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Any ideas for a campaign (D&D3.5)?

Posted by JoJo_the_inkeep
JoJo_the_inkeep
member, 1 post
Fri 29 Sep 2017
at 22:48
  • msg #1

Any ideas for a campaign (D&D3.5)?

I need ideas for a 3.5 campaign to introduce someone to the game. I am new at DMing and I'm a little dry for ideas right now. Any and all help is appreciated.

Thanks-



JoJo
Cygnia
member, 277 posts
Amoral Paladin
Fri 29 Sep 2017
at 22:54
  • msg #2

Any ideas for a campaign (D&D3.5)?

Do you have any idea what your player-to-be's interests are?  Do they want intrigue?  Standard hack & slash dungeon crawl?  Become a god?

Will you have other players or will this be a solo game?
JoJo_the_inkeep
member, 2 posts
Fri 29 Sep 2017
at 23:52
  • msg #3

Any ideas for a campaign (D&D3.5)?

In reply to Cygnia (msg # 2):

This is game will be including a party of 4 and the new player is very subtle but is interested in the concept of the game itself. She isn't very forthcoming in terms of RP but I think she will get used to the way the game works and how my style of play is very RP based.
godlearner
member, 689 posts
No good deed,
shall go unpunished.
Fri 29 Sep 2017
at 23:53
  • msg #4

Any ideas for a campaign (D&D3.5)?

In reply to JoJo_the_inkeep (msg # 3):

Grab any low level module and run that.
Karack
member, 149 posts
Fri 29 Sep 2017
at 23:58
  • msg #5

Any ideas for a campaign (D&D3.5)?

or you could go plot light, and treat it as the tutorial area in an MMO. :) don't even have your friend roll up a character. just give them stats that are above average all around but don't scream one class or another.

have them wake up in a cave over looking a town in the distance they don't recognize and with no memory of who they are. gear, presumably theirs, has been tossed to one side and rummaged through, apparent robbery, no armor or heavy weapons. just a dagger maybe or quarterstaff. so they collect their things and likely head toward town. have a bandit attack on the way, something simple to demonstrate combat. something not very dangerous, maybe a drunk bandit who forgot his weapons and picks up a stick on the ground to fight with. after killing said bandit, the traditional search for treasure (or in this case, clues) turns up: some money, a few items, and a scroll. they read the scroll and find two things: 1) it's a magical scroll of fireball; 2) apparently they're a wizard of some sort. they get into town and the town is under attack by the rest of the bandits who happen to be threatening some townsfolk outside the inn. have the bandits see friend from a distance, recognize them, and charge. they have to move a couple rounds to reach your friend though (demonstrates in combat movement, etc). hopefully your friend remembers the fireball scroll they so conveniently picked up, and uses it. roast the bandits who all conveniently fail their saves and die. now friend has to interact with townsfolk to try to figure out who/where they are, what's going on, etc. maybe find a local priest to have injuries healed.

well, i think you get the idea. you can take it from there and expand if your friend isn't quite ready yet, maybe they're actually higher level and have levels in priest too. they could try out casting divine spells in addition to arcane after running into an acolyte who recognizes them and suggests praying for guidance (and thereby gets their divine spells for the day). maybe another bandit comes in the next day and attacks and then friend finds their spellbook on that bandit the next day. they now can memorize spells, but have to choose which ones (thus seeing the difference between divine magic and wizardly magic since couldn't memorize without spellbook).

after tutorial is finished, let your friend (if they want to) create their own character to start a more traditional campaign, or keep going if you/they're having fun.
Cygnia
member, 278 posts
Amoral Paladin
Sat 30 Sep 2017
at 00:43
  • msg #6

Any ideas for a campaign (D&D3.5)?

Don't be afraid to limit source materials right out of the starting gate, just so neither you or her get overwhelmed.
StarMaster
member, 278 posts
Sat 30 Sep 2017
at 01:48
  • msg #7

Any ideas for a campaign (D&D3.5)?

Do you mean an extended campaign, or just an adventure?

If it's an adventure, KISS it--Keep It Simple Stupid. Dungeon delve... one room, one trap, one monster, one treasure. The dungeon, of course, can be a cave, a crypt, or the top floor of a tower. If play extends beyond this, then they might find a clue that leads them to the next 'one-room'.

For a campaign, I might go with an escort scenario. They PCs are asked (or hired) to escort someone to the next town. This gives you a chance to toss bandits or a monster at them on the trail. There could be hazards on the trail, such as a bridge washed out, a storm pops up, etc. If it takes more than a day to reach the next town, then they have to make camp. Perhaps, on the way, the person they are escorting wants to stop at a shrine or a cave (family crypt?).

When they reach the next town, now they have to deal with an urban environment.
Isida KepTukari
member, 169 posts
Elegant! Arrogant! Smart!
Sat 30 Sep 2017
at 06:14
  • msg #8

Any ideas for a campaign (D&D3.5)?

You start in a throne room, being commended by the monarch(s) for your valiant and mighty deeds in ridding the kingdom of a great menace.  Then, at the height of the celebration, a messenger rides in and says that a new threat has arisen that needs the aid of the heroes.  The monarch(s) ask for your aid once again, in front of the whole court and kingdom.  How can you say no?

Here's the rub: you're a bunch of impostors.  At the final battle, you saw the great heroes destroy the terrible menace.  And after they did, and were helping clean up the town/city where you lived, they found you, young and ambitious folk who had cut their teeth on mopping up the menace's minions.  Each one of you is a ringer for one of heroes.  They asked you to take their place at the celebration so they could go to their retirement without everyone knowing where they are living out their days.  They assured you that the threat was over and done with forever.

They outfitted you with mundane gear (possibly with illusion or magical auras on it) that otherwise matched theirs, gave you some spending money, and let you go reap the rewards for their heroism.  It seemed like a good gig at the time...

--

This could be fun for a slightly more morally gray party.  Characters might also be playing a role that doesn't suit their class - the person who most resembles the mighty warrior might actually be a wizard (wearing mock armor), the one who should be the ranger is actually a monk, the cleric is actually a bard, and so on.

This would accommodate a lot of different geographies - you could do dungeon, forest, city/town, whatever you are more comfortable running, just adjusting the new menace to match.
This message was last edited by the user at 06:15, Sat 30 Sept 2017.
Karack
member, 150 posts
Sun 1 Oct 2017
at 01:34
  • msg #9

Any ideas for a campaign (D&D3.5)?

did you ever play the old rpg's on nintendo or computer? final fantasy 1, dragon warrior, legend of zelda? if you just want a generic campaign for teaching, then use one of those games you're familiar enough with as the outline, change names so they won't recognize it right away if at all, and run with it. the hard part of coming up with plot and what happens when will already be taken care of for you.
This message was last edited by the user at 01:35, Sun 01 Oct 2017.
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