does anyone out there use the kingdoms of Kalamar setting?

[JacktheRabbit]

What's Kalamar? *puzzled look*

Oh, that's right, it's that Greyhawk clone setting released two or three years ago that reeks of boredom.

They still make that game?

Seeing as Kalamar has been out since 2nd Edition obviously your just being dense and do not know what you are talking about.

 

[diaglo]

i own most of the Kalamar stuff.

i've converted it for my OD&D campaign. it was a bit of work, but i think worthwhile.

 

[Buttercup]

I'm not running a Kalamar campaign, but my last campaign (homebrew) was heavily influenced by it. I like the setting in many ways, but not in a few others. For example, I would have preferred it if they had offered some different races besides the core ones. Granted the DM can always change that.

The books are all of excellent quality, and the Atlas is one of the coolest RPG books ever made. There are around 10 published adventures, which have excellent maps, handouts and random encounter tables. Really, the production values on the whole line are superb. I wish all companies took as much care.

There are no epic level NPCs running around. The setting can easily support low magic or no magic house rules. Want illiterate frontier dwelling barbarians? There's an area of the game world for them. Want a jungle setting? A desert? Pirates? City based adventuring in the heart of an empire? Dwarven kingdoms? Elves (god help you)? You can find sections of the Kalamar game world that support any of these. They are internally consistent and really fleshed out.

Some people say Kalamar is boring, but that's a function of their own (lack of) imagination, I think. The setting is an excellent base upon which to build. It can morph into whatever you want. Hmm. Unless what you want is Forgotten Realms. But in that case, why not just play FR?

Wicht had a story hour about a year ago that was set in Kalamar. You might search for it. Also, Arcady, a poster who comes and goes, runs a campaign in Kalamar. I don't know if he has a story hour, but you could search for his comments about the setting. He's a vocal and articulate supporter.

 

[Sayburr]

Well, I was going to make a large post about the Kalamar setting since my group and I have played in the world since it came out for 3e, but Buttercup brought up everything I was going to say myself. So, I will just say: "Ditto".

You can also find some story hours on the KenzerCo message boards including mine. I ran the three module "Coin Series" plus added in a few other modules and Dungeon adventures to flesh things out the way I wanted.

http://www.kenzerco.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=22&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

Arcady has also posted his story hour there with the same modules:
http://www.kenzerco.com/forums/show...e=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1#Post463096

To me, this world allows me to run any type of campaign I want to. Most of the "Mega Plot" elements are presented in the setting guide as rumor, thus a DM can easily add or discard elements as he/she sees fit.

 

[Psion]

Psion, who I don't believe plays in the Kalamar world, gave high marks to the "Stealth & Style" book and I've found it to be helpful in my homebrew.

I've never reviewed Stealth & Style; I don't own it.

In general, I'd say it's a fine setting if you are mostly going for a "core books" D&D feel. The adventures aren't bad either, albeit the ratio of background info to actual adventure is a little high for me. The cool thing about the adventures is that most of them have illustrations to show the players like classic 1e modules like Tomb of Horrors.

With a few exceptions, I am not too fond of their supplement style books, though. I am not too fond of their variant classes; they don't seem different enough to justify new classes to me. The villain design handbook (based on the 3.0 version) was a good advice book but a bad rulebook IMO. I did like their orc book, Fury in the Wastelands, though. Adds a lot of depth to Orcs.

I base this mostly on the 3.0 material. I have not received any 3.5 KoK material.

But really, I sort of don't see a problem playing KoK without any of their rulebooks. As far as I am concerned, you can stick to the Setting book, the Atlas (which is beautiful), and Geanavue and have the nucleus for a fine campaign.

One warning - the setting book is all about details. It takes a little effort to dig in and find all the good stuff. But it's in there.

 

[Mystery Man]

Some people say Kalamar is boring, but that's a function of their own (lack of) imagination, I think. The setting is an excellent base upon which to build. It can morph into whatever you want. Hmm. Unless what you want is Forgotten Realms. But in that case, why not just play FR?

I understand that your comments may be directed to the thread crasher making digs about the setting. But I too have stated that the setting is boring (but only under extreme circumstances and because I was pushed to the limit of my patience but various FR detractors) but like to consider myself having a pretty good imagination.

However I would like to see a Kalamar thread move along nicely without people being rude or the inevitable Kalamar/FR comparison. Just one freaking time.

 

[Guillaume]

However I would like to see a Kalamar thread move along nicely without people being rude or the inevitable Kalamar/FR comparison. Just one freaking time.

I'll second the motion ! Anyone want to put it to a vote ?

 

[diaglo]

I'll second the motion ! Anyone want to put it to a vote ?

i'll say Aye...as long as people also leave out the Greyhawk, Scarred Lands, Midnight, Oathbound, etc... comparisons too.

 

[Mystery Man]

i'll say Aye...as long as people also leave out the Greyhawk, Scarred Lands, Midnight, Oathbound, etc... comparisons too.

Aye! Aye! Let it stand on its own.

 

[Buttercup]

However I would like to see a Kalamar thread move along nicely without people being rude or the inevitable Kalamar/FR comparison. Just one freaking time.

I re-read my post and I guess I can see how you might have considered it to be FR bashing. However, that isn't what I meant at all. So to clarify, FR does have epic level NPCs running around. It is a high magic world. If that's what you like, cool beans! However, Kalamar is not that. So, if you like a FR style world, you'd be better off running FR. If you don't like a FR style world, then give Kalamar a look-see, because it might just be to your taste. Neither one is evil or rotten or poorly done, in fact they both have high production values. They're just different. And that's ok.

I guess there are always Kalamar/FR comparisons because it's easier to describe something by comparing it to something else, and FR is widely known.