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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Pixie in the Playground
    Join Date
    Aug 2009

    Default D&D campaign ideas

    Hello,

    I'm starting a new D&D campaign for some friends and I'm looking for some ideas for this campaign. I've done almost everything under the sun I can think of before...so I'm asking for ideas from you guys/gals, so it'll help me make the experience for myself and the players alot more fun rather than the same ol same ol.

    If I use your idea or idea's I'll even create an npc using your name..you might be a villian or shop vendor, but I'll work you in the game and post how it's working out on the board.

    Thanks in advance for any help.

    What I have thus far is 4 players and myself...they haven't decided on what they'll be playing, but most likely 2 will be melee types if they follow thier usually play style habits. The other 2 haven't decided yet.

  2. - Top - End - #2

    Default Re: D&D campaign ideas

    Look at my sig for a short snippet of a conversation that might provide some ideas.
    It's been a bit, GitP. If you're reading this, you're either digging through old stuff, or I've posted for the first time in forever.

    If you want to stay in touch, reach out to me on twitter (same username).

    The best answer is always to ask your DM.
    Unless you're the DM, in which case you should talk to your players.

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Banned
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Bremerton, WA

    Default Re: D&D campaign ideas

    A simple campaign idea is to build a world, and then give the players a guild they work for. The main hook is that when running a dungeon for the guild, player gets a book, but no one can translate it save for one sage. However as he is translating it over night he is killed. Afterward the players learn of a BBEG whom wants to take the book because it will allow him to ascend to god hood. To defeat him the group must find the rod of seven parts or like artifact to defeat the man.
    An easy way to run it is to make all dungeons from premade dungeons and call it gravy. You just have to put them in the correct order so that they don't run into a CR4 dungeon and level 8.

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Pixie in the Playground
    Join Date
    Aug 2009

    Default Re: D&D campaign ideas

    Quote Originally Posted by The Dark Fiddler View Post
    Look at my sig for a short snippet of a conversation that might provide some ideas.
    I laughed out loud...not sure if I can use the idea, but it's still amazingly funny none the less.

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Virginia
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: D&D campaign ideas

    how about an all kobold party campaign? ever tried one of those?

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Firbolg in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    where the wind blows

    Default Re: D&D campaign ideas

    You got Magic Mech in My Police Procedural!
    In this forum, Gaming is Serious Business, and Anyone Can Die. Not even your status as the Ensemble Darkhorse can guarantee your survival.

    Disciple of GITP Trope-Fu Temple And Captain of GITP Valkyrie Squadron.
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  7. - Top - End - #7
    Titan in the Playground
     
    ElfRangerGuy

    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Imagination Land
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: D&D campaign ideas

    Well, I'm currently working on a villain inspired by some thread from a month or so ago here, to be the centerpiece for a long-term campaign that I'll be running in the future, which you're free to borrow from.

    He's basically a Rakshasa with advanced spellcasting (through various prestige classes) who uses the simulacrum spell to create several 1/2 level versions of himself to infiltrate various agencies and gain control of things. He'll use this influence to accumulate wealth and power, but I haven't figured out yet what his goal should be beyond that. I figure he'll probably be the guy the PCs are working for in addition to whatever enemies they come up against, and he'll eventually take enough interest in them to start making things personal.

    The key thing is to remain anonymous for as long as possible, making good use of the rakshasas' natural shapeshifting and detect thoughts abilites. The greatest thing about this concept is that the simulacrum version can be the BBEG for the early parts of the campaign, and when they finally defeat him it just melts away and they realize that there's way more to go in order to defeat the real villain. It'll also help to start being kind of a jerk to the players once they catch on to the whole shapeshifting villain thing, so they really build up a lot of hatred for your villain. In particular, I plan to use some spells (such as ray of stupidity) that are more insult than injury. As you can see, it's really a campaign that's more about the villain himself than about whatever villainous plans he has going at the moment (of which there should be several).

    Bonus points if you can manipulate the PCs into inadvertantly helping the BBEG accomplish his goals or win against his various enemies even after they've stopped working for him.

    I can post the full build I have in mind if you want. I expect this to work especially well against my group since nobody has used a rakshasa in any game since I joined the group 5 years ago. They'll probably assume it's a doppleganger when they realize it can assume other peoples' identities. Misdirection is the key. I really expect that this will be a really fun campaign once I get everything prepared.
    "Nothing you can't spell will ever work." - Will Rogers

    Watch me draw and swear at video games.

  8. - Top - End - #8
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Israel
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: D&D campaign ideas

    a few more details please:
    - are you using an established campaign world, or are willing to use some? which worlds do you have access to?
    - what levels are you planning the campaign for? from which level to which? this is importent. or are you ok with everything?
    - what are the game preferces of you and your players? killing and looting? intrigue? NPCs interaction focused? strategists? problem solvers?
    -it would be great if you can give an example or two of things you and your players realy enjoyed, and an example or tow you and your players realy hated...

    two of my ideas are on a This Thread, just scroll down, there are a few other ideas there as well. i might be able to give mroe ideas if you answer the above questions.

    Kol.
    Last edited by Kol Korran; 2009-08-04 at 10:41 AM.

    1. Special projects:
    Campaign logs archive, Campaign planning log, Tactical mass combat Homebrew, A unique monsters compendium.
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    Three from a GM's POV, One from a player's POV. Very detailed, including design and GMing discussions.
    3. Various roleplay and real life musings and anecdotes:
    For those interested, from serious to funny!

    Thanks for reading!

  9. - Top - End - #9
    Orc in the Playground
     
    RedWizardGuy

    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    In Denial
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: D&D campaign ideas

    An idea I'd had but haven't had the opportunity to work with begins thusly:

    The PCs are called in to clear out the goblins that have infested a distant Dwarven mining outpost. They find the goblins covered in tumors and oozing toxic slime from their orifices, mining a weird greenish stone, ignoring anything traditionally valuable.

    They then quest to find the sage who can identify the stone -- it's identified as Coldfire Stone, a bizarre energy-laden mineral (essentially, Uranium).

    The PCs, through some sleuthing, eventually find out that the BBEG is using Coldfire Stone to fuel horrifying war machines which he intends to use to take over the world.
    Current D&D characters: None
    Currently GMing: "The Last War of Outremer", Pathfinder/D&D 3.5
    The Crown and the Ring: Blog where I ramble and muse about elements of gaming culture, game mechanics, the philosophy of Dungeon Mastery (at least as it applies to me), and chronicle, step by step, the creation of a campaign world.

  10. - Top - End - #10
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    GreenSorcererElf

    Join Date
    Aug 2009

    Default Re: D&D campaign ideas

    I like to do one-shot games with pre-made characters for special occasions (ie. my annual halloween game), and sometimes they are expanded into longer campaigns.

    Right now I'm putting together a mirror universe type Wizard of Oz game with the Drow beastmaster ranger (with her wolf, To'dal), razorclaw shifter rogue, revenant warlord, and warforged fighter playing the parts of evil versions of the happy quartet.

    Also there is the Call of Cthulu game that had the players taking on the parts of various amnesiac Batman villains trying to recover their memories and find out how they ended up at the site of a ritual gone wrong.

    I use a lot of skewed perception gimmicks to give games/campaigns a different feel. That way when I want to run a straight up swords-and-socerery game it feels fresh to my players.

    Since I'm not sure about your players taste, I'm going to suggest something generic, but flavorful.

    The party meets when they are going about their seperate lives, but end up stuck at the same inn at the mouth of a mountain pass that was closed by a blizzard earlier in the year than expected. After four months of being stuck together, they have decided to assist one another in their various errands. When each player makes their character have them write up a small goal that would be easily accomplished for a party of their size and level. This gives you some additional character developement to work on, invests each of them in their character alittle more, builds a stronger party relationship, and gives you a ready made plot for the first few games. You can then sprinkle bread crumbs and hooks for your over-arching plans into each of these mini-personal quests.

  11. - Top - End - #11
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    Beholder

    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    In a house
    Gender
    Male

    Thumbs up Re: D&D campaign ideas

    I am running one IRL set in ancient Scandanavia. 9 quests long, 9 custom items, 3 custom classes, 1 custom race, 7 new spells, new skills, 3 custom monsters. If your party doesn't like it after the first quest let me know. PM for details.

  12. - Top - End - #12
    Retired Mod in the Playground Retired Moderator
     
    averagejoe's Avatar

    Join Date
    Nov 2006
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    Male

    Default Re: D&D campaign ideas

    The Mod They Call Me: A campaign where you have to defeat a necromancer...


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