Some Advice? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Some Advice?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
May 10, 2005 23:47:01 Okay I am going to be starting up a Dragonlance campaign soon and this is not only my first Dragonlance campaign but my firt time DMing at all. I have run some White Wolf stuff before so I have run and I have some pretty solid ideas both for a one shot type game and a big sweeping epic type campaign but I was just wondering if there was anything else you guys could suggest or just let me know and any ideas at all would be helpful. Look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks
#2
neuro
May 11, 2005 1:57:50 Start with low levels but not too low, 3rd lvl its just fine, dungeons and dragons has lots of rules and with all the spells and magic effect it can get confusing from time to time, try to stick with the core rulebooks and when you feel comfortable with them try the other books.

For dragonlance try to stay in one city and dont take them too far away if you cant find a good description of the place where they are supposed to be, dragonlance its a great world but if you dont own lots of game material and novels you will end with a poor description of the game scenario and thats like 40% of the dragonlance feeling.

Dont try to make them fight with armys and colossal dragons just in the beginning, theres nothing wrong with little quests because that helps a player to build their character history and feats options, and make its a lot easier for you, make the combat easy until they get used to the combat rules, no one wants his first character dead in the first session.

Use campaign monsters and prestige classes first and try to adapt and modify others later.

"Study" the books before the session, the rules you are about to use, spells, monster and their powers to cut the DM downtime while playing, if possible use a DM screen or make your own.

Use a battle grid, with WoD is not that important to have one in the table, but when you are playing D&D its almost vital to have one unless you can play chess without looking to the board.

Use dragonlance history, its cool to make a world your own, and its a good thing to do if you are playing a campaign to stay near the main stream of events, you can do both without problems.

Use steel and dont erase kender from history, period.

Build your campaign for your players and around your players, not only for you and around your NPCs, maybe you'll find super fun to have lots of underwater encounters and dungeons full of undead, but if you ask your players or you know them enough to know what will be super fun to them you'll make them have a better RPG experience and that will be super fun for you.

Read the novels and enjoy the experience of beign part of the history of krynn, thats the meaning of all of this .

And use steel and dont kill the kenders... did i wrote that already? :D

That will do it.
#3
zombiegleemax
May 17, 2005 12:24:09 Dragonlance is about epic deeds and great heroes. Nobody's going to doubt that. But Dragonlance is also about little things that make a difference. Enough little things make a big one. Have your players doing little things at low levels, but Dragonlance is a game of epics-Give them a chance to shine eventualy.
Start at Level One is my advice, but due to the Law of Reletive Powers, go up to level 16 at least before ending.
I agree with Neuro:Keep Kender and Steel! Kender make the world what it is!
Another intresting thing is some way to show your players one of the major dragonlance principles, such as Balance or Free Will. Here's an example from my campaign:
My players fight draconians a lot. With five types, it's easy to get plenty of versitality out of them. Baaz can work as thugs or infantry, Kapak as thieves and assassins, Sivak as champions and spies, Auraks as leaders and mages, and Bozak as just about anything. In the latest adventure, my party encountered some Neutral draconians who worked with them against a common enemy, showing them that not all Draconians are evil.
#4
zombiegleemax
May 17, 2005 17:24:52 I appreciate all the help you guys have given thus far and look forward to as much as I can get. As far as steel and Kenders, well I have worked to hard on conversion to not do steel and the Kenders are nifty little creatures that make things interesting as hell. Plus my little brother wants to play one as his first D&D character ever. Seems appropriate doesn't it. Anyways big thanks again and keep the advice comeing and I'll keep you posted as towards my game's status once it kicks off.
#5
rooks
May 18, 2005 17:55:21 Tell epic tales that involve cook ware and similar implements. Weave a story of suspense and romantic bravado over the exploits of ordinary people caught up doing things they shouldn't be doing.

Nude scenes are all the rage.

When a player attempts to get drunk in a tavern and hit on imaginary women, projectile the heaviest rule book you can. They (and we) will thank you for it later.

The chef did it. He always does it.

Start at 1st level. Go easy on them until they level up, but this way, it's far easier to kill them if you feel it necessary.

Award magical items rarely and in small quantity. Frustrate players by giving them fairly useless items like tablecloths of grease resistance +1.

Six bucks for the best stuff on the street. You heard me right, Jack. I ain't playin'.

Peace.
#6
neuro
May 19, 2005 19:40:58
...far as steel and Kenders, well I have worked to hard on conversion to not do steel and...

The conversion its just saying "its not gold, its steel", do steel :headexplo
#7
zombiegleemax
Jun 03, 2005 11:01:19 Read all you can and encourage your players to do so. Get them involved in the story as much as they are willing to do so.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax May 10, 2005 23:47:01	Okay I am going to be starting up a Dragonlance campaign soon and this is not only my first Dragonlance campaign but my firt time DMing at all. I have run some White Wolf stuff before so I have run and I have some pretty solid ideas both for a one shot type game and a big sweeping epic type campaign but I was just wondering if there was anything else you guys could suggest or just let me know and any ideas at all would be helpful. Look forward to hearing from you. Thanks
#2 neuro May 11, 2005 1:57:50	Start with low levels but not too low, 3rd lvl its just fine, dungeons and dragons has lots of rules and with all the spells and magic effect it can get confusing from time to time, try to stick with the core rulebooks and when you feel comfortable with them try the other books. For dragonlance try to stay in one city and dont take them too far away if you cant find a good description of the place where they are supposed to be, dragonlance its a great world but if you dont own lots of game material and novels you will end with a poor description of the game scenario and thats like 40% of the dragonlance feeling. Dont try to make them fight with armys and colossal dragons just in the beginning, theres nothing wrong with little quests because that helps a player to build their character history and feats options, and make its a lot easier for you, make the combat easy until they get used to the combat rules, no one wants his first character dead in the first session. Use campaign monsters and prestige classes first and try to adapt and modify others later. "Study" the books before the session, the rules you are about to use, spells, monster and their powers to cut the DM downtime while playing, if possible use a DM screen or make your own. Use a battle grid, with WoD is not that important to have one in the table, but when you are playing D&D its almost vital to have one unless you can play chess without looking to the board. Use dragonlance history, its cool to make a world your own, and its a good thing to do if you are playing a campaign to stay near the main stream of events, you can do both without problems. Use steel and dont erase kender from history, period. Build your campaign for your players and around your players, not only for you and around your NPCs, maybe you'll find super fun to have lots of underwater encounters and dungeons full of undead, but if you ask your players or you know them enough to know what will be super fun to them you'll make them have a better RPG experience and that will be super fun for you. Read the novels and enjoy the experience of beign part of the history of krynn, thats the meaning of all of this . And use steel and dont kill the kenders... did i wrote that already? :D That will do it.
#3 zombiegleemax May 17, 2005 12:24:09	Dragonlance is about epic deeds and great heroes. Nobody's going to doubt that. But Dragonlance is also about little things that make a difference. Enough little things make a big one. Have your players doing little things at low levels, but Dragonlance is a game of epics-Give them a chance to shine eventualy. Start at Level One is my advice, but due to the Law of Reletive Powers, go up to level 16 at least before ending. I agree with Neuro:Keep Kender and Steel! Kender make the world what it is! Another intresting thing is some way to show your players one of the major dragonlance principles, such as Balance or Free Will. Here's an example from my campaign: My players fight draconians a lot. With five types, it's easy to get plenty of versitality out of them. Baaz can work as thugs or infantry, Kapak as thieves and assassins, Sivak as champions and spies, Auraks as leaders and mages, and Bozak as just about anything. In the latest adventure, my party encountered some Neutral draconians who worked with them against a common enemy, showing them that not all Draconians are evil.
#4 zombiegleemax May 17, 2005 17:24:52	I appreciate all the help you guys have given thus far and look forward to as much as I can get. As far as steel and Kenders, well I have worked to hard on conversion to not do steel and the Kenders are nifty little creatures that make things interesting as hell. Plus my little brother wants to play one as his first D&D character ever. Seems appropriate doesn't it. Anyways big thanks again and keep the advice comeing and I'll keep you posted as towards my game's status once it kicks off.
#5 rooks May 18, 2005 17:55:21	Tell epic tales that involve cook ware and similar implements. Weave a story of suspense and romantic bravado over the exploits of ordinary people caught up doing things they shouldn't be doing. Nude scenes are all the rage. When a player attempts to get drunk in a tavern and hit on imaginary women, projectile the heaviest rule book you can. They (and we) will thank you for it later. The chef did it. He always does it. Start at 1st level. Go easy on them until they level up, but this way, it's far easier to kill them if you feel it necessary. Award magical items rarely and in small quantity. Frustrate players by giving them fairly useless items like tablecloths of grease resistance +1. Six bucks for the best stuff on the street. You heard me right, Jack. I ain't playin'. Peace.
#6 neuro May 19, 2005 19:40:58	...far as steel and Kenders, well I have worked to hard on conversion to not do steel and... The conversion its just saying "its not gold, its steel", do steel :headexplo
#7 zombiegleemax Jun 03, 2005 11:01:19	Read all you can and encourage your players to do so. Get them involved in the story as much as they are willing to do so.