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I know that typically D&D games don't get very much traction on this site. But I'd really like to DM a game for some lovely folks and see where it goes. What I love about D&D is that it's a fun and creative outlet that encourages teamwork and rewards roleplaying. It's fun to step out of your own shoes for a moment and fill the shoes of a fantastic adventurer in the next. And yes, I even enjoy the rules and mechanics that underpin the game because they give a sense of weight to your actions, a sense of rigidity that you can flex on to see how far you can bend those rules in your favor (which I'm all for, go nuts).
However, I do have some thoughts on using variant rules so the game runs smoother in the context that this will be a text based forum role play. We will be using D&D's 5th edition rules, so I do expect you to be familiar with those (although if you're not that's fine, you just need to be willing to learn). My plans are to actually take a lot of the dice rolling out of the equation. You might be thinking--"Well Chile, D&D is all about rollin' them dice, why would you want to remove that sweet, sweet dice rolling action?"--WELL I'LL TELL YOU WHY, IMAGINARY VOICE IN MY HEAD! *cough cough*
Ahem.
It's because this is also a forum roleplay where I would rather we spend most of our time doing that- roleplaying our characters. The rules and ability sets for those characters are a framework that informs you what your character can do and is good at. Now when it comes to combat, we will absolutely be rolling dice, but for general exploration and roleplaying checks, I plan on letting players use static values. I hope this also encourages the party to plan their characters with each other, so that everyone spreads their skills for a degree of versatility in the party.
So to roughly explain what this variant rule will look like. If you're familiar with how skills and tool proficiency works in D&D then you know that a skill you're proficient in is likely to have a +5 bonus to that skill. Well that'll translate into you being competent in that skill, meaning you can do the thing without wasting a whole lot of time. It means success on most things that aren't above your skill level. As your character levels up, you'll become even better, and values like a +10 in a skill translate to expertise, meaning most things will never be above your skill level, and you can do the thing without wasting any time.
Does this mean you can't roll? No. Anyone who wants to roll can. It's just a crime in my opinion to watch the sneaky-stabby rogue who is supposed to be good at stealth trip over a pile of logs and alert an entire bandit camp because he rolled a 1. Although in that scenario you could argue that the rogue was under a degree of pressure and that could account for why he failed (maybe he was nervous, or drank some month old milk and had Hershey squirts). However, absent that pressure your characters should just be good with the skill set they have. You can still definitely roll for things you're not good at, because it is always entertaining to watch the hulking half-orc fighter clad in plate mail roll a 20 on a stealth check. However the difficulty class of something you're good at versus not good at varies accordingly.
ANYWAYS
That's an example of a variant rule I plan on using, and I'll go through the others if this gets enough interest. Now I want to roll out some campaign ideas, but please don't hesitate to tell me what type of campaign you want to play. If that idea can get enough support from everyone else then I'll roll with it ^_^ (hehe geddit.... roll with it...)
IDEA NUMBER ONE: In a world where monsters are so prevalent they've united the races of the world in a struggle for survival you would be playing a group of monster hunters tasked with pushing back the ever encroaching darkness. You would also be hunting for powerful relics that can aid civilization in that fight. Both Arcane and Divine magic are rare in this world (although you can certainly play a caster) because the gods are hardly talking to people these days, and arcane magic is a precious resource needed for defending civilization.
IDEA NUMBER TWO!! A sandbox adventure? This would be more classic fantasy and the plot would be driven by the players. Oh hey, remember that crazy band of orcs you fought on your first adventure? Turns out they're mad you took their leader's head and are out for revenge, so they're going to sack every town you've visited until they find you :D THE PLOT THICKENS! Basically plot hooks and potential story threads will be everywhere, and whichever one the party naturally gravitates toward will help the larger story unfold. And also personal character arcs are much more important in this campaign.
IDEA NUMBER THREE!!!... Wait. I don't really have an idea number three. Maybe a more themed roleplay? Like a political campaign against corrupt powers, being at the center of a revolution, stopping a war between races?? Idunno. You guys can fill in this blank for me.
Okay. So that's all I got. I hope you don't feel assaulted by this wall of text ^_^
P.S. If you're worried about my ability to quickly create a world around a campaign idea--DON'T!- I plan on taking the lazy way out by generically naming everything and rolling randomly on tables to generate the world ^_^ It will be quick and easy and I'll breath color and life into it withreddit my INCREDIBLE IMPROV SKILLS! Plus you guys will help me flesh out the world. This is a team effort, after all.
However, I do have some thoughts on using variant rules so the game runs smoother in the context that this will be a text based forum role play. We will be using D&D's 5th edition rules, so I do expect you to be familiar with those (although if you're not that's fine, you just need to be willing to learn). My plans are to actually take a lot of the dice rolling out of the equation. You might be thinking--"Well Chile, D&D is all about rollin' them dice, why would you want to remove that sweet, sweet dice rolling action?"--WELL I'LL TELL YOU WHY, IMAGINARY VOICE IN MY HEAD! *cough cough*
Ahem.
It's because this is also a forum roleplay where I would rather we spend most of our time doing that- roleplaying our characters. The rules and ability sets for those characters are a framework that informs you what your character can do and is good at. Now when it comes to combat, we will absolutely be rolling dice, but for general exploration and roleplaying checks, I plan on letting players use static values. I hope this also encourages the party to plan their characters with each other, so that everyone spreads their skills for a degree of versatility in the party.
So to roughly explain what this variant rule will look like. If you're familiar with how skills and tool proficiency works in D&D then you know that a skill you're proficient in is likely to have a +5 bonus to that skill. Well that'll translate into you being competent in that skill, meaning you can do the thing without wasting a whole lot of time. It means success on most things that aren't above your skill level. As your character levels up, you'll become even better, and values like a +10 in a skill translate to expertise, meaning most things will never be above your skill level, and you can do the thing without wasting any time.
Does this mean you can't roll? No. Anyone who wants to roll can. It's just a crime in my opinion to watch the sneaky-stabby rogue who is supposed to be good at stealth trip over a pile of logs and alert an entire bandit camp because he rolled a 1. Although in that scenario you could argue that the rogue was under a degree of pressure and that could account for why he failed (maybe he was nervous, or drank some month old milk and had Hershey squirts). However, absent that pressure your characters should just be good with the skill set they have. You can still definitely roll for things you're not good at, because it is always entertaining to watch the hulking half-orc fighter clad in plate mail roll a 20 on a stealth check. However the difficulty class of something you're good at versus not good at varies accordingly.
ANYWAYS
That's an example of a variant rule I plan on using, and I'll go through the others if this gets enough interest. Now I want to roll out some campaign ideas, but please don't hesitate to tell me what type of campaign you want to play. If that idea can get enough support from everyone else then I'll roll with it ^_^ (hehe geddit.... roll with it...)
IDEA NUMBER ONE: In a world where monsters are so prevalent they've united the races of the world in a struggle for survival you would be playing a group of monster hunters tasked with pushing back the ever encroaching darkness. You would also be hunting for powerful relics that can aid civilization in that fight. Both Arcane and Divine magic are rare in this world (although you can certainly play a caster) because the gods are hardly talking to people these days, and arcane magic is a precious resource needed for defending civilization.
IDEA NUMBER TWO!! A sandbox adventure? This would be more classic fantasy and the plot would be driven by the players. Oh hey, remember that crazy band of orcs you fought on your first adventure? Turns out they're mad you took their leader's head and are out for revenge, so they're going to sack every town you've visited until they find you :D THE PLOT THICKENS! Basically plot hooks and potential story threads will be everywhere, and whichever one the party naturally gravitates toward will help the larger story unfold. And also personal character arcs are much more important in this campaign.
IDEA NUMBER THREE!!!... Wait. I don't really have an idea number three. Maybe a more themed roleplay? Like a political campaign against corrupt powers, being at the center of a revolution, stopping a war between races?? Idunno. You guys can fill in this blank for me.
Okay. So that's all I got. I hope you don't feel assaulted by this wall of text ^_^
P.S. If you're worried about my ability to quickly create a world around a campaign idea--DON'T!- I plan on taking the lazy way out by generically naming everything and rolling randomly on tables to generate the world ^_^ It will be quick and easy and I'll breath color and life into it with