What are the pros and cons of the different campaign settings?

[Thornir Alekeg]

If you like maps you may be disappointed with Scarred Lands. It is probably my one peeve with the setting, not enough detail and a lack of scale, even in the add-on setting books. I've had trouble being consistent with distances and travel times from one place to another (mostly my fault from lack of planning at times, but it grates on my nerves).

But if you like flavor, it's tops and I've never seen a setting with more hooks provided.

 

[AFGNCAAP]

Unfortunately, I don't know that much about many of the newer, non-WotC settings, but they've already received a good amount of press already.

As for D&D settings, 2 of the "big" ones--Forgotten Realms & Dragonlance--both have similar advantages & disadvantages.

Advantages:
* Both worlds have a vast wealth of information on them, whether in sourcebooks, adventures, or novels.

* Both settings have a lot of name recognition, esp. w/ D&D players. The titles could easily gain player interest alone.

* Both settings have big-name characters that are very recognizable by fans.

Disadvantages:
* The vast wealth of information can be a hindrance, since an element that may have been "canon" has changed within a few years (via a new book or sourcebook).

* Just as these settings have their loyal fans, they also have their detractors. The names could easily drive away players as they attract them.

* Levels of knowledge amongst players & the DM. If the entire group is full of FR fans who've read every story & had access to every game supplement, then it may not be a problem. However, if there's a definite difference in knowledge levels (amongst players or players & the DM), then it may be an issue. (IMHO, this is a problem for a lot of games based off of licensed/popular properties, such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones, Aliens, Marvel, etc.).

* As I mentioned before, the settings have big-name, easily recognizable characters. Which, unfortunately, some players may emulate too much, trying to make rough carbon copies of those characters with their PCs. Also, some players may want to have higher power-level PCs, in order to perform comparable tasks like their fictional idols.

And, OTOH, there's Oriental Adventures:
Advantages:
* Set in Rogukan, if you or your players are Lo5R fans.

* Gets away from the pseudo-European setting of D&D.

Disadvantages:
* Set in Rogukan, with AEG putting out their own source material for the game; may take a bit of work to remove the Rogukan elements in case you want to use it for another campaign (whether Kara-Tur, or a non-Japanese Asian setting).


IMHO, I'd say that you can't really go wrong with Greyhawk.
Advantages:
* It's the core setting, though there really isn't a plethora of setting-specific material for it, unlike FR & DL.

* You can easily use older material for more detail, if you want. And, there's multiple versions of its history, instead of 1 set "canon." (Whether you go with the Gord the Rogue/EGG development of it, the TSR development, etc.). It doesn't feel as "'canon'-heavy" as other settings like FR or DL.

* Current and future sourcebooks use basic Greyhawk setting elements. Easy to just drop in new characters, PrCs, magic items, & the like straight from the source material into a Greyhawk game.

* Has a fair amount of name recognition in its own right (esp. with old-school fans, and now new fans are allowed a taste via the Temple of Elemental Evil PC game).

* Homeworld of a lot of the "named" items & spells--Murlynd, Mordenkainen, Vecna, etc. Also home to a fair number of classic modules, as well (Drow, Giants, Temple of Elemental Evil, etc.).

* Has the perfect home base for adventurers--Greyhawk City. Full of its own intrigues, and possibly the best place to start or find an adventure.

* Comparitably less gods-intense as other settings like FR & DL. No Chosen of such-&-such deity; no cataclysmic world-changing battles every generation; etc. IIRC, Iuz is the only deity present in the Prime Material, but he seems to serve in more of a Sauron-like role than other deities.

Disadvantages:
* Since there is not 1 set "canon" history for it, things can be a bit confusing/messy for you if you want a set group of events.

* No real supplement development for the setting itself. Unless things change, there won't be any softback or hardback book supplements discussing the Pomarj, Vesve Forest, or Bandit Kingdoms. Much of the setting-based material is from older editions, which you may need to obtain via eBay, used book stores, etc.

* Not as big name-wise as FR, DL, or Rogukan.

IMHO, I think that Greyhawk would be your best bet (of the in-house, D&D settings). I think that though it has the basic information, you could really feel like you can make & change things in it easily, & (possibly) without any outcry from the players (which may not be the case with a FR or DL game).

Then again, this may be as easily said about other campaign settings, but here's one thing to ponder--with the D&D books, you've already got the basic stuff for the setting right there (maybe adding on the Greyhawk Gazetteer & Living Greyhawk sourcebook). No need to buy the core campaign setting book, the campaign setting monster book, various campaign setting regional books, a campaign setting deities book, etc.

JUst a bit of info to ponder. Hope it helps.

 

[Wycen]

Dawnforge or Morningstar, they are both new.

 

[Psion]

Do you want to hear about "partial settings" like Freeport and Bluffside?

 

[Nightfall]

As I said, one of the downsides of SL is putting up with Nightfall posting something contradictory whenever there's anything posted that doesn't boil down to "I love Scarred Lands!" Credit where credit's due though, he does it out of an interest in enlightening other people rather than trying to bash the poster for their opinions, and he's a good guy and knowledgeable to boot.

I appreciate the respect PWD. I know I'm a hard guy to put up with but I do it out of need to enlighten and a genuine enjoyment of the setting. And I always try to say at the beginning and ending of my posts "I respect your opinion, even if I disagree with it."

 

[MerakSpielman]

Psion: anything you're willing to type about... I don't want to give too much information on what I'm looking for because a) I might see a better idea and b) I don't really know what I'm looking for anyway. So "partial settings" (whatever that means) are fine.

My only criterian is that the setting be published. I want to have a book (or books) in my hands to read. Even if the setting is totally cool, but all it has is a website or some PDFs, I'm not really interested.
------

People have said that Scarred Lands is high on flavor - and I see that from the bits posted on the sites Nightfall pointed me at.

On the other hand, Kalamar seems to be lacking in individual flavor. But surely it has some. What is unique about Kalamar (other than that damn cool atlas)?

I am undecided if I want lots of flavor or very little. The main dillema is whether or not my players will devote the time required to read background material or not...
---------

OK, I've changed my mind about not posting any more information. For those of you following my story hour (most of you, I'm sure ), you know that my homebrew world has undergone a recent cataclysm, rendering the surface uninhabitable. My homebrew was nothing special, just vanilla D&D with gods from the PHB and a single, poorly-developed kingdom.

I'm thinking that the current adventurers in the Underdark might stumble across a way to save the remnants of their world - a portal linking this sad, dying world to a new place. I think this might be an interesting and clever way to introduce a new campaign setting - the people from one world evacuate the fading cinder of their homeworld and begin to colonize a new world... except it's already inhabited.

This new world could be anyplace, really. Even the Scarred Lands would look like Paradise Refound to the people in my Underdark, most of whom have never seen a plant before, let alone an ocean.

 

[Nightfall]

Uhm well unique about Kalamar...uhm...well uhm. I think there's half hobgoblins...

That's about it.

Gee Scarred Lands a paradise. Now there's something I never thought I'd hear. (Though the Ganjus and Glamganus are nice places to visit...)

 

[MerakSpielman]

My players, BTW, have absolutely no clue I'm planning any of this. At some point, probably around 10th level or so, they're going to step through a portal and find themselves someplace.... else.... They're probably assume it's someplace small, just a plot device demi-plane or something. Heh heh heh...

 

[AFGNCAAP]

With the criteria that you mentioned, maybe one of the aforementioned "partial" settings may work. It'll give you some "blank spots" to develop for yourself, as well as some developed areas for beginning players to explore.

Greyhawk is a possibility, since the PHB gods were used in your setting--quite feasible for one of those deities importing the mortals from one realm to another.

FR is a big possibility with all the portal magic. However, they'd probably have to integrate into an existing society rather than create one of their own.

Scarred Lands might be a possibility--IIRC, it's a world recovering from ruin, and it may be quite easy for newcomers to settle in a currently unclaimed area.

Then again, I'll obligatorily plug Lankhmar--not necessarily as a definite setting, since most of the material is out of print & for previous editions, but maybe at least for a means to an end. The Caves of the wizard Ningauble of the Seven Eyes extend not only to Nehwon (home of Lankhmar), but to multiple realities/worlds, even our own Earth (though a more medieval-style setting). Ninguable was referred to as the "Gossiper of the Gods," and he'd be a source of information for where the settlers could reasonably go--for a price, of course. If anything, there could easily be a series of world-hopping adventures as the PCs try to find a suitable new "home" for their people. Or, perhaps there could be multiple colonies of people in different worlds, who link themselves with other colonies via interdimensional portals (or maps to to worlds via Ningauble's caves).

Then again, what about any of the computer game-based settings, like Diablo, Everquest, or Warcraft? They've got a fair amount of fame in their own right compared to many paper & pencil games.

Ultimately, I'd say it boils down to a few basic things:

* How much time &/or money are you willing to invest into the setting?

* Is the amount of money/time you're willing to spend on a setting going to be worth it, based on the amount of interest/effort on the part of the players? (i.e., Don't drop a mint into buying setting books & whatnot for a game your players aren't interested in playing.)

* What style of play are you going for?

* What style of play do your players prefer?

* What will best suit your needs as a DM?

Hope this helps.

 

[Psion]

Psion: anything you're willing to type about... I don't want to give too much information on what I'm looking for because a) I might see a better idea and b) I don't really know what I'm looking for anyway. So "partial settings" (whatever that means) are fine.

My only criterian is that the setting be published. I want to have a book (or books) in my hands to read. Even if the setting is totally cool, but all it has is a website or some PDFs, I'm not really interested.

Well, then:

Bluffside
Pro: I can't put my finger on it, but: I like it. It's one of those cities with its own distinct flavor, with distinct quarters to the city. Elements like the mysterious tower than hates sorcerers and remnants of an ancient civilization are great adventure fodder. Further supplements define the desert to the south. You can drop it in any setting with a mountainous coastline, though the requirements are a bit more specific if you want to use the desert region too. Loaded with plot hooks. Good adventure support.
Con: Some setting assumptions may make it hard to drop into any setting. Not the best presentation. Some plothooks get reused. Unless you scrounge on Ebay, it won't fit your criteria, as it is out of print and only available by PDF now AFAIK.

Freeport
Pro: Good if you like piratey feel. Can drop into any setting with an ocean. Lots of corruption and behind the scene play. Good adventure and rules support, and is threaded into most GR products so those should be ready-to-play. Neat ready to roll plots with serpent men and servants of yig. Lots of lovecraftian and piratey goodness. Well presented. Good, continuing support, including a good adventure anothology, NPC book, and upcoming mega adventure.
Con: May overtake your campaign. Some bits seem a bit corny to me. Erm, that's about it. I don't have much bad to say about it.

Um, some less well known full settings I neglected:
Twin Crowns
Pro: Different spin on ressurection and deities. Obscure; your players won't know about it. Nautical and empire building themes. Great city supplement (streets of silver) and good ritual and seafaring supplements. Huge book for low price.
Con: Presentation a little lackluster. Clerical types and clerical sourcebook overpowered.

Second World Sourcebook
Pro: Interesting concept - two earthlike worlds, one modern (i.e. our own), one a fantasy earth. Uses/permits use of d20 modern rules if you dig them. Allows modern characters and (in some situations) technology. Technology tree allows you to plot out what works where, sensibly. The vector powers are an interesting concept; they shape the landscape and give different regions of the fantasy earth different feels, and provides an interesting new magic systems. You know the landscape and the places -- it's Earth. Psionics friendly. Organizations make politics important. The influence system makes influence more important than money. The pact system (see here is fantastic -- cool things like Marilith surgeons. You can use almost any D&D/d20 or d20 modern resource with impunity. Finally, I had a lot of fun with it.
Con: A big concept. More toolkit than setting; you need to do a lot of fleshing out on your own if you want to go beyond new york.

I'm thinking that the current adventurers in the Underdark might stumble across a way to save the remnants of their world - a portal linking this sad, dying world to a new place. I think this might be an interesting and clever way to introduce a new campaign setting - the people from one world evacuate the fading cinder of their homeworld and begin to colonize a new world... except it's already inhabited.

Funny, that's what I did to introduce my new campaign world back in 1e.

If you want ideas about the underdark journey to another world, check out FFG's Portals & Planes; it has a planar pathway called the wormholes which has properties you seek; it might come in handy if you want to roleplay the exodus.