Absolutely on point! I use Fistful of Dollars to create the first town like from Homlet. Two powerful rival merchants, the over arching lord far off but when his men move through all is quiet, can add Romeo Juliet romance, Veiled Society like intrigue, always a frontier crossroads or for me the only river crossing onto the wilderness. So much good lower level mischief!
Daniel of Bandit's Keep made a comparison between older D&D and westerns recently. Diving deeper into westerns is definitely something I'll have to do!
Matthew Perkins uses the Spaghetti Western as a frame of reference for prepping The Lost Mines of Phandelver. It's a useful way to think of the game, and they needn't be black and white, the antihero certainly plays well in this kind of world.
Your talking of clans remind me of Scottish and Irish history & folklore. It would be very easy to mix them and Spaghetti Westerns together. Cattle raids/rustling are at the enter of both.
Love the genre, don't forget the music soundtracks - amazing. As an old grognard from the very beginning, I always thought D&D was Spaghetti Westerns in a Medieval setting. Consider the Magnificent Seven if you want a Lawful Good setting. In as strict sense, a bounty hunter is retiring enemies of a well ordered society (Lawful?). If a Pirate has a letter from the King or Queen, they suddenly become a Noble Privateer. It is all perspective. I tend to run my world similar to yours.
I wish I could have put some music on the video, but copyright violations won't allow! And you could have a group of LG bounty hunters ala Magnificent Seven, but I'm just saying if they're in the classic spaghetti western setting then it's a tough world!
Now I want my background music for my game to be that of classic spaghetti western! I have the voice for it…LOL With the factions I have been building, it fits. Dang KR! Awesome job and outlook!
In a currently campaign i am running, ironically enough i have established in the lore that there is no official guild for Adventurers they are kinda like mercenaries but kinda state sponsored. Basically the only formal concept for "adventures" is that of contracts/quests which is often handled by the bar/tavern keeps in a ad-hoc system, and often they are for the local area. Meaning while no offical government or governing body regulates it they don't step in; instead they allow it to exist since if there is a problem that happends in some far off village, they dont have to waste their limited man power to solve it instead someone will pay someone else to solve it for them. Even though this campaign i am running is not really a spaghetti western, though i am wanting to run one
This sounds a lot like the Old West in that law and order is limited and you have a system of contract workers (hired guns) who take care of legal issues as they see fit. Just throw in some heightened action and you have a classic Western!
I’m currently in the midst of making a homebrewed high fantasy/western, and you give some great tips on how to flesh that out! From themes, to feelings, and even playing on the morality of what “good” can be in a lawless land. Great video!!
I have been really really wanting to make a western themed game, to catch the feel of a spaghetti western. I have no interest in doing it in DnD 5e however, I have been looking at Savage Worlds: Deadlands, D20 Modern or Boot Hill as a ruleset. I'm a firm believer in an Opinion Matt Colville shared on one of his videos....5e has been marketed as a system that can cross many genres and I don't think its true at all. I think its great for epic heroic high fantasy games, but falls short on many other genres, horror, sci-fi, hiest games to mention a few. This video was great to see, I would like to see more videos on your ideas of getting a western themed game to the table, also any additional thoughts on how you got that feel out of a 5e table would be really interesting. Thanks for the video it was a breath of fresh air!
So glad you enjoyed the video. And I agree that as constructed 5e is not the best to cross genres. But, it's the most played! Savage Worlds is an obvious choice since it was designed for "any genre" play. Deadlands is already old west. And I've played a lot of Boot Hill but I'm not sure on running a campaign in that system. But I'd love to hear if you can pull it off@
I made a one shot once based off of the movie Rango, where the usual suspects were fable like animals, and the currency was water. I had a tribe of crows and a hillbilly cat clan. I used the light version of Fate to run it, but unfortunately I never got to see it through due to the players being less than cooperative.
@@DDHomebrew Well the jury's still out on that, they didn't offer anything but praise but weren't too keen on continuing, even though they insisted they would at some undefined point, to this day I don't know if they found me lacking, the system lacking, or my inexperience with the system lacking, can't really improve anything without constructive criticism.
@@gossamera4665 I have had that happen as well. I always tend to blame myself, but I think it's really hard for most players to embrace anything they're not used to. I say keep trying; I think you may have something with this concept!
I love coming here, you tell us what we are doing right and wrong, you give us ideas, you make our worlds better, you sir are indeed the King of Homebrew. Thank you, sir. And yes, I've seen all but one of those movies, that you mentioned, But I've seen Paint Your Wagon, Musical, Spaghetti Western. one of my favorite fetch quests is based on the marriage situation from Paint Your Wagon. "Go fetch us some wives." It's always a fun side quest. I wanted you to know I really appreciate your videos, your time, and ability to brighten my day. Until Orcus dies and goes to heaven, I'll be here.
Thanks so much for your kind words! And I tend to think of Paint Your Wagon as a Hollywood western, but it was influenced by those films. Just as McCabe and Mrs Miller was too. So many great films to mine for our RPG stories!
I do like the Frontier aspect & not being all "Lawful Good". But I personally don't like the Grittiness or other excessive lawlessness aspects. Although, I do like long coats/dusters:) Interesting video like usual though.
The kings army is busy holding off the dragon and evil kingdom. The city gaurd is peasants with some training a sword and a bad attitude. Hunting down the guys robbing carriages comes down to bounty hunters.
![An Introduction to Fantasy in the Wild, Weird West [cc]](/img/n.gif)
Absolutely on point! I use Fistful of Dollars to create the first town like from Homlet. Two powerful rival merchants, the over arching lord far off but when his men move through all is quiet, can add Romeo Juliet romance, Veiled Society like intrigue, always a frontier crossroads or for me the only river crossing onto the wilderness. So much good lower level mischief!
And check out the source material: Kurosawa's Yojimbo as a film, Dashiel Hammet's Red Harvest as a book. Great stuff!
Daniel of Bandit's Keep made a comparison between older D&D and westerns recently. Diving deeper into westerns is definitely something I'll have to do!
They are a genre that is made for all sorts of D&D settings and scenarios.
Matthew Perkins uses the Spaghetti Western as a frame of reference for prepping The Lost Mines of Phandelver. It's a useful way to think of the game, and they needn't be black and white, the antihero certainly plays well in this kind of world.
Great point!
Your talking of clans remind me of Scottish and Irish history & folklore. It would be very easy to mix them and Spaghetti Westerns together. Cattle raids/rustling are at the enter of both.
The clan structure is so great for a society that doesn't have a formalized legal structure.
Love the genre, don't forget the music soundtracks - amazing. As an old grognard from the very beginning, I always thought D&D was Spaghetti Westerns in a Medieval setting. Consider the Magnificent Seven if you want a Lawful Good setting. In as strict sense, a bounty hunter is retiring enemies of a well ordered society (Lawful?). If a Pirate has a letter from the King or Queen, they suddenly become a Noble Privateer. It is all perspective. I tend to run my world similar to yours.
Agreed on "The Magnificent Seven"
I wish I could have put some music on the video, but copyright violations won't allow! And you could have a group of LG bounty hunters ala Magnificent Seven, but I'm just saying if they're in the classic spaghetti western setting then it's a tough world!
@@DDHomebrew I am aging myself but I remember seeing the trifecta of movies you mentioned, first run at the drive-in with my parents.
@@Marcus-ki1en I didn't see them at the theatre until much later: saw Duck You Sucker at a wide screen festival: very cool.
Now I want my background music for my game to be that of classic spaghetti western! I have the voice for it…LOL
With the factions I have been building, it fits. Dang KR! Awesome job and outlook!
I have used the music at my table for a showdown. My players are a bit young to remember the movies, but they always get a chuckle.
In a currently campaign i am running, ironically enough i have established in the lore that there is no official guild for Adventurers they are kinda like mercenaries but kinda state sponsored. Basically the only formal concept for "adventures" is that of contracts/quests which is often handled by the bar/tavern keeps in a ad-hoc system, and often they are for the local area. Meaning while no offical government or governing body regulates it they don't step in; instead they allow it to exist since if there is a problem that happends in some far off village, they dont have to waste their limited man power to solve it instead someone will pay someone else to solve it for them. Even though this campaign i am running is not really a spaghetti western, though i am wanting to run one
This sounds a lot like the Old West in that law and order is limited and you have a system of contract workers (hired guns) who take care of legal issues as they see fit. Just throw in some heightened action and you have a classic Western!
I’m currently in the midst of making a homebrewed high fantasy/western, and you give some great tips on how to flesh that out! From themes, to feelings, and even playing on the morality of what “good” can be in a lawless land. Great video!!
Glad I could help!
Good stuff. Gets the imagination firing! Tyvm
Glad you like it!
I have been really really wanting to make a western themed game, to catch the feel of a spaghetti western. I have no interest in doing it in DnD 5e however, I have been looking at Savage Worlds: Deadlands, D20 Modern or Boot Hill as a ruleset. I'm a firm believer in an Opinion Matt Colville shared on one of his videos....5e has been marketed as a system that can cross many genres and I don't think its true at all. I think its great for epic heroic high fantasy games, but falls short on many other genres, horror, sci-fi, hiest games to mention a few. This video was great to see, I would like to see more videos on your ideas of getting a western themed game to the table, also any additional thoughts on how you got that feel out of a 5e table would be really interesting. Thanks for the video it was a breath of fresh air!
So glad you enjoyed the video. And I agree that as constructed 5e is not the best to cross genres. But, it's the most played! Savage Worlds is an obvious choice since it was designed for "any genre" play. Deadlands is already old west. And I've played a lot of Boot Hill but I'm not sure on running a campaign in that system. But I'd love to hear if you can pull it off@
I made a one shot once based off of the movie Rango, where the usual suspects were fable like animals, and the currency was water. I had a tribe of crows and a hillbilly cat clan. I used the light version of Fate to run it, but unfortunately I never got to see it through due to the players being less than cooperative.
I really liked Rango, and though I've only read the Fate system, I think this is a great idea. Too bad your players didn't agree.
@@DDHomebrew Well the jury's still out on that, they didn't offer anything but praise but weren't too keen on continuing, even though they insisted they would at some undefined point, to this day I don't know if they found me lacking, the system lacking, or my inexperience with the system lacking, can't really improve anything without constructive criticism.
@@gossamera4665 I have had that happen as well. I always tend to blame myself, but I think it's really hard for most players to embrace anything they're not used to. I say keep trying; I think you may have something with this concept!
@@DDHomebrew Well it's nice to hear I'm not alone in that then, hopefully it was due to the system, and maybe I'll try again someday. Thanks!
@@gossamera4665Just keep on keeping on!
Great video, I think my campaign setting has been more influenced by "The Last Kingdom" series of books and BBC television series.
The Last Kingdom is a great series! I love the 9th century period. Very gritty.
I love coming here, you tell us what we are doing right and wrong, you give us ideas, you make our worlds better, you sir are indeed the King of Homebrew. Thank you, sir. And yes, I've seen all but one of those movies, that you mentioned, But I've seen Paint Your Wagon, Musical, Spaghetti Western. one of my favorite fetch quests is based on the marriage situation from Paint Your Wagon. "Go fetch us some wives." It's always a fun side quest. I wanted you to know I really appreciate your videos, your time, and ability to brighten my day. Until Orcus dies and goes to heaven, I'll be here.
Thanks so much for your kind words! And I tend to think of Paint Your Wagon as a Hollywood western, but it was influenced by those films. Just as McCabe and Mrs Miller was too. So many great films to mine for our RPG stories!
I do like the Frontier aspect & not being all "Lawful Good". But I personally don't like the Grittiness or other excessive lawlessness aspects. Although, I do like long coats/dusters:)
Interesting video like usual though.
Thanks. And yes, the dusters are cool.
Westerns make awesome plots!
Many other types than the ones I mentioned here. Heists, lost gold, fighting bandits, etc. All of them very translatable not D&D!
@@DDHomebrew exactly!
The kings army is busy holding off the dragon and evil kingdom. The city gaurd is peasants with some training a sword and a bad attitude. Hunting down the guys robbing carriages comes down to bounty hunters.
Sounds like a great movie!
nice vid
Thanks?