What do YOU look for in a Campaign World

[Calico_Jack73]

Personally as a player I want a campaign world where I feel my character can make a real difference and won't be eclipsed by powerful NPCs. That was probably the #1 reason I got into the Midnight setting. As a DM I want the same for my players. I want to see them become THE epic heros in the campaign world.

One thing I LOVED about Midnight is that "Humans" are not a "Race". You have three distinct groups of humans... the Dorn, Erenlanders, and Sarcosians and each group has different stat adjustments, bonuses, and abilities to reflect their culture. Having a real difference (stats and bonuses) between the human races makes them seem to have a greater difference. The Forgotten Realms and Greyhawk have multiple races of humans but they just don't "Feel" different. Each subrace of Elf has different stat bonuses and abilities but a Daleman is really no different than a Thayan. At the very least give humans bonuses that make sense. Take the 4 bonus starting skill points away and designate where they go. If it is a group of humans that are born, live, and die on horseback (like the Huns) wouldn't it make sense that every person in that culture would have Handle Animal and Ride at +2 or more? During your childhood you'd be taught those abilities whether you liked it or not.

 

[Narfellus]

game worlds

I started long ago with the Forgotten Realms and learned from those guys how to build a campaign world. That said, i didn't read a whole lot of the novels, and didn't care if my campaign contradicted the canon. I just took the setting, the maps, the core ideas, and then crafted my story around them. For us, the Realms was PLENTY big enough to take a nation or kingdom or two and set a whole campaign for years in that one area. Screw the rest of the world, it's 2000 miles away! Eventually the high magic and "heroes everywhere!" thing got to me and i had to change settings, but i still respect and admirer the early designers (Mr. Greenwood) who put so much creative thought into it.

My favorite setting now is Midnight, but i've already adopted it to an Underdark Midnight campaign. I take the theology, magic system races, etc of the core book, and then make up my own underdark civilizations. Eventually i will have the players get to the surface, because the best thing about Midnight is the integrated story. Every kingdom, race, orc and dwarf has a related thread: To kill or Be Killed by the minions of shadow.

 

[Sargon the Kassadian]

Personally as a player I want a campaign world where I feel my character can make a real difference and won't be eclipsed by powerful NPCs. That was probably the #1 reason I got into the Midnight setting. As a DM I want the same for my players. I want to see them become THE epic heros in the campaign world.

One thing I LOVED about Midnight is that "Humans" are not a "Race". You have three distinct groups of humans... the Dorn, Erenlanders, and Sarcosians and each group has different stat adjustments, bonuses, and abilities to reflect their culture. Having a real difference (stats and bonuses) between the human races makes them seem to have a greater difference. The Forgotten Realms and Greyhawk have multiple races of humans but they just don't "Feel" different. Each subrace of Elf has different stat bonuses and abilities but a Daleman is really no different than a Thayan. At the very least give humans bonuses that make sense. Take the 4 bonus starting skill points away and designate where they go. If it is a group of humans that are born, live, and die on horseback (like the Huns) wouldn't it make sense that every person in that culture would have Handle Animal and Ride at +2 or more? During your childhood you'd be taught those abilities whether you liked it or not.

Thanks again! I am looking for ways to incorporate grippli and myconids into it [anyone have the old Dungeon article he referred to (Arias?) and/or knows how to get it?] and also was toying with a clan system where the seperate regions and island cultures of my world have their own special feats and skill bonuses.

 

[Nightfall]

To paraphase the great Rowdy Roddy Piper, "I'm here to pimp the Scarred Lands, post on threads, and chew bubblegum! My keyboard doesn't work to well and I'm all out of bubblegum!"