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D&D Campaign Hook: Worldstone Isle
This isn't the story of a band of heroes out to save the world. After all, the world is already beyond saving.
Whether by enemy action or the will of the gods, the Worldstone, the foundation from which the world grows, has shattered. With its destruction, the world was torn asunder. In its place is an endless sea of fragments floating in the aether. Life still clings to some of these fragments, but it is a strange sort of existence, with the laws that govern the world shattered along with the land. Monsters run wild, some awakened from ancient slumber by the calamity, others called from beyond our world to prey on what remains.
However, all hope is not lost. The Worldstone can still be rebuilt. You, chosen heroes, were brought to its shattered remains by its final cry of distress. It sits now at the center of Worldstone Isle, the seed of a new world teeming with life. Here, you are safe. Here, you can travel through the sea of fragments in search of survivors and shards of the Worldstone. Bring them back, and Worldstone Isle will grow, its form molded by the will of its saviors.
If you have the courage to venture forth and the determination to carry through, the dawn of a new world awaits.
What's this?
I'm recruiting for a new campaign! Seeking 4-6 players for an online tabletop game run through roll20, with sandbox, dungeon crawl, mystery, and worldbuilding elements, inspired by the videogame Bastion. Seek out the shards of the Worldstone from a sea of floating islands! Battle monsters! Find other survivors! Figure out why the world was destroyed, and create a new one to replace it!
What system are you using?
I'll be using a modified version of Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition. 4e is (currently) the most recent iteration of D&D, and is characterized by dynamic, well-balanced combat focused around exciting setpiece battles.
The default setting for 4th Edition is described in the books as points of light in a sea of darkness, so I guess I'm taking this idea to its logical extreme here.
What about out of combat stuff?
Don't worry, though! I did say I was using a modified verison. Specifically, I will be filling the holes in 4e's non-combat experience with tricks from Dungeon World and Sacred BBQ. Expect shit to be exciting, whether or not there are bad dudes with swords in your face.
I don't own the 4th Edition books!
Fear not! Having access to the books is not a requirement, as I shall provide it. Either through a shared D&D Insider subscription or some other such trick.
Tell me more about that combat system.
Gladly! The big idea of 4th Edition is that every class is (more or less) equally powerful and runs on the same basic system of At-Will powers (use whenever you want), Encounter powers (use once per battle), and Daily powers (use once per day). The combat is intense and crunchy, with lots of tactical depth to sink your teeth into. Also, the dynamic of the party is determined by the Roles that each character fills. Ideally, you want at least one of each of the four roles:
Leaders are the heart of the team. They may or may not be fighting on the frontlines, but the Leader's job is to keep everyone fighting at full power, through buffs, healing, and a variety of over tricks. Examples include the Cleric, the Warlord, and the Bard.
Defenders are the heavy frontliners. They are implacable, hard to kill, and make it their business to keep their more vulnerable friends alive. Defenders are defined by abilities that make it hard for monsters to attack anyone other than them. Examples include the Fighter, the Paladin, and the Swordmage.
Strikers are the big guns. They may be fragile, but when they hit something, it stays hit. When you want something dead fast, you want a Striker. They are defined by abilities that do massive amounts of damage to a single target. Examples include the Rogue, the Warlock, and the Monk.
Controllers are the most complex role. They think on the level of the entire battle, manipulating enemies or damaging many foes at once. Their purpose is to make sure the enemy's options are as limited as possible, through debuffs or massive battle-spanning powers. Examples include the Wizard, the Druid, and the Psion.
I'll be making a few tweaks to make combat more streamlined, but let's get into that once the campaign is started.
Tell me more about the world!
No!
What?
As I said, one of the major themes of this game is going to be worldbuilding. Details of the world will emerge through play, both from me and from you. Feel free to make assumptions when you come up with character backstories, as long as they mesh with the fact that it was a D&D kind of world.
I want in on this.
Very good! Reply here to voice interest, and then optionally do any of these:
-Tell me what days you are available out of Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday!
-Talk character concepts!
-Mention what role you're most interested in!
-Ask me questions about 4th Edition!
-Ask me questions about the game in general!
-List your favorite type of vegetable!
Whether by enemy action or the will of the gods, the Worldstone, the foundation from which the world grows, has shattered. With its destruction, the world was torn asunder. In its place is an endless sea of fragments floating in the aether. Life still clings to some of these fragments, but it is a strange sort of existence, with the laws that govern the world shattered along with the land. Monsters run wild, some awakened from ancient slumber by the calamity, others called from beyond our world to prey on what remains.
However, all hope is not lost. The Worldstone can still be rebuilt. You, chosen heroes, were brought to its shattered remains by its final cry of distress. It sits now at the center of Worldstone Isle, the seed of a new world teeming with life. Here, you are safe. Here, you can travel through the sea of fragments in search of survivors and shards of the Worldstone. Bring them back, and Worldstone Isle will grow, its form molded by the will of its saviors.
If you have the courage to venture forth and the determination to carry through, the dawn of a new world awaits.
What's this?
I'm recruiting for a new campaign! Seeking 4-6 players for an online tabletop game run through roll20, with sandbox, dungeon crawl, mystery, and worldbuilding elements, inspired by the videogame Bastion. Seek out the shards of the Worldstone from a sea of floating islands! Battle monsters! Find other survivors! Figure out why the world was destroyed, and create a new one to replace it!
What system are you using?
I'll be using a modified version of Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition. 4e is (currently) the most recent iteration of D&D, and is characterized by dynamic, well-balanced combat focused around exciting setpiece battles.
The default setting for 4th Edition is described in the books as points of light in a sea of darkness, so I guess I'm taking this idea to its logical extreme here.
What about out of combat stuff?
Don't worry, though! I did say I was using a modified verison. Specifically, I will be filling the holes in 4e's non-combat experience with tricks from Dungeon World and Sacred BBQ. Expect shit to be exciting, whether or not there are bad dudes with swords in your face.
I don't own the 4th Edition books!
Fear not! Having access to the books is not a requirement, as I shall provide it. Either through a shared D&D Insider subscription or some other such trick.
Tell me more about that combat system.
Gladly! The big idea of 4th Edition is that every class is (more or less) equally powerful and runs on the same basic system of At-Will powers (use whenever you want), Encounter powers (use once per battle), and Daily powers (use once per day). The combat is intense and crunchy, with lots of tactical depth to sink your teeth into. Also, the dynamic of the party is determined by the Roles that each character fills. Ideally, you want at least one of each of the four roles:
Leaders are the heart of the team. They may or may not be fighting on the frontlines, but the Leader's job is to keep everyone fighting at full power, through buffs, healing, and a variety of over tricks. Examples include the Cleric, the Warlord, and the Bard.
Defenders are the heavy frontliners. They are implacable, hard to kill, and make it their business to keep their more vulnerable friends alive. Defenders are defined by abilities that make it hard for monsters to attack anyone other than them. Examples include the Fighter, the Paladin, and the Swordmage.
Strikers are the big guns. They may be fragile, but when they hit something, it stays hit. When you want something dead fast, you want a Striker. They are defined by abilities that do massive amounts of damage to a single target. Examples include the Rogue, the Warlock, and the Monk.
Controllers are the most complex role. They think on the level of the entire battle, manipulating enemies or damaging many foes at once. Their purpose is to make sure the enemy's options are as limited as possible, through debuffs or massive battle-spanning powers. Examples include the Wizard, the Druid, and the Psion.
I'll be making a few tweaks to make combat more streamlined, but let's get into that once the campaign is started.
Tell me more about the world!
No!
What?
As I said, one of the major themes of this game is going to be worldbuilding. Details of the world will emerge through play, both from me and from you. Feel free to make assumptions when you come up with character backstories, as long as they mesh with the fact that it was a D&D kind of world.
I want in on this.
Very good! Reply here to voice interest, and then optionally do any of these:
-Tell me what days you are available out of Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday!
-Talk character concepts!
-Mention what role you're most interested in!
-Ask me questions about 4th Edition!
-Ask me questions about the game in general!
-List your favorite type of vegetable!
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1: What is your plurk handle?
2: If you didn't answer this on the plurk already, what days work for you among Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays?
3: How much experience do you have with D&D, or tabletop RPGs in general?
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2. Depends on the time.
3. About two years as a player, and I've DMed a few times. 3.5 and 4e.
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Organizational plurk is going up here.
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I'll probably adjust as needed but prefer nuking; I'm most likely to roll Sorcerer.
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Both Leader and Striker sound more my style; I am all about the buffs and healing and big splashy damage.
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I was thinking some sort of former big shot conquering orc chief. Possibly wounded when the world broke thus explaining the being at level one. My basic concept here is having someone with a history of organized destruction being forced into the role of creation/salvation.
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http://www.rpgnow.com/product/65217/Shrine-Maiden?term=shrine+maiden This Leader class is one I had some interest in, but I'm open to other possibilities - say, ones worked on in the last four years. I might have to go through the Essentials stuff and consider the classes from there.