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

[MerakSpielman]

(Btw Merek you getting closer or not to a choice?)

Yes, I think I've made a decision. But I don't want to put a damper on the discussion.

 

[Desdichado]

Yes, I think I've made a decision. But I don't want to put a damper on the discussion.

At this point, I think you telling us what you want would only spark a renewed discussion and perhaps kill off the FR tangent.

 

[MerakSpielman]

Why don't you all guess?

(let's add as much dramatic tension to an ultimately insignificant event as we can...)

 

[Storm Raven]

That may be true, but you've got to take into consideration that the Forgotten Realms (and, to a lesser extent, Dragonlance) invented a lot of the D&D stereotypes that exist to this day. Saying that the Forgotten Realms is full of D&D sterotypes is like saying that Star Trek is full of science-fiction stereotypes.

Just a nitpick: almost nothing in Star Trek was invented by Star Trek. I can't think of a single "science fiction" element to Star Trek that wasn't lifted from some well established prior source.

 

[diaglo]

Just a nitpick: almost nothing in Star Trek was invented by Star Trek. I can't think of a single "science fiction" element to Star Trek that wasn't lifted from some well established prior source.

yeah, Bones McCoy was a complete ripoff of William Holden's doctor character in The Horse Soliders (1959). not surprising considering DeForrest Kelley's western background.

 

[Desdichado]

Ummm, "Bone" McCoy is not a "science fiction" element, he's a character. And yes, he's not original either. Although there's a very good song about him by the Swedish group S.P.O.C.K... for what it's worth.

 

[diaglo]

Ummm, "Bone" McCoy is not a "science fiction" element, he's a character. And yes, he's not original either. Although there's a very good song about him by the Swedish group S.P.O.C.K... for what it's worth.

didn't you read the Boot Hill/ Gamma World conversion material.

 

[Kichwas]

(Btw Merek you getting closer or not to a choice?)

Threads like this may start with one person asking a question, but they quickly go beyond that sole individual's interests and into the realm of a broader discussion.

 

[Psion]

That may be true, but you've got to take into consideration that the Forgotten Realms (and, to a lesser extent, Dragonlance) invented a lot of the D&D stereotypes that exist to this day.

Do you care to name any? Because unless you are talking really minor details like "Drow nobles carry magic house insignia", I am hard pressed to think of any. It seems to me that the vast preponderance of FR material that gets seen elsewhere was lifted (and sometimes stolen, as in absent from the other material, like the lesser demihuman deities) from Greyhawk and general D&D.

Dragonlance, OTOH, seems to have defined a few D&Disms, despite being less popular/dying out earlier.

 

[MerakSpielman]

I think the only books immune to accusations of "steriotypical fantasy" are the early Conan books and The Hobbit/LoTR.

edit: Oh, and mythology/fairy tales. (Reads Hansel and Gretel. "Bread crumbs in the forest? Witch in a candy house? That is so cliche...)