D&D General what stranger stuff is there for settings?

[humble minion]

Actually, one that’s genuinely missing, and that D&D just isn’t set up to do without major surgery, is low-magic fantasy, where magic is largely a plot device and is the purview or rare and mysterious people (/NPCs), places, and creatures rather than a fairly common toolkit that is learnable or usable by almost anyone.

Of course this still leaves a lot of thematic options, it can run anywhere on the grittiness spectrum from Lord of the Rings to Locke Lamora to Game of Thrones. I don’t think WotC will be pursuing it though, they’ve made it clear that their vision of D&D doesn’t involve limiting options or having setting-specific special rules that rewrite or fundamentally modify the base system.

 

[Minigiant]

I think D&D, a game typically based around powerful deities molding the world and supporting those who make or delve dungeons, is perfect for an actual Pantheon War setting.

Either in a Trojar War style (Single Pantheon split into sides), Dawn War style (Divine Vs Elemental or Divine vs Primal), or an Age of Mythology Style (Different Pantheons battle over the Faith of the Mortals)

 

[humble minion]

I think D&D, a game typically based around powerful deities molding the world and supporting those who make or delve dungeons, is perfect for an actual Pantheon War setting.

Either in a Trojar War style (Single Pantheon split into sides), Dawn War style (Divine Vs Elemental or Divine vs Primal), or an Age of Mythology Style (Different Pantheons battle over the Faith of the Mortals)

Theros covers a lot of that ground

 

[Minigiant]

Theros covers a lot of that ground

Theros "covers" a lot but it also doesn't scratch the surface because it was built around MTG and not for D&D rules.

And again Theros really doesn't go into Pantheon War. A god is suggested as a possible villian. But it isn't based around the setting's gods opening and actively supporting mortals to a proxy war to take each others domains. A setting where the main draping over the setting and the reason why your adventurers are adventuring is to weaken gods. When replica of divine artifacts are floating around like candy as Not-Odin and Not-Zeus are throwing +2 weapons at any warrior above 5th level who picks a side.

 

[Tonguez]

Sword and Planet - from Barsoom to Master of the Universe
Fantastique - Alice in Wonderland and similar

 

[Vaalingrade]

workable but needs more to bulk it up.
would also help if I could see the elements processed down to the lowest point to help with building.

Let me take a crack.

Points of light and dark in a morass of grey.

The great and powerful monsters are dead. The external threats have been extinguished. The Empires have taken everything and there is now little if any new horizons remain to be discovered save for what's been hidden again. The common folk toil in something approaching comfort and happiness as far as they're allowed to consider while the aristocracy have grown complacent and bored, using skilled folk as game pieces against their friends and foes alike, or finding other distractions like tournaments and contests; bets to circle the world or reach long forbidden spaces.

Moments of excitement and genuine passion are rare and precious... and that is the impetuous of what comes next. The stakes have become stale for the nobles and even the gods playing their games. Death is a meaningless frivolity; and endless passage of faceless victims. So why not examine and put at risk something more precious than life?

And so were born Companion Games; elaborate, sometimes world-spanning competitions designed to be undertaken by boon-mates; friends, lovers, siblings, parents, beast tamers, etc with the express intent to put those bonds to the test. This has caused a slew of new techniques and magics to come into being to strengthen, enhance or utilize these bonds, which has spilled over into the world outside the Games.

 

[aco175]

I could see some sort of dinosaurs. Maybe a dino-planet or a Jurassic Park outbreak. Maybe people from one world left or portaled to a new planet and now need to survive in the dino lands. Something not just jungle Chult, but all over dinos and things like wooly mammoths and such. Maybe add an older civilization to be able to add old items and tombs and such.

 

[DeviousQuail]

I could see some sort of dinosaurs. Maybe a dino-planet or a Jurassic Park outbreak. Maybe people from one world left or portaled to a new planet and now need to survive in the dino lands. Something not just jungle Chult, but all over dinos and things like wooly mammoths and such. Maybe add an older civilization to be able to add old items and tombs and such.

Dinotopia, but with way more violence!

 

[MichaelSomething]

Since there are portals, you should add an industrial world too. That way people will have the proper tools to deal with the dinosaurs. Like bikes or helicopters; but mainly cars. Really fast cars. Like super fast. But don't think it's an excuse to skimp on role-playing though. You should ensures the PCs develop bonds to each other as strong as... family.

I could see some sort of dinosaurs. Maybe a dino-planet or a Jurassic Park outbreak. Maybe people from one world left or portaled to a new planet and now need to survive in the dino lands. Something not just jungle Chult, but all over dinos and things like wooly mammoths and such. Maybe add an older civilization to be able to add old items and tombs and such.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

Since there are portals, you should add an industrial world too. That way people will have the proper tools to deal with the dinosaurs. Like bikes or helicopters; but mainly cars. Really fast cars. Like super fast. But don't think it's an excuse to skimp on role-playing though. You should ensures the PCs develop bonds to each other as strong as... family.