Campaign Settings: Skinning the System
The modularity of Six Sided Adventures means the rules are the skeleton, and the setting is the skin. Because there are no locked-in stat blocks or rigid classes, you have total freedom to define the "vibe" of your game.
⏳ 1. Defining the Scope (The XP Economy)
The duration of your campaign determines how you hand out XP. As a rule of thumb, rewards should be per reward, or roughly of the total encounter budget.
One-Shots: Start players at a higher XP (e.g., ) so they feel like heroes immediately.
Long Campaigns (): Keep XP rewards small to prevent "power creep" too early. Use Time Hopping to leap forward months or years, allowing players to describe "Special Training" they underwent during the downtime.
🌍 2. Picking Your Setting
You can skin SSA into any genre. Here is how you might handle the "flavor" of character creation:
| Setting | Racial Bonuses / Origins | Classes / Jobs / Roles |
|---|---|---|
| High Fantasy | Elven Wits - perceptive skill, Dwarven Vigor. - tough skill | "The Hedge Knight" or "The Pyromancer." |
| Cyberpunk | Neural Uplinks - talent, Synthetic Limbs - skill. | "The Street Samurai" or "The Net-Runner." |
| Space Odyssey | Alien Morphologies, Gravity-adapted mutations. | "The Starship Pilot" or "The Xenobiologist." |
Remember: SSA provides templates, not prisons. If a player wants to play a sentient cloud of gas in a space campaign, you don't need a new rulebook—you just decide which core stats that "being" prioritizes.
📜 3. Rules as Written (RAW) & Succinctness
When defining custom abilities or gear, brevity is power. * The "Fire Cannon" Rule: If a weapon deals fire damage, write: "Deals 1 damage; inflicts Burning. Can ignite flammable objects." * Being succinct prevents "Rules Lawyering" later. By explicitly stating it can light things on fire, you reward player creativity rather than debating it mid-session.
🚂 4. Agency vs. Railroading
Railroading (forcing players down a single path) happens to everyone. However, the SSA system is designed to help you pivot.
The Session Zero: Use this to align everyone’s desires. If players want a political intrigue game but you built a dungeon crawler, the "Sidewind" issue will happen immediately.
Navigate, Don't Dictate: Use the modular NPC and TN system to follow where the players lead. If they jump off the "rails," you have the math to build the new track in real-time.
🎨 5. Collaborative World-Building
You don't have to build the world alone. Invite your players to hold the pen.
The "Exile" Strategy: If a player is an exiled Orc from the capital of Uru'tah, ask them: "What was your favorite bakery called as a kid? Is it still there?"
The Result: This gives players Agency and Investment. They aren't just playing in your world; they are playing in their world.
DM Tip: When a player adds a detail, write it down. Using that detail three sessions later is the easiest way to make your players feel like legends.