Looking for a DnD 5e (possibly Pathfinder) Kingmaker or Kingmaker-like game

[Rummy Tum Tum]

Foreword: I'd much prefer 5e because I know it very well, but I get that it would be a lot more work if you want to go with the OG Kingmaker AP. I'd need a lot of help with Pathfinder though.

I've been playing Kingmaker on PC, watching Arcadum's "Gailen's Gate" series on youtube, and messing around with Matt Colville's Strongholds and Followers in my irl game, and all these things have got me itching to play a Kingmaker-like game. A misfit band of nobles, criminals, mercs, and adventurers forge into wild lands to attempt to tame them and build a barony/city-state of their own. They'd then lead it as a kind of oligarchy, each member the head of a certain area of expertise (diplomacy/war/crime/assassination and spying/whatever else we decide to include as rulers.). They'd engage in political intrigue, tame and/or kill monsters and bandits alike, and grow in power and control as they fight off crises and shape their new lands and culture into whatever they see fit--good, evil, or everything in between.

This makes most sense as a small group game, though we all know how hard it can be to retain players/momentum in play by post, especially in these times. I wouldn't mind doing this solo or with a very small group. Whatever will help this game last, I'm for it. It's sad seeing DnD games die so quick and so often on E.

And speaking of this being E, the only smut content I'm iffy about including at all is NC. It tends to make me very uncomfortable in system games, especially DnD where character bonding is a main focus to me even in evil campaigns. DC, on the other hand, is fine by me.


I've got two character concepts in mind so far.

One is a rising crime boss who has a slew of thieves and blackmailers under his employ. He has sway with the mayor of his city through this blackmail and has his fingers in many pots throughout. However, tension is rising and the public is getting wise to his organization's true power and his own constant evasion of the law. It also comes to light that the mayor is looking for ways to get rid of him without letting the blackmail evidence slip. With these things in mind, and the nation-wide announcement of an excursion to take wild lands, my character chooses to strike a deal. With the mayor's support and backing, he would go on this expedition under the guise of an honored merchant and businessman.

The other concept is a noble firstborn who finds himself cast from his role as heir due to indiscretions including but not limited to: visits to whorehouses; duels to the death; affairs with noble ladies, and rumored affairs with more monstrous humanoids. He's on the cusp of being cut loose from the family altogether when news of a massive excursion to take and control wild lands spreads. After hearing of this, his family thinks of a better alternative--an exile and a spread of their bloodline's influence all in one. He happily chooses to go when they 'offer' this alternative, eager to get away from his pompous kin and to show them how well he can lead when out from under their suppressing thumbs.

[Malkavian]

Random thought, but have you considered Sword Chronicle? Seems custom made for house/group making and politics/intrigue.

[FoxgirlJay]

Currently on Episode 23 of Gailen's Gate myself, with an itch to play in a kingmaker style city raising and ruling adventure. I too would prefer 5e, but I am willing to learn pathfinder if the group decides to take that route.

I've got several character concepts in mind, one for just about every 5e character class and subclass you could think of, so I'd be looking to fill a niche role or personality foil in whatever the party ends up being.

Count me down as interested and tracking this potential roleplay.

[Rummy Tum Tum]

Random thought, but have you considered Sword Chronicle? Seems custom made for house/group making and politics/intrigue.

Is Sword Chronicle a DnD Adventure Path, or a different game altogether? I'd rather stick with DnD for this since I've been craving it as much as everything else I noted.

Currently on Episode 23 of Gailen's Gate myself, with an itch to play in a kingmaker style city raising and ruling adventure. I too would prefer 5e, but I am willing to learn pathfinder if the group decides to take that route.

I've got several character concepts in mind, one for just about every 5e character class and subclass you could think of, so I'd be looking to fill a niche role or personality foil in whatever the party ends up being.

Count me down as interested and tracking this potential roleplay.

Weird, I'm on the same episode xD

[FoxgirlJay]

It's a great watch, fill time between Arcadum's other games~

[Rummy Tum Tum]

Yeah, I got into Arcadum's stuff when my friend's obsession with V-tubers led me to Death and Debts. Then I watched all of Gambler's Delight and started a few others before deciding I'd watch Gailen's Gate, then the Deals in the Dark series, then I'd catch up on the simultaneous/crossover Tyre games they all lead to.

All while watching Death and Debts weekly of course. It's friggin hilarious.

[Malkavian]

Is Sword Chronicle a DnD Adventure Path, or a different game altogether? I'd rather stick with DnD for this since I've been craving it as much as everything else I noted.

Another game. Just figured it was worth noting.

[Rummy Tum Tum]

Gotcha, thank you for bringing it up. Might check it out another time :)

[FoxgirlJay]

Ah yes... The horny jail.

I got in to Arcadum through Moon's game with him at the start of the year. Love all the groups. Gailen's Gate though, really made me want to play in a campaign of that style. Really hopeful for this thread in that regard, if it all ends up working out.

[Rummy Tum Tum]

Nice! The games have been giving me something to do during this quarantine summer, and helping me bear the heat too.

Also very hopeful for this. I just love the idea of creating a place and watching it grow between adventures and during downtime. Invite some businesses, form some guilds, create an army, spread influence, and make important decisions that have large consequences.

[Chulanowa]

I'd be down for playing in this, provided there's some freedom in race / class choices (not a big fan of human only / elf only kinda games. Sometimes a dude just has to play a kobold, y'know?)|

[Rummy Tum Tum]

I for one am down with that, especially if people tend to question a kobold's right to rule anything, you know, until they actually do co-rule the land (or die trying).

[Mosos]

Behold, a wild gm appears. While I love this concept and really want to play it, I am also willing to gm it. I know pathfinder 1e really well and can guide new players into it, but if the players want D&D 5e I can make that happen too. If this group will have me gm, I'll start laying out the questions I need answered to build a campaign.

[Zaer Darkwail]

I voice interest as player and fan of the kingmaker module (the concept/idea of it). Fine play any roles, albeit in case of ranger, allowed use the improved UA one

[FoxgirlJay]

The Ranger UA is such a good boon for the class. Very necessary in my opinion to make them not just stronger, but more flavorful from a roleplaying thematic standpoint.

Personally, I'm looking to use a UA as well, as my intended character class would be a 5e Wizard, with Order of Scribes UA subclass. All about finding new spells, making scrolls and being a generalist wizard.

[Chulanowa]

Behold, a wild gm appears. While I love this concept and really want to play it, I am also willing to gm it. I know pathfinder 1e really well and can guide new players into it, but if the players want D&D 5e I can make that happen too. If this group will have me gm, I'll start laying out the questions I need answered to build a campaign.

I have a definite preference for 5E.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Yeah, confirm preference to 5th DnD. The kingdom ruling/rules from kingmaker module can be directly converted as they relate more to chars stats (if go that far as make rules how expand but not against for RP approach either).

[Rummy Tum Tum]

Behold, a wild gm appears. While I love this concept and really want to play it, I am also willing to gm it. I know pathfinder 1e really well and can guide new players into it, but if the players want D&D 5e I can make that happen too. If this group will have me gm, I'll start laying out the questions I need answered to build a campaign.

A rare find!

Yeah 5e for sure if ya don't mind it. And ask away :)

[FoxgirlJay]

Just going to throw this in to the ring of ideas...

Run this over Discord, using a server and text channels to separate OOC, dicerolling and roleplay and so on, in one collected place? That would be my preference, as I feel D&D Roleplays go better over Discord-like things, rather than over a forum. That's just how I feel though, and have no qualms about doing it on E.

[Zaer Darkwail]

In my experience discord has worked very well for RPG's as well compared to forums but fine if we run just in forums.

[Mosos]

Alrighty then it seems 5e is the winner. For race and class anything you can find on the wikiadot is acceptable. (I am not sure if I can link the wikia here.)

The questions I need answered:

Where you would like to play? Discord suits me the best, but I can make anything the group likes work too.

Where you would like your campaign set? I.e a desert, forest, swamp, a tropical island(this means ships), hellscape (this means hell engines)

How do you want to do stats? Gm prefers standard array + feat on ability score up. This means you get your ability score increase and a feat on levels where you get an ability score increase.

What level do you want to start at?

What do you want the tone of the game to be? Light, dark, gritty, smutty?

Do you want to use the standard dnd gods or homebrewed ones?

Is there anything specific you want in the campaign? I.e ships, maybe you really want to fight in the underdark at some point, ect.

Answer all those then we can get to the character questions.

[FoxgirlJay]

Where you would like to play: Discord

Where you would like your campaign set: Forest, tropical Island as a close second

How do you want to do stats: I like the idea of Standard Array + ASI and Feat

What level do you want to start at: 1-3.  3 lets characters start specialized, but not too complicated to just jump straight in to.

What do you want the tone of the game to be? Light, dark, gritty, smutty?: Light and dark at times, not so gritty, and fairly smutty.

Do you want to use the standard dnd gods or homebrewed ones?: No Opinion

Is there anything specific you want in the campaign?: Nothing terribly specific. Cool magical loot is a big thing I'm a fan of though.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Where you would like to play: Discord

Where you would like your campaign set: Forest

How do you want to do stats: I do like Standard Array + ASI and a Feat. One tip had been update standard array into 17, 15, 13, 12, 10 and 8 (it allows pick races to classes without feeling a nerf do so as you got ensured 17 score).

What level do you want to start at: A 3th. Not squishy, got subclass features to specialize.

What do you want the tone of the game to be? Light, dark, gritty, smutty?: Light and Dark in good balance, not so much gritty but occasional event could okay for. Fairly smutty (not overblown but good opportunities for dubious consent sort content).

Do you want to use the standard dnd gods or homebrewed ones?: Fine either.

Is there anything specific you want in the campaign?: Big shiny loot, a chance for the diverse shift between playing battles/warfare, courtly intrigue (once domain/kingdom big enough) and ofc freedom to explore and expand. Eventually interaction with other kingdom rulers/ambassadors.

[Rummy Tum Tum]

Where you would like to play?

I prefer forums, since anything with smut on Discord would be iffy for me. Am down to do OOC, rolls, etc. on Discord. Or possibly even do the main game on Discord and do all smut stuff on Elliquiy after a Discord "fade to black."

Where you would like your campaign set?

Forest. Rife with dangerous creatures and monstrosities, and the bandits who have survived them well enough to travel and raid.

How do you want to do stats?

I like your method.

What level do you want to start at?

3

What do you want the tone of the game to be?

I prefer a generally light tone with dark elements interwoven. Light enough for fun/funny times but dark enough for some juicy character and world drama. As for smuttiness, I'd say as long as it feels natural and story is more important. Definitely don't want this to be a smut game where there's lots of sex for the sake of it.

Do you want to use the standard dnd gods or homebrewed ones?

Either is fine. I don't know the DnD Gods like that lol

Is there anything specific you want in the campaign?

I would love to form an adventuring guild where we can recruit interesting people and send them on quests (from treasure seeking to exterminations to assassinations, depending). I would also like to go to Hell at some point, I think. Such a shady place. And I'd like the opportunity to influence politics at large, even outside our domain, and to make some hard choices in doing so.

I'd also like the chance to befriend a dragon at some point if possible. Not to use them as a weapon at an unbalanced level or anything. Just because dragons are cool.

[FoxgirlJay]

Where you would like to play?
I prefer forums, since anything with smut on Discord would be iffy for me. Am down to do OOC, rolls, etc. on Discord. Or possibly even do the main game on Discord and do all smut stuff on Elliquiy after a Discord "fade to black."

Oh, that's something I should've mentioned too. Unless it's like... Story-pertinent, I would like fade to black smut scenes between characters, with the main game in Discord.

I'm also down for Zaer Darkwail's suggested "Updated Standard Array"