probablyfunrpgideas

[probablyfunrpgideas]

There's a Powered By The Apocalypse game called Soth, where PCs are small-town cultists competing for the favor of their dark god and trying to conceal the awful crimes they commit.

...what if you played the opposite? A game where you live with your friends and family under the shadow of unbeatable, unknowable evil. All you have to keep yourself and any visitors safe is your courage, your wits, and your traditions. Welcome to the vampire's doorstep.

Jonathan, between meals probably: “Are you sure I’m meant to eat an entire garlic bulb as a palate cleanser?”

The locals, sweating, trying their best to low-key vampire-proof this boy: “Yes. Absolutely. Very traditional.”

#idea #tabletop rpgs #pbta #horror games

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Idea: Play a skeleton bard who is on a quest to restore the voice of their living days. They are being hunted, however, by agents of the Pattern - the original undead loremaster whose voice echoes through all skeletonkind.

It is strange that skeletons and zombies in D&D are both mindless by default, but sentient skeletons outnumber sentient zombies tenfold. What's the zombie voice sound like, when it's not demanding brains?

Skeletor has forever destroyed our ability to come up with voices for skeleton characters.

#idea #d&d #pathfinder #tabletop rpgs #d&d 5e #d&d 3.5

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Lots of sky whales are baleen whales, filter feeders that must eat sky plankton or swarms of passenger pigeons to survive. We don’t often see toothed whales overhead.

When the humans landed on Hadrian’s Eye, they lost several crops of grain and other transplanted vegetables to sky fish. Schools of tangs and surgeonfish swarmed in the fields, enjoying the bounty of food and hiding places outside their usual floating rock homes. But by the end of that season, the sky dolphins arrived, drawn to the area by the large amounts of their prey. Humans learned to cooperate with the flying predators, scaring fish out of the fields to be caught. A sky dolphin is intelligent enough to know a good partnership, and they’ve stuck around for a few decades now. But the deep clouds of Hadrian’s Eye are still unexplored. Perhaps the sky dolphins are not the top of the food chain. And perhaps whatever cut off our communication with Outpost Six is going to reshape our place in this new world.

Hadrian’s Eye: Call of the Storm Orcas

the shortcut to making me love your fantasy world is to put whales in the sky

like if i see a flying whale, I immediately feel like a kid with a lollipop and a propeller hat, just full of awe and excitement

#idea #d&d #pathfinder #starfinder #worldbuilding #tabletop rpgs

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Creature Idea: A moray eel with horse legs. Runs down rabbits and pheasants and such, and can stick its neck into burrows to grab prairie dogs. Its body is still noodly and flexible though, and it rarely attacks anything as big as a human.

#idea #tabletop rpgs #d&d #d&d 5e #pathfinder #d&d 3.5 #worldbuilding

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Idea

Turn a cosmic horror villain into an intrigue villain! In a typical campaign, Xhamen-Dor the Star Seed is trying to turn the whole world into fungal zombies by spreading the disease of knowledge. But in an intrigue campaign, perhaps this Great Old One is manipulating the Gold Veil assassins' guild and the military noble house of Mac Darvish to crash the stock market and take over the city! All attempts by the players to move openly against this monstrous rotting beast are opposed, unless they can gather proper evidence first.

#tabletop rpgs #idea #d&d #d&d 5e #d&d 3.5 #pathfinder #call of cthulhu

[probablyfunrpgideas]

This world not only has different languages and technologies, but if you go far enough the laws of reality begin to change. On the continent where you grew up, humans and orcs and elves interact with each other, and each have their own mages. But if you sail a few thousand miles, you'll meet different kinds of mages who use runes instead of spell slots, and the communication spell you know doesn't work because it has to target "a humanoid creature" and the people here are using a game that doesn't distinguish creature types.

Essentially, rpg systems are spread across this world, with similar ones in proximity to each other. The vast mountains of d20s border on the scattered islands of the Apocalyptic Archipelago, and when you travel beyond the known frontier, you'll reach the fabled Diceless Realm...

probably shitty worldbuilding idea: fantasy world that keeps going

#idea #d&d #tabletop rpgs #d&d 5e #pathfinder #d&d 3.5

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Two important publications to have in your setting: The Ubiquitous Gazette. This carries the news stories from everywhere, to everywhere. The delivery and printing is incredible in scale, possibly involving quantum-linked teleportation or messenger dragons. Use this to let your players know the big picture. The Village Advertiser. This has only the most local and specific news from someone's hometown or another very small community that's become important to the players. It carries juicy gossip and shopping opportunities, both adventuring gear and magical items. And yet, it still gets delivered wherever the heroes happen to be...

#idea #tabletop rpgs #d&d #d&d 5e #pathfinder #d&d 3.5 #worldbuilding

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Idea: Within the various Thieves' Guilds are several sub-factions who maintain the Thieves' Library - despite their best efforts.

The Fraternal Order of Mendicant Curators, the Lightning Scribes, the Book Eaters (nobody really trusts them), the Six Blueprint Bandits and others are always trying to get ahead of each other and heist portions of the library to grow their own collection. Whenever they get a new chest of folios and maps, they rearrange it and mix it in using their own organizational system, so some items have four centuries of different labels on the cover.

While this makes finding information very difficult (most questions take at least a half dozen favors and secretive exchanges) it's vastly preferable to being under the thumb of a single library order.

Text: The Thieves Library is almost impossible to track down, every volume stolen, the knowledge inside dangerous. It is the only place I can think to look for a book on Bone Shifting.

#worldbuilding #idea #d&d #d&d 5e #d&d 3.5 #pathfinder #tabletop rpgs

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Play an elf rpg where elves, humans, halflings, orcs and so on are all described as “elvenoids” instead of humanoids

#idea #tabletop rpgs #d&d #pathfinder

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Idea

The assassin walked calmly from the council chambers, leaving panic in her wake. Three dozen scribes, notaries, lobbyists and associated nobles who all couldn't decide whether they should run to the throne and help, or run away and save themselves. Sitting on the throne, where King Jasper Moliath had been a minute ago, was a small leather bag. It had been plain and unassuming, but was now... the scariest thing in the room.

If you have a Bag of Devouring and a good Sleight of Hand bonus, take something from your target and drop it in the bag! You can make it look like they caught you trying to steal, and when they go "aha!" and reach for their favorite ring, the bag Gets Them.

Send in your own weaponized use of a cursed item!

#tabletop rpgs #idea #d&d #d&d 5e #pathfinder #d&d 3.5

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Turn the tables on the basic eldritch horror formula where some American brings back a curse from his voyages in foreign countries! I can't believe how many haunted house mysteries I've read where the house was haunted by careless colonialism.

Idea: Make a Call of Cthulhu scenario where Javier Ortiz goes to visit his cousin in Bristol, and buys a neat little fish statue from the local souvenir shop. However, upon his return home to Muisne, Ecuador strange things start to happen. Cloaked strangers walk the streets after dark, looking for something. A thick fog from the sea rises, completely unheard of for the tropical climate. Can your investigators save their friend Mr. Ortiz before it's too late?

#idea #tabletop rpgs #call of cthulhu #horror games

[probablyfunrpgideas]

I haven't seen Adventure Time, but I think it's neat that the protagonist is called "the Human". Taking an epithet that doesn't seem particularly noteworthy raises more questions, and is fun to hear people say as part of your introduction.

"Welcome, heroes of the realm! Your majesty, this is Glanda Gladflame, Sir LePont D'Avignon, Horgo of Windspire, and... Delly the Gnome."

How could you include something similar in your backstory?

#idea #d&d #pathfinder #d&d 5e #d&d 3.5 #tabletop rpgs

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Magic Item Idea

The Case of Catnapping was built by the ratfolk wizard Jerimus as a ploy against his rival archmage. It appears to be an ordinary box, perhaps made from thin wood or cardboard, but it's imbued with arcane herbs and runes are hidden in the very fibers. When the Case of Catnapping is open, any cat or tabaxi who is within 30 feet must make a save against the Compulsion spell or approach and sit inside. If more than one possible target is in range, the first who can get in the box does so, then the others gather around and can choose to either close the box and sit on top, or pretend they have no interest in the item at all.

#idea #tabletop rpgs #d&d #d&d 5e #homebrew

[probablyfunrpgideas]

The Harmonium says that they know how to keep everyone safe and happy - by uniting them under one harmonious system! They are the officers of the watch, patrolling Sigil from their base in the City Barracks. Their color philosophy is Red/White, as they aren't afraid to get their hands dirty if the end result is order.

The Mercykillers say nobody is too powerful, or too good, or too unimportant to escape the wrongs they have done. They carry out sentences and deliver swift justice in Sigil's Prison and across the planes. Their mana color is Black/White because their strict code of judgment pairs with a bounty hunter's attitude.

The Revolutionary League says the system is broken. Every system. But especially the ones that make a few people powerful at the expense of the many. They infiltrate other factions and plot in dark corners all over the multiverse. Their color is Blue/Red, as they gather information for the anarchist cause.

The Sign of One says the whole multiverse, all of it, is a dream. Is it your dream? Is it mine? Or maybe some butterfly on Arcadia? They're not sure yet, but they are making an effort of mind over matter to find out for certain. Debaters and diplomats, they run the Hall of Speakers where factions negotiate and vote on Sigil's future. Their meditative, self centered philosophy tends to the Blue/Black mana colors.

Planescape Factions by Magic Color

I hope to get some responses on this, because I’m not super familiar with Magic lore. But here’s some of the Planescape organizations - the philosopher gangs and guilds who run Sigil and clash across the multiverse.

The Athar say that the gods aren’t truly divine and should be subject to the same rules as anyone, despite their power. They represent Blue/White with their focus on logic over faith and their organized printing presses and alchemists.

The Believers of the Source say all things are being tested and eventually, with enough determination, we mortals can achieve reincarnation into a higher state. In their foundries, they build tools and vehicles and fine trade goods. They represent Black/Green with the focus on growth and personal development, and the drive to become something new.

The Bleak Cabal says there’s no meaning or purpose to existence, and even accepting this lesson is just a temporary distraction from the endless, hopeless mess. In the Gatehouse, they care for the many poor and unhealthy citizens of Sigil. They represent a very odd flavor of Black/White as they turn their empty lives to a social mission.

The Doomguard say everything is going to end eventually, so why not enjoy the view of all the destruction? They push the entropic process forward by forging all kinds of weapons in the Armory. They exemplify Red/Black in their reckless disregard for the fabric of reality.

If this sparks some interest I will keep it going - there’s fifteen factions, so there might be color overlap between them. And keep in mind, there’s all kinds of alignments and ideals within these groups to inspire NPCs and adventure hooks!

#idea #d&d #tabletop rpgs #planescape

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Monster Manual Meals 1

Idea: make a delicious stew from the bulb of the psychic Udoroot! It’s a Huge creature, so the stew feeds at least a dozen people. Make sure you have some mushrooms and garlic on hand, and most recipes also recommend dried red pepper to cut through the earthy root flavor.

Udoroot Stew really sticks to your ribs, and it pairs well with all kinds of drinks. Increase the duration of any potion you drink in the next 8 hours by 50%. Psionic adventurers also report a limited ability to mimic the Udoroot’s split mind. Once during the next 8 hours, they can manifest two powers with a single full-round action (paying power points for both).

#idea #tabletop rpgs #d&d #d&d 3.5 #homebrew

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Combat Rule Idea

Probably best to try this with a one-shot first: Set up several dartboards, or paper targets on a wall you don't care about.

Instead of rolling dice for your attack and damage, test your real-world accuracy by throwing darts or using a Nerf gun (not sponsored) to hit the targets! The reason you have multiple targets is because you can throw from a greater distance to increase your potential damage. Let's say your 1d4 target is 7 feet away. Your 1d6 target is 9 feet away, then 1d8 (11 feet) and 1d10 (12 feet) and 1d12 (13 feet). You could even put a d20 target at a truly impressive distance. The targets have rings that show how much damage you do, with smaller rings having higher numbers.

Obviously, change the distances and size of the targets to fit the skills and mood of the game!

#tabletop rpgs #idea #d&d #d&d 5e #pathfinder #d&d 3.5

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Fun Fact: there is a mansion in Malaysia called Carcosa because the British dude who commissioned it was a nerd. But apparently not enough of a nerd to consider that it's a terribly ominous name for anywhere you plan to spend time in. He thought the name might be derived from Italian "cara casa" or "dear house".

I can just name the planets in my LANCER setting after nerdy shit like Ecaz or Carcosa and justify it by saying that the people who named these planets in-universe were probably also massive nerds

#not an idea #call of cthulhu