GM's-Are you ever overwhelmed on which world to run?

[Masquerade]

No, I've never been overwhelmed; I make my own setting. If I were to run in a published setting, though, Eberron would beat out Ptolus based wholly on the cost difference.

 

[ghul]

The one true Greyhawk: '83 boxed set by Gygax.

 

[Rhun]

The one true Greyhawk: '83 boxed set by Gygax.

That is the first campaign setting I ever purchased. Actually, my parents got it for me for Christmas that year...I was the tender age of 8, and I loved it!

Nowdays, though, I run mostly my homebrew setting. That way I don't have to keep up with new products, and which novel changed what, etc. etc.

 

[pogre]

• Do you as a DM find that you have too many options and can't choose what to play?
• If you don't what keeps you as a DM positioned in only one game setting.

Thanks!


I've run Greyhawk

I run homebrew - so I don't face this much. I just change names and throw things in my worl as I see fit.

However, if I were to run a published campaign world I think I would poll my players on their preferences.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

It's simple, really. Run the Wilderlands.

+1 -- Wilderlands rocks.

 

[Ry]

I'm frequently overwhelmed by which homebrew concept to run.

Should I run
- a set of human nations in a vast political web ticking down to a great war that will awaken the elder evils?
- an all-psionic campaign set in a sea of drifting islands with dreamlike contents?
- a high-magic campaign set in a single castle?
- an oriental adventures campaign where the PCs are all noble half-planar-dragons working for their dragon king in a period of intrigue and warring states?
- a campaign of murder and villainy where the PCs set out to conquer an already corrupt world?

the list goes on and on.

 

[catsclaw227]

I have also gone though this and my list generally consists of:

Greyhawk (and various Dungeon APs)
Eberron
Forgotten Realms
Kalamar
Scarred Lands
Pathfinder
Ptolus
Wilderlands
"Necromancer World"
Aereth - DCC World
Oathbound
Valus
Warlords of Accordlands
War of the Burning Sky
The Kyngdoms
Glorantha
Lankhmar
Freeport

and the list goes on....

Basically, I don't have time to homebrew (job, wife, family, friends), and complete settings, APs or loosely related pre-published adventures are the way I have to do things.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Hmmm, first off, I cheat and run two unconnected campaigns - one Iron Kingdoms, the other Spycraft.

I think if what style of game I want to run, then choose the setting that best fits that theme.

So: I like running mysteries at low to mid-level (harder, but not impossible at high levels).
I want a film noir feel.
I want gunpowder. (I generally do.)
And I want steam power.
So, I end up running Iron Kingdoms. If not for the steam and gunpowder I might run Eberron.

For that matter those themes run through my Steampunk/Spycraft campaign - originally the game had an espionage theme, but that cycle has ended and they are now playing an independent investigative agency. Sometimes the new game has a weird Scooby Doo vibe going on.... Everyone is having fun though, including me, so I can't complain. I am having fun with Elements of Magic: Mythic Earth for the magic system - one character is a Classic Fey magician who also does stage magic, and another wizard is a Christian Healer. Fits well with the feel od the current game.

If I want pirates and grimmer magic, with just a hint of Cthulhu Mythos I run a slightly modified Skull & Bones campaign.

So, my advice is simply to pick a theme first, then a setting that fits it.

The Auld Grump

 

[maddman75]

So, my advice is simply to pick a theme first, then a setting that fits it.

The Auld Grump

Agree completely. The setting is far less important than what the game is about, who the characters are, and what they do. The players care that their characters are doing fun interesting stuff, not that they are worshipping a different god or living in a different fake city.

 

[Agamon]

Less 'what world', more 'what game'...