Why Homebrew?

[kitsune9]

I have noticed a lot of GMs say they like to create their own world, or homebrew. I have found that, in my experience that is is just not worth it to do so. All I am doing is creating a world that I doubt my players will really care about. I admit it can be kinda fun creating my own world, but I just do not see much point in it. And I find I enjoy messing around with other people's settings just as much. I usually use the setting I am playing in as more of a starting point to put my own ideas down, and then go from there.

But, can anyone tell me any compelling reasons to create my own world beyond just the satisfaction of it?

I would like to create my own homebrew campaign setting too, but it's too much work for me right now. That, and I do like quite a few published settings that have been out (Golarion, FR 3.x, Iron Kingdoms, and Kingdoms of Kalamar).

If I was playing, I wouldn't mind playing in someone's homebrew campaign setting and if I get handouts, player's guides, campaign rules, etc., I'll read them so that I have some knowledge. DM's who invest more time in creating information for their players get more of an investment from me. DM's who just draw on a piece a paper some kingdom and start the campaign with us being in a tavern gets the same amount of attention from me.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Thanks to this thread, I now have ideas for a homemade setting.

 

[Barastrondo]

I was lucky enough to marry a woman who likes the same sort of things in a fantasy game that I do, and that enjoys the personalized touch of interacting with places, people and threats that I create.

So for me, it's homebrew or sleep on the couch.

(Well, and also the pathological need to create as a way of playing with the toys that are an RPG, but anyway.)

 

[Lanefan]

Okay, setting aside the scratching of the creative itch...

I actually find it easier to create a world, and thus know all its details intimately, than I do absorbing all the data about someone else's world - it is far easier for me to remember all the details I made up than it is to memorize all the stuff in a setting book.

When dealing with my own setting, I can edit, change course, and change emphasis of elements on my own, and I automatically know the impact of those choices. If I am using someone else's setting, the next supplement (or a factoid I don't remember) can mean that edits I've made locally become problematic in the context of the whole.

When dealing with my own setting, I have zero fear that the players have read secrets about the world I don't want them to know yet.

How's that for a few reasons?

5 posts in and already someone hits the nail right on the head.

It's simply less work for me to make up my own world than do all the research to learn about a published one...which I'd probably hack up anyway.

Lanefan

 

[the Jester]

Why homebrew?

To create a world is to be as a god.

 

[Lwaxy]

My players wouldn't care if I would NOT create our own worlds. That is half the fun of playing. We still use official stuff but the main game is almost always on worlds and with rules we created ourselves.

 

[fuindordm]

Okay, setting aside the scratching of the creative itch...

I actually find it easier to create a world, and thus know all its details intimately, than I do absorbing all the data about someone else's world - it is far easier for me to remember all the details I made up than it is to memorize all the stuff in a setting book.

This is a key point for me as well. I have trouble keeping the details straight even with published adventures--I just find I'm a better, more consistent GM with the stuff I make up myself.

And the creative process is fun.

Ben

 

[Dausuul]

I agree with the other reasons that have been put forward; I'll add that WotC and I have some fundamental disagreements on theme and style. WotC deals exclusively in high-magic settings with lots of weird races and something of a kitchen-sink mentality. I prefer settings that are more restrained and less "wahoo."

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

But, can anyone tell me any compelling reasons to create my own world beyond just the satisfaction of it?

I want to publish mine professionally.

And frankly, no other setting explores the same themes in the way I find most interesting (though there is some overlap with Eberron and Iron Kingdoms).

 

[BryonD]

But, can anyone tell me any compelling reasons to create my own world beyond just the satisfaction of it?

Why do you play D&D beyond just the satisfaction of it?