maybe elves who deny the existence of divine beings and therefore never become clerics or druids (as in Birthright).

The old Worldbuilder's Guidebook gave great ideas in the last couple pages, but there weren't many. The new DMG has a couple things as well. I think in an interview, Monte Cook said he wished he could put out a DMG 2 that would have more useful worldbuilding types and different takes on many standard cliches.

So what things have you added to the game to make it unique?

-Dicejockey

 

[RangerWickett]

Heh, in the Savannah Knights game I play in (of which you can find the storyhour on the Storyhour forum), every creature or race you don't find on Earth naturally is a native of Gaia, the Faerie world. Humans cannot use magic naturally, so they must either study (wizards) or have intense concentration (monks, psions, psychic warriors).

There is a third option, however. Humans can bond with the spirits of the deceased that have not yet 'passed over,' and the spirit provides a conduit to the magic of Gaia. Thus, with a spirit you could become a sorcerer, a cleric, a paladin, etc., but otherwise you'd be unable to access the magic. Elves, Orcs, Dwarves, etc. can all use magic naturally, without spirits.

The final big change is that Dragons don't cause Dragonfear; they stun magic-users because their own magical auras are so powerful. This explains why, historically, it was always knights who slew dragons, never magic-users.

 

[Tsyr]

Hey RW, if you ever do a SK "campagins setting" PDF, I'll be the first in line to download it... It sounds interesting from what you've posted of it!

As for mine... Hmmm... Actualy, I have many.

I've got japanese elves, actualy, and before Sov Stone... I also have one sub-race of dwarves that are basicly Amish, and a sub-race of halflings that are like the Mongol Hordes in mini-size. Gnomes are a seafaring merchant race. I have a race of elves that lives in a shadow-dimension that co-exists with the rest of the world, but is removed from it.

The "gods" of the world are actualy ultrapowerful outsiders masquerading as gods, but nobody knows that. They have the ability to grant powers, and pretend to be of different alignments, but in actuality, they are selfserving entities that are planing to use the world for something... unhealthy. This is part of the metaplot of my world, but outside the PCs scope for the immediate future. The original gods are gone, and before the "new gods" came, clerics got power from the four demon-dragons. They still can, and do, for that matter. Demon-ragons are far more primal and savage, though... Not much smarter than your average dog. They hate the new gods for some reason, but no one knows why.

Magical technology is rampant in my world... Mana-Blades, Spirit Shields, Mythal-Armour, Airships, Mithrillflesh, etc. Magic is actualy EXTREAMLY common in my world anymore, far moreso than the realms... All classes, even fighters, can learn a few simple spells of some form. I handle this through feats. This hasn't always been this way, though... For thousands of years, magic was actualy "damaged", and couldn't be used at all. But before it was "damaged" the magic level was even higher than it is now. Long, complex history there. Related to the above stuff dealing with gods. Part of my worlds backstory.

 

[Humanophile]

Well, first, for a campaign I'm working on now, I've decided I'm bored with monarchies left, right, and center. I'm going with very much a modern republic system, but any sort of nonfeudal system will come in unexpected.

I'm also encouraging a high-low, low-high magic system (for those of you not reading my mind, that means that low level scrolls, potions, and maybe +1 weapons and armors can be bought and sold normally, and enough of the population has minor sorcerous abilities that it's acknowleged as an is, but if you want high powered magic you'll have to make it or go far out of your way for it). Having to think up laws and preparations for this can be quite interesting.

Calling all nonhumans outsiders can be an interesting twist, especially if you say that their "born" alignment is their racial alignment (so, say, protection from law and protection from good would hedge out a dwarf. Any dwarf). Do be careful you don't overpower casters in that game, though.

And this may be somewhat of a cheap shot, but requiring clerics to go out of their ways and do some grand feat for their gods to recharge spells. Be careful that if you do this, you give them some sort of "cure pool" that refreshes more regularly (Lay on Hands is a lovely template for this), so they don't have to keep going on pilgrimages just because the fighter keeps charging blindly.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Why twist when all you have to do it just think about people?

I mean, honestly, fireball is a 3rd level spell. How would a society handle that? It is almost like saying "one in 1,000 people own a grenade launcher". Even given the historical population density of 50 people/square mile (roughly 30 people/square kilometer) how would that impact a society?

It sounds geeky but you don't have to think "what would a world be like if there were psionic lizard men?" You just have to think "what would a world be like if the NPCs used the rules?"

 

[Altalazar]

The Halfling Hordes - unconquerable, many a would-be conquerer has left in disgust.

 

[Numion]

It sounds geeky but you don't have to think "what would a world be like if there were psionic lizard men?" You just have to think "what would a world be like if the NPCs used the rules?"

Excactly! Clerics could sell True Resurrection Policies ("Here's 10k. If I don't report to this temple in, say, a month cast a True Resurrection for me.")

Killing somebody is just considered a warning, then. Killing and Soul Trapping is the permanent solution.

Zealous clerics devoted to honesty build a pole with Hallow w/ Zone of Truth in every village.

The Lords orders are carried only if he has his Amulet of Mind Shielding on. (To prevent charmed lords doing harm to themselves.)

Jury is obsolete. A cleric with Zone of Thruth / Detect Lie determines guilt. (Another cleric could then check that cleric etc.)

 

[Tsyr]

Thinking of manablades made me think of another one.

Paladins don't have to be good, they can be of any lawful alignment.

 

[Horacio]

Excactly! Clerics could sell True Resurrection Policies ("Here's 10k. If I don't report to this temple in, say, a month cast a True Resurrection for me.")

Killing somebody is just considered a warning, then. Killing and Soul Trapping is the permanent solution.

Zealous clerics devoted to honesty build a pole with Hallow w/ Zone of Truth in every village.

The Lords orders are carried only if he has his Amulet of Mind Shielding on. (To prevent charmed lords doing harm to themselves.)

Jury is obsolete. A cleric with Zone of Thruth / Detect Lie determines guilt. (Another cleric could then check that cleric etc.)

I think it has been done...

Check Steven Brust's "Taltos" series. It's a world where magic has a role in society. As you have said, assesination is a warning, unless you use a soul devouring weapon, wizards sells teleporting spells, etc.

And it's really cool and well done.

 

[Zappo]

I mean, honestly, fireball is a 3rd level spell. How would a society handle that? It is almost like saying "one in 1,000 people own a grenade launcher". Even given the historical population density of 50 people/square mile (roughly 30 people/square kilometer) how would that impact a society?

Luckily, those same people usually (though not always) have INT 13+.