The Devil's West | Fantasy Western Setting D&D Campaign

Creating your character

Players will create their characters during a Session 0 before the campaign officially starts. Before Session 0, I will send out a Setting Document to help players become familiar with the game and help inspire character ideas. If a player is joining in after the beginning of the campaign, I will help outside of session hours to ensure they have a smooth transition into the game. Characters will be created on the Foundry VTT. For this game, players will base their characters off of the DnD 5.5e rule set, using the stat distribution method of 4d6 dropping the lowest d6, with any character choices officially published by Wizards of the Coast being approved for play. Additionally, players will have access to third party character options from books in my library such as Ryoko's Guide to the Yokai Realm, The Crooked Moon, Valda's Spire of Secrets, along with others. Any third party publisher choices or material from playtesting (such as Unearthed Arcana) are subject to GM approval. Player Characters will start at level 4, using the official starting feat rule. Characters will be introduced to each other over the course of the beginning of the first session, with introductions aligning with backstories. Depending on the campaign, games will likely include homebrew magical items and content available for the players. Players will be encouraged during Session 0 to collaborate and develop characters that synergize with other players either mechanically or narratively. The GM reserves the right to reject material that does not align with the setting or table atmosphere, but will offer a reasoning for doing so along with possible alternatives. Likewise, the GM may choose to alter elements of character creation to better fit the needs of the table (i.e. extra items/feats at starting, higher starting levels, different stat allotment, etc).

Preparing for the session

If they have not already, players will need to create a Discord account in order to host voice chat. Once they provide me with their account name, I can invite them into the Discord server we will use for sessions. Before we fully meet in Session 0, I will send each player a Setting Document to help them generate ideas for their desired character, as well as a Session 0 Content Warning Checklist to help me better see the type of content I should develop or avoid. Players should come into Session 0 having read the Setting Document and filled out the Content Warning Checklist. It is encouraged that players come into Session 0 with several possible character ideas so that they are able to collaborate and find an idea that works well in the group and that they are excited to play. Shortly before Session 0, players will receive a link to the Foundry game set up for that table where they will create their characters and play sessions. Players will need an account for StartPlayingGames and Discord, but will not need a Foundry account as the sessions will use the GM’s paid account. Likewise, there should not be any paid requirements beyond StartPlayingGames, players are encouraged to use the equipment they have available, full streaming set up is not required. The GM may elect to record sessions for safety and notetaking purposes, players will be asked at or before Session 0 if they are comfortable with this and can discuss with the GM if issues exist. Cameras will likely not be in use, but players are asked to make sure they are in an environment without excess ambient noise that could interrupt the game.

What William Hicks brings to the table

When engaging in roleplay at the table, I use voices to flesh out characters to the best of my ability, as well as music that fits with the setting to help set the ambience of a scene. For the players, I enjoy when they actively participate and not limit themselves in roleplaying opportunities. Players are encouraged to participate freely and actively, though reminded that this is a collaborative game where everyone needs to be included. Character voices are encouraged but not required, it is entirely up to the comfort of the players as long as accent choices remain in appropriate taste. For combat, I run engaging and dynamic fights that can vary from encounter to encounter. One engagement might be a traditional scene of combat, whereas another might act more like a puzzle where the players have to solve whatever is in front of them to make headway. Most importantly though, I leave room for player agency and creativity to come up with solutions to encounters I could not have thought of, rewarding them for outside the box thinking. Combat will be tuned for individual tables, players in a more min/maxed table can expect higher CR and more aggressive fights where players have to use every tool at their disposal to be successful. Likewise, I tend to have enemies that fight like people. If the player characters have access to a tool, the enemy may have that same access. Depending on the setting, combat can be an intense and gritty last resort, while in others it may be something more aligned with traditional turn-based fantasy. I am a believer of Rules as Intended, trying to follow the spirit of the rule set, however I do leave room for the player freedom that the Rule of Cool can bring to the table. With RAI, I believe that there is room for creative thinking without it becoming dangerously overpowered and losing the enjoyment of the story. There are times where flexibility is important, especially along the lines of roleplay and creativity affecting rolls and effects. There are other rules that do need to be strict so that there is a structure that everyone at the table can rely on. When there are conflicts in understandings of the rules, the GM will make a ruling that will hold for that scene, after the session players are welcome to remind the GM and the rule can be amended retroactively or moving forward depending on the context. The GM also has the ability to alter/make rules as needed, should an event come up that does not fit within existing rule sets.

Homebrew rules

For this game being in a fantasy western/steampunk setting, there will be the use of firearms as weapon options for both players and enemies, though stats may be adjusted to align with the setting. Also given the nature of a more modern setting, use of technology, information, and equipment may fall under variant stats and abilities. While there are no homebrew “House Rules” at this time, the GM may implement them posthoc, consulting with players as necessary. Additionally, there will be the use of third party homebrew content that would fit within the genre of the setting, along with homebrew personally made by the GM. These third party options are also available for the players to use for character creation, under GM approval before the start of the first session.

How William Hicks creates a safe table

Monte Cook RPG Consent Checklist - Along with a Setting Document, I will send each player a copy of the checklist created by publisher Monte Cook Games. Each player will let me know their comfort with different themes and if they are okay with it, whether they are fine with it being a background aspect of the game, or if it is a hard limit to avoid in the game. These will be sent to me and only me so I can better tailor my game to the comfort levels of each player. Lines and Veils - I will have everyone in the group send me what their Lines or Veils would be privately in Discord messages, where I would then add them to a collective list shared to the whole group so we can easily see the additions at any time. Once I have a collected list, a summary of hard lines and veils will be included as part of the Session 0 discussion. Players are not expected to share reasons for the lines and veils, simply stating that a boundary is a boundary is more than enough, player safety and comfort are paramount. X, N, & O - I encourage players to privately message me any of these cards in Discord at any time and I will make sure to either avoid anything that would result in an X card if I can, or reverse anything that might have triggered the X card without disclosing who sent it. Session 0 - Along with covering the mechanical aspects of the game such as character creation, I would go over the planned story and any themes that might be in it. I would make sure players understand that they know of the content warnings that were listed on this game, and encourage them to let me know either on the voice call or in a message to avoid anything that makes them feel unsafe.