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What does a campaign setting "need"?
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<blockquote data-quote="Nellisir" data-source="post: 1534681" data-attributes="member: 70"><p>What everyone else said. ;-)</p><p></p><p>Plus, Vlos has a good point. A good setting has History - a sense that something came before the characters.</p><p></p><p>Verisimilitude.</p><p></p><p>As a player, I find maps to be very helpful. They help players get a grasp on the scope and scale of their endeavours. That said, the maps should be appropriate. 1st level characters don't need continent-spanning maps. Making a map with 4 continents and 7 seas, and then pointing to a point and saying "you are here" makes them want to cross the ocean, not just the next stream.</p><p></p><p>As a DM, I use new character races to help define the tone of a new setting. I generally discard two or three PH races, and add the same number back in. Players are welcome to stick with "old reliable elves" if they like, or try out jotunkin and troldfolk (in my last 2 multi-year campaigns, I've had 0 half-elves, 0 gnomes, 0 dwarves, 2 troldfolk, 1 roane, and 1 fuah).</p><p></p><p>Players only ever see 10% (at most) of what you create. Subtle campaign details are usually lost (you can emphasize subtle details, but then they aren't so subtle). That doesn't mean they shouldn't exist, but don't expect everyone to appreciate, acknowledge, or understand them.</p><p></p><p>Nell.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nellisir, post: 1534681, member: 70"] What everyone else said. ;-) Plus, Vlos has a good point. A good setting has History - a sense that something came before the characters. Verisimilitude. As a player, I find maps to be very helpful. They help players get a grasp on the scope and scale of their endeavours. That said, the maps should be appropriate. 1st level characters don't need continent-spanning maps. Making a map with 4 continents and 7 seas, and then pointing to a point and saying "you are here" makes them want to cross the ocean, not just the next stream. As a DM, I use new character races to help define the tone of a new setting. I generally discard two or three PH races, and add the same number back in. Players are welcome to stick with "old reliable elves" if they like, or try out jotunkin and troldfolk (in my last 2 multi-year campaigns, I've had 0 half-elves, 0 gnomes, 0 dwarves, 2 troldfolk, 1 roane, and 1 fuah). Players only ever see 10% (at most) of what you create. Subtle campaign details are usually lost (you can emphasize subtle details, but then they aren't so subtle). That doesn't mean they shouldn't exist, but don't expect everyone to appreciate, acknowledge, or understand them. Nell. [/QUOTE]
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