Barnum's DnD Experiment

[Barnum]

I think this sounds like a great idea. The dungeon crawl was fun, but having all these elements would be much more fun for me. Especially if the player could establish themselves in the city.

How were you planning on doing advancement, and gold and such? MnM only has two ways to reward people (PPs and HPs). DnD has XP and Gold. The Refs would need to be fairly uniform on the distribution of both.

You would also need to keep a tight reign on recruitment. I'd say take 5 players in a "group," and no more groups than the DMs can continuously manage.

As long as the SRD is all we'll need to play, you can count me in.

Good questions. And I don't have all the answers yet. Here's what I was thinking:

-XP is awarded based on posting. I want RP, drama, intrigue, love, and life to be as equally important to the game as fighting monsters and taking their stuff, so I think that XP should be based on activity not accomplishment (like it is here). I know that will produce some crazy combinations (a 6th level warrior who spends all of his time drinking with the wenches and never drew out his sword), but with enough "hand waving," we can overlook that. Probably something like 1 standard award (1/14th of the XP needed to make it to the next level) per 5 posts (tallied each month), with a maximum of 6 standard awards per month. That way really active posters (people who post every day) will level up about every 2.5 months.

-Gold is awarded based on delving into the undermountain: The only way you can gain gold (which is incredibly important to DnD) is by campaigning. That way that the love-sick fighter might make it to 6th level and never go adventuring, but he would still only have the clothes on his back and his starting equipment. The GMs would have to follow pretty rigidly the "recommended gold per level" and award based on that to keep things fair, but it could be done easily enough.

-Award some kind of "Influence" based on city activity. Influence points could be "spent" to increase your reputation, set yourself up in the city as a merchant or politician, stuff like that. I'll look around to see if there are any rules for something like this already, so we don't have to reinvent the wheel.

You would also need to keep a tight reign on recruitment. I'd say take 5 players in a "group," and no more groups than the DMs can continuously manage.

I like that. Keep the "cohort" of players limited to GMs. We could have . . .

-Senior GMs - over an area of the city *and* run "delves" (campaigns) into the undermountain.

-GMs - just run delves.

Once a GM has run a delve(s) for a few months, if they think they can take on another group, then we recruit 5 more players . . . so if every player wanted to go on a delve there would be enough GMs to manage it.

[Barnum]

I think this sounds like a great idea. The dungeon crawl was fun, but having all these elements would be much more fun for me. Especially if the player could establish themselves in the city.

How were you planning on doing advancement, and gold and such? MnM only has two ways to reward people (PPs and HPs). DnD has XP and Gold. The Refs would need to be fairly uniform on the distribution of both.

You would also need to keep a tight reign on recruitment. I'd say take 5 players in a "group," and no more groups than the DMs can continuously manage.

As long as the SRD is all we'll need to play, you can count me in.

Good questions. And I don't have all the answers yet. Here's what I was thinking:

-XP is awarded based on posting. I want RP, drama, intrigue, love, and life to be as equally important to the game as fighting monsters and taking their stuff, so I think that XP should be based on activity not accomplishment (like it is here). I know that will produce some crazy combinations (a 6th level warrior who spends all of his time drinking with the wenches and never drew out his sword), but with enough "hand waving," we can overlook that. Probably something like 1 standard award (1/14th of the XP needed to make it to the next level) per 5 posts (tallied each month), with a maximum of 6 standard awards per month. That way really active posters (people who post every day) will level up about every 2.5 months.

-Gold is awarded based on delving into the undermountain: The only way you can gain gold (which is incredibly important to DnD) is by campaigning. That way that the love-sick fighter might make it to 6th level and never go adventuring, but he would still only have the clothes on his back and his starting equipment. The GMs would have to follow pretty rigidly the "recommended gold per level" and award based on that to keep things fair, but it could be done easily enough.

-Award some kind of "Influence" based on city activity. Influence points could be "spent" to increase your reputation, set yourself up in the city as a merchant or politician, stuff like that. I'll look around to see if there are any rules for something like this already, so we don't have to reinvent the wheel.

You would also need to keep a tight reign on recruitment. I'd say take 5 players in a "group," and no more groups than the DMs can continuously manage.

I like that. Keep the "cohort" of players limited to GMs. We could have . . .

-Senior GMs - over an area of the city *and* run "delves" (campaigns) into the undermountain.

-GMs - just run delves.

Once a GM has run a delve(s) for a few months, if they think they can take on another group, then we recruit 5 more players . . . so if every player wanted to go on a delve there would be enough GMs to manage it.

[Affliction]

this is the most convoluted excuse to make dungeon maps i've ever seen.

you know i'd play. i'd also suggest lifting the pg restrictions. you'd need to ramp up the voilence and other adulty things to make a fantasy city work imo.

[Affliction]

this is the most convoluted excuse to make dungeon maps i've ever seen.

you know i'd play. i'd also suggest lifting the pg restrictions. you'd need to ramp up the voilence and other adulty things to make a fantasy city work imo.

[Affliction]

this is the most convoluted excuse to make dungeon maps i've ever seen.

you know i'd play. i'd also suggest lifting the pg restrictions. you'd need to ramp up the voilence and other adulty things to make a fantasy city work imo.

[Barnum]

this is the most convoluted excuse to make dungeon maps i've ever seen.

Pretty much . . . yeah. :oops:

[Barnum]

this is the most convoluted excuse to make dungeon maps i've ever seen.

Pretty much . . . yeah. :oops:

[Barnum]

this is the most convoluted excuse to make dungeon maps i've ever seen.

Pretty much . . . yeah. :oops:

[cosmicarus]

This sounds like a great idea! I'd totally be invovled... that said, I couldn't help with running games. My grasp on DnD rules is so much worse that MnM even though I've had a little experience in DnD in a FtF game and online. I almost think that it might even work better a system than this one, only because the 'delving' and the city aspects could be so seperate. But only time will tell. And also, yes, I think sticking to the core book is a necessity.

Whatever happens, it's a brilliant idea. That said...

I know I'm not a great GM....

Dude, c'mon, you're great! :clap:

[cosmicarus]

This sounds like a great idea! I'd totally be invovled... that said, I couldn't help with running games. My grasp on DnD rules is so much worse that MnM even though I've had a little experience in DnD in a FtF game and online. I almost think that it might even work better a system than this one, only because the 'delving' and the city aspects could be so seperate. But only time will tell. And also, yes, I think sticking to the core book is a necessity.

Whatever happens, it's a brilliant idea. That said...

I know I'm not a great GM....

Dude, c'mon, you're great! :clap:

[cosmicarus]

This sounds like a great idea! I'd totally be invovled... that said, I couldn't help with running games. My grasp on DnD rules is so much worse that MnM even though I've had a little experience in DnD in a FtF game and online. I almost think that it might even work better a system than this one, only because the 'delving' and the city aspects could be so seperate. But only time will tell. And also, yes, I think sticking to the core book is a necessity.

Whatever happens, it's a brilliant idea. That said...

I know I'm not a great GM....

Dude, c'mon, you're great! :clap:

[Dr Archeville]

I've been playing D&D 3.5 since it came out, and I'd be more than happy to lend my giant pulsating brain tho the cause. Unfortunately, I don't have time to really do anything like help GM or run it, but I would be able to answer rules questions or even glance over submitted characters to make sure everything's kosher.

[Dr Archeville]

I've been playing D&D 3.5 since it came out, and I'd be more than happy to lend my giant pulsating brain tho the cause. Unfortunately, I don't have time to really do anything like help GM or run it, but I would be able to answer rules questions or even glance over submitted characters to make sure everything's kosher.

[Dr Archeville]

I've been playing D&D 3.5 since it came out, and I'd be more than happy to lend my giant pulsating brain tho the cause. Unfortunately, I don't have time to really do anything like help GM or run it, but I would be able to answer rules questions or even glance over submitted characters to make sure everything's kosher.

[Barnum]

Cool. Thanks for all the offers of help, guys. I have the basics work out, I think. Some of it I'm just going to have to test by trial and error. So I'm going to set up the game with one group of delvers and see how that goes. They can be my victims . . . um . . . I mean my play testers. :D

[Barnum]

Cool. Thanks for all the offers of help, guys. I have the basics work out, I think. Some of it I'm just going to have to test by trial and error. So I'm going to set up the game with one group of delvers and see how that goes. They can be my victims . . . um . . . I mean my play testers. :D

[Barnum]

Cool. Thanks for all the offers of help, guys. I have the basics work out, I think. Some of it I'm just going to have to test by trial and error. So I'm going to set up the game with one group of delvers and see how that goes. They can be my victims . . . um . . . I mean my play testers. :D

[Barnum]

So I was sitting in class today, not paying attention as usual, and I got the wild idea to take all of the material that I and the players create for our DnD game and roll it up into a downloadable PDF (updating as each bit gets done). Why? Just for fun mostly. Our setting isn't all that original, but hey . . .

Anyway, that means that I can't use "borrowed" materials for my map parts. I have to make all the little bits from scratch. I started on the Mosyt Ale House today. There are still some block-outs on the full map. It is far from done, but here's what I have so far (all from scratch).

It doesn't quite have the same "pop" that the best DnD maps put out by Wizards have, but it's a start. Comments and suggestions welcomed.

[Barnum]

So I was sitting in class today, not paying attention as usual, and I got the wild idea to take all of the material that I and the players create for our DnD game and roll it up into a downloadable PDF (updating as each bit gets done). Why? Just for fun mostly. Our setting isn't all that original, but hey . . .

Anyway, that means that I can't use "borrowed" materials for my map parts. I have to make all the little bits from scratch. I started on the Mosyt Ale House today. There are still some block-outs on the full map. It is far from done, but here's what I have so far (all from scratch).

It doesn't quite have the same "pop" that the best DnD maps put out by Wizards have, but it's a start. Comments and suggestions welcomed.

[cosmicarus]

...that means that I can't use "borrowed" materials for my map parts. I have to make all the little bits from scratch...

Hehe, I'm sure you hate that

The Ale House is looking cool already, B! Looking forward to more.

[cosmicarus]

...that means that I can't use "borrowed" materials for my map parts. I have to make all the little bits from scratch...

Hehe, I'm sure you hate that

The Ale House is looking cool already, B! Looking forward to more.

[Barnum]

Hehe, I'm sure you hate that

The Ale House is looking cool already, B! Looking forward to more.

It is very slow going, but it is fun. And I am building my own library of custom map tiles, that all match a particular color scheme . . . or will once I figure out what it is. The monastery is next.

Just wait until you see the little broom closet that Kendral lives in. She'd get sympathy from Cinderella.

---

If anyone else is interested, we could still use another player. We have no arcane casters (and no plans for one at the moment), but we'll take any character type. We'll need two characters if Heritage doesn't hurry up. ;)

[Barnum]

Hehe, I'm sure you hate that

The Ale House is looking cool already, B! Looking forward to more.

It is very slow going, but it is fun. And I am building my own library of custom map tiles, that all match a particular color scheme . . . or will once I figure out what it is. The monastery is next.

Just wait until you see the little broom closet that Kendral lives in. She'd get sympathy from Cinderella.

---

If anyone else is interested, we could still use another player. We have no arcane casters (and no plans for one at the moment), but we'll take any character type. We'll need two characters if Heritage doesn't hurry up. ;)

[Prince of Boredom]

Ooh, ooh, I'm a D&D junkie. I'd love to join in if you still need players. I'll play whatever you need (has gads of character concepts laying around ready to be used).

[Prince of Boredom]

Ooh, ooh, I'm a D&D junkie. I'd love to join in if you still need players. I'll play whatever you need (has gads of character concepts laying around ready to be used).