After finishing LMOP my character went to the mining guild and lodged a salvage and mining claim to Cragmaw Castle with the intention of tearing down the castle and using the stones to pave the road from Triboar Trail to Phandalin to facilitate the movement of goods and people to and from the reopened Wave Echo Cave facility (and thereby increase the profits, of which I of course get a share).
Before there were bastions, my players converted Cragmaw Castle into a pancake house. It wasn’t an original idea, we got it from a passing joke on the Critical Hit podcast. I explained the joke and my players picked up the ball and ran with it. Soon citizens and monsters alike were sitting down side by side during downtime to enjoy breakfast prepared by surviving goblin employees hired by the party. It was a lot of fun! 😂
Yeah, maybe. the group I'm currently running Phandelver & Below for rescued Droop, helped him fix his wagon and they're looking at how can we do a mobile Bastion
Playing LMoP again with a sole PC and three NPCs. So far so good. They just defeated the Redbrands. Now he wants to turn the Tresendar Manor hideout into the party’s base or bastion. They’re trying to recruit any surviving/captured Redbrands as hirelings. But first they must still rescue Gundren from Cragmaw Castle.
Leilon might be a good adjacent location too a bastion as the IceSpire Peak sub modules all follow the town of Leilon (south west of Phandalin) and its rebuilding process.
I’m surprised people needed a system for this I have been in two games where we basically built entire towns. Complete with farms, cattle , inns, homes, and a full standing army
Waaay before Bastions I gave my 11th level Chultan born Half Drow Waterdeep noble Bronze draconic sorcerer Arcane Archer (8/3) a noble brownstone style manor in Waterdeep. Once D&D Beyond allows Bastion building in Sigil or on battle maps I will be building one. My plan for this character is an Arcane study, Greenhouse, training area and teleportation circle.
Ah Bastions, D&Ds weird version of business management. Of course you could do all this through role-playing, you know, that strange and mysterious (and all but lacking in most D&D games) where the PCs talk to NPCs and create story elements that are not combat. This addiction to the D&D ruleset (especially because taverns aren't unlocked until the highest level) solidifies my belief that D&D is a poor representation of what an RPG can be. I remember PCs having their own inn/tavern when they were level one. What happened to actually role-playing things that PCs want to accomplish. Want to have a tavern of your own? Sorry, you have to wait until you are the required level, which as far as I can tell from many discussions on 5e is a level that most PCs never reach. These kind of rules really stifle role-playing IMHO.
The rules are too fiddly and don’t have enough impact. By the time most campaigns are over they will have spent about 3 months of gametime(max) in the world. Waterdeep Dragonheist with the Trollskull Manor rebuild are much more effective and just cooler. Bastions are a huge missed opportunity.
Players: be aware there are spoilers in the comment section
One of my players goal was to gain enough money to build an inn / restaurant in Phandalin. The bastion system just arrives at the right time !
After finishing LMOP my character went to the mining guild and lodged a salvage and mining claim to Cragmaw Castle with the intention of tearing down the castle and using the stones to pave the road from Triboar Trail to Phandalin to facilitate the movement of goods and people to and from the reopened Wave Echo Cave facility (and thereby increase the profits, of which I of course get a share).
Before there were bastions, my players converted Cragmaw Castle into a pancake house. It wasn’t an original idea, we got it from a passing joke on the Critical Hit podcast. I explained the joke and my players picked up the ball and ran with it. Soon citizens and monsters alike were sitting down side by side during downtime to enjoy breakfast prepared by surviving goblin employees hired by the party. It was a lot of fun! 😂
Cheers Jim, I'm running a group through LMoP and they have already mentioned moving into Transender Manor. Will send this video their way
excellent!
Yeah, maybe. the group I'm currently running Phandelver & Below for rescued Droop, helped him fix his wagon and they're looking at how can we do a mobile Bastion
Have you read/used the 2e Castles Guide? Any comparisons?
Playing LMoP again with a sole PC and three NPCs. So far so good. They just defeated the Redbrands. Now he wants to turn the Tresendar Manor hideout into the party’s base or bastion. They’re trying to recruit any surviving/captured Redbrands as hirelings. But first they must still rescue Gundren from Cragmaw Castle.
Leilon might be a good adjacent location too a bastion as the IceSpire Peak sub modules all follow the town of Leilon (south west of Phandalin) and its rebuilding process.
YO is that a Robotech figure?
Looks like Rick’s training VTF from the first episode
it sure is!
I’m surprised people needed a system for this I have been in two games where we basically built entire towns. Complete with farms, cattle , inns, homes, and a full standing army
Waaay before Bastions I gave my 11th level Chultan born Half Drow Waterdeep noble Bronze draconic sorcerer Arcane Archer (8/3) a noble brownstone style manor in Waterdeep. Once D&D Beyond allows Bastion building in Sigil or on battle maps I will be building one. My plan for this character is an Arcane study, Greenhouse, training area and teleportation circle.
This exact this is my hyper fixation
Acquisitions Incorporated adventure lets you take ownership of the Manor if you want inspiration for making your initial bastion
It's a thinly veiled excuse for them to sell you cosmetic items in WoTC's VTT if they ever get it running.
Ah Bastions, D&Ds weird version of business management. Of course you could do all this through role-playing, you know, that strange and mysterious (and all but lacking in most D&D games) where the PCs talk to NPCs and create story elements that are not combat. This addiction to the D&D ruleset (especially because taverns aren't unlocked until the highest level) solidifies my belief that D&D is a poor representation of what an RPG can be. I remember PCs having their own inn/tavern when they were level one. What happened to actually role-playing things that PCs want to accomplish. Want to have a tavern of your own? Sorry, you have to wait until you are the required level, which as far as I can tell from many discussions on 5e is a level that most PCs never reach. These kind of rules really stifle role-playing IMHO.
The rules are too fiddly and don’t have enough impact. By the time most campaigns are over they will have spent about 3 months of gametime(max) in the world. Waterdeep Dragonheist with the Trollskull Manor rebuild are much more effective and just cooler. Bastions are a huge missed opportunity.