Why is the Scarred Lands Setting so popular?
- Thread starter Fenros
- Start date
Practically every published setting borrows ideas about gods (and everything else) from real-world mythologies, whether they take the names verbatim or not. Gods warring against their Titan progenitors.. gee.. now where have we seen that before? I'll take Egyptian mythology any day; it's the most conceptually sophisticated of them all. That is all.
Why so popular?
I would agree with what has been written so far.
I just wanted to add that no campaigns are alike whether you use the published ones or not.
That was the original idea behind playing i believe. Yo make a world and then tailor it to your group.
I have always hated the Forgotten Realms and Loved Greyhawk.
Why? Well.....Grey hawk is rich in history and although WOTC has changed it (TSR at the end did also) it has a big following on the web. If you search enough you can find some of the great stories from the original campaign that differ quite a bit from what has been published by the 'company'.
Now when d20 was published I saw Scarred lands it picked it up. I put off picking up WOTC setting material (Living Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms). I loved the story they set up in the Scarred Lands Gazeteer and thought it had a ton of potential. Then the city books came out for scarred lands and well I was hooked.
Scarred lands is a great setting the only one I like more for d20 is the Iron Kingdoms introduced in Withcfire. I have been a gamer for more than 25yrs and began in Greyhawk and still DM there but do not use the Greyhawk wars thing at all.
The best advice I can give you is look at the Northern Journey campaign for forgotten realms and see how WOTC messed it up.
Scarred Lands is a cool cool world full of potential..well worth getting.
I think the question of monsters being used as fodder are the DM's fault more so than the monster being published. It took a long time and many DM's for me to see that. Playing with a clever Dm can be a deadly business if you are inexperiened no matter what monster they throw at you and despite the fact that you have a monster manual. I love rules lawyers in my games cause I twist their thought process at times...hehehe.
Remember you the DM have ultimate control of every aspect of your world...this means your rules take precedence over published ones. Rules are the foundation and fun is the goal of the game. If it ain't fun don't use it.
just my 2cents,
Darius
I would agree with what has been written so far.
I just wanted to add that no campaigns are alike whether you use the published ones or not.
That was the original idea behind playing i believe. Yo make a world and then tailor it to your group.
I have always hated the Forgotten Realms and Loved Greyhawk.
Why? Well.....Grey hawk is rich in history and although WOTC has changed it (TSR at the end did also) it has a big following on the web. If you search enough you can find some of the great stories from the original campaign that differ quite a bit from what has been published by the 'company'.
Now when d20 was published I saw Scarred lands it picked it up. I put off picking up WOTC setting material (Living Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms). I loved the story they set up in the Scarred Lands Gazeteer and thought it had a ton of potential. Then the city books came out for scarred lands and well I was hooked.
Scarred lands is a great setting the only one I like more for d20 is the Iron Kingdoms introduced in Withcfire. I have been a gamer for more than 25yrs and began in Greyhawk and still DM there but do not use the Greyhawk wars thing at all.
The best advice I can give you is look at the Northern Journey campaign for forgotten realms and see how WOTC messed it up.
Scarred Lands is a cool cool world full of potential..well worth getting.
I think the question of monsters being used as fodder are the DM's fault more so than the monster being published. It took a long time and many DM's for me to see that. Playing with a clever Dm can be a deadly business if you are inexperiened no matter what monster they throw at you and despite the fact that you have a monster manual. I love rules lawyers in my games cause I twist their thought process at times...hehehe.
Remember you the DM have ultimate control of every aspect of your world...this means your rules take precedence over published ones. Rules are the foundation and fun is the goal of the game. If it ain't fun don't use it.
just my 2cents,
Darius
caudor
Adventurer
I must be blessed, I guess-- because I seem to like it all, and I enjoy having options.
I like the Forgotten Realms for its richness and depth. The four close-up maps provided by Dragon Magazine look good on the wall too.
I like Greyhawk for its flexibility and that feeling of nostalgia it brings me.
I like The Hunt: Rise of Evil world for its utter coolness (I esp. like the fact that Freeport & Bluffside are actually on the map too). You should take a look at Mystic Eye's stuff.
I like Ravenloft because I always like creepy, gothic-like settings. When the mist rolls in my players really do get a little antsy.
I like Kalamar for that of good ol' fashion fantasy feel. I also like the pictures included with adventures as well.
I have Oathbound, but have not had a chance to read it yet. Just skimming through it...it looks very interesting.
And today...a package arrived (a day late for Christmas), but I was happy to find within 18 Scarred Lands supplements, novels, and hardbacks. Considering all I've read in this thread, I'm looking forward to reading them.
However, I'm at a loss on where to start. Can anyone suggest a good place to start reading? Should I begin with Relics & Rituals or with the Gazateer? Or should I start off by focusing on one area like Mithril?
Thanks in advance...there is so much reading and so little time it seems.
I like the Forgotten Realms for its richness and depth. The four close-up maps provided by Dragon Magazine look good on the wall too.
I like Greyhawk for its flexibility and that feeling of nostalgia it brings me.
I like The Hunt: Rise of Evil world for its utter coolness (I esp. like the fact that Freeport & Bluffside are actually on the map too). You should take a look at Mystic Eye's stuff.
I like Ravenloft because I always like creepy, gothic-like settings. When the mist rolls in my players really do get a little antsy.
I like Kalamar for that of good ol' fashion fantasy feel. I also like the pictures included with adventures as well.
I have Oathbound, but have not had a chance to read it yet. Just skimming through it...it looks very interesting.
And today...a package arrived (a day late for Christmas), but I was happy to find within 18 Scarred Lands supplements, novels, and hardbacks. Considering all I've read in this thread, I'm looking forward to reading them.
However, I'm at a loss on where to start. Can anyone suggest a good place to start reading? Should I begin with Relics & Rituals or with the Gazateer? Or should I start off by focusing on one area like Mithril?
Thanks in advance...there is so much reading and so little time it seems.
Bendris Noulg
First Post
I'd suggest any of the four R&R and CC books; All are adaptable to any setting. Both R&Rs have the Ritual Caster Rules, which rock.
If you get one or two of these and like it, than I recommend Divine & Defeated. It has a bunch of flavor stuff, but also new spells and the like related to divinities and titans. Again, easily adaptable, but the flavor element makes about half the book setting specific. Handy to have in any setting, but also giving a good, solid taste of the setting.
After that, go with the setting material; I'd recommend Hollowfaust as it's my favorite expansion. Also has lots of Necromancy stuff. "Crunchy and tastey" I guess is the best way to describe it.
Hope that helps.
If you get one or two of these and like it, than I recommend Divine & Defeated. It has a bunch of flavor stuff, but also new spells and the like related to divinities and titans. Again, easily adaptable, but the flavor element makes about half the book setting specific. Handy to have in any setting, but also giving a good, solid taste of the setting.
After that, go with the setting material; I'd recommend Hollowfaust as it's my favorite expansion. Also has lots of Necromancy stuff. "Crunchy and tastey" I guess is the best way to describe it.
Hope that helps.
caudor
Adventurer
Bendris Noulg said:Hope that helps.
It sure does, thank you for the suggestions. Rules for Ritual Magic?? I can't wait to check that out.
Oh...I hope I didn't just hi-jack the thread for my own unscrupulous purposes. To help get it back on track, I'll add..
Another reason I the Scarred Lands setting is so cool is that there is just so much good stuff to read, and appears to be growing too! I'm sure that means more cool expansions are in store during 2003.
Blacksad
Explorer
I dislike the Scarred Lands because there is no gnomes!
In fact I like it, I'm currently co-DMing in it, but removing one of the typical PC race was kinda odd IMO.
The reason I like it has been mentioned, the titan and their spawn are still active in a ravaged world, so you've got plenty of room for adventurer (and the drow god is just great).
In fact I like it, I'm currently co-DMing in it, but removing one of the typical PC race was kinda odd IMO.
The reason I like it has been mentioned, the titan and their spawn are still active in a ravaged world, so you've got plenty of room for adventurer (and the drow god is just great).
Bendris Noulg
First Post
There's nothing odd about this at all, actually, although Gnomes seem to be the unwanted step-child half the time (Dark Sun and Birth Right both lacked them).Blacksad said:
Consequently, my current game doesn't have Elves or Orcs.
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