-
The VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Which D&D Campaign World did you enjoy most?
- Thread starter LurkMonkey
- Start date
Philosopher
First Post
Yes, one thing I like about Al-Qadim is that they didn't try to make it historically accurate, but drew upon Hollywood movies for inspiration. That's part of what made it fun as a game.
PhoenixDarkDirk
First Post
My favorite is FFG's DragonStar. There are also a lot of things I like about Eberron.
Barastrondo
First Post
One of my favorite bits of art is the heroic princess rescuing her prince from durance in a tower, and claiming a kiss in the bargain. That is eminently how you take the Arabian Nights and make them gameable as heck.
ColonelHardisson
What? Me Worry?
Greyhawk was my favorite. It had a distinct feel to it. It could accommodate a wide range of tastes, from gritty low-magic to a more flashy high magic style of play.
Al-Qadim and Birthright come in at a tie for second. Al-Qadim had evocative, well-written supplements, and had a feel unlike any other setting TSR released. There was something dream-like about it that was very appealing. Birthright also had a distinct feel, but it was a more recognizable flavor of fantasy that took familiar D&D tropes and added some interesting twists. I liked Birthright's handling of monsters as "supervillains."
Al-Qadim and Birthright come in at a tie for second. Al-Qadim had evocative, well-written supplements, and had a feel unlike any other setting TSR released. There was something dream-like about it that was very appealing. Birthright also had a distinct feel, but it was a more recognizable flavor of fantasy that took familiar D&D tropes and added some interesting twists. I liked Birthright's handling of monsters as "supervillains."
Back in the day, it was definitely FR: all the complaints about it being too fleshed out is exactly why I loved it, it sorta felt like reading a detailed history of a living world.
Today, Ptolus is by far the leading candidate. Though I suppose it depends on your definition of "D&D setting" as to whether that qualifies.
Today, Ptolus is by far the leading candidate. Though I suppose it depends on your definition of "D&D setting" as to whether that qualifies.
Aldarc
Legend
First Party Campaign Worlds
1) Eberron: I admire how the world is so internally consistent despite the myriad of things going on in the world. There so many ideas to plunder for tinkering with my own homebrew settings. Eberron is also one of the few settings that integrates magic into the world's historical development and industry. Dragonmarks and Dragonmarked Houses are also ingenious.
2) Dark Sun: Post-apocalyptic sword & sorcery. Brilliant. The world is harsh and alien. The world hates you. Life is nasty, brutish, and short. Arcane magic drained the world of life. There are no gods. All the racial archetypes are turned on their heads and taken to extremes. Dragons are a process.
Third Party Campaign Worlds
1) Diamond Throne: Much like with Eberron, I am so thoroughly amazed at how integrated the magic of the Arcana Evolved is with the setting. Magic rituals are an integral component of the various cultures. Giants use rituals to grow larger, become more peaceful or warlike. Rituals were used to transform into the mojh race and create the sibeccai race. Runes possess an almost mystical life unto themselves. People use minor rune manifests as boons to accomplish everyday tasks in their life. Major rune manifests embody concepts such death, war, and disease. There are even runechildren and rune messiahs. Truenames matter. Swearing oaths matter. I also love the purposeful departure from Tolkienesque fantasy races in favor of fantasy more akin to The Land in Thomas Covenant or Earthsea.
1) Eberron: I admire how the world is so internally consistent despite the myriad of things going on in the world. There so many ideas to plunder for tinkering with my own homebrew settings. Eberron is also one of the few settings that integrates magic into the world's historical development and industry. Dragonmarks and Dragonmarked Houses are also ingenious.
2) Dark Sun: Post-apocalyptic sword & sorcery. Brilliant. The world is harsh and alien. The world hates you. Life is nasty, brutish, and short. Arcane magic drained the world of life. There are no gods. All the racial archetypes are turned on their heads and taken to extremes. Dragons are a process.
Third Party Campaign Worlds
1) Diamond Throne: Much like with Eberron, I am so thoroughly amazed at how integrated the magic of the Arcana Evolved is with the setting. Magic rituals are an integral component of the various cultures. Giants use rituals to grow larger, become more peaceful or warlike. Rituals were used to transform into the mojh race and create the sibeccai race. Runes possess an almost mystical life unto themselves. People use minor rune manifests as boons to accomplish everyday tasks in their life. Major rune manifests embody concepts such death, war, and disease. There are even runechildren and rune messiahs. Truenames matter. Swearing oaths matter. I also love the purposeful departure from Tolkienesque fantasy races in favor of fantasy more akin to The Land in Thomas Covenant or Earthsea.
JeffB
Legend
TSR/WOTC settings?
Do you mean as a product or as a whole line?
As a whole line, none of them have been able to hold my attention-at some point or another changes were made to the line that drove me away from the settings.
As products-
Gary's original Greyhawk Folio
The 2E era Greyhawk Player's Guide, and The Adventure Begins
Original Forgotten Realms Grey Box
The Known World as described in the Cook/Marsh Expert book and the Mentzer Expert book as well as the first few modules in the setting (X1-X5-ish B3-B6 or so).
Not a fan of Eberron as a whole, but Secret's of X'endrik is amazing as it's own setting.
Do you mean as a product or as a whole line?
As a whole line, none of them have been able to hold my attention-at some point or another changes were made to the line that drove me away from the settings.
As products-
Gary's original Greyhawk Folio
The 2E era Greyhawk Player's Guide, and The Adventure Begins
Original Forgotten Realms Grey Box
The Known World as described in the Cook/Marsh Expert book and the Mentzer Expert book as well as the first few modules in the setting (X1-X5-ish B3-B6 or so).
Not a fan of Eberron as a whole, but Secret's of X'endrik is amazing as it's own setting.
Similar Threads
