On a scale of 1-10 how would U rate Dawnforge?

[Jehosephat]

I am thinking of expanding into another fantasy setting for D&D. I was wondering if any of you good people of EN World had any experience with Dawnforge? If so, would you mind giving your general opinions? Right now it appears to be the front runner on my list. Thanks.

 

[elmuthalleth]

I'd give it a 7 out of 10 . It's well done , if not spectacular .

 

[Acid_crash]

With the uniqueness of the races, the versatility each provides, and the fact that you are allowed to play more monstrous races than typical already causes the setting to be a 7 out of 10. Each region is well described and provides a lot of interesting hooks, and the map is nice. The potential is there for a great setting, but even I can't raise it above 8 out of 10.

8/10 with great potential to be a 9/10 if it gets some deserved support in other books.

 

[Ice man]

I am thinking of expanding into another fantasy setting for D&D. I was wondering if any of you good people of EN World had any experience with Dawnforge? If so, would you mind giving your general opinions? Right now it appears to be the front runner on my list. Thanks.

I haven't run it as a campaign but i did buy the core setting book...it seems to be quite well done, there are a lot of good ideas in it. As an example: a cleric can basically create a faith by believing strongly and attracting some worshipers, the character creates a deity and portfolio where none had previously existed. My main concern with the setting is that it seems to be very, very high power/high fantasy. The racial powers and talents produce very powerful individuals by level 10. the core setting recommends that an appropriate encounter (average EL) for a group of 4 Level 10 PCs should be @EL 13...I think they might be underestimating just a touch. with that in mind, there are some really cool things here and I think it is worth the money if only to mine for ideas for your next home brew.

 

[BigFreekinGoblinoid]

Dawnforge is fairly well written and has some neat ideas. I'd give it a seven, I guess. Midnight ( also from FFG ) ranks higher in my esteem, an 8. I have yet to see a "10", although I'd give the second edition settings, Planescape and Dark Sun - solid 9's.

You may want to hold off a month or two on choosing a new long term campaign setting, as three very interesting offerings are coming out soon - WotC's Ebberon, Privateer Press' Iron Kingdoms, and AEG's Warlords Of The Accordlands core books are due on shelves late June/early July.

 

[Jehosephat]

Thanks for the replys. It sounds like Dawnforge has potential, and that you could do worse by a setting. It also sounds as though it is geared towards players, giving them quite a lot of power to wield.

Eberron is also tempting, but I ascribe to the "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" school of thought. And since Dawnforge is in stock now (and Midnight as well) that gives a big advantage.

 

[LeapingShark]

Since the same question was asked here day-before-yesterday, I'll just refer you to my post in the previous thread: <linky-linky>

 

[Jehosephat]

Since the same question was asked here day-before-yesterday, I'll just refer you to my post in the previous thread: <linky-linky>

Thanks, I found the thread just a few minutes ago. I have been reading through it, but came upon Ash's post about the Midnight setting and I must say Dawnforge or Midnight is going to be a tough decision on my part.

 

[Ogrebear]

I must say Dawnforge or Midnight is going to be a tough decision on my part.

I like Dawnforge it has a nice high fantasy feel that works nicely for my players. Its a bright optimistic world where the players have the oppotunity to create the legends that normally players only hear about as background in a standard world.

Midnight on the other hand, while a very very interesting world has a deep sence of hopelessness to it that my players wont take to and personally I'd find too depressing. Its very well writtern, but frankly you cant 'win' - simply there is no realistic way (I can see) to beat the Overlord. Its a lost world definatly.

Dawnforge is definatly a 9 for me. The main book is a little skimpy on the details (for example on the Orcs) which is why its not a 10. It is definatly my next campign. I recommend it for yours.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Thanks, I found the thread just a few minutes ago. I have been reading through it, but came upon Ash's post about the Midnight setting and I must say Dawnforge or Midnight is going to be a tough decision on my part.

I'm going to take the minority stance (or at least, so it seems in my experience) and suggest you go for Dawnforge over Midnight.

Now, don't get me wrong. Midnight is an incredible setting. But it's less D&D than Dawnforge is. By that I mean, there's a lot more in the way of changes to core rules and fundamental concepts. In many respects, it's almost more of a D&D-based d20 game than true D&D. That's not a bad thing, but judging from your posts, I'd wager it's not what you were looking for.

I also think--purely my own opinion here, of course--that Dawnforge provides a wider array of types of game you can play. In Midnight, you pretty much have to run a fairly dark, gritty campaign. (Okay, you don't have to, but it's what the setting's designed for.) Dawnforge is designed for high-fantasy epic play, but it's easier to work dark themes (or comic themes, or tragic themes, or the like) into a broader, epic setting than it is to work lighter elements into a setting designed to be dark. (Again, IMO.)

Still, this is not me putting down Midnight in any way. If you decide to with that one instead, it'll still be a good choice. FFG knows what they're doing.