Best Setting Books?

[tjoneslo]

In another forua I was having a discussion about settings books. One of the other people noted they hate, despise, loath and revile the D20 system (my hat of teh D02 system know no limit), but has a great interest in setting material. So what settings books would you most recommend to this person. Fluff is more important than crunch, but if you think the crunch in the book would bring them around note that too.

 

[Crothian]

THere are a lot of settings out there, it relaly dpeends what the person likes. Midnight is awsome, but dark and hopeless for some people. Oathbound is creative and different, but too much so for some people. Kalamar is rich in detail and politics, but again not for everyone. There is a setting out there for everyone. It just depends on what you like.

 

[Voadam]

The Scarred lands pantheon book the Divine and the Defeated. An intersting read that I got just for the god myth stories. The 2e forgotten realms gods books are pretty good this way too, with interesting right ups for each of the numerous deities described. There are three of those, Faiths and Avatars, Powers and Pantheons, and Demihuman Deities. They are much better than the 3e Deities and Demigods.

 

[mcrow]

D20:

Midnight 2ED
Dragonlance


Non-D20

Nebuleon (any of the Hinterwelt Enterprises games)
Rifts
Warhammer 2ed

 

[shaylon]

I am going to have to go with Older Realms stuff, especially stuff from Ed Greenwood. If they aren't playing D20 and just want the fluff, it is readily available there. The Volo's guides, any of the old boxed sets, pretty much any older realms stuff. The new stuff is pretty good if you are a fan, but if you want fluff older 2E realms is the way to go.

-Shay

 

[tjoneslo]

THere are a lot of settings out there, it relaly dpeends what the person likes.

This seems to be a usual response. I want a good setting, something that will reach out of the book, put dice in my hand and say "Go Play! Now!". Odd or obsucre does not bother me. Were I to express a general trend, I'd ask for settings that allow more than new ways to kill things.

For my acquaintance, well, similar criteria apply. A setting which is truly awsome can overcome a whole lot of "well, I really don't like that genre..."

 

[Jupp]

Egyptian Adventures - Hamunaptra. that thing rocks just big! I've bought it unseen because people here on ENWorld gave it raving reviews. And I was not disspapointed in it at all.

Another one I really liked was Behind Countless Doorways. It might not be a campaign setting per se, but it can be used as one if you invest some more work. As it is it is more of an addition to an already existing setting and the players want to go planar

Though I despise (any other word would be eaten by the profanity filter) the ruleset (Runequest) I did like the Glorantha campaign world. It's quite interesting and faceted.

I also have high hopes in Castle Zagyg. But it remains to be seen how good it really is *ducks for cover*.

Mentioning the older TSR settings like Greyhawk (best setting ever!) or Dark Sun probably wont help since those asking for input seem to be 1e/2e gamers that already know those.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

If you're stripping away the rules, I've heard nothing but good things about the Iron Kingdoms fluff. Northern Crown might also be worth looking at, depending on the person's interests.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

All books mentioned previously are quite good.

To those I would add:

Valus - this reeks of flavor. It is very well written and since it's a island (a rather large one, but still) you can drop it in a regular game.

Nyambe - a mostly overlooked African based d20 setting

 

[Crothian]

This seems to be a usual response. I want a good setting, something that will reach out of the book, put dice in my hand and say "Go Play! Now!". Odd or obsucre does not bother me. Were I to express a general trend, I'd ask for settings that allow more than new ways to kill things.

For my acquaintance, well, similar criteria apply. A setting which is truly awsome can overcome a whole lot of "well, I really don't like that genre..."

The last setting I read that grabbed me and said "Run me now" was Midnight. It is a tight setting, full of possibility and adventure. There is no question of what the players will do. The changeds to the rules fit the setting perfectly, the tone and art art in line and inspiring, and the players wiull be heroes or they will be dead.