Sounds like a great pitch! I would definitely be excited to play in this game. However, I think trying to play this in any hack of D&D 5e is going to be a huge hindrance for you. The tone, themes, expected playstyle, and player challenges in D&D 5e are all irrelevant or contrary to what you're trying to do. You'll be fighting against the game system every step of the way.
I highly recommend checking out Honor and Intrigue and Call of Cthulhu as game systems which will be easier to adapt to what you're trying to do. You should also consider making a post on /r/rpg for suggestions!
I was worried about that too. I pondered switching to CoC or Basic Roleplaying System, but in the end I settled on 5e because... I just know my players, they are not the kind of group easy to persuade to switch system. Also, I very much like combat in my games and I'd like a good dose of action sprincled in the campaign, for witch 5e is definetly better than CoC.
I may be talking out of my ass, but I don't see how a group that's not willing to switch systems would be willing to play a version of 5e that only allows for one race and a curated selection of subclasses.
I love the premise and tone, and I was cooking something similar for a future campaign (uncharted setting you get to on a boat, limited number of key NPCs). However, in my experience the only way to keep your party from getting to the table with a magical girl Tiefling or a pun-based gnome is to play a system that doesn't allow such options.
I made a campaign somewhat similar to this, and stayed in 5e for similar reasons. It actually worked out great.
It was easier to convince my players to accept the tone and stringent class restrictions than to convince everyone (including myself) to learn a new way to roll dice.
Like anything else, it depends on your players. I was grateful for their willingness to let go of their Faerun based assumptions and accept a whole new world of lore. We built a really amazing story, and had a great time doing it.
Love your examples, they are the incarnation of my worst fears.
I've been playing with this group for almost seven years now, I think this is the kind of stuff that we'll be able to manage on a session 0. I got to admit that for us this will be sort of an experiment, having played almost exclusively in the same setting for years, but I trust my players enough.
Goo pitch. Sounds like fun. From your comments, it looks like this some super-modified version of 5e.
You know your party & what they will engage with, but you should probably explicitly say what you're using. I read through the description and thought "sounds like fun", but when I got to the classes and the "VSoS" and "MCDM", it immediately distracted me.
Sounds super modified, because it is. After all these years I see 5e more like a game engine than else. The fact is that it's so easy to mod and I don't have to onboard lazy players on a whole new system.
I also made a custom character sheet to accommodate all the changes (you can have a look [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OQSjR00gg_3kV2NxuZ0o3DLiXO7pkvXI/view?usp=drive_link), apologies, it's in Italian).
I agree; 5e is a great foundation for mods. The rules are simple enough that as long as you're careful you can add a lot to the game. I do it all the time. I'm just saying it's good to be clear about that.
I think this campaign sounds great!
My only worry is your session 0. Wrangling stats and backstory for 60+ NPCs sounds like it will eat a lot of time. My suggestion is to focus on the players and their individual characters, and maybe introduce a few key crewmembers that your party will spend the most time interacting with. Maybe the Captain, First Mate/Boatswain, Cook, etc. Find a reason for your party to go on missions/ spend downtime together, so that you can keep your scenes free of unnecessary extras.
When I did a similar campaign, it started at an army camp in fantasy Siberia. I simply had the Captain assign my party to go on an exploratory/mapmaking mission, with orders to report back at intervals. Worked great. It gave us a home base for equipment and level ups, and kept our story grounded.
The idea of "coming up with the crew" together comes from a previous campaign of ours, where we played on a pirate ship. It was a great way to make the players instantly feel attached to their crewmates and it was the foundation for a lot of great moments.
Edit. Also, you're right in saying that 60+ stat blocks are too much. Except for the Marines, I don't think I'll need stats for the crew, since they're not combat-ready, it may take away the responsibility of action from the players.
(Army camp in fantasy Siberia sounds terrifying and a lot of fun)
Actually I have a question really, why D&D? This setting is awesome, why try to shoe horn something that is not very flexible and make it work in your setting? Play something that would be so much more elegant.
I am with these other folks, CoC or some other system. D&D is going to wreck some of this world and who on god’s green earth is going to want to make 60+ dnd characters? FATE would be so so much better
Sounds like a great pitch! I would definitely be excited to play in this game. However, I think trying to play this in any hack of D&D 5e is going to be a huge hindrance for you. The tone, themes, expected playstyle, and player challenges in D&D 5e are all irrelevant or contrary to what you're trying to do. You'll be fighting against the game system every step of the way. I highly recommend checking out Honor and Intrigue and Call of Cthulhu as game systems which will be easier to adapt to what you're trying to do. You should also consider making a post on /r/rpg for suggestions!
I was worried about that too. I pondered switching to CoC or Basic Roleplaying System, but in the end I settled on 5e because... I just know my players, they are not the kind of group easy to persuade to switch system. Also, I very much like combat in my games and I'd like a good dose of action sprincled in the campaign, for witch 5e is definetly better than CoC.
I may be talking out of my ass, but I don't see how a group that's not willing to switch systems would be willing to play a version of 5e that only allows for one race and a curated selection of subclasses. I love the premise and tone, and I was cooking something similar for a future campaign (uncharted setting you get to on a boat, limited number of key NPCs). However, in my experience the only way to keep your party from getting to the table with a magical girl Tiefling or a pun-based gnome is to play a system that doesn't allow such options.
I made a campaign somewhat similar to this, and stayed in 5e for similar reasons. It actually worked out great. It was easier to convince my players to accept the tone and stringent class restrictions than to convince everyone (including myself) to learn a new way to roll dice. Like anything else, it depends on your players. I was grateful for their willingness to let go of their Faerun based assumptions and accept a whole new world of lore. We built a really amazing story, and had a great time doing it.
Love your examples, they are the incarnation of my worst fears. I've been playing with this group for almost seven years now, I think this is the kind of stuff that we'll be able to manage on a session 0. I got to admit that for us this will be sort of an experiment, having played almost exclusively in the same setting for years, but I trust my players enough.
Then go with it and good luck!
Goo pitch. Sounds like fun. From your comments, it looks like this some super-modified version of 5e. You know your party & what they will engage with, but you should probably explicitly say what you're using. I read through the description and thought "sounds like fun", but when I got to the classes and the "VSoS" and "MCDM", it immediately distracted me.
Sounds super modified, because it is. After all these years I see 5e more like a game engine than else. The fact is that it's so easy to mod and I don't have to onboard lazy players on a whole new system. I also made a custom character sheet to accommodate all the changes (you can have a look [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OQSjR00gg_3kV2NxuZ0o3DLiXO7pkvXI/view?usp=drive_link), apologies, it's in Italian).
I agree; 5e is a great foundation for mods. The rules are simple enough that as long as you're careful you can add a lot to the game. I do it all the time. I'm just saying it's good to be clear about that.
I think this campaign sounds great! My only worry is your session 0. Wrangling stats and backstory for 60+ NPCs sounds like it will eat a lot of time. My suggestion is to focus on the players and their individual characters, and maybe introduce a few key crewmembers that your party will spend the most time interacting with. Maybe the Captain, First Mate/Boatswain, Cook, etc. Find a reason for your party to go on missions/ spend downtime together, so that you can keep your scenes free of unnecessary extras. When I did a similar campaign, it started at an army camp in fantasy Siberia. I simply had the Captain assign my party to go on an exploratory/mapmaking mission, with orders to report back at intervals. Worked great. It gave us a home base for equipment and level ups, and kept our story grounded.
The idea of "coming up with the crew" together comes from a previous campaign of ours, where we played on a pirate ship. It was a great way to make the players instantly feel attached to their crewmates and it was the foundation for a lot of great moments. Edit. Also, you're right in saying that 60+ stat blocks are too much. Except for the Marines, I don't think I'll need stats for the crew, since they're not combat-ready, it may take away the responsibility of action from the players. (Army camp in fantasy Siberia sounds terrifying and a lot of fun)
Just play CoC.
How dedicated are your players to creative NPC generation? 67 is *a lot* and will get tedious fast if they are not used to cooperative world-building.
Hell, sounds captivating enough to me! That game sounds great man! I was about to add something, but I think you are good just how you are.
Actually I have a question really, why D&D? This setting is awesome, why try to shoe horn something that is not very flexible and make it work in your setting? Play something that would be so much more elegant.
I am with these other folks, CoC or some other system. D&D is going to wreck some of this world and who on god’s green earth is going to want to make 60+ dnd characters? FATE would be so so much better