D&D 5E (2024) Building A Contemporary Fantasy Setting For 5.5E

[Reynard]

Shadowrun is cyberpunk, not modernistic technology. I'm assuming that the op wanted D&D but the world resembles our modern level of technology, not a sci-fi/fantasy hybrid. The RPG world is lousy with those.

I was not entirely clear in the OP because I did say "the near future" but I did not mean Cyberpunk so much as technothriller "5 minutes in the future."

Of course, these days we kind of have to consider whether we live in the cyberpunk future...

I personally would place my setting in the early 00s -- just before the smartphone revolution.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Shadowrun is cyberpunk, not modernistic technology. I'm assuming that the op wanted D&D but the world resembles our modern level of technology, not a sci-fi/fantasy hybrid. The RPG world is lousy with those.

Shadowrun was published in 1989. The technology in the real world has long since passed the technology in Shadowrun.

 

[Tonguez]

Non-magical hackers go on jobs with their cyberdecks. To not allow tech-based characters to be adventurers is equivalent to banning any class that can’t cast spells from regular D&D.

Shadowrun shows how it can be done. It’s quite possible, but it’s a full game not a setting book.

the 2026 Hacker uses

• Smart glasses for data scanning and AR overlays
• Signal scramblers
• Pocket drones
• Biometric spoofers
• Encrypted mesh communicators
• AI assistants
• Wireless script generators

all of those are available at a standard PBTech store

 

[Remathilis]

Shadowrun was published in 1989. The technology in the real world has long since passed the technology in Shadowrun.

Except in the areas of cybernetics, medicine, and internet interface. We still don't have fully functional prosthetics, for example, and a smart phone is no where near equivalent to a cyberdeck.

But if you're going by publication date, I would assume the game would need fully functional Gundam piloting rules and stats to go along with netdecking rules.

 

[Remathilis]

I was not entirely clear in the OP because I did say "the near future" but I did not mean Cyberpunk so much as technothriller "5 minutes in the future."

Of course, these days we kind of have to consider whether we live in the cyberpunk future...

I personally would place my setting in the early 00s -- just before the smartphone revolution.

Honestly, I think its looking like you could not just do a "contemporary D&D setting" without sci-fi bleeding in on the edges. Its the old Arthur C Clarke conundrum.

 

[Reynard]

For a relatively generic or typical Contemporary fantasy/Urban Fantasy type setting, what do you think would be among the necessary subclasses?
Barbarian: maybe a pit or cage fighter type? Or, in a lot of settings, maybe barbarian is where you put playable lycanthropy?
Bard: rocker, for sure.
Cleric: tough one
Druid: Circle of the Wilds where the druid subclass is specifically focused on the remaining wild places on earth; alternatively, an urban "rat" druid
Fighter: modern firearm focused subclass, I think
Monk: maybe this is where the pitt/ufc fighter goes?
Paladin: an oath dedicated to keeping magic stuff secret if that is the kind of setting
Ranger: modern spec ops type maybe?
Rogue: here is where the "hacker" hoes I think
Sorcerer: I think this needs to lean on whatever the story of magic is in the setting
Warlock: For some reason, I like a powerful ancestory patron here
Wizard: maybe not a technomancer per se, but a wizard subclass that marries magic with modern technology would be interesting.

 

[Zardnaar]

Contemporary to me is heading into not D&D. Its d20 modern or close enough.

If by contemporary you mean non traditional fantasy more wiggle room.

Eg fantasy world, major races are 5.5 ones. Moving away from ren Faire maybe aqua world, semi modern political institutions (republics, maybe outright democracies exist) and they might have magical mass transit.

I wouldnt have modern guns etc except as anachronisms. They're not readily available however but can be found in vaults or whatever.

Eberron mets Fallout meets Skies of Arcadia/Phantasy Star or something like that.

 

[Reynard]

Honestly, I think its looking like you could not just do a "contemporary D&D setting" without sci-fi bleeding in on the edges. Its the old Arthur C Clarke conundrum.

Advanced technology looking like magic doesn't have anything to do with actual magic. How does, for example, effective vodoun necessitate sci-fi elements?

 

[Reynard]

Contemporary to me is heading into not D&D. Its d20 modern or close enough

Some people would say Spelljammer is not D&D.

 

[Zardnaar]

Some people would say Spelljammer is not D&D.

Im not offended if someone would claim that as a 2E fan.

SJ still kept the usual equipment for thr most patents and stretched the ships into 18th century maybe 19th with ships snd 16th century guns.

Still used D&D multiverse.

As I said are you meaning contemporary in 20th century stuff or non traditional phantasy?

Are you familiar with Phantasy Star? One if them started off basically D&D ended up with transforming robots, space shuttles, submarines and worldships. Non traditional fantasy still, d20 modern is a different genre.