D&D 5E What is your definition of a Vanilla setting

[Coroc]

So, how do you define a vanilla setting, specifically as an example which setting is most vanilla to you, FR or GHK or maybe even DL?

 

[Zardnaar]

Out of those 5E FR I suppose.

Basically vanilla is just that nothing extra required.

In 2E DR had dead magic and wild Magic, 3E had shadoweave 5E is vanilla.

So is Nerath.

Greyhawk also is, DL not so much.

Greyhawk
FR 5E
Nerath

Most vanilla of the vanilla.

 

[CleverNickName]

I voted Forgotten Realms because it feels the most generic, bland, and ordinary-feeling option to me. It's not bad, it's just...uninspiring all by itself. You need to add some chocolate chips or raspberry swirls or something in there to really make it pop.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Both FR and Greyhawk are equally Generic core rules settings.

Dragonlance isn't - it has always deviated from core rules, even as far back as the first module, which replaced gold currency for iron, and halflings with gungans kender.

 

[Coroc]

I voted Forgotten Realms because it feels the most generic, bland, and ordinary-feeling option to me. It's not bad, it's just...uninspiring all by itself. You need to add some chocolate chips or raspberry swirls or something in there to really make it pop.

See thats the thing, back when i started (mostly 2E) FR had these chocolate chips like Wildmagic and Deadmagic zones, the prominent Underdark made popular by the Drizzt stories, well GHK had Underdark and the classic quuen of spiders module is from this setting but FRs underdark had much more detail.
So some of the not so vanilla things of FR had silently become vanilla over the years, or at least base player expectations, maybe because they were so popular/promoted by CRPGs and books and such.
So is vanilla or should vanilla be based on poularity also? I would say no but that is just my definition.

 

[Bitbrain]

In theory, Greyhawk.

In practice, the vanilla setting I experience as a player and not a DM tends to be a zombie outbreak scenario set in actual medieval Europe... With the Ottoman Empire being made up of hobgoblins.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

This is like asking which is the "most vanilla" ice-cream when your choices are (using British examples:

Haagen-Dazs Vanilla
Walls Soft Scoop Vanilla
Mackie's Traditional Vanilla

It's like they're all vanilla ice-cream mate. Dragonlance is very slightly less vanilla in that it tweaks some setting elements more and has fewer races and so on, but it's almost more vanilla because it's got a whole bonus level of vanilla-ness due to being basically about a bunch of white people.

 

[Coroc]

This is like asking which is the "most vanilla" ice-cream when your choices are (using British examples:

Haagen-Dazs Vanilla
Walls Soft Scoop Vanilla
Mackie's Traditional Vanilla

It's like they're all vanilla ice-cream mate. Dragonlance is very slightly less vanilla in that it tweaks some setting elements more and has fewer races and so on, but it's almost more vanilla because it's got a whole bonus level of vanilla-ness due to being basically about a bunch of white people.

Haha, i know how to define your post very clearly, it is an expert example on superb British humor.

 

[Coroc]

In theory, Greyhawk.

In practice, the vanilla setting I experience as a player and not a DM tends to be a zombie outbreak scenario set in actual medieval Europe... With the Ottoman Empire being made up of hobgoblins.

No RL associations here ....

Ah well if there are any they are pure coincidence, i swear!

Haha

 

[jasper]

I voted Forgotten Realms because it feels the most generic, bland, and ordinary-feeling option to me. It's not bad, it's just...uninspiring all by itself. You need to add some chocolate chips or raspberry swirls or something in there to really make it pop.

True because the Realms uses raisins instead of chocolate chip. Realms is your Walmart Blue Light special.