Why to play Birthright? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Why to play Birthright?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Sep 18, 2003 11:14:06 Hello,
I've always been quite curious about this setting but I've seen it just one time, many years ago, here in Italy... now I've seen the d20 campaign setting and it's reall good, and seems to prove that there is an active Birthright community out there, like for Mystara... well my question is simply: why should I read all this stuff and try to play Birthright ? I know very little about the setting and so I just would like to know why you like it...
Bye
Francesco
#2
zombiegleemax
Sep 18, 2003 17:25:43 It depends on your playing style as to whether you can get the fullest from Birthright.

Birthright has always felt more "intense" to me than Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Greyhawk, or Mystara.

Your characters and adventures in Cerilia have alot more going on in the background.

Let's say one of your characters is the Baron of Roesone exploring the Tarkel Deeps with his friends, lieutenants, or allies.

Besides getting the treasure or killing a dragon/lich/demon, you also have to keep your Count of Bellam from rebelling, defeat the Baron of Ghoere's latest invasion, stop the guilder El-Hadid from taking over the local merchants, keep the Imperial Heart of Haelyn's ambitious bishop content, help Medoere stand against Diemed's threats, unravel the Gorgon's latest plot, decide if you will help overthrow the usurper Duke of Osoerde, and keep the Spiderlord's goblins in the Spiderfell. All the while trying to improve your bloodline strength and maybe try to become the next Emperor of Anuire.

Often at least one of your characters will be a "blooded" ruler of one kingdom or another. He or she has the future of an entire nation hanging on their shoulders. Not to mention having the "blood of the gods" running thru their veins. The potential of "bloodtheft" adds a nice Highlander-movie style subplot.

In most Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, and Mystara adventures it never felt like my characters were going to affect the fate of the world or at least tens of thousands of farmers, craftsmen, merchants, and minor lords.

Did you like the old D&D Companion book and its rules for ruling a domain or running battles between armies?

Did you ever play and enjoy the old Test Of The Warlords module that let you found domains in the Kingdom of Norwold?

If you answered yes to either of those I would definately reccomend Birthright.

If that doesn't appeal to you I would still reccomend "testing the waters." I enriched alot of campaigns by borrowing ideas used in other settings.

After all the 3rdE conversion is free and any Birthright stuff still circulating is bargain priced.

Hope this helps...
#3
zombiegleemax
Sep 19, 2003 4:46:01
Originally posted by Run Away
After all the 3rdE conversion is free and any Birthright stuff still circulating is bargain priced.

Hope this helps... [/b]

Ok, thanks for your great review, I think I'll try Birthright after all... but one last question: As you probably remember in the Old Companion set there were rules to play battles and wars.. there are similar rules in Birthright, too ?
Bye
Francesco
#4
zombiegleemax
Sep 19, 2003 4:49:25 Ops the computer maintained my girlfriend's identity, but the previous post was mine...
bye
Francesco
#5
zombiegleemax
Sep 19, 2003 5:03:21 I take a look just now on the combat system in the 3ed Birthright manual.. it seems to be a simply normal D&D combat system a little modified... not a bad idea, I'll try it...
Anyway there are never been attempts to use the Birthright system for other worlds like FR, Mystara and so on ? Not official I mean, but fans' conversion...
And where can I find a good and big map of Cerilia ?
Thank you again, tell me when I become annoying
Bye
Francesco
#6
zombiegleemax
Sep 19, 2003 8:43:36 Francesco -- I tried to e-mail you through your profile, but it didn't work (you probably have your account set up that way). I can get you a big map of Cerilia. E-mail me at:

[email]warlord_nabron@yahoo.com[/email]

and we'll discuss what format (and size) you want.

hmm -- the e-mail link doesn't show the "_" between "warlord" and "nabron", so be sure to include it if you don't use that link.
#7
zombiegleemax
Sep 19, 2003 10:44:04 I have not run into any fan conversions for other settings.

I considered a conversion with Mystara for the Kingdom of Norwold, but I never went beyond some early drafts.

Birthright is a good system but it just wasn't popular enough to inspire fan conversions.
#8
zombiegleemax
Sep 19, 2003 10:56:15
Originally posted by Run Away
Birthright is a good system but it just wasn't popular enough to inspire fan conversions.

Mmm a pity... but on the Mystaran official site there is someone who made some sort of conversion... for a Pbem...
If you're interested, here are the links I found about...
http://dnd.starflung.com/br_camp1.html
Bye
Francesco
#9
zombiegleemax
Sep 19, 2003 15:51:04 Thanks, looks pretty good.
#10
irdeggman
Sep 23, 2003 20:45:58 The next revision of the BRCS 3rd ed rules (3.5 update and other infor from playtest/BR.net comments) is going to revise the combat system to come closer to Malv. Press' Cry Havoc, which is a very good system for military combat. It won't be too close mind you since it is not OGL but the pattern is something we're going for.
#11
zombiegleemax
Oct 02, 2003 9:07:03 I just wanted to pop in and say “what up y’all”.

I’m a minor Birthright fan myself, and I got madd materials. Everything from like, four or five boxed sets, to all of the Player Guides (I think). I’ve never really played a “real” Birthright campaign, but I take a lot of the stuff and use it in my current Ravenloft campaign.

Which…conveniently…can be located…right….HERE:
http://boards1.wizards.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=293

My game started in the Summer of 735, and the the evil Darklord of Gundarak was still alive. I used the Birthright material to flesh out his domain. In the process of the players defeating the Duke, and overthrowing his regime, the rebel Blessed Defender PC acquired a tighmaevril sword (one of only two in existence in RL). If you know anything about Ravenloft, you’d know the tighmaevril blade fits the world perfectly. They used it to permanently sever Duke Gundar’s bond to the land.

I also adopted Domain Turns in the game, as the players are now rulers of a small Level 1 province known as Solyss, Gundarak. The bloodlines, weapons, and campaign ideas in the Birthright setting are top-notch, and highly inspirational to ANY Gamez Master.

Peace y’all,

MSD

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Sep 18, 2003 11:14:06	Hello, I've always been quite curious about this setting but I've seen it just one time, many years ago, here in Italy... now I've seen the d20 campaign setting and it's reall good, and seems to prove that there is an active Birthright community out there, like for Mystara... well my question is simply: why should I read all this stuff and try to play Birthright ? I know very little about the setting and so I just would like to know why you like it... Bye Francesco
#2 zombiegleemax Sep 18, 2003 17:25:43	It depends on your playing style as to whether you can get the fullest from Birthright. Birthright has always felt more "intense" to me than Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Greyhawk, or Mystara. Your characters and adventures in Cerilia have alot more going on in the background. Let's say one of your characters is the Baron of Roesone exploring the Tarkel Deeps with his friends, lieutenants, or allies. Besides getting the treasure or killing a dragon/lich/demon, you also have to keep your Count of Bellam from rebelling, defeat the Baron of Ghoere's latest invasion, stop the guilder El-Hadid from taking over the local merchants, keep the Imperial Heart of Haelyn's ambitious bishop content, help Medoere stand against Diemed's threats, unravel the Gorgon's latest plot, decide if you will help overthrow the usurper Duke of Osoerde, and keep the Spiderlord's goblins in the Spiderfell. All the while trying to improve your bloodline strength and maybe try to become the next Emperor of Anuire. Often at least one of your characters will be a "blooded" ruler of one kingdom or another. He or she has the future of an entire nation hanging on their shoulders. Not to mention having the "blood of the gods" running thru their veins. The potential of "bloodtheft" adds a nice Highlander-movie style subplot. In most Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, and Mystara adventures it never felt like my characters were going to affect the fate of the world or at least tens of thousands of farmers, craftsmen, merchants, and minor lords. Did you like the old D&D Companion book and its rules for ruling a domain or running battles between armies? Did you ever play and enjoy the old Test Of The Warlords module that let you found domains in the Kingdom of Norwold? If you answered yes to either of those I would definately reccomend Birthright. If that doesn't appeal to you I would still reccomend "testing the waters." I enriched alot of campaigns by borrowing ideas used in other settings. After all the 3rdE conversion is free and any Birthright stuff still circulating is bargain priced. Hope this helps...
#3 zombiegleemax Sep 19, 2003 4:46:01	Originally posted by Run Away After all the 3rdE conversion is free and any Birthright stuff still circulating is bargain priced. Hope this helps... [/b] Ok, thanks for your great review, I think I'll try Birthright after all... but one last question: As you probably remember in the Old Companion set there were rules to play battles and wars.. there are similar rules in Birthright, too ? Bye Francesco
#4 zombiegleemax Sep 19, 2003 4:49:25	Ops the computer maintained my girlfriend's identity, but the previous post was mine... bye Francesco
#5 zombiegleemax Sep 19, 2003 5:03:21	I take a look just now on the combat system in the 3ed Birthright manual.. it seems to be a simply normal D&D combat system a little modified... not a bad idea, I'll try it... Anyway there are never been attempts to use the Birthright system for other worlds like FR, Mystara and so on ? Not official I mean, but fans' conversion... And where can I find a good and big map of Cerilia ? Thank you again, tell me when I become annoying Bye Francesco
#6 zombiegleemax Sep 19, 2003 8:43:36	Francesco -- I tried to e-mail you through your profile, but it didn't work (you probably have your account set up that way). I can get you a big map of Cerilia. E-mail me at: [email]warlord_nabron@yahoo.com[/email] and we'll discuss what format (and size) you want. hmm -- the e-mail link doesn't show the "_" between "warlord" and "nabron", so be sure to include it if you don't use that link.
#7 zombiegleemax Sep 19, 2003 10:44:04	I have not run into any fan conversions for other settings. I considered a conversion with Mystara for the Kingdom of Norwold, but I never went beyond some early drafts. Birthright is a good system but it just wasn't popular enough to inspire fan conversions.
#8 zombiegleemax Sep 19, 2003 10:56:15	Originally posted by Run Away Birthright is a good system but it just wasn't popular enough to inspire fan conversions. Mmm a pity... but on the Mystaran official site there is someone who made some sort of conversion... for a Pbem... If you're interested, here are the links I found about... http://dnd.starflung.com/br_camp1.html Bye Francesco
#9 zombiegleemax Sep 19, 2003 15:51:04	Thanks, looks pretty good.
#10 irdeggman Sep 23, 2003 20:45:58	The next revision of the BRCS 3rd ed rules (3.5 update and other infor from playtest/BR.net comments) is going to revise the combat system to come closer to Malv. Press' Cry Havoc, which is a very good system for military combat. It won't be too close mind you since it is not OGL but the pattern is something we're going for.
#11 zombiegleemax Oct 02, 2003 9:07:03	I just wanted to pop in and say “what up y’all”. I’m a minor Birthright fan myself, and I got madd materials. Everything from like, four or five boxed sets, to all of the Player Guides (I think). I’ve never really played a “real” Birthright campaign, but I take a lot of the stuff and use it in my current Ravenloft campaign. Which…conveniently…can be located…right….HERE: http://boards1.wizards.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=293 My game started in the Summer of 735, and the the evil Darklord of Gundarak was still alive. I used the Birthright material to flesh out his domain. In the process of the players defeating the Duke, and overthrowing his regime, the rebel Blessed Defender PC acquired a tighmaevril sword (one of only two in existence in RL). If you know anything about Ravenloft, you’d know the tighmaevril blade fits the world perfectly. They used it to permanently sever Duke Gundar’s bond to the land. I also adopted Domain Turns in the game, as the players are now rulers of a small Level 1 province known as Solyss, Gundarak. The bloodlines, weapons, and campaign ideas in the Birthright setting are top-notch, and highly inspirational to ANY Gamez Master. Peace y’all, MSD