What would make for a good homebrew that adds something different?

[Stacie GmrGrl]

I'm in the process of wanting to gather a group of people together to play this game so I can run a really fun game for a while and I want to add something different to the mix than the standard run of the mill world but I want to use what's already been released by WotC...I have access to none of the few 3pp products released so lets ignore them.

I'm having a creative block and it stinks so I am here asking for help and suggestions that could kick start my mind into creative mode. What would be fun, cool, and different enough to not just be another bland D&D medieval setting world? How can we twist it up a bit? What would you enjoy as a player to see in a game setting?

 

[Mort]

I'm in the process of wanting to gather a group of people together to play this game so I can run a really fun game for a while and I want to add something different to the mix than the standard run of the mill world but I want to use what's already been released by WotC...I have access to none of the few 3pp products released so lets ignore them.

I'm having a creative block and it stinks so I am here asking for help and suggestions that could kick start my mind into creative mode. What would be fun, cool, and different enough to not just be another bland D&D medieval setting world? How can we twist it up a bit? What would you enjoy as a player to see in a game setting?

If you want to use an established but "different" setting - Dark Sun done right!

 

[Derulbaskul]

Why not Eberron?

It has all the familiar D&D tropes, has been published for 4E and also has various twists in the form of magical technology etc.... The 3.5E adventures can still be found and could be adapted into a 4E campaign stretching through to the early levels of the paragon tier.

It's also the sort of world where you could take the plot of Raiders of the Lost Ark, make it more magical and, voila, you have your own adventure (just replace the Nazis with the Emerald Claw).

I'm more of a FR fan so I cannot suggest much more that that but the Eberron boards over at WotC are surprisingly (for WotC boards) full of good ideas and good people.

 

[Stacie GmrGrl]

I could use those, but I really don't want to. Eberron conceptually is not really different to me. Dark Sun is pretty cool and I have thought about it and it is more unique than Eberron, but its still from WotC.

I need a concept. A creative spark from an original source of inspiration. An idea to branch off of. I can list a few elements that I enjoy, which Eberron as a few of them, but ... honestly I wish Zeitgeist was ready because that's more what I like. But it's not ready yet.

Something similar in vein to Zeitgeist. Midnight would be fun, but I don't want to deal with the conversion process. Iron Kingdoms the same, and I don't want to create new races. Something in those themes to start... maybe with a sci-fi twist. To bad there are no rules for guns in 4e.

 

[Wik]

I could use those, but I really don't want to. Eberron conceptually is not really different to me. Dark Sun is pretty cool and I have thought about it and it is more unique than Eberron, but its still from WotC.

I need a concept. A creative spark from an original source of inspiration. An idea to branch off of. I can list a few elements that I enjoy, which Eberron as a few of them, but ... honestly I wish Zeitgeist was ready because that's more what I like. But it's not ready yet.

Something similar in vein to Zeitgeist. Midnight would be fun, but I don't want to deal with the conversion process. Iron Kingdoms the same, and I don't want to create new races. Something in those themes to start... maybe with a sci-fi twist. To bad there are no rules for guns in 4e.

Planar themed game, set in the Astral Sea. PCs have a spelljamming craft, and the game has a sort of "Pirates of the Caribbean" feel, only set in a fantastic space-like planar setting. Instead of guns, use fireball-shooting cannons. And throw in as much Eberron-style steampunk as you can stomach.

 

[Leatherhead]

The Neolithic Age.

Alternatively, The Flintstone age

 

[amerigoV]

You can never go wrong with gnome ninja pirates. Never.

 

[NewJeffCT]

I'm in the process of wanting to gather a group of people together to play this game so I can run a really fun game for a while and I want to add something different to the mix than the standard run of the mill world but I want to use what's already been released by WotC...I have access to none of the few 3pp products released so lets ignore them.

I'm having a creative block and it stinks so I am here asking for help and suggestions that could kick start my mind into creative mode. What would be fun, cool, and different enough to not just be another bland D&D medieval setting world? How can we twist it up a bit? What would you enjoy as a player to see in a game setting?

How about something where humans are the minority - somewhat akin to elves or dwarves in most settings?

Or maybe a waterworld where most people live on groups of islands or upon ships.

 

[TarionzCousin]

... honestly I wish Zeitgeist was ready because that's more what I like. But it's not ready yet.

It will begin in "Spring 2011," so that is at most 3 months from now. Hopefully sooner!

There are a few supplements out for d20 that are either Steampunk or Aerial-based.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Sorcery-Steam-Legends-Lairs-System/dp/1589941152/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1300646264&sr=8-2"]Sorcery & Steam[/ame], by Fantasy Flight Games

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Steampunk-Musha-RPG-Victoriental-Adventures/dp/B001S707T8/ref=sr_1_44?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1300646644&sr=1-44"]Steampunk Musha[/ame]


[ame="http://www.amazon.com/OGL-Steampunk-Alejandro-Melchor/dp/1904577849/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1300646769&sr=1-9"]OGL Steampunk[/ame]


[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Aerial-Adventure-Guide-Captains-Hand/dp/0972873880/ref=pd_sim_b_2"]The Aerial Adventures Guide Sky Captain's Handbook[/ame], by Mike Mearls

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Airships-Fantasy-Roleplaying-Supplement-BAS1009/dp/1592630006/ref=pd_sim_b_1"]Airships[/ame]


Plus there are some GURPS books available too.

 

[Herobizkit]

Steam & Steel, written by EnWorld's own Christoper Allen, is an (imo) unsurpassed work for an indy d20 resource for Steampunk-type information. Instead of a 'kit book', S&S delivers the THEORY behind what kind of stuff goes into a steampunk setting and offers design tips on how such items would work in a campaign setting.

Plus, it's a buck. One dollar. I bought a print edition when it first came out and it's one of my prize possessions.

And no, I'm not Christopher Allen. LOL!

Also up there is the Fantastic Science: A Technologist Sourcebook. It's more of your "full of stats and abilities"-type book, so it might not translate well to 4e, but again, if you want lists and lists of gadgets, thigamabobs, whizgigs, and anything else... here you go. And it's a buck, too.

From Goodman Games, there's Etherscope, which is essentially Shadowrun (or the Matrix, for you younger kids) in the Victorian Era. Again, it's d20, but you wanna talk a full-meal deal...