D&D 5E Birthright or Eldraine?

[Haplo781]

There's an available niche for political fantasy, and either of these settings would fit it.

Birthright is a classic AD&D setting that didn't get a lot of love back in the day, only lasting a couple of years, but had some interesting concepts - the gods are dead and we have killed them, now their power flows through the royal bloodlines of the various nations and you can steal more of it by killing off other inheritors, Highlander-style. Also one of the bloodlines got a curse instead of a blessing and its scions are horrible uber-monsters.

Eldraine is the setting of a recent (2019) Magic: the Gathering expansion as well as an upcoming (2023) one. Five courts, five mythic treasures (one is missing), and the Wilds beyond where elves and faeries hold sway. A fey beast bestows the quest to become High King and High Queen once a generation. Creatures and characters out of legends and fairy tales abound, from a little mermaid who wants to walk on land to a girl with golden locks to a puppet who wants to be a real boy.

We'll probably only get one, if any. So which would you rather have?

 

[deganawida]

Personally, I'd rather see Birthright get some love, as it never did get much when it came out. I remember the Dragon episode that previewed it. I read the crap out of that issue. It also came with a music CD done by Midnight Syndicate IIRC.

That said, D&D is sorely missing a Fairy Tale campaign setting. Dolmenwood is being developed by Gavin Norman for OSE and it's a beautiful Fairy Tale setting, but it's OSE. So, I would not be opposed to Eldraine, as long as everything isn't spells.

 

[overgeeked]

Birthright. It’s actual D&D.

 

[TwoSix]

I already have Birthright, and a fey politics setting sounds pretty fun.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Dominaria. The Brother's War.

But I'll take either of the oferred ones. Eldraine was pretty cool, but might be too similar to Witchlight to bring a lot more to the table.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

I chose Birthright because I think it would be easier to adjust the fairytale dial up on Aebrynis, than turn the intrigue knob up on Eldraine.

 

[Haplo781]

Birthright. It’s actual D&D.

Anything published by WotC is "actual D&D."

 

[Professor Murder]

Birthright. Develop it as High lvl/Kingdom running rules.

 

[Tonguez]

Birthright allows PCs to be regents, whereas Eldraine already has its regents established. Birthright also has more cultural diversity in its Human nations, where Eldraine is just Arthurian castle romance. And the Hanseatic league and its Guilder Merchants are cool

That said the Fairytale sites in the Wilds of Eldraine could easily be made in to NPC provinces in Birthright

and I do still want an Arthurian Romance setting

 

[bedir than]

Eldraine would fit as a few of the Domains of Delight