So I've begun doing what most semi-retired GM (Game Masters) do when you have a bunch of time with nothing to do. I've started to create a GM's Tool Box for a new campaign. I personally have begun a Fantasy RPG (role playing game).
By a Tool Box I mean a collection of basic things I created that I can add in on a moments notice so that the game seems much more "Sand Box" for my characters (sand box implies that characters in this imaginary world have free roam rather than a linear storyline). I've started by creating a list of names, male and female, that I can quickly answer with if some player decides that they just need to know what the name of a news announcer on the street is. You can use these names repeatedly if the list is big enough. Common names are whatever you want in a world you GM (game master).
I've also noticed that most of the RPG Fantasy settings I've played in just don't have players going up against magic users nearly enough. So I've been building spellcasters of slightly increasing power levels upward over a couple of levels above the players I have playing. I only have to vary the spell lists and abilities and I keep most of the stats among all the different leveled versions of spell casters I make. I only make a couple of spell casters with totally different stats and types of casters.
I came up with good idea which I ran the group through. The concept is a pressure plate trap which triggers when the weight is lifted from it. This made a cool battle sequence. The players didn't successfully spot the trap, one stepped on it, the players had to disarm the trap while the player stood on the pressure plate. A group of opponents at that moment came around the corner. The reason players are ok with me setting them up for it? It's better to have to stand on a plate while fighting than just triggering the trap alone. Everyone playing loved the strange battle conditions. I did throw an enemy at the person standing on the plate, their character excels at melee combat, so they felt involved.
My question for the first blog is: Does anyone know of a good steampunk setting for an RPG? I'm asking specifically for books that have simple rules which could be used in a d20 system.
