Monday, March 18, 2013

Party Themes

Something I've always wanted to try is specific, intentional restrictions on classes and races to end up with themed parties - that is, parties whose composition points to a particular purpose. One of the things I'm enjoying about going through the Temple of Elemental Evil right now is that the players have independently done this to some degree; they're all playing elves (and elf adoptees), so we've decided they're an extended family group out on their vision quest / coming of age adventure / going somewhere, anywhere, away from home so they don't cause trouble for the rest of the elven community.

Here are a few I'd love to see or play sometime:

  • Warriors of Light: This is fairly self-explanatory. A party of Clerics and Holy Warriors who go around smiting evil. Methinks this would actually fit pretty well into the Temple of Elemental Evil. ("Why are you going to the Temple of Elemental Evil?" "...uh, it's a Temple of Elemental Evil.")
  • Archaelogical Expedition: This would be a party composed of nothing but Wizards and Sages. Obviously they're there to catalog and study the dungeon, picking up magical lore and artifacts along the way naturally. Strong arms (for holding swords as well as carting treasure) would be provided by various henchmen. Bonus points if you're heavily underwritten by the local College, with Agents and Scribes as grad students.
  • Rock Star Tour: All bards! The only filler they get are Laborers (techies) and Servants (groupies). Rather than kill the monsters and take their stuff, they're there to case a sweet new joint, then renovate it for their next concert. (Works best if they're in a dungeon under a city or castle.) For that truly hardcore feeling, the drummer can be a Bardbarian.
  • An offer you can't refuse: A group consisting solely of Thieves, Assassins, and if you like Ninja. Obviously they're beholden to the Don to get back the family heirloom "or else". This one strikes me as particularly difficult, but quite rewarding if you pull it off.
  • What happened last night?: All Innkeepers.
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5 comments:

  1. Mark LangsdorfMarch 18, 2013 at 6:17 PM

    My on-line gonzo DF game at one point had a delving band consisting of a Gargoyle Knight, a Minotaur Martial Artist, a Mountain Elf Scout, a Pixie Wizard, a Dwarf Cleric, and a Catboy Swashbuckler. So it was basically themed as "non-humans" and I tried to get them to play that up, but they didn't buy it.

    We joked that they were delving because it was the only work they could get.

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  2. GMJasonGURPSMarch 18, 2013 at 8:33 PM

    Bardbarian. Awesome!

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    1. UnknownMarch 19, 2013 at 9:17 AM

      I still want to play one. Not sure if it'd be more awesome to have the 250 points in Bard and 50 in Barbarian or vice versa.

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  3. 333March 22, 2013 at 5:38 AM

    Go ninja, go ninja, go!: All non-human Ninjas, with Genin henchmen.

    The classic: Elves, Dwarves, human Wizard and one Halfling.

    Harry Potter and the Dungeon Fantasy: Three human Wizard PCs, each specialized or with a different lens - one is a Sage lens, another a Innkeeper lens and the last is a straight Blaster/Artillery Wizard.

    Band of the Hawk: All Knights and Barbarian lens Knights, with one Bard as leader.

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    1. UnknownMarch 22, 2013 at 7:51 AM

      I can't believe I didn't think of this before, but here's another, inspired by what you said:

      Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Four Coelopteran Martial Artists. If you like you can throw in a Dark One Wizard with the Martial Artist lens.

      Delete

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