D&D 3E/3.5 Special olympics

abe ray

Explorer
How would you fine people build special olympics or even regular olympics in dnd terms? It doesn’t matter what edition it is though. I was in special olympics for years until this lockdown!
 

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A very good question.
First, I would think about the story about these games, whether for Special Olympics or the Olympics. The Olympics had their roots in religious festivals, the Special Olympics have another meaning - maybe in your world they also are to allow citizens to compete in contests of skill or strength against other citizens (non-adventurers)

I would look at what events, what kind of skill challenges to do those competitions, and keep 'score' for the top three finishers. At the end, the winners get some loot - maybe in keeping with Special Olympics, everyone else gets prizes.

For me, I would also think of what kind of activities are going on around the town. It's sure to bring in travelers and supporters, as well as con artists and thieves. There are all kinds of beautifully hedonistic tales that come from the Olympic Villages in our world - why not in the game too?

To me, I would just do what's fun and in keeping with the traditions. What I find great about gaming is it's a good way to look into the histories of things you would never research on your own. Good luck!
 


Mistwell

Crusty Old Meatwad (he/him)
How would you fine people build special olympics or even regular olympics in dnd terms? It doesn’t matter what edition it is though. I was in special olympics for years until this lockdown!
We attended the special Olympics where it was here in Los Angeles and it was really cool.

As for your question, others are better equipped to answer than I.
 

Maybe the olympians could get (temporarily) clerical spells to use 3/day? Special olympians could get temporary relief from their mental/physical disabilities?
Those are good ideas. And maybe the Special Olympics in your game could be something that people attend and compete in for blessings from the gods, which then they can take back to their communities as a blessing. There could be interesting stories - like what if a town isn't going to be able to send a representative? Or what if the representative has gone missing? Would the town lose the favor of the divine? Would the party have to step in and compete for that town?
 

Marc_C

Solitary Role Playing
The Dungeon magazine had several articles about Adventurer's Olympics. It was a pre-fab dungeon each group of participants entered with challenges to resolves. There were rooms for thieves, clerics, magic-users and fighters. Some rooms required the help of several classes to solve. They were called Challenge of Champions. I DMed one once for me 2e group. It was a fun afternoon.

BGG: "The adventures represented an annual adventurers' guild competition, with the PCs' party being one of a number of teams aiming to win. Each adventure consisted of a number of separate rooms, each with a puzzle, obstacle or task to complete, often with set equipment to help them. There were strict rules about other equipment and magic that could be used."

"The first three adventures (in Dungeon issues #58, #69 & #80) were written for AD&D 2nd Edition, the fourth (#91) was for D&D 3rd Edition, and the fifth (#108) and sixth (#138) for D&D v.3.5."
 



the Jester

Legend
How would you fine people build special olympics or even regular olympics in dnd terms? It doesn’t matter what edition it is though. I was in special olympics for years until this lockdown!
I believe there was an adventure in 1e that was a sort of Olympic event- maybe one of the short adventures in I13? I'd start there, and take inspiration from both it and from the series of, hmm, Contest of Champions, maybe it was called? from Dungeon Magazine.
 


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