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

Paul Farquhar · 2026-03-31T19:18:05+0100

Neon Dynasty is the only thing in this line WotC might potentially do.

Que all the people coming to say "when I said a new setting, that's not what I meant!"

Reynard · 2026-03-31T19:20:50+0100

Delazar said:
How would you design a contemporary fantasy setting for 5E?

I would ramp Eberron up to 21st century-Earth technology. Psionic-powered internet, magic mobile-phones, artificer cars, fire/cold/lightining guns. Basically everything that exists in our world has a magical equivalent. Does it matter that it is magic/artifice instead of technology?

That is more aetherpunk or magitech, IMO. Contemporary Fantasy is usually set in our world, with magic stuff.

Paul Farquhar · 2026-03-31T19:29:35+0100

Reynard said:
That is more aetherpunk or magitech, IMO. Contemporary Fantasy is usually set in our world, with magic stuff.

If you want something set in our world, just go ahead and run it, there are thousands of setting books already written.

Tonguez · 2026-03-31T21:13:47+0100

Reynard said:
That is more aetherpunk or magitech, IMO. Contemporary Fantasy is usually set in our world, with magic stuff.

yeah but Contemporary Fantasy in our world doesnt run well on DnD rules - it would seem that DnD just doesnt work for normal modern world but with magic since DnD Worlds are high magic by default

Reynard · 2026-03-31T21:15:06+0100

Tonguez said:
yeah but Contemporary Fantasy in our world doesnt run well on DnD rules - it would seem that DnD just doesnt work for normal modern world but with magic since DnD Worlds are high magic by default

People keep saying stuff like that and I do not see why.

Remathilis · 2026-03-31T21:26:36+0100

Tonguez said:
yeah but Contemporary Fantasy in our world doesnt run well on DnD rules - it would seem that DnD just doesnt work for normal modern world but with magic since DnD Worlds are high magic by default

I think it's doable, but I think everyone is trying to overthink it.

Start with the basic assumptions of a D&D world (let's assume 5.5 assumptions). Then you advance the technology of the setting to something closer to our modern world. You don't need to justify the advancement any more than D&D justifies it's medieval tech.. If the existence of magic wands didn't stop crossbows from existing, it wouldn't stop firearms. Your D&D character drives a pickup, listening to the radio, and firing a shotgun at a red dragon. You don't need cyberpunk technology, techno-magic hybrids, or interstellar travel. You need flashlights instead of torches, fast food instead of taverns, and hoodies of protection instead of cloaks.

Paul Farquhar · 2026-03-31T22:02:54+0100

Reynard said:
People keep saying stuff like that and I do not see why.

Try running it and see what happens. You said you didn't want any extra rules, so you could just use your home town or someplace else you are familiar with as your location.

Marc17 · 2026-03-31T22:03:22+0100

Last month there was a Faerun '68 thread about updating Forgotten Realms to a more modern time as inspired by the Blades '68 KS.

The big question is what do you want it to add to the game? Tech is the obvious one: guns, cars, trains, telephones, airplanes? What about themes for adventuring: espionage, Cold War, class war, or just more ancient ruins from the last magic apocalypse? Then how does tech and social advancement change the economics. A typical D&D commoner could make x GP of grown crops or crafted items. Now with a tractor or machine tools they can make 10x or 100x. Many things, such as magic items, that might have been limited to adventurers or nobles would now be common among the people. How much do you want tech to change things? One way to limit quick advancement and ease is to say the world doesn't have, or at least not as much, coal or oil. We take all that stored energy and how it was able to change our lives very much for granted.

Paul Farquhar · 2026-03-31T22:05:36+0100

Remathilis said:
Your D&D character drives a pickup

How fast is the pickup? How much damage does it do if I ram it into the dragon?

Reynard · 2026-03-31T22:13:05+0100

Marc17 said:
Last month there was a Faerun '68 thread about updating Forgotten Realms to a more modern time as inspired by the Blades '68 KS.

The big question is what do you want it to add to the game? Tech is the obvious one: guns, cars, trains, telephones, airplanes? What about themes for adventuring: espionage, Cold War, class war, or just more ancient ruins from the last magic apocalypse? Then how does tech and social advancement change the economics. A typical D&D commoner could make x GP of grown crops or crafted items. Now with a tractor or machine tools they can make 10x or 100x. Many things, such as magic items, that might have been limited to adventurers or nobles would now be common among the people. How much do you want tech to change things? One way to limit quick advancement and ease is to say the world doesn't have, or at least not as much, coal or oil. We take all that stored energy and how it was able to change our lives very much for granted.

Well, what I am talking about is a much more traditional Urban/Contemporary Fantasy setting. That is, Earth as we know it, but with magical stuff in the shadows. I don't think advancing the Realms (or whatever) to some analog of the 20th century is quite the same genre. And I make that statement from experience. I did just that with a setting that started in AD&D 2E, and it was a supers game, not a urban fantasy one.