I'm curious, would people rather see a lot of new things in a game setting, IE classes, races, spells, etc? Would they rather see old things used in new ways, so they would be comfortable with what is being used, but seeing it in a different light so to speak? Would people rather see a small group of races used across the world, or a large variation all interacting? Any other thoughts that might come to mind for people, or suggestions on things you haven't seen but might like to? I'd appreciate any input.
Some spoilers below, for those who are in my upcoming game, I don't mind if you read it so long as you are positive you can make sure to roleplay that your characters are oblivious to what has been said here.
Spoiler
As of yet, I have created the basic stats for character creation for a number of races that are mainly along the lines of an animal/humanoid hybrid. I have a plan involving these "beast races" in a specific part of my game world. Also, I have considered incorporating some of the concepts which were prevalent in some of the old settings in 2nd Edition DnD (IE the settings Dark Sun, Birthright, the old Dragonlance, Maztica, etc).
I am considering making sections of the world connected by underground tunnels which would be something akin to the train systems from 100 years ago. Simply roads used by a culture who was attempting to avoid rivers, lakes, mountains, deserts, jungles and oceans by traveling under them. I have yet to decide whether these will have been created by a malicious race, or a goodly race, and whether or not these tunnel systems are inhabitated by their creators or not. Thoughts on that would be appreciated in particular. The campaign I will be running is a sea-based one, so this is something put on hold as relatively unimportant for my first campaign run in my game world.
Also, I am planning on making the majority of the world so that regardless of where you originate from, the rest of the world is relatively unknown to your race. Essentially, a point in time before much exploration was done by the now dominant species. I am considering making it that those who created those tunnel systems, or perhaps a race that now lives underwater might have been dominant once and may have created the other species now dominant. Which would make them incredibly powerful, and they would have knowledge on the rest of the world essentially. Whether or not I will use this as a plot device that leads to a major part of the campaign, I am not sure yet.
I am considering making a special zone in the world that would react with magic as it was in the old Dark Sun setting. Which would be psionics is prevalent, magic is outlawed except by the most powerful rulers of the continent as it drains plant life to fuel spells instead of another power source for magic. Also, in regard to something in the same line of things, I am considering creating a new type of magic. However I am not sure I will have the time/energy to do so. Yet, if I do, I believe it will have something to do with an elemental source for the energy. How this would work, I am uncertain as there could be a lot of problems involved if I do it a particular way. However, I think it would fit with my new races to have a more "primal" magic, almost like a nature based sorcerer. A class which would be tied directly to a particular element, whether it would be fire, water, air, earth, life, death, etc.....the caster would need to have a focus, like a holy symbol to tap into that source of energy. Spells would be limited to anything that would be touching on the element alone. IE, your fire caster wouldn't be able to create any sort of water based spell, but would be able to deal with limited lightning, as well as be able to cauterize wounds as a very crude form of healing.
However, creating a focus for some of the elements would be tricky. The death one might be as simple as carrying a skull around with you. The life one would make sense as to perhaps requiring the caster to keep a tiny creature alive and well throughout the campaign, or perhaps need to plant a tree when renewing spells for the day. Water might be simply having a necklace with a flask of water around it. Air and earth might be as easy as that as well. Would anyone have any thoughts on this?
I am considering making sections of the world connected by underground tunnels which would be something akin to the train systems from 100 years ago. Simply roads used by a culture who was attempting to avoid rivers, lakes, mountains, deserts, jungles and oceans by traveling under them. I have yet to decide whether these will have been created by a malicious race, or a goodly race, and whether or not these tunnel systems are inhabitated by their creators or not. Thoughts on that would be appreciated in particular. The campaign I will be running is a sea-based one, so this is something put on hold as relatively unimportant for my first campaign run in my game world.
Also, I am planning on making the majority of the world so that regardless of where you originate from, the rest of the world is relatively unknown to your race. Essentially, a point in time before much exploration was done by the now dominant species. I am considering making it that those who created those tunnel systems, or perhaps a race that now lives underwater might have been dominant once and may have created the other species now dominant. Which would make them incredibly powerful, and they would have knowledge on the rest of the world essentially. Whether or not I will use this as a plot device that leads to a major part of the campaign, I am not sure yet.
I am considering making a special zone in the world that would react with magic as it was in the old Dark Sun setting. Which would be psionics is prevalent, magic is outlawed except by the most powerful rulers of the continent as it drains plant life to fuel spells instead of another power source for magic. Also, in regard to something in the same line of things, I am considering creating a new type of magic. However I am not sure I will have the time/energy to do so. Yet, if I do, I believe it will have something to do with an elemental source for the energy. How this would work, I am uncertain as there could be a lot of problems involved if I do it a particular way. However, I think it would fit with my new races to have a more "primal" magic, almost like a nature based sorcerer. A class which would be tied directly to a particular element, whether it would be fire, water, air, earth, life, death, etc.....the caster would need to have a focus, like a holy symbol to tap into that source of energy. Spells would be limited to anything that would be touching on the element alone. IE, your fire caster wouldn't be able to create any sort of water based spell, but would be able to deal with limited lightning, as well as be able to cauterize wounds as a very crude form of healing.
However, creating a focus for some of the elements would be tricky. The death one might be as simple as carrying a skull around with you. The life one would make sense as to perhaps requiring the caster to keep a tiny creature alive and well throughout the campaign, or perhaps need to plant a tree when renewing spells for the day. Water might be simply having a necklace with a flask of water around it. Air and earth might be as easy as that as well. Would anyone have any thoughts on this?
