Making Deadlands "steampunk"

[Niles]

I know Deadlands is more weird west, but would anyone have any recommendations to make it more steampunk? My conundrum is I'd like a steampunk setting ready to just drop in to fantasy grounds and I can't really find one. I know that The Widening Gyre is compatible with Savage Worlds, but how would I get all the monsters and character classes in the game? Is it a matter of just creating your own characters looking off the stats in the Widening Gyre pdf and adding them on the record sheets and doing the same with the monsters? Also, I saw the Smith and Robard's Catalog. It looks like it has some steampunk type weapons and armor and such. Would that help to make the setting more steampunk? I really love the genre and want to run a campaign but don't have tons of time to prep this stuff. I kind of need it ready to play. Any suggestions?

[Topdecker]

Niles, I was going to recommend the S&R catalog if you went forward with Deadlands. It sounds like you've walked around this pretty well.

Deadlands is set in 1879 - right in the middle of Victoriana. There is no reason that you cannot change to focus to feature the more Steam-punkish elements of the setting. You might have to make some of the tech more common or explain why it is available to the players. If the players were acting as agents of Deseret, they'd be in the heart of Deadlands most technologically advanced region. Hellstromme (think Vincent Price in his prime), the leader of Deseret, is normally a very bad man, but perhaps the players can help him find salvation...or damnation.

https://www.steampunkchronicle.com/ArticleView/tabid/238/ArticleId/341/The-Magical-Weird-West-of-Deadlands-Reloaded.aspx

Take a look at the link - a confidence builder. BTW, just how DO you define Steampunk.

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[Niles]

Niles, I was going to recommend the S&R catalog if you went forward with Deadlands. It sounds like you've walked around this pretty well.

Deadlands is set in 1879 - right in the middle of Victoriana. There is no reason that you cannot change to focus to feature the more Steam-punkish elements of the setting. You might have to make some of the tech more common or explain why it is available to the players. If the players were acting as agents of Deseret, they'd be in the heart of Deadlands most technologically advanced region. Hellstromme (think Vincent Price in his prime), the leader of Deseret, is normally a very bad man, but perhaps the players can help him find salvation...or damnation.

https://www.steampunkchronicle.com/ArticleView/tabid/238/ArticleId/341/The-Magical-Weird-West-of-Deadlands-Reloaded.aspx

Take a look at the link - a confidence builder. BTW, just how DO you define Steampunk.

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Steampunk to me is definately the gadgets, flying machine, science, the armor, ect...but the most important element is the story. I'm a storyteller, and even with the pre-made modules, I have ideas to make them my own and add my own plot lines. One other question...is there different races and classes in Deadlands? I'd like to have a hybrid fantasy-steampunk setting, you know, elves on airships, dwarves wielding guns, that sort of thing.

[Mask_of_winter]

You can import any creature from a pdf by using this nifty little tool: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?20807-SW-NPC-Maker-extension
It's as easy as highlighting a statblock, ctrl+c and then clicking a button in the Personalities window.

[Mask_of_winter]

Check out Winter Eternal then (shameless self promotion). It's closer to Eberron but more grim. It's fantasy with early industrial era elements and is available in the FG store.

[Niles]

Check out Winter Eternal then (shameless self promotion). It's closer to Eberron but more grim. It's fantasy with early industrial era elements and is available in the FG store.

Thanks, I will check that out. You guys have been a great help!

[Topdecker]

One other question...is there different races and classes in Deadlands? I'd like to have a hybrid fantasy-steampunk setting, you know, elves on airships, dwarves wielding guns, that sort of thing.

No, human only.

But it would be really easy to make custom edges like 'OF ELVEN BLOOD' where they have some cosmetic differences and say +1 die type for agility. Dwarves would be +1 vigor - and stumpy ;). It is about creating enough flavor for it to work for the players.

[Niles]

No, human only.

But it would be really easy to make custom edges like 'OF ELVEN BLOOD' where they have some cosmetic differences and say +1 die type for agility. Dwarves would be +1 vigor - and stumpy ;). It is about creating enough flavor for it to work for the players.

You're painting a real clear picture of what's possible, Topdecker. What are the classes of Deadlands? And are the rules of Savage Worlds easy to learn?

[Topdecker]

Savage Worlds is not a class-based game. It is skill-based - you are what you make yourself. There are archetypes to use as a reference, but even common creatures like a 'wolf' could have a skill or an edge tossed on it to make it a bit more troubling.

I didn't have too much trouble coming from a year with FG using 5e, but I played some Savage World games in advance and I also took a few months to ease into it. FG Con is coming up - you should sign up and play a bit to see what you think of it. Having reviewed the rules in advance will improve the learning experience.

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[Niles]

Savage Worlds is not a class-based game. It is skill-based - you are what you make yourself. There are archetypes to use as a reference, but even common creatures like a 'wolf' could have a skill or an edge tossed on it to make it a bit more troubling.

I didn't have too much trouble coming from a year with FG using 5e, but I played some Savage World games in advance and I also took a few months to ease into it. FG Con is coming up - you should sign up and play a bit to see what you think of it. Having reviewed the rules in advance will improve the learning experience.

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Bought the ruleset today. Going to get the free module "Devil's Night" just to check it out. Thanks for all the info!