Popular Campaign Settings
- Thread starter adembroski3
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Aeric
Explorer
I voted "other/third-party setting," and that setting is Iron Kingdoms by Privateer Press. It is so far removed from D&D that it is almost a game unto itself, which is a refreshing change of pace for someone like me who's played nothing but D&D since 3.0 came out.
Greyhawk and FR seem like two sides of the same coin to me; one side (Greyhawk) is for those DMs who only need a loose framework around which to build their adventures, while the other side (FR) is for those DMs who require a richly-detailled setting populated with a ton of NPCs. Other than that, I really don't see much of a difference between the two.
I initially shunned Eberron as a pale shadow of Iron Kingdoms, but once I read through the book I realized that it was a strong setting on its own. However, if I was going to run it again, there are a lot of changes that I would want to make to the world. Iron Kingdoms is a game I am happy to use as-is, right out of the book.
And it's a gorgeous book, too. Well, two gorgeous books. Something that bothered me about Eberron was the inconsistency in the artwork. Not the quality of the art, mind you, but the style, the look of the world, changed based on the artist. With Iron Kingdoms, there is a strongly-established look to things, and the few artists they have working on the books adhere strictly to that look, so it doesn't look like a mish-mash of different ideas.
Greyhawk and FR seem like two sides of the same coin to me; one side (Greyhawk) is for those DMs who only need a loose framework around which to build their adventures, while the other side (FR) is for those DMs who require a richly-detailled setting populated with a ton of NPCs. Other than that, I really don't see much of a difference between the two.
I initially shunned Eberron as a pale shadow of Iron Kingdoms, but once I read through the book I realized that it was a strong setting on its own. However, if I was going to run it again, there are a lot of changes that I would want to make to the world. Iron Kingdoms is a game I am happy to use as-is, right out of the book.
And it's a gorgeous book, too. Well, two gorgeous books. Something that bothered me about Eberron was the inconsistency in the artwork. Not the quality of the art, mind you, but the style, the look of the world, changed based on the artist. With Iron Kingdoms, there is a strongly-established look to things, and the few artists they have working on the books adhere strictly to that look, so it doesn't look like a mish-mash of different ideas.
Wik
First Post
Dark Sun. Preferably before the revised set. Whether it's been heavily modified or run by the book (done both), it's always been a lot of fun. In 3e, too - although it can cause a few headaches converting.
You know what I always loved about running it in 2e? The group starts off with what are effectively cursed -2 weapons. After a level, they get -1 weapons. Essentially, they're 4th level characters, all with bone weapons that give a -1 on attack and damage. Then, you give them iron weapons, and they go nuts. They will *kill* for a weapon that is more or less the exact same weapon that joe schmoe 1st level warrior starts off with. And then, once you give them that weapon, they have to protect it, because they know that every thief and killer on the streets is going to want it, and templars might just "requisition" it if they so desire.
Play your cards right, and your group won't be getting that +1 weapon until they hit 7th level or so. Dark Sun made it so flippin' easy to be a stingy GM... and the players LOVED it.
Magical Potion Fruit. Psionic Wild Talents (hated psionics, but loved the wild talents). High magic, but at the same time rare because it was illegal. Lots of races, but races that all fit into the world without it seeming crazy. Role-playing hooks for every race, and only a few were sort of dumb (Pterrans spring to mind, as do Aarakocra...)
You know what I always loved about running it in 2e? The group starts off with what are effectively cursed -2 weapons. After a level, they get -1 weapons. Essentially, they're 4th level characters, all with bone weapons that give a -1 on attack and damage. Then, you give them iron weapons, and they go nuts. They will *kill* for a weapon that is more or less the exact same weapon that joe schmoe 1st level warrior starts off with. And then, once you give them that weapon, they have to protect it, because they know that every thief and killer on the streets is going to want it, and templars might just "requisition" it if they so desire.
Play your cards right, and your group won't be getting that +1 weapon until they hit 7th level or so. Dark Sun made it so flippin' easy to be a stingy GM... and the players LOVED it.
Magical Potion Fruit. Psionic Wild Talents (hated psionics, but loved the wild talents). High magic, but at the same time rare because it was illegal. Lots of races, but races that all fit into the world without it seeming crazy. Role-playing hooks for every race, and only a few were sort of dumb (Pterrans spring to mind, as do Aarakocra...)
Endur
First Post
hmmm, I'm not sure what my favorite setting is.
Lately I've been playing in Greyhawk. Lots of history and flavor.
Dragonlance are the best novels that WOTC/TSR published. But the campaign setting lacked something. Its hard to translate a great epic adventure into a game.
DarkSun might be the neatest campaign setting.
Lately I've been playing in Greyhawk. Lots of history and flavor.
Dragonlance are the best novels that WOTC/TSR published. But the campaign setting lacked something. Its hard to translate a great epic adventure into a game.
DarkSun might be the neatest campaign setting.
GeorgeFields
Explorer
I voted Kalamar for a few reasons, but would really like to see a few others hit 3.5 print.
2. Mystara - as someone mentioned earlier, the Gazetteer series was one of the best TSR ever published. I'm kicking myself for selling them.
3. Greyhawk - nolstagia
4. Spelljammer - I never got to play it, but I loved what I read on it. The novels were great, too.
5. Dark Sun - if I could get into a game that game me the feel the novels did, that would rock!
2. Mystara - as someone mentioned earlier, the Gazetteer series was one of the best TSR ever published. I'm kicking myself for selling them.
3. Greyhawk - nolstagia
4. Spelljammer - I never got to play it, but I loved what I read on it. The novels were great, too.
5. Dark Sun - if I could get into a game that game me the feel the novels did, that would rock!
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