UPDATED! A custom version of "Strongholds" - now with Wilverley Hall!

[Morrus]

[EDIT - scroll down to POST 17 for the latest, updated version of this PDF; I've removed the old version from this post]

The DDI article was cool; I think there's space for a more detailed system for that portion of players interested in it. It probably wouldn't have mass appeal, but there are some who enjoy stronghold building.

Here's a brief start on a concept. Don't pay too much attention to the numbers - it's a concept, so I've not calculated anything or gone into too much detail, and neither have I worried too much about the prose for now. I just wanted to jot some notes down.

It's kinda like the DDI article, but allows for more detail without getting too "Dungeons & Accountants" about it. It's quite simple at the moment. I'm really just playing around with ideas right now as a bit of fun.

 

[Morrus]

I've updated it for those who looked at it yesterday. New version. Also includes a simple sample stronghold, Wilverley Hall.

 

[Morrus]

Updated again with ballistae, catapults, towers/walls, and a stronghold construction worksheet.

 

[TarionzCousin]

I like it. I especially like that you mentioned which rituals might be useful.

 

[Morrus]

It's updated again. Minor fixes, and small additions.

One of my issues is - why would someone spend their money on this rather than a shiny sword or suit of armour? For the same expenditure, therefore, a player should expect to get equal or greater benefit from the stronghold. Otherwise they'll just buy a new sword instead.

I don't believe I've addressed that adequately yet. The benefits in the PDF are not equal to the same value in magic items. So there's still work to do.

I've decided to "conceptually" cut it off there so as not to make it an entire book, and work on improving what's currently there rather than adding new stuff. When I'm happy with this, I'll do a sequel which adds nifty stuff - say, an elven archery range, a dwarven forge, and so on. But that can all wait until the basic concept works how it's intended to, which means ensuring that the cost-benefit ration for the existing stuff works.

 

[thegrumpyyoungman]

first of all....i like it! this is a cool idea that i will probably introduce to my players later on. theyve been finding gold but not much to spend it on by way of town stores and what not, so this is a good option.

maybe i'm just being lazy, but after skimming through the pdf, its not "obvious" as to what bonuses are granted for buying a stronghold. my players are REALLY lazy, and probably will want a handy chart at the beginning that says what building X gives +'s to. from what i could see, you really only had the Diplomacy bonuses in "chart form". just a suggestion here....maybe on the second page, give a bit chart/table showing "buy this, get this". they can read all of the details in the pdf once they decide "hmmm, okay i want more diplomacy and i see that i get some bonuses when i buy furnishings, so let me look at how to do that". otherwise its just a big document that they wont want to read. just my opinion, but then again, i have very lazy players.

as a dm though....this is great stuff! bravo!

 

[Morrus]

first of all....i like it! this is a cool idea that i will probably introduce to my players later on. theyve been finding gold but not much to spend it on by way of town stores and what not, so this is a good option.

maybe i'm just being lazy, but after skimming through the pdf, its not "obvious" as to what bonuses are granted for buying a stronghold. my players are REALLY lazy, and probably will want a handy chart at the beginning that says what building X gives +'s to. from what i could see, you really only had the Diplomacy bonuses in "chart form". just a suggestion here....maybe on the second page, give a bit chart/table showing "buy this, get this". they can read all of the details in the pdf once they decide "hmmm, okay i want more diplomacy and i see that i get some bonuses when i buy furnishings, so let me look at how to do that". otherwise its just a big document that they wont want to read. just my opinion, but then again, i have very lazy players.

as a dm though....this is great stuff! bravo!

Oh, I plan to. But the bonuses aren't settled yet. And I can't see a +1 Diplomacy bonus whle you're in the room beng worth the expenditure.

Right now I'm thinking along the lines of each room giving you a different daily power. But that's just a hazy thought at present.

 

[keterys]

Nice and simple, good stuff. There's a high bar for entry, so it'd be tough to do it before paragon, but after paragon it becomes increasingly easy to do it. The library/temple functions are actually _very_ cheap at that point to get to +5s - not sure if that's a bug or feature. Basically, a level 1-5 item are pocket change compared to the rest of your costs - you _could_ scale by 5s like 1/6/11 if you want it more exclusive.

I like the idea of different rooms giving you "daily" powers, though I'd be tempted to make them per adventure or something instead.

 

[Morrus]

OK, so I need a power/ability granted by each of the three main rooms currently available: Library, Temple, Lab. I was thinking of making them sorta like Paragon Path features or powers.

Temple - additional daily free use of Second Wind?

 

[keterys]

Labs could defray the cost of doing rituals

Temples should probably depend on what type of temple (Vecna vs Pelor...) - but you want something more like a good bonus to a healing surge spent and/or affliction removed, rather than an extra second wind (unless you expect fights inside the temple often, while you don't have clerics around throwing healing words that are better than second winds)

Library is trickier - guessing act like divination powers, but, hmm. It'd be nice to get a Buffy vibe out of it, to be honest. Like it gives you a hefty bonus to a task you set out to do, or a bonus against a specific monster, or whatever.