JohnB's Games

Role-Playing, my way.

User Tools

Site Tools


pathfinder:campaign_systems:start

Campaign Systems

Overview

Pathfinder has some brilliant ideas for adding depth to a campaign, however they haven't been implemented all that well. The concepts are great, however they all seem to have been developed in isolation and they don't fit together very well. At first glance the building of the Down Time Rules appear to match up with the Kingdom building rules - until you look past the surface. Sizes, costs, incomes returns - none of them work together. Even the Mass Combat rules don't link well to the kingdom rules - and they were part of the same AP. On top of that, some of the systems have very complicated rules, that need a lot of management. It, sort of, works, if you only want to use one of the Campaign Systems at a time, or just dip in occasionally - but not if you want a to use them more widely. Why do I think this?

My system simplifies the rules and tries to pull them all together, in a way that allows them to work together.

NOTE: Campaign Systems DO NOT add to your wealth or the amount of gear your character has, those are governed by the WBL guidelines. However, they will add to your RP experience if you want your character to be Lord of their own Domain, a Merchant Prince, Leader of a Cult or found a Noble Dynasty. Or even all of those at once :) You will get some cost of living advantages and perhaps some discount from your businesses - but not enough to make a significant difference.

Build Points

Build Points New Version

Kingdom Building

While these are described as ‘Kingdom Building’ rules they work just as well if you are developing stronghold, business or other organisation within an existing kingdom. After all, a kingdom is composed of a series of strongholds, businesses, churches, universities and other organisations. This system is there to help you develop your roles within the kingdom, no matter how you choose to do so.

There are four different ways to use these rules. You may invest using all four sets of guidelines - but spreading you investment is liable to lead to reduced returns.

Strongholds

Building a Stronghold is the quickest way to get noble titles - but it by far the most complex of the rule sets and relies on the mental attributes: Charisma, Wisdom and Intelligence. Stronghold land can either be Wilderness, Rural or Urban, and each type of land has slightly different rules and developments available. While you can use these rules to build a small city-state, you can also create a massive wilderness estate suitable for a Ranger or a Druid, or a Rural retreat suitable for agriculture or a country estate. The biggest and best Strongholds are liable to contain all three types of land in different stages of development. Strongholds are the best way to get noble titles.
Building a Stronghold Rules

Business and Organisation

Building a Business or Organisation is less complicated but you rely on co-operation with stronghold owners. The least complicated options are to develop Academic or Religious organisations - as there are fewer choices and Stronghold Owners will be more sympathetic towards you. Mechants make money the quickest (at least to start with) But Stronghold owners will probably be harder on you that other businesses, as so much of your business is not rooted in any settlement or stronghold.

No matter what you choose, you need permission from the stronghold owner to build or upgrade your business, and the stronghold owner might ask you to contribute towards the town’s infrastructure before granting permission. While most buildings some contribution to the stronghold's development pot, they often contribute a lot less than the stronghold owner needs to maintain a balance between Economy, Loyalty and Stability - inwhich case you may be asked to contribute an extra Build Point or two just to get permission. Businesses and Organisations are fall into seven different categories (Commercial, Residential, Manufacturing, Hospitality, Merchant, Academic & Religious).
Building a Business or Organisation Rules

General

Claiming your Rewards. While these rules don't give you money to buy adventuring gear, they do have a small monetary benefit and larger Role Playing benefits. For example, you get to live in a big house, castle or even a palace without spending your hard earned adventuring cash, and you get the Standard of Living benefits associated with that. These all count towards how influential you are in the wider political world.
Claiming your Rewards

Population - Or how to work out how many people live in each hex.
Population

People

Influence - How influential are you when it comes to shaping the world? Need to Review the Property list

entourage How to recruit Assistants, Apprentices, Managers, Bodyguards, Squires etc …. Or your own NPCs to boss about and put to work - who will be loyal and faithful to you :) (with all the normal caveats, of course)

Noble Houses - how to build and maintain a Noble House and all sorts of other related bits and pieces.

Mass Combat

pathfinder/campaign_systems/start.txt · Last modified: 2023/07/04 11:57 by johnb