Help a returning DM pick a setting

[Elodan]

I stopped DMing a few years back and am seriously thinking of jumping behind the screen again.

One of the first things I'd like to do is pick a campaign setting. I want to use a published one because I've never been one for creating worlds. Basically looking for something to help me on my road back.

Here's your chance for pimping your favorite settings.

I would appreciate it if you could give me

• a quick overview of the setting
• the updates/additions the setting makes to the core PHB races and classes
• why you like the setting

Thanks.

Tom

 

[johnsemlak]

I'm currently searching for an somewhat recent thread entitled "what are the plusses and minuses of different campaign settings." It should provide a lot of the info you're asking for. THe search function is slow now, so it's taking a bit...

 

[johnsemlak]

Here's the thread:

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=71604&highlight=campaign+settings

 

[Crothian]

If you are bad at creating new worlds, but would like to; there is a book designed to help you do that.

http://www.enworld.org/reviews/index.php?sub=yes&where=currentprod&which=AMSEaC

 

[johnsemlak]

Here's my overview of the 3.5 version of the Wilderlands setting from Necromancer Games:

Currently there's only one book available, the Player's Guide to the Wilderlands. Other books are scheduled for this year, including the Wilderlands of High Fantasy boxed set and others. The Player's Guide is enought to rune the setting, and there's some good web support at the Judges Guild site hosted by www.necromancergames.com.

The setting is a 3.5 revision of hte old Judges Guild Wilderlands setting published by a third party under license in the '70s for AD&D. The setting was published before the boom in Fantasy literature and thus is somewhat devoid of some of the fantasy cliches associated with Tolkien, Dragonlance, FR, etc.

Currently my best summary of the setting si a Sword and Sorcery type feel a la Leiber or Robert Howard but with all the standard D&D races and monsters.

The setting has a number of additional races and also human subraces that have game characteristics. 4 new classes are provided: The Witch, Alchemest, Amazon Warrior, and Sage.

The setting has an extensive history; one thing I like is the knowledge skill is integrated into the setting's history; Knowledge DCs depend on the culture, age of history, etc. of the item in question.

The setting has an 'uncivilized' feel; overland travel is dangerous, many areas are unexplored. Also, PCs are illiterate by default unless they spend feats to change that.

I think that covers what you asked about.

 

[Beale Knight]

Here's your chance for pimping your favorite settings.

I’ll gladly take you up on that invitation to pimp my stuff! That being the Next Age Heroes setting.

Quick Overview:

The players start in a known world about the size of South Carolina. On all sides are threats and obstacles that civilization is only now to the point of being able to overcome. What lies beyond them – no one knows. That’s what the PCs, the heroes, are going to be doing – finding out.

Updates/Additions to the core PHB races and classes:

None. The Player’s Handbook classes and races are used as described. All classes are available, though there’s only a handful of quite a few. For example, between all the races in the starting region, there are less than twenty clerics and only three paladins. The races are segregated, so PCs electing to be Half-Elves or Half-Orcs may well be the only such in the entire region.

What I like about it:

Pretty much everything since I wrote it. However some particulars include
– It’s great for new players, since there’s a limited starting area there’s not an entire wide world to try and absorb.
– It’s great for pro-active players that would like to strike out and build an empire, since there’s a whole lot of world beyond the obstacles that surround civilization.
– There are no uber-NPCs, but there are villains and rivals of all power levels.
– There is a developed set up for political games if that’s your flavor.
– The pdf is extensively bookmarked, includes lots of stated friends, rivals, and foes, and has a glossary with links and pronunciation guides.
– There are a lot of secrets to be uncovered
– Two introductory adventures are available as soon as they flow through the RPGNow pipeline.

For other opinions, one with spoilers one without, follow the links at my sig. And I’m happy to answer any questions on it you might have.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

I'm using Midnight and I love it. You ought to check it out.

1) It is fairly new, there are only 5 books out (well, 4 and a module) so it won't be too hard to get caught up.
2) VERY unique setting, the gods have been separated from the Prime so there is no divine magic. Totally new Channelling magic system that makes sense. Wizards and Druids are newly written Prestige Classes (not the same as Core Classes). Several totally new Basic Classes as the only core classes allowed are Barbarian, Rogue, and Fighter.
3) Evil is the dominant power. The only god in the lands is the god of evil and he was cast out of the heavens many thousands of years ago and is imprisoned on the Prime.
4) No super powerful NPCs to steal the limelight away from the PCs (this is one thing that always bothered me about Forgotten Realms).
5) 3 races of Humans (finally!!!). Only Fey races may interbreed so no Half-Elves, or Half-Orcs though there is a Dworg (Dwarf/Orc), Elfling (Halfling/Elf), and Dwarrow (Dwarf/Gnome). All the races have had changes which make sense for the setting, I don't have enough time to list them all.

The best way to imagine Midnight is to imagine what would have happened in Lord of the Rings if Sauron had found Frodo, gotten his ring back, defeated the combined armies, and covered the lands in darkness. Weapons, armor, magic, and writing are all illegal punishable by death.

It is published by Fantasy Flight and there is a great deal of Fan Support. A free netbook has already been posted. You can get more details on the setting at the main page.

Midnight Home Page

Against the Shadow - Midnight Fansite

 

[Charles Dunwoody]

I'm using the Kingdoms of Kalamar campaign information. The rules and roleplaying information are actually in two separate books; currently I'm only using the roleplaying info.

Kalamar is a continent of kingdoms settled by different races of men. There are around five areas the continent is broken down into, allowing a DM (and players) to concentrate on only a few kingdoms at a time which is a big help. The regular rules of D&D apply (most kingdoms are human, armies keep order but individual monsters and villains need to be taken out by the PCs). In the roleplaying book there are no super poweful NPCs or heroes described, just some legendary names and exploits (I don't think levels are even given) which I like.

If you like a lot of detail, the campaign also has a book that is all detailed maps of the entire continent with nearly every settlement listed including population size. I do use this book, so I know exactly where the PCs need to go to buy certain things or to find powerful NPCs.

I'm using the Kingdom of Kalamar (oppressive king, dwarves/gnomes are enslaved or freedom fighters) and the new book for the Alubelok Coast. This new supplement details a city and surrounding islands and swamps. There is even a connection to the Underdark and a bunch of nasty fish monsters. The deep gnomes need Kalamar's help (they can't fight the fish monsters alone) but they don't want to get enslaved either as the surface dwarves and gnomes have been. Lots of good, solid roleplaying hooks plus the grippli and froghemoth are back.

Kenzer has a website with a lot of support and background so you can read about the setting before buying. I know the rulebook for PCs has new classes (a shaman and rogue variant I think), spells, feats etc. and looks good; I just haven't gotten around to buying it. Also lots of adventures, supplements, and adventures. With the campaign set and the core rulebooks I haven't needed the extra rules, although the Alubelok Coast does refer to it occasionally. The adventures are a big help, though.

Because Kalamar is licensed, Kenzer can reference all D&D books not just the SRD. If you like variety, this setting has a lot of options. If you want to keep it simple, the basic campaign book and one setting book would be a great start. Either way, Kalamar is about core D&D--PCs being the stars, fighting monsters and defeating villains, roleplaying with fantasy cultures, all in a world where natural disasters, wars, kings, gods, and scheming secret organizations can change the world around the PCs and offer many adventure choices.

 

[Derulbaskul]

I will also mention Midnight and add this advantage: as a lower magic world, it might be easier for a returning DM to keep the game on track.

I'm also becoming a Dawnforge fan. There are three books at the moment, one of which is a very good adventure for taking characters from 1st to 5th level. Dawnforge is set at a time early in a world's history before all the familiar D&D tropes have taken hold. Characters are slightly more powerful than normal D&D but that, in part, is to allow such races as minotaurs, ogres and doppelgangers to be playable races.

It's another world by FFG. Fansite: www.pathsoflegend.org. Official site: www.fantasyflightgames/dawnforge.

 

[ph34r]

My two personal favorites are The Forgotten Realms and Ravenloft.

Forgotten Realms is a large, generic fantasy world with alot of history behind it. It has many books out with detailed information on smaller parts of the setting and also has tons info about each deity. It's probably the most detailed setting available

Ravenloft is very different. It's more of a gothic horror fantasy setting. The setting is broken into "domains" each controlled by a different lord. All of the domains have different technology levels. You may go from a domain that has a renaissance era type culture into a domain that is like the stone age.