Best recent campaign setting?

[paqman]

Hello all,

I have been away from DnD for more than a year, thanks to Vampire the requiem, and would like to start a new DnD campaign soon but I was wondering if some nice settings came out recently (like in the last 2 years) that would be worth a look.

What I played in up to now is mainly Forgotten realms for more than 10 years as well as Dragonstar, Midnightm Ghlespad and Oathbound.

Any suggestions of something else to try?
If some settings are not LotR like, please tell me, I am looking to try something new.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Mmmm, oats.

Eberron is about as "not LotR like" as you can get without going for swords & space (which you've done) or swords & steam (like Iron Kingdoms).

Come to think of it, Iron Kingdoms probably fits your bill as well. I'd also recommend Freeport, which just had its original trilogy expanded and reissued (for 3.5).

 

[paqman]

Iron Kingdoms... yeah I think I saw that not long ago, I must look at this.
Eberon is the campaign setting that came out of the setting search a few years ago right?
Is it any good?

PS: Corrected the Oathbound type LOL.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Eberon is the campaign setting that came out of the setting search a few years ago right?
Is it any good?

It is and it is, if it's the kind of thing you're looking for. It's very much not medieval Europe with some magic around the edges. I like it a lot, but I sometimes worry that it's too small of a setting. The civilized area is pretty much a single small continent, although it's surrounded by a ton of interesting areas to explore.

 

[paqman]

It is and it is, if it's the kind of thing you're looking for. It's very much not medieval Europe with some magic around the edges. I like it a lot, but I sometimes worry that it's too small of a setting. The civilized area is pretty much a single small continent, although it's surrounded by a ton of interesting areas to explore.

I'm very currious, I guess I'll have to look at this one too. Thanks for the ideas.

 

[Crothian]

THieves World, Dark Legacies, Black Company...all very none LotR and with few books out for them it won't kill the pocket book.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

I recommend Eberron too - it's designed with the assumptions of Third Edition D&D in mind without being slavish about it. It has a very unTolkien approach to the traditional races - elves alone demonstrate it. It assumes that the PCs are heroes and that only very special NPCs can achieve what they are capable of - so there are very, very few high-level NPCs running around as there are in the Forgotten Realms, and most of them are villains who think long-term not kick-butt.

I really like the way it relies on modern fantasy sensibilities instead of clinging blindly to tradition.

 

[GlassJaw]

Iron Kingdoms, no question. It blows Eberron away. The world background and current storyline in the IK is amazing.

I'm a big fan of Freeport too.

 

[paqman]

Thanks for the pointers people, I'll go see the reviews section and learn more about these settings.

 

[Pants]

Iron Kingdoms, no question. It blows Eberron away.

How does IK 'blow Eberron away' when they're two completely different styles of settings?

*Comment issued by a devout IK and Eberron fanboy.