Best D20/OGL Setting I SHOULD Own

[GrimJesta]

Meh, I'm an unabashed Kalamar fan. I love the realism and richness of the setting. I also voted for Conan: Hboria is another fantastic setting. Kalamar reminds me of Hyboria in alot of ways. I actually use the Conan OGL game rules for the Kalamar setting. Conan's sorcery and focus on gritty low-magic and technology really fits Kalamar well.

I would have voted for Talislanta, but I don't like the d20 version. They should have just revamped the old system. It fit the setting well and was alot of fun.

-=Grim=-

 

[Psion]

It occurs to me that I have been neglectful and left out the one setting I have probably got the most use out of for 3.5. An unsung hero of a setting:

Second World Sourcebook

First off, Second World has the most realistic of all campaign geographics ever. It's Earth.

Well, to explain more, as the name implies, there is a Second World that is a parellel of Earth, but where technology developed here, magic developed there. The book lets you take modern characters and put them in the fantasy Second World, as well as play the D&Dish natives of the place. The idea of "Warden Powers" shapes the world, as well as the concept that characters (and thus culture) "bleed over" from the mundane world. The fact that languages, culture, and attitudes from the mundane world form part of the substrate of second world means that many D&Disms (like language based puzzles, anachronisms, out of place colliquisms) MAKE SENSE. Plus, being able to draw from real geography for 2nd world adventrues and have crossworld fantasy adventures in the first world opens up a lot of real cool possibilities and is really convenient.

 

[Steel_Wind]

Wilderlands - Judge's Guild.

 

[Breakdaddy]

Castles and Crusades isn't a setting -- it is a separate OGL game.

So is Conan, of course, but since Conan also includes a setting -- Hyboria -- it kinda makes sense to include it in the poll. (Same goes for Blue Rose, Lone Wolf, Slaine, and a few others.)

But C&C? Not really. (I love the game, but it's no more a setting than 3e D&D is a setting.)

Anyhow, I quite like Yggsburgh right now. It's rather different than the other settings listed, as it focuses in great detail on a small region (50 miles by 32 miles) and city (Yggsburgh). Despite focusing on such a small area, though, it has enough adventures and adventure ideas to last an entire campaign.

Word. I would vote for C&C as well, but it really doesn't meet the criteria of a setting, although I take my C&C with a side of Greyhawk.

 

[Ed Cha]

What about Grim Tales/Slavelords of Cydonia? Doesn't that qualify as a setting?

 

[NewJeffCTHome]

I think there are a lot of good gaming worlds out there - Midnight, Iron Kingdoms, Forgotten Realms, Conan and a few others. But, the one I like the most is Kalamar. What I like most about it is its flexibility:
1) it does not have an overarching theme that you have to employ.
2) It does not box you in to high magic or low magic. I have played in 2 very long term Kalamar campaigns, one very low magic and one pretty high and both very enjoyable. I also was involved in a short-term Kalamar campaign that was similar to Iron Kingdoms in theme with higher tech.
3) It does not have you learning new rules/systems that are dramatically different than the core rules. With my limited time, I can barely keep up with the core rules, let alone having to then learn a whole new magic system or having a tome of alternate rules to master.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Iron Kingdoms and Wilderlands.

Me, I run IK, but Wilderlands brings back memories of youthful days spent in running the City State.

I don't remember how many characters died there, but I remember at least one TPK in the area below the city.

No TPKs in IK yet, but give me time.

The Auld Grump, who doesn't actually loke TPKs...

 

[DreadPirateMurphy]

It is clear to me now that the consensus has been Iron Kingdoms, followed closely and continuously by Freeport. The latter I might have bought eventually anyway, since I have a fondness for Green Ronin, but I would have certainly passed up IK. I will look into it during my next gaming store visit.

Thanks, everybody, for the input.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

Nyambe is one of the only attempts I've seen to do a fantasy Africa for a RPG. It's a fine supplement, and deserves a look for attempting to cover something not often examined by D&D or pretty much any fantasy RPG. It has a nice mix of the familiar and new paradigms.

Nyambe is a great sourcebook for things that just mess with players. I've pulled out stuff on several occasions and they've gone "huh?". I've never gotten enough interest to set a campaign there sadly - most of my players want vanilla, pseudo-tolkien fantasy. But it's a good book. Lots of well-thought out and different yet consistent material.

 

[Ashrum the Black]

I would have to say the iron kingdoms is the best setting i have seen. It is comprehensive, yet leaves enough in the open to run some serious campaigns. It handles the existence of high level characters well, and the writing is liberally strewn with plot hooks.

Add in that the artwork is some of the best I've seen, and captures the setting beautifully. It also gets the gets the creative juices flowing in the same vien as the setting and is very inspirational.

The minutures that are being produced for the rpg, and for the table top game also help to immerse the players by helping them to visualize the seen in a way that saying "see this orc model, its not an orc, its actually a 5 ton warjack" doesn't.

The production values on these products is very high, and it shows in a well thought, immersive, and fun product.

-Ashrum