Summary
The wide-open setting ofDungeons & Dragonsis in many ways whatever you want it to be. Sprawling deserts, high-fantasy castles, or even creepy decrepit villages are all great places for your party to explore.
When you’re thinking about your campaign, it can be hard to figure out what to add and not, but guilds have been a staple for D&D (and fantasy in general) settings for decades now. Whether you want your party to hone their skills, make new powerful friends, or justsee how the world around them works, here are some tips for adding guilds to your next adventure.
7Build The City Around Them
Friendly Neighbors
Guilds may be a one-stop shop where your party is concerned, but for them to exist in a city they would have to be doing quite a bit of good for the people around them. Blacksmiths would be making tools and weapons, sure, but what about mages, thieves, or even Druid guilds?
Learning how the guilds benefit the surrounding town, and vice-versa, is great to make the NPCs of that guild feel more like they belong. Treating it not as a place to level up a character’s skills, and instead as a greater part of the setting, is great world building.
6Add Some Friction
Can’t We All Get Along?
Perhaps not all great minds think alike. Guilds are full of people at the height of their niche skill, which means they may disagree on how to do things. It can be a great side quest, not to mention a solid amount of world building to add some strife in one of the local guilds.
The mages arguing about schools of magic? A blacksmith worried about cutting corners? Or even an argument in the assassin’s guild about which contracts to take? Regardless, your party’s addition will be welcome as they’ll seek to get your characters on one of their sides.
5Give Them A Unique Name
A Little Bit Of Flavor
Sure, calling a blacksmith’s guild The Blacksmith’s Guild seems fair, and it is. But, you can always add a little bit of extra creativity to help your guilds stand out in the world. Plus, it may make your characters care about them more.
It’s the same idea as with inns and taverns, there’s no wrong way to name a guild, and in fact, there are plenty of resources online to help you do so. If all else fails, The Bard’s Guild still gets the point across.
4Have Them Teach Your Players
What Can They Do For You?
The first thing to figure out when you’re thinking about adding guilds to your campaign is what guilds you’ll want to have. This is best done by considering what skills you want your characters to be able to learn or improve.
Each one has the opportunity to teach characters a skill that could become useful in RP, downtime, or even combat. Start with what skills you’d be okay with them improving, and then think about who would be willing to teach those skills.
3Make Up A Price Sheet
Get Out Your Coin Purse
Cost is another thing that may seem like a minor thing, but you should put some thought into just how much working with a guild will put your players back. These are skilled individuals after all, their time is valuable in their world, and the cost should reflect that.
Thisdoesn’t have to be gold, it could be in the way of kind deeds around town. But, more often than not, money will be the go-to. Look at how you’ve made other favors and jobs in the area priced and gauge it from there, especially where magic is concerned.
2Consider Letting Your Characters Join
A New Member?
Meeting other guild members is one thing, but what if your Bard wants to join up to a local Bard’s guild? Joining a guild can mean a handful of different requirements. Completing a quest, paying money, or a test of skill are just a few options.
To understand what it may take, consider who would be a part of the guild, how big the guild is, and what they’d have to gain or lose by adding them to their fold. It may be good for your characters to make connections early, or wait until they’re higher level.
It’s ok to say no to joining a guild, or even maybe later, all depending on how much you want that guild to play a repeating role in your game.
1Look Beyond Teaching Skills
They Do Pay The Bills Though
While most GMs use guilds as a way for players to hone their skills, they can be far more than that. Allow them to be places to do plenty of other things to take up their time away from the game’s main plotline.
They can be great places to meet NPCs of the same class as some players, merchants for specialized goods,places to hire help, or even just cool additions to make a town or city seem more well-rounded.
