D&D 5E What should be the 5E default setting?

hbarsquared · Sep 27, 2012

I haven't seen any specific confirmations, yet, but it sure seems like Forgotten Realms is gearing to be Next's default setting. I don't have anything in particular against the Realms, it just has never caught my interest. I would not look forward to FR being the default, and would prefer other options.

I really liked 4Es PoL: in my opinion it harkens back to D&D's history and inspires new ideas and adventures.

But what does everyone else think?

Something entirely new
4E's PoL, Astral Sea/Elemental Chaos
3E's Greyhawk/Plansecape mash-up
Greyhawk
Forgotten Realms
Dark Sun
Planescape
Eberron
Dragonlance
Ravenloft
Some combination of the above?
No default setting at all
It doesn't really matter

Obryn · Sep 27, 2012

guh. If the Realms is the default setting, that'll be a strike against it in my book. Unless it reverts to the grey box; I'd be okay with that.

I expect Greyhawk to be it, though. And I'm largely good with that... Greyhawk does have a genre* which differs from other gameworlds, but it's also the longest associated with the game.

I'm not sure if it will be 3e's pseudo-Greyhawk or actual Greyhawk, though.

It will not be anything weirder than the Realms or Greyhawk, though. PoL is unlikely, though it's generic enough, too.

-O

* Alignments as meaningful factions and the frequent meddling of demons and devils in the everyday affairs of the world are the biggest parts. I also think "Neutral as Balance" is fairly Greyhawkian, along with mad gods/wizards and the dungeons they created out of whimsy.

Lanefan · Sep 27, 2012

I'd like to see them pull something entirely new out of the hat - relatively generic fantasy, sure, but without the various baggage* older settings tend to accumulate.

* - defined as assorted storylines, NPCs, history, etc. that fans of the setting insist be present but that might conflict with my own ideas.

Failing that, I'd vote for Mystara/Known World as default. It's a fine setting, and hasn't been used enough to build up much baggage as defined above.

Lan-"but I'd probably still build my own setting anyway"-efan

Kinak · Sep 27, 2012

I wouldn't be excited by the Realms or Greyhawk, but it wouldn't turn me away.

Points of Light never really grabbed me because, in my mind, it was never really a setting. The idea of a default setting that's basically a kicking-off point for homebrewing has its merits, but I don't need it.

Of the ones I'd consider running, the only one I think is remotely appropriate for a core setting is Eberron.

Cheers!
Kinak

jrowland · Sep 27, 2012

What of the psuedo-setting of Nerath and environs? Its never really been supported explicitly, but there is enough bits to give it teeth without too much baggage. 4E fans would be (might be?) happy, since many of the 4E modules assume that setting already (Thunderspire Mountain, eg).

I prefer Greyhawk over the Realms, but I would be fine if was the Realms or even Mystara.

I voted for something new. I would say "Greyhawk-ish". Give me jungles, deserts, tundra, etc with all the tropes: Barbarian hordes, jungle pygmies, huge city-states, empires, kingdoms, confederacies, etc. My biggest beef with Dark Sun is that its too exclusive: no pirates of the caribean e.g.

slobster · Sep 27, 2012

Man I love Eberron, but I don't think it should be the default setting. For one, there is a lot of stuff unique or endemic to the setting (warforged, dragonmarks, artificers, psionics etc.) that would pretty much need to be included to run it, and the PHB looks like it's going to be crowded already. It's also more of a niche setting, and not the best intro (IMO) to the shared D&D gamer culture they seem to be chasing after with DDN.

I voted 3.5's Greyhawk mashup, largely out of nostalgia for the edition I really got into D&D with, I suspect. Greyhawk and the Forgotten Realms both seem like fine choices, though if they use FR everything should be carefully worded to imply as little about the time period it takes place in as possible. Points of Light was fine and I wouldn't mind seeing it again, but it's probably worth avoiding just for the mindless nerdrage it would incite if it ever became the Core Rulebook assumption again.

I suppose it would also be fine to make up another vague setting just for DDN, but it seems to be more work for less reward than just choosing an existing, largely accepted setting.

GX.Sigma · Sep 27, 2012

Ideally, the book would stress that your world can be whatever you want it to be, while constantly referencing the Realms as an example of a typical D&D world.

JeffB · Sep 27, 2012

No default is where I voted. Especially if WOTC is adamant on giving us an abundance of " story fluff like they have been doing with classes and the monster articles. By trying to shoehorn races into GH for example, like Dragonborn, or Tieflings , or warforged and shifters in Dragonlance it just ends up pissing fans off. This has been the major issue with FR (and to a slightly lesser extent GH) through every edition since 2nd rolled out. Enough with the Homogenization.

Second choice would be a new setting.

Ahnehnois · Sep 27, 2012

D&D isn't a setting.

Jeff Carlsen · Sep 27, 2012

I think there is wisdom in having a light touch of a default setting in the core, much like 3e did with Greyhawk. And, while i would prefer Greyhawk or something new, Forgotten Realms is probably a better jumping off point for new players.