D&D (2024) What do you want to see from the bastion system?

[Frozen_Heart]

This is actually one of the things I'm most hyped for in 5.5e, and there has been very little discussion around it so far. 5e was extremely light on guidelines for player bases, so I'm very excited to see what they come up with.

What are peoples hopes and wants for it?

 

[Incenjucar]

Hopefully they include mobile bases like pirate ships and giant wagons drawn by massive lizards that might occasionally eat passersby.

Stationary bases can be limiting unless they have portals.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Hopefully they include mobile bases like pirate ships and giant wagons drawn by massive lizards that might occasionally eat passersby.

Stationary bases can be limiting unless they have portals.

I hope it will be a bit like 2e. Where fighters just attract more followers than wizards (which are commonly more feared by the common people).
This was one of the ADnD 2e ways of balancing out martials vs casters.
This way at higher level, everyone had a meaningful way of engaging with the bigger troubles.

 

[scottieboy86]

duplicate post.

 

[scottieboy86]

I would want them to be mechanically distinct from one another; mage towers have these features, keeps have other features. I wouldn't want them to be exclusive, just little bumps here and there. I'd also like a system for resolving conflict between bastions, with bastions having stats and using dice for conflicts.

I'd also like a big book of optional subsystems, like magic item crafting, warfare, kingdom management, vehicle combat. A well made DMG could do this, but the one we have doesn't, or at least doesn't do it enough.

 

[Xamnam]

Id like them to have stats and be mechanically different from one another. A wizard's tower attracts merchants selling wondrous items, or produces them itself. A Keep attracts and produces different things. I like to have a system to resolve conflict between bastions. I'd love a big book of rules with kingdom management, warfare rules, good ship combat rules. Would be a great thing for a dungeon master's guide to be. The current one doesn't have near enough.

Maybe you list these things for this exact reason, but have you checked out MCDM's Strongholds and Followers book?

 

[ART!]

I don't know much about what support D&D had for this in previous editions - can anyone provide any insight into what existed before, what worked, what didn't, etc.?

Off the top of my head, i think different kinds of bases might be better for some kinds of downtime activities than others, so it'd be neat to see that reflected.

 

[scottieboy86]

Maybe you list these things for this exact reason, but have you checked out MCDM's Strongholds and Followers book?

I have, and it's cool, but I think I had some issues with the implementation. Also I found the officer role mechanic to be a little odd. If I'm recalling correctly, the book advises a you to not give out mechanical benefits to pcs who would typically be part of a particular organization. It would make me sad if I was playing a wizard and every other pc but mine got benefits for being an officer of a wizard guild. I like wizards.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Same. I want to see it embrace the fantastical. Airships, extradimensional bases (think Skeeve's home on Deva, from the Myth series, or some of the wild stuff in 2e Planescape), you name it.

Hopefully they include mobile bases like pirate ships and giant wagons drawn by massive lizards that might occasionally eat passersby.

Stationary bases can be limiting unless they have portals.

I also want to see aesthetic changes be incentivized. Let there be, not just functional options, but style.

 

[Incenjucar]

My last campaign revolved around a cursed pirate ship with a dragon attached to it that was eventually converted into a flying planejammer. The ship and crew were absolutely integral to the whole campaign and the change in roster and command was basically a reflection of the PCs growth at every step.