Have a setting idea

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

I have a potential campaign setting idea rattling around my head, and I decided to create this topic to see if A: anyone thought it was an idea worth working on and B: if anyone would be interested in helping me put this setting together. The basic background, not that I have much of a one, was inspired by a mixture of Steampunk & Sorcery, Darkwatch, Deadlands and this Diablo 2-style game that’s coming out for the PC.

The world of the campaign setting was once a relatively normal fantasy setting, where mortals (I’m unsure as yet on whether or not to have non-human races, and if yes whether to use the PHB races or custom-breed) trembled beneath the overwhelming rule of dark spirits. Finally, the spirits of light arose and, with the aid of the mightiest mortal magi, drove back the powers of evil, finally sealing both themselves and their enemies away for all eternity behind an impregnable barrier. With the banishment of the spirits, mystic powers both arcane and divine also fled, but that was not such a curse- for from the mingled essence of slain celestial and slain infernal had emerged a strange new substance, a substance which revolutionised technology and led to the Golden Age of Steampunk.

But that Golden Age is long past; the world has steadily grown a darker and more evil place, and now after eons the barrier has broken and the spirits of evil are free to bedevil mortalkind once more. With the spirits of good either unable or unwilling to intercede on their behalf again, the mortal races must take up the vicious weapons of the Steampunk and, aided by those who would turn the darkness against itself, fight the evil once more.

So far, the classes I’m thinking of for use in this are Fighter (“upgraded” to use Steampunk weapons) and Rogue. Because of the background, no Divine spellcasting classes (and by extension no Paladins) are allowed, though the Ranger might still be usable with some tweaking. Finally, I have a group of four rudimentary classes custom-made for this setting, though whether they should be Core or Prestige eludes me.

The “Hellbound” sacrifices a portion of their soul to open a conduit between themselves and the darkness, willing drawing upon the corruption that now spills over the world to wield its arcane might, for good or ill.

The “Daemite” is a strange and bizarre being; a mortal being, possessed by the spirit of a raging daemon- a “lesser” spirit of the darkness. Though these two inseparable beings often despise each other, the combination of mortal intellect and inhuman powers makes them a formidable team.

The “Forsaken” is truly well named; for what better term is there for an undead hunter-slayer of the undead? Somehow, the Forsaken has lost a fragment of their mortality, which entraps them between the worlds of flesh and spirit. Slowly, inevitably, the world of mortals slips away from them and they become members of the undead, but the transformation is so gradual that they retain their former minds and spirits.

The “Scrapper” is the truest advocate of the power of steam and steel, so much so that he replaces steadily increasing proportions of his body with machinery, enabling him to match the muscles of the inhuman with the power of technology.

Well? So what do you think? Interesting? Or a fever-dream?

[Triaxx]

I'd go with prestige, and remember that Rangers used Druid spells in 2ed, so tweaking them to the more nature oriented druid magic would solve the problem.

I think the new classes should be PrC.

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

Personally, I figured the Hellbound (which I see as basically a hybrid of Warlock and Wizard) and possibly the Scrapper/Daemite would be Core Classes, and the Forsaken a Prestige Class.

The way magic works in this setting means that Druidic magic -which is after all a form of Divine magic- wouldn't exist, which by extension means Ranger magic doesn't exist. The Ranger could, I think, be modified into a non-spellcasting Scout or Explorer-type class, but I just don't know how to do so. Oh, and by the way, I play 3.5 D&D rules.

[Fax Celestis]

There is a spell-less ranger variant right at the opening of Complete Warrior. Might be worth a look.

[Triaxx]

I understand that this is 3.5, but that's not the point. Druidic magic is only considered Divine for the sake of simplicity. You can include it if you'd like, simply fiddling with a few descriptions.

However, you could potentially remove the spellcasting entirely, and soup up the rogue, and warrior abilities. Focus on being able to avoid the enemies, or attack from range.

[YPU]

in take a look at what classes you have removed and what role they fill, as wel take a look at how variable these classes are. For instance the paladin is very specific, much alike. The fighter and rouge on the other hands varied greatly. Look at what sort of people you could make from the classes you removed and wetter or not you would seem fit for them in a new class you have made. If a specific group of people is left out, but you think they should be present in the campaign then maybe you should try and make a class for them. I cant do this for you because I don’t know wetter or not you would see specific persons as a member of your new classes.

[averagejoe]

There's no reason it can't be done, as long as you change the nature of the encounters. Basically you need to give more rest between battles, because they won't have acess to healing, and tone down DR and trollish regenerate abilities, because there will be no spell damage. I'd also considere allowing the spirit shaman from the complete divine, because it sounds a bit like your daemite class idea, in that they both get their power from a companion spirit, but just a suggestion.

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

Okay, some clarifications I seem to need to make...

*The Hellbound is essentially a core class comprised of a Wizard/Warlock hybrid, which enables it to provide magical damage support (and little else- given that it wields "black magic", it's very much a "selfish spellcaster" like the Warlock).

*Though there are no Divine healers, mundane medicine is advanced enough that it can take its place (alchemical concoctions that heighten tissue regeneration, antibiotics etc).

*The Spirit Shaman probably wouldn't fit, on the simple basis that the Light Spirits -unlike their Dark counterparts- haven't reappeared. Precisely why I haven't actually figured out, and in fact I thought I'd leave it ambiguous; the Light Spirits may still be trapped, they may be dead or they may simply believe that mortals aren't worth it anymore.

*The Daemite was inspired by the Harrowed of Deadlands, and thus is inseperable from its possessing Fiend (well, you can seperate them, but even if the Daemite survives he loses all of his Daemite levels). As a Daemite gains levels, he gains a variety of preternatural abilities (I was thinking a list that the DM/player can pick from).

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

Okay, some clarifications I seem to need to make...

*The Hellbound is essentially a core class comprised of a Wizard/Warlock hybrid, which enables it to provide magical damage support (and little else- given that it wields "black magic", it's very much a "selfish spellcaster" like the Warlock).

*Though there are no Divine healers, mundane medicine is advanced enough that it can take its place (alchemical concoctions that heighten tissue regeneration, antibiotics etc). But anyway, a slight increase in lethality is expected; this setting is essentially Fantasy/Steampunk/Horror.

*The Spirit Shaman probably wouldn't fit, on the simple basis that the Light Spirits -unlike their Dark counterparts- haven't reappeared. Precisely why I haven't actually figured out, and in fact I thought I'd leave it ambiguous; the Light Spirits may still be trapped, they may be dead or they may simply believe that mortals aren't worth it anymore.

*The Daemite was inspired by the Harrowed of Deadlands, and thus is inseperable from its possessing Fiend (well, you can seperate them, but even if the Daemite survives he loses all of his Daemite levels). As a Daemite gains levels, he gains a variety of preternatural abilities (I was thinking a list that the DM/player can pick from).