What setting-specific materials should become generic?

[Dragonhelm]

We have seen a trend in 4th edition to take some of the best that each setting has to offer, and to make them more generic for D&D. For example, we see generic draconians, notable dragons made generic (i.e. Cyan Bloodbane and Silvara), warforged and shifters as player character races, and so on.

What else would be good to become generic? For example, should the Harpers or the Circle of Eight be set up to work in any world?

What would be gained and what would be lost by going this route?

 

[Rechan]

Swordmages and Artificers.

Since those are classes, and often pop up in other settings. But, they are from the Setting books, despite being fairly generic. There's easy places to fit them into any setting - easier than shifters and warforged, imo, but even so. Some Dms do resist it because "they are in that book".

I'm also a big fan of Tri-keen, but that is fairly low key.

Setting Specific Material? Hmm. It's hard to pluck something from one setting when it's rather integral to that setting's history (Draconic Prophecy, Rajah/Daelkyr/Dreaming Dark, Dragonmark Houses).

The spellplague, perhaps? It's not unique to FR in terms of historical precidence. It's a useful cataclsym (you always need one). It certainly explains a few things, offers origins for unique monsters and organizations, and can explain some crazy-magical areas for a region.

 

[Dragonbait]

Krynn's minotaurs are now borderline generic D&D since the minotaurs in the MM are medium sized.

I always thought the Draconic Prophecy is a great story element to keep the dragons occupied. It works in the background and could be added in to other settings without retconning a lot of things.

Tri-keen were considered generic in past editions, so they should be in 4E. They had a racial write-up in the Realms in 3E and were in the basic monster manual in 3E.

Sigil.

The Dragonlance ogres. From the Irda to their fall from grace and their new and much more primitive form.

 

[Mournblade94]

When elements from a campaign world are made Generic, it tends to reduce the unique elements of a specific world.

I know nothign about Eberron, but I know Dragon Marks make it unique (one of many). If that was ported over to say the Forgotten Realms, I think that Eberron would lose something ... I know not what, but something.

Forgotten Realms always worked really well as a DEFAULT world. Still spell fire in another world would eliminate one of the unique things to the realms.

Leaving the elements in their proper world helps preserve each setting. If a DM wishes to incorporate an element from one setting to another it is relatively easy to do. We certainly do not need to be told by publishers what should be generic and what should be unique.

 

[Mentat55]

The scheming, backstabbing, dangerous gnomes of Zilargo. I think the fey gnomes of 4e took a step in that direction, but the Zil are just plain awesome. I think this take on gnomes would work in just about any campaign setting.

 

[Obryn]

I allow almost everything from the FR and Eberron Player's Books.

None of it seems out of place. Right now, I have a Genasi Swordmage and a Changeling Artificer in my game.

I do not, though, allow Dragonmarks. I think of those as inextricably attached to Eberron in a way that (IMO) FR's Spellscars are not. I also don't allow Channel Divinity feats (or the gods themselves) for non-default settings.

-O

 

[Greg K]

When elements from a campaign world are made Generic, it tends to reduce the unique elements of a specific world..

This (Mournblade94, XP sent)

 

[Tallifer]

Everything is core. I personally love that mantra.

Dragonmarks, spell plague, draconic prophecy, daelkyr, kalashtar, mul, dragon kings, draconians, lightning ships, earth motes, undead elves, sea elves, kender, dinosaur-riding halflings.

As a player I want access to all the good stuff. (Dragon shards and dragon marks are a good example of things for which players lust and which many dungeon masters ban.)

As a dungeon master, I would tailor my world to suit my tastes, but I would work hard to reflavour anything which a player wanted.

 

[Shemeska]

When elements from a campaign world are made Generic, it tends to reduce the unique elements of a specific world.

This. Very very much this.

One of the worst things that can happen to setting specific material is to have it diluted, watered down, and stripped of its original details and context in order to make it generic.

 

[AllisterH]

You can have an unique setting by simply excluding things instead.

Birthright is the best example of that.