I'm thinking of setting up a West Marches style game set in Eberron, specifically Xen'drik. However, I'd really like someone to bounce ideas off of before I get too far into it, and settle on some downtime rules. Does anyone have any good D&D downtime rules that could apply to a play by post format? And does anyone have interest in helping me put some plot and other specifics together?

I would be interested in seeing where a high level (Xen'drik appropriate) 5e version of Eberron game ended up going but I am mostly useless for plot stuff aside from telling people what not to do.

I've been following Keith Baker's blog posts about how he would handle Eberron in 5e and would love to support and play in such a thing. However I've no idea about West Marches - a quick google search seems to imply it's a large-scale game of potentially nation building? That also sounds intriguing.

To me, 'West Marches' means two things. First, a large roster of characters in a persistent world. That means while each adventure may still have 4-6 people, overall there may be 20 or more characters, and there's no set groups. Each adventure starts a group from the ground up.

Second, there's some element of small scale nation (really more town) building. The campaign map is more or less empty, and characters must explore, make the town safe, and work to make it grow bigger.

In reply to Hendell (msg # 2):

I doubt I would start at a high level. I'm thinking 2nd or 3rd level. A big part of the West Marches experience for me is the town building. And if the characters are too powerful/rich that part of it gets short circuited a bit.

I found a post on a blog 'ars ludi' that seems to be where it originated. I was actually in a 4e game that was based on that premise without realizing it, I think that's where the DM got his idea for it. I loved it at the time and think it's a great concept to keep players engaged when life is going on like mad around them.

I'm not sure how well suited to play by post it would be, to be honest - were you planning on having a shared sandbox with 2-3 groups of adventurers doing their own story? Player attrition here is horrible, and since the groups will take different amounts of time to return to town, it'll be hard to mix the parties around, I fear. I'm certainly willing to give it a try though! I'd be happy to be wrong :)

In reply to ennervance (msg # 6):

That'd be the ideal, but as you said it'd be tough to keep that many going. Maybe it would be best to shelve the multi-party thing at first, and focus on the town building, exploration sand box aspect.

This message was deleted by a moderator, as it was against the forum rules, at 21:38, Sun 18 Feb 2018.

I'm very familiar with the West Marches concept, but not so much so with the Eberron setting. I tried to express this in my previous post, but got moderated for it...

Regardless, if you need help or advice, I'm more than happy to assist.

3rd level might be able to start a foothold in Xen'drik if by some stroke of luck we start in one of the few places on that continent not dominated by tribes of giants, but setting the game somewhere in the 8th level range would probably allow for more of the setting's versatility to show through.  Being one of the most dangerous places on that particular world it seems unlikely that the heroes assigned to protect such an endeavor would be no more effective than your average veteran of the last war.

Levels and class features are an abstraction for game balance - we'd certainly be more capable than a Last War veteran (unless one of us wants to be one, I suppose) but it's easier to control power creep if we start early.

And from my memories, Xen'drik isn't dominated by giants - there's also drow, various monstrous beasties, the odd demon cult too. Plenty of variety in what we're fighting.

I'm playing in a different 5E 'West Marches' game, and it's been going for a very long time.

I'm certainly interested in joining another, especially one that's set in Eberron. Using Xen'drik as the setting works very well for the concept (though it'd be more like "South Marches", but anyway). I don't think you'd need to include the city-expansion part, really. Stormreach was really meant to be just a backdrop for the exploration bit, and a place for the dragonmarked houses and noble factions to do their thing.

Are you familiar with the Traveler's Curse?

I'd definitely be interested!

If you want to focus on town building and downtime rules why not have the escapades only take place once a season that way in 4 adventures you have a years worth of progress.

I also once played in a massive player base where if you returned before the other groups you would get some kind of sandbox quest related to your character or someone else. That way you could break up teams every time and replace lost players. It was 4e so we had to watch class balance more too.

I love the idea and I loce Eberron. So many character concepts and stuff to do. Sold on the idea.

I would sign ul for this. Playing in a West March game, and I've never been in Eberron