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Post by notkevinward on Nov 23, 2015 13:38:24 GMT -5
So I'm starting a new D&D Campaign with my group (just finished the Dragon Age RPG I recommend it) and I'm designing it to be a "heroes for hire" style of game where the group will have a few options on the jobs they want to do which will lead to them building a reputation. I want to give them some type of base that they can customize for themselves like compound where they can build a tavern and a farm or basic stores. Does anyone have any good tips on where to start?
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Post by Xion Praeten on Nov 23, 2015 22:06:16 GMT -5
I would suggest start humbly, giving the PCs the chance to "build from nothing." It is more gratifying in the long term to do that (assuming you are running a long campaign). Their first order of business might just start out of someone's home or an abandoned barn. Later, as they fulfill more contracts and gain more money, they might take over a parcel of land, or maybe take over a rival's disused base, and then work to build it up.
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Post by notkevinward on Nov 24, 2015 15:13:57 GMT -5
I like the idea of taking over an enemies base. Something easy and simple like a small time group of thugs
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Post by Tesla Ranger on Dec 8, 2015 12:46:56 GMT -5
The usual suggestion is to start small/local and build from there. It's a good way to keep the DM from being overwhelmed by having to "front load" an entire world. As Xion pointed out this approach can also help the world grow more dynamically from the actions of the PCs. If they head off in a random direction then you, as the DM, can decide what they run into entirely off what you think makes for the best game.
The other approach is to go global > local. Typically you'd start with your world map and get progressively more detailed as you zero in on the area your PCs will be in. This approach seems to be favorited by DMs who really enjoy the worldbuilding side of DMing (and who tend to be a bit more experienced). It requires significantly more prep work but it's my experience that this approach tends to lead to a much more detailed story/complex over the medium-long term.
I wouldn't say that either approach is better than the other (although one or the other might be better for a specific DM/group). I would suggest whichever way you decide to go that you start by drawing some maps. They could be world maps or just some scribbles of the nearby city and surrounding area. That will give you an idea of what's where and often in the process of drawing the map the story and world start to take their own form. There's nothing to say that anyone else (such as the players) ever needs to see the map so as long as it works for you it's all good.
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