Zompist Bboard Again

A thread for DND stuff and roleplaying stuff in general.

I've been slowing working on retooling DND to fit into my own personal fantasy setting. So far i have 9 classes which could potentially be extended upon (i already have the idea for three more elemental classes) and 3 basic races.

Notes
I've already decided proficient saving throws you are proficient in will be based on class with some leeway to chose your own saving throws so if you want to play a charismatic fighter you can pick Charisma as one of your saving throws. I also decided Proficiencies could be anything you want as long as you chose an appropriate number of proficiencies for your class and am getting rid of backgrounds since i think they pigeonhole characters to much.
I also modified spellcasting abilities to be based on one of Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma with each class having at least 2 options.
Classes are also limited based on race which will be discussed later.

The classes
Warrior: Just a retooled fighter mainly retooled to use a Monk like system called Ni. Saving throws will be Strength + whatever you want and you have 5 Proficiencies.
Marksman: Like fighter but focusing on archery and again using Ni. Saving throws will be Dex + whatever you want and you have 5 Proficiencies.
Rogue: Retooled to potentially allow you to build a Dexterity based melee fighter and once again uses Ni. Saving throws will be Dex + whatever you want and you have 6 Proficiencies.

Shaman: Retooled druid focused on animal transformation as well as natural and divine magic and spirit suppletion (since the world is rather animistic). You can use either Intelligence or Wisdom as your spellcasting ability. Saving throws include your casting ability + anything else and you have 5 Proficiencies.
Ranger: The combat focused version of the Shaman focused on potentially using animal companions as well as survival. You can use Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma as your spellcasting ability. Saving throws include your casting ability + strength or dexterity and you have 6 Proficiencies.

Priest: Retooled cleric focused on devotion to a major spirit of the pantheon. You can use either wisdom or charisma as your casting ability and once again using your spellcasting ability and any ability of your choice as your saving throws and have 4 Proficiencies.
Paragon: Retooled paladin and devotees of the god of light the fourth member of the creation cycle. Like Priest you can either use wisdom or charisma as your spellcasting ability. Saving throws include your spellcasting ability + strength or constitution and you have 5 Proficiencies.

Wizard: Retooled magic user class which will probably be based mainly of the sorcerer. Uses all 3 spell casting abilities and has different spells depending on which it is proficient in. Saving throws include your spellcasting ability + any of your choice and you have 4 Proficiencies.
Pyromancer: A spellcaster based on usage of elemental magic like fire or potentially lightning (but this is only a subclass feature) as well as access to healing magic and potential proficiencly with gunpowder weapons. Casts based on either intelligence or charisma and saving throws include your spellcasting ability + any other with 4 proficiencies.

Races
Humans: Have access to Pyromancer and not Shaman and are pretty much like humans of other settings with 3 ability scores of your choice improved + bonus feats
Beastfolk: Have access to Shaman and not Pyromancer with pretty much the only recurring trait between all the subraces being the ability to transform into an animal of your chosen race by default. Humans and Beastfolk were once one but have since become divided.
Inukin: Bridge the gap between the two in having access to both Pyromancer and Shaman. Have +2 Str, +2 Cons, +2Cha and -2Dex and also access to Lay on Hands by default.

Your system is based on D&D 5th edition, I presume?

I'm currently GM'ing a scenario in D&D 3.5, still my favorite edition in spite of its balance issues. It takes place in the Forgotten Realms. I may eventually draw elements from Pathfinder, which is almost the same system.

Ryusenshi wrote: ↑Sun Jul 16, 2023 11:38 pm Your system is based on D&D 5th edition, I presume?

I'm currently GM'ing a scenario in D&D 3.5, still my favorite edition in spite of its balance issues. It takes place in the Forgotten Realms. I may eventually draw elements from Pathfinder, which is almost the same system.

Correct. I dislike the forgotten realms and can't wait to get started making my own adventures. I have a somewhat gist of the game and could use that to craft a setting.

I'm one of those curmudgeons who insists on 2e. Spelljammer for 5e is recent (and, I'm told, greatly disappointing); the concept of OG Spelljammer is how I got into TTRPGs in general. (I used to mod /r/Spelljammer on Reddit, and now I mod /m/Spelljammer on /kbin.)

Is it welcome here if I post stories from historical game sessions from time to time?

Ryusenshi wrote: ↑Sun Jul 16, 2023 11:38 pm Your system is based on D&D 5th edition, I presume?

I'm currently GM'ing a scenario in D&D 3.5, still my favorite edition in spite of its balance issues. It takes place in the Forgotten Realms. I may eventually draw elements from Pathfinder, which is almost the same system.

Pathfinder seems interesting but from glancing at the rules i definitely prefer 1st edition to 2nd since it seems to have more going on.

Man in Space wrote: ↑Mon Jul 17, 2023 9:52 pm I'm one of those curmudgeons who insists on 2e.

It's interesting, really. I've never played AD&D 2e, since I started with 3rd Edition. From what I've gathered, AD&D 2e had the best campaign settings ever: Spelljammer, Dark Sun, Planescape; and also some great video games like Baldur's Gate. But the rules seem so needlessly convoluted... thus, I really don't want to play this edition.

Man in Space wrote: ↑Mon Jul 17, 2023 9:52 pm I'm one of those curmudgeons who insists on 2e. Spelljammer for 5e is recent (and, I'm told, greatly disappointing); the concept of OG Spelljammer is how I got into TTRPGs in general. (I used to mod /r/Spelljammer on Reddit, and now I mod /m/Spelljammer on /kbin.)

wait... 2e? as in a d v a n c e d dungeons and dragons? Thac0 and the rest of it? man, that's old school.

The various aspects of a setting i came up with for DND (although it would probably be a bit unwieldy there and suit a more universal system but i play 5e)
The Forest
A vast continent spanning forest which is inhabited by animals which inhabit the material realm, incorporeal spirits which inhabit the spirit realm and of course animal spirits which are hybrids between the two and mainly inhabit the material realm but are intelligent and can use tools and build houses as well as walking upright. In ages past the forest was ruled by a royal family of martens who came from a foreign land but kept the balance between material and spirit realms. However in more recent times the royal family was assassinated including the current Crown Prince which broke the unbroken line which ensured their right to rule. So the various noble clans of the forest fell into disunity, banditry abounds, bad spirits and pathless spirits now abound and rivals from both the west and east including the Rival Wolf Dynasty of the east as well as a new force from the Western plains the Royauté des Chattes a foreign force bent upon exploiting the forest and which doesn’t live with harmony with the spirits but sometimes seeks to help the native inhabitants of the forest have risen.

Factions
Royauté des Chattes
A foreign clan who are currently the dominant power in the forest. They seek to extract the wealth of the forest as well as make the citizens lives better but they have disrupted the culture of the forest which is about living in harmony with nature and the incorporeal spirits. They also maintain an order of knights who stop banditry and enforce their rule in The Forest.

Sablesash Clan
The former ruling dynasty of the forest until one day assassins killed the royal family including the prince in waiting overthrowing their lineage. The off branches of the family have decided to pool together to try and restore order as the kingdom falls into chaos as well as to oppose the Royauté des Chattes but they lack legitimacy due to the violation of age old principles such as the unbroken lineage from the original founder of the clan known now as She Who Guides.

Pinefur Clan
A powerful clan tasked with the administrative details of ruling The Forest. They have grown more prominent with the fall of the original royal family. They have allied themselves with the merchant clans at least to a degree and are responsible for levying taxes to fight merchants.

Crownguard Clan
Originally the clan tasked with guarding the royal family and all its branches, especially the pre-eminent prince or princess. They have recently sought power to enact more militaristic decrees to oppose bandits as well as the actions of the Royauté des Chattes.

Other Noble Clans
Many other Noble clans inhabit these lands and unlike the other three they are generally composed of other species. Some have allied with the Royauté des Chattes in hopes of gaining power with them while others bitterly oppose them and have as such faded outside of prominence except in the areas where the royal family still controls.

Merchant Clans
Although named clans these aren’t hereditary and instead function as companies although hereditary leadership has been seen in older times when they wished to present well to the other noble clans. The most prominent of these is known as The Great River clan composed of mainly Otters which is responsible for trade along the great river although Foxes and other species are sometimes used for trading across land.

Faith of the Sun
An organised clergy centered around Sun Worship who originate from the east and which is most prominent amongst and primarily organised by Foxes.

Great Wolf Dynasty
An age-old rival of the Sablesash Clan who have established themselves in the northeast and who have also taken to opposing the Royauté des Chattes as they emerge. They revere their own principles of might and believe they ruled the forest in previous times.

The Order of the Light
Although the practices of The Light were introduced into the forest long ago the Order of the Light originates from the same land where the Royauté des Chattes originated. They have various priests and knights in their charge all dedicated to spreading the faith of The Light. Contrasting with the Faith of the Sun they have less organised scriptures as at its heart The Light is about practice and public worship. Nevertheless guidebooks have been dissimilated notably in many of the dialects and sometimes separate languages of the glades compared to the Faith of the Sun which only writes in the major languages of The Forest including The Ancient Language, Sablesash, Pinefur, Chatte, Wolfhowl and its own eastern dialect brought by the Foxes to the land.


Faiths
Forest Animism
The natural religion of the forest, based on worship of its varied incorporeal spirits and emphasising the relationship between them and animal spirits. It is the native practice of much of the forest at least when not under the influence of others. In general it consists of various offerings to spirits some ritualised and some freeform and which ones being ritualised or freeform varying from area to area.

Great Spirit Worship
A type of Forest Animism based on worship of one or more greater spirits. It is usually only found in the glades in which one or a few have taken up permanent residence and is usually the dominant faith in such glades.

The Wolf of Twilight
A variant of Great Spirit Worship used by wolves to justify their ancestry. It tells of how a spirit of the times in between day and night as well as one who transgresses boundaries and gives power to those who seek it and who birthed the Wolves to be his emissaries in the world.

The Light
A foreign faith which emphasises what it calls Holiness which is based on innate purity as well as right action. Worship is loud and communal and often disturbs the native incorporeal spirits of the land although some attempts of integration of practices of Forest Animism have been attempted. Although it has established itself much earlier than the Royauté des Chattes it is often encouraged by them. In addition it has found opposition by many of the noble clans of the forest who see it as in opposition to their power and it established itself later then the rise of the Sablesash dynasty.

The Great Cat
Native faith of the Royauté des Chattes centered around the worship of the progenitor of the cat race, a mythic hero who set the world into a state of order by calming many mythic Esprits who were sowing chaos in the land. It is native to their homeland but has found offshoots in lands they control and along with the Light it is

Night Shamanism
An underground faith connected to Forest Animism but based on spirits of the night. It shares most traits with Forest Animism except spirits are often more impersonal and sometimes even malicious as well as willing to make pacts with

Winter Shamanism
The native faith of the Sablesash dynasty, based on the worship of the goddess of winter who provides safe passage to survive the winters and emphasises the rites centered around a Shamanka who voices her interests. It has died out largely in recent times but is still held by some people in the north. Some aspects of it have been syncretised into the practices of the upper noble clans as it is not too distinct from Forest Animism. In particular blessings of safety or enchantments to ward off danger use elements from this belief.

Sun Worship
Native faith of many of the fox clans centered around the worship of the sun as the giver of life. Priestesses are in almost all cases female and supposed to ask the sun for blessings as well as to instruct followers on its proper worship backed by a canon of holy books. Unlike other native faiths the foxes encourage outsiders to take part in it.

Starmaker
Worship of the creator who set the stars in the sky. It is based on often philosophical inquiry about their nature and is often done by scholars or outside cults and is rarely a mainstream faith. However certain Coyote clans have done their part to make the most extensive, elaborated and ritualistic versions of the faith.

I am currently working on a universal RPG system called OURS. Of course, we have GURPS, which has been my favourite RPG system for many years, and OURS owes quite something to it, but I found some things I could improve and simplify, and moreover, I wanted something that could be included freely in one's own publications.

I'd be interested in DMing a game which could be a oneshot or a oneshot that grows into a campaign of DND fifth edition in my own setting (the one i mentioned above) and would like to gather potential players from here and the CBB. I don't know which online roleplaying thing to use so someone would have to suggest one. I'll provide character options when i get access to my DND books (which are currently at my brother's place) however on a base level the character options will probably just look like modified versions of the variant human. If you want to play suggest which factions/faiths you would like to see although faiths and factions are intertwined. You could also suggest your own factions for the campaign/oneshot probably either a variant of a merchant or noble clan but possibly something else i'll see if its suitable.

Redirecting this discussion from the Venting Thread...

alice wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 2:58 pm

WeepingElf wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 12:57 pmI even seem to remember reading somewhere that D&D was initially marketed as a "wargame" and only latter called a "role-playing game".

This is quite true: it started out as a table-top wargame, and the role-playing bits were shoehorned in later.

I also remember reading somewhere (though not where) that the Elves, Dwarves and Halflings were added in a late stage of the design in order to market the game to Tolkien fans.

In my personal opinion, D&D never really got far from its origin as a skirmish wargame, though real RPGs started to appear in the late 1970s already, and D&D added some features of actual RPGs in later versions. And as I said, many if not most people who say they were playing "role-playing games" actually play skirmish wargames, either (ab)using RPGs for that purpose or playing actual skirmish wargames marketed as RPGs. Currently, "Old School Renaissance" (OSR) is the leading trend in the scene, which is nothing else than "let's drop all that nonsense about social interaction and non-violent adventure solutions and get back to the wargaming beginnings of our hobby". To those people, combat is as central in RPGs as scoring goals is in soccer - and I always felt that combat was the least attractive aspect of RPGs, and good stories mostly do not involve a violent solution.

WeepingElf wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 4:43 amI also remember reading somewhere (though not where) that the Elves, Dwarves and Halflings were added in a late stage of the design in order to market the game to Tolkien fans.

And Tolkien's estate didn't like them being called "hobbits", and forced a name change.

WeepingElf also wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 4:43 amIn my personal opinion, D&D never really got far from its origin as a skirmish wargame, though real RPGs started to appear in the late 1970s already, and D&D added some features of actual RPGs in later versions. And as I said, many if not most people who say they were playing "role-playing games" actually play skirmish wargames, either (ab)using RPGs for that purpose or playing actual skirmish wargames marketed as RPGs. Currently, "Old School Renaissance" (OSR) is the leading trend in the scene, which is nothing else than "let's drop all that nonsense about social interaction and non-violent adventure solutions and get back to the wargaming beginnings of our hobby". To those people, combat is as central in RPGs as scoring goals is in soccer - and I always felt that combat was the least attractive aspect of RPGs, and good stories mostly do not involve a violent solution.

The last time I seriously played D&D, or any RPG for that matter, was nearly 40 years ago, but even based on this limited experience I'd certainly agree with you. The way D&D was back then you'd have needed a really good DM to elevate the experience above wandering around and rolling dice to kill things, and such persons tend not to be found in great number among teenagers.

On a completely different note, D&D did expand my vocabulary with interesting words like "phylactery" and "thaumaturgist".

On another completely different note, I read once about some French persons who had the (English) rule books and tried to work out how to play the game with the help of a dictiomary. It would be interesting to know how much they got right, and what they made of the Monster Manual, not to mention Gygax's sometimes idiosyncratic prose.

I like to call D&D "the MS Windows among the RPGs" - it is the market leader, and its design is inferior to many other RPGs as its advanced functionalities were added later to a primitive core and still don't work well.

alice wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 3:27 pm On a completely different note, D&D did expand my vocabulary with interesting words like "phylactery" and "thaumaturgist".

I just googled "dnd phylactery" and was amazed by how little D&D phylacteries had to do with RL phylacteries... Somehow I am not surprised though.

Just a mechanical note, though: Ni seems pretty ubiquitous: are there not regular fighters that fight with... you know, hitting very hard with sharp and pointy things? i'm kind of assuming here ni is some magic-adjacent thing.

Torco wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:34 pm Just a mechanical note, though: Ni seems pretty ubiquitous: are there not regular fighters that fight with... you know, hitting very hard with sharp and pointy things? i'm kind of assuming here ni is some magic-adjacent thing.

I haven't thought about it in so long but Ni would probably be some sort of bodily energy not really considered magic by its settings inhabitants just something derived from being corporeal spirits. It's equivalent to an anime power system. I've only bothered fleshing out the Rogue class and its probably buried somewhere deep in google docs. Anyways for the current campaign i was planning on running i'm not planning on using them just the regular DND classes.