World of Warcraft RPG - Session 0

It's time for a major nostalgia trip! World of Warcraft Vanilla was my first every MMORPG, and it will always have a special place in my heart. The alliance starting zones are burnt into my mind, and I want to explore the snowy landscape of Khaz Modan once again.

Preface

It baffles me that there isn't any current tabletop RPG version of Warcraft. The setting is so unbelievably vast and detailed that you could spend decades releasing new content stacked with adventure opportunities. Sadly, the only licensed content ever made was the 3.5/OGL version under the Sword & Sorcery banner. It's long out of print, so I only have the PDF version to play with. You might manage to snag a physical copy on ebay etc. but the prices are expectedly absurd.

For this campaign, we're going to be using the 2nd edition, which is specifically tailored to fit the MMO and adapts a few things to become more recognizable. That being said, it is still a reskin of the old D20 3.5/OGL system. Magic users use vancian style spell slots and the mechanics never really escape that all too familiar D&D feeling with a streaky coat of Warcraft paint over the top. While this means that I wouldn't be interested to run this for a traditional group, it doesn't bother me for what I have planned in terms of solo play.

All the RPG books are officially non-canon, but considering that Shadowlands is canon, that might be a compliment. Regardless, it doesn't matter to me and my enjoyment of the game. I have my own headcanon by now, so I'm just going to pick and choose the things I like.

The Inspiration

It's rare for me to start with a character concept. Usually, I prefer to start with some sort of conflict (narrative; not necessarily combat) and to then create a character that has a reason to take part in that story. This time, the driving inspiration comes from a cinematic and its music. Just look at this magnificent dwarf and his animal companion from the WoW Vanilla cinematic. The entire video is worth a watch (it's almost 20! years old by now), but I want to focus on the dwarf hunter specifically.

The snowy landscape, the music, Ironforge in the background - it all warms my heart with a sense of comfort that only nostalgia can provide. The advantage of very popular media is that there is plenty of artwork (official and fanart) available as inspiration. The following images represent the kind of atmosphere I want to evoke with my game.

There is a signature at the bottom right, but I sadly haven't been able to find the artist who drew this. It looks incredible and is almost exactly how I imagine my character to look like.

by AlbertBear on DeviantArt

 

by Lionel Schramm on ArtStation

by Cutesexyrobutts (unrelated content & NSFW)

by Connor Sheehan on ArtStation

Cold and harsh landscape with a giant city that provides warmth and refuge. I am in love with the stark contrast between the last picture and the snowy landscape outside the city gates.

The computer game version of Ironforge and its surroundings are abstracted for gameplay purposes. They are extremely scaled down and way too small to make any sense. The RPG book talks about Ironforge having ~20k inhabitants. That's one hell of a city, considering that it's carved into a mountainside. What I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't think of the ingame world as a 1:1 representation of (fictional) reality. There is plenty of space to forge our own story somewhere.

The Premise

My goal for this campaign is simple. I want an excuse to read through the available material and test the system. I love the universe of Warcraft (well, at least until Legion) and solo RPGs are my favorite method of exploring settings like these. I'm excited about the narrative the dice will generate within the structure I have in mind.

More specifically, this is what I'm planning so far:

• Dwarf Hunter starting at level 5 (animal companion needs lvl 5+)
• D20 3.5 rules aren't suited for single character play, but I can always add more characters if necessary
• Level 5 allows me more options in terms of threats and enemies
  
• First adventure is about finding and taming a bear
  
• Animal companion helps with action economy
• Shortish campaign to get my toes wet and figure out if the theme works with the ruleset
• Low stakes local adventure feeling - no world ending cosmic threats!
• Set in the Vanilla timeline before The Burning Crusade

The Tools

In terms of game material, I'm going to restrict myself to the core book. It's easy to fall into the trap of trying to use everything that's available, only to become overwhelmed and not playing at all.

As a GME, I'm going to use the GEMulator. Don't worry about not knowing the rules, the narrative will be easy to follow either way.

 

I haven't decided on specific supplemental material yet, but the usual suspects like Tome of Adventure Design will likely make an appearance. There is countless 3.5/OGL material floating around out there, so if anything comes up, I'm sure that there is a random table or generator for that exact situation available.

Additionally, the World of Warcraft game itself is one giant resource. Entire wikis full of lore entries, zone descriptions, and maps stand ready to be used. I could even go ingame and use addons like Narcissus to take fitting screenshots or create NPC mockups.

The Next Step

I'm still reading through the core book, but as soon as I feel comfortable enough with the rules, I'm going to create my character and generate the first adventure. I have no idea where the campaign is going to go in terms of narrative, and I'm excited to find out. Stay tuned for more!