Best D20 non-WotC Campaign Setting?

[trancejeremy]

I like Sovereign Stone a lot. On the downside, the campaign book doesn't give a great feel for the setting, you need to read the novels.


I also like Gothos, the Hunt: Rise of Evil setting. Some of it's a bit , well, dorky (like the faux-Roman drow elves), but I like the interplay between the our world and it. How events in each can affect the other (there were a couple aventures in Of Places Most Foul like this).

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

If you are looking for ideas, I think my very own setting Urbis is worth a look...

It focuses on setting information before rules information - much of it is an exploration of the question: "What would a world look like if D&D magic and monsters really existed", and thus the additions to "D&D rules canon" are pretty small...

And yes, I think it's a pretty cool setting. What's wrong with that?

 

[Darklone]

Another Kalamar vote here if you go for political interaction and fun in a setting where you can do what you want.

 

[Lol Roflmao]

*delurks*

2 bits:

I found Kalamar to be intensly DULL . Its too human centric. There isn't anything really outstanding about the setting at all. I ran it for a few months before my players begged me to go back to our original setting.

Sword and Sorcery is great, a vibrant well fleshed out setting, but alas a tad too dark for my tastes.

Midnight - Too much of the whole "Kewl" factor, way over the top.

I like:

Erde, it has a nice balance of the races and the pantheon is sweet. Still seems a work in progress, but it really has a nice medieval feel to it.

and of course you can never go wrong with Forgotten Realms. 20 years of material to pull from can't be bad. I've been playing the Realms for years, I love it.

*relurks*

 

[Lol Roflmao]

I DM and play D&D 3rd edition using the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. I have never played in settings other than those of Abeir-Toril (Faerun, Al-Qadim, Kara-Tur, Maztica). I am now ready to try out and expand into other campaign settings and wish to ask for your advice and thoughts.

Bluemoon if you want some really good advice from someone who's been there, listen well.

Stick with what you know. Your players can only benefit from your experience and knowledge of the Realms. Moving on to another setting my seem nice, but when you actually put it into practice you may find that it may end up with some really bored players.I've been running a Realms campaign for years. I tried doing this myself just for something new, big mistake. Another friend of mine, an experienced DM ran Greyhawk for 10 years. He wanted to try something different and eventually went back because he didn't know it as well, and didn't have the same passion for it. His players suffered as well, until he switched back to Greyhawk.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that switching settings is a bad thing (well, yes I am) but you should really be prepared and do your homework first, make sure you really like it better and give it a try. One good thing did come out of it though when I went back to FR I found I had a whole new outlook and was refreshed with some new ideas. Ah, it was like coming home again. If you really feel that you have to do it, go for it but make sure you have a way out so that when you do come back to the Realms (and you will ) you can do so in a seemless roleplaying kind of way.

 

[Mystic Eye]

First off, I want to say thank you to those who took the time out to mention Gothos and The Hunt: Rise of Evil. We appreciate the support.

Here are some H:RoE facts for ya.

Why do we feel our setting is worthy?

Dark, Gothic-fantasy elements that tie Gothos to our own familiar Earth while still giving everything a unique feel.

Well supported with eight titles in the series and the use of other 3rd party material built in for better support (Freeport from GR is on our maps, Seas of Blood by Mongoose is used for sea combat)

Several books in the series have been nominated for awards and we now include Bluffside: City on the edge as a semi-official part of the setting.

The Hunt: Rise of Evil was nominated for best setting in the 2002 EN Awards held at Gen Con. Ryan Dancey called it "a fan favorite".

Dedicated campaign site with tons of free downloads and web enhancements found at www.huntroe.com.

Modular enough to take what you like and place it in other settings if you choose. The dream elements and connections to other worlds make this easy to do.

Two more books already being completed in the line. Pantheon's and Pagan Faiths, a detailed book surrounding our very deep religion and political situation. Can be adapted to any world with ease. The other is Darkwalkers, the ultimate evil players guide.

Here is a list of the current H:RoE titles:
Sourcebooks:
The Hunt: Rise of Evil World Book
Mystic Warriors
Guilds and Adventurers

Creature books
Nightmares & Dreams
Nightmares & Dreams II
(Based heavily on common nightmares and dreams seen here on earth)

Adventures:
Pit of Loch Durnan
Witch of Loch-Durnan
Of Places most Fouls (a collection of short adventures)
Good Friends and Fine Spirits (free download on the Hunt site)
Valley of the Dragons (Free download on the Hunt site and RPGnow)

Books supported by the setting:
Bluffside: City on the Edge
Death in Freeport (Freeport by Green Ronin)
Seas of Blood (Mongoose Publishing)
Dogs of War series (detailed villain NPCs at RPGnow by us)
Arcane Mysteries: Blight Magic (by us)
Librum Equitis vol 1 (Ambient Inc/ MEG for print version)

Thanks for allowing me to take the time for a little self promo. I appreciate it.

 

[Shadowlord]

If you loved FR for so many years, you don't have to go looking far away; DRAGONLANCE is coming out soon and it's classic fantasy with a spirit & soul!

 

[NewJeffCT]

Well, I have to put my vote in for Kalamar. I just picked up Midnight, and it looks very intriguing. Though, I will admit that with Midnight, it might be tough on some of us old timers to switch from "pure" D&D with PCs rolled up straight from the PHB to the Midnight system with new classes and a new magic system. We can handle playing non d20/D&D games, but altering D&D might be tough.

But, I love Kalamar because it is so easily adaptable to any playing style. Back in 2E days, we played a low magic campaign in Kalamar that lasted for a good solid year of continuous gaming. However, when we moved up to 3E, we ran a high power, high magic game in Kalamar that lasted for 15 months of continuous gaming. The setting is a good outline that allows a DM to fill in the blanks however which way he or she chooses. There are lots of little plot hooks sprinkled throughout the campaign book that can easily be the spark of a campaign. I think each nation and major city has several. There is no One Big Overall Theme like Midnight or Scarred Lands, but it is certainly easy enough to create one: Emperor Kabori’s plot to take over the world...; aggressive hobgoblin empires decide to march...; racial strife between Brandobia and the elves leads to...

 

[The Dungeon Master]

Midnight....

 

[Desdichado]

From your description of what you're looking for, I'd recommend Kalamar. It's very familiar -- kinda like FR but more "realistic" so you're not straying too far from stuff you already know.

Iron Kingdoms is my favorite, though. Now if only they'd release a little bit more material...