Wilderlands too old?

[Turjan]

Would the Wilderlands work as well if it were presented in a style more in line with the 3.5 setting books, like the Eberron campaign setting hardcover? Is the setting itself strong without the old-school hex map approach?

I suppose, yes. The Player's Guide has a nice color fold-out map and is structured like a "modern" campaign setting. With 128 pages, it's a bit short, but I found it sufficient for campaigning. That's why the boxed set is more like a supplement that delivers some detail for me.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I suppose, yes. The Player's Guide has a nice color fold-out map and is structured like a "modern" campaign setting. With 128 pages, it's a bit short, but I found it sufficient for campaigning. That's why the boxed set is more like a supplement that delivers some detail for me.

But ironically enough, the boxed set is being sold as the setting!

What it really is is locations for a Wilderlands setting. I'm not saying it doesn't work without having any of the books, but those books sure add a lot of depth to the massive amount of breadth here.

 

[Turjan]

What it really is is locations for a Wilderlands setting. I'm not saying it doesn't work without having any of the books, but those books sure add a lot of depth to the massive amount of breadth here.

I suppose you can put it that way. The "Player's Guide" paints the setting in broad strokes, complete with races, classes, other mechanics, and a geographical and historical overview of the whole setting, plus a nice fold-out map. The CSIO delivers details on the most probable home base, which has already been depicted in rough strokes in the Player's Guide. The boxed set delivers the rest of the details.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I suppose you can put it that way. The "Player's Guide" paints the setting in broad strokes, complete with races, classes, other mechanics, and a geographical and historical overview of the whole setting, plus a nice fold-out map. The CSIO delivers details on the most probable home base, which has already been depicted in rough strokes in the Player's Guide. The boxed set delivers the rest of the details.

Well, except for the city of Tantris, city State of the World Overlord, etc... etc... etc...

 

[Turjan]

Well, except for the city of Tantris, city State of the World Overlord, etc... etc... etc...

True. To point to drivethrurpg.com for more info on Tarantis is a bit weird for a campaign setting. The paragraph on the city in the boxed set is about the same size as the one in the Player's Guide.

 

[JoeGKushner]

True. To point to drivethrurpg.com for more info on Tarantis is a bit weird for a campaign setting. The paragraph on the city in the boxed set is about the same size as the one in the Player's Guide.

Not me! I've got the originals and in near mint shape after many years of use still!

 

[Turjan]

Not me! I've got the originals and in near mint shape after many years of use still!

Good for you. The preview at drivethru shows that their offer is a pretty bad scan of the original. They didn't even manage to put the booklet straight on the scanner.

 

[rounser]

I can imagine an alternate reality where "bottom-up" playground settings were the norm, and "top-down" story-driven settings were deemed bizarre and unusable when somebody finally brought one out as a nostalgia item. D&D in this alternate reality would probably be a lot more fun.

As far as leaving the setting undeveloped on a low level so as not to restrict DM creativity, I think the objecters have failed to consider the hundreds (thousands?) of man hours that went into the Wilderlands box set's creation. If you think a lone DM under normal circumstances can create anything approaching that amount of material...well, you're being completely unrealistic.

 

[Psion]

I've had Wilderlands sitting in my shopping cart for a while, wondering if it was worth such a big chunk of my monthly gaming budget...

True. To point to drivethrurpg.com for more info on Tarantis is a bit weird for a campaign setting. The paragraph on the city in the boxed set is about the same size as the one in the Player's Guide.

Desire to buy product waning...

 

[robertsconley]

I agree that the lack of "cohesiveness" is a strength.

But in many caes, a GM can home brew a similiar setting and customize it for his own taste with less purchase required.

A GM would be hard pressed for time to come up with all the encounters and descriptions that are in the Wilderlands boxed set. The wilderlands isn't a random collection of descriptions. The various authors (such as myself) do make the one location relate to another. The difference is that we didn't say there is Kingdom of Orange dominating everything and that each village has something to do with Orange politics.

If you use the setting as is then it has a sword and socery/ Conan feel. But with little work you can fill the wilderlands with knights and kingdoms if that what you wish. The descriptions are not so welded to sword and socery that you are forced to use that.

Again the advantage of the wilderlands is that you can put you finger on a hex and see what it contains. You can then look at the surrounding hexes and see what there and then come up with an adventure.

at www.judgesguild.com there is the Rorystone Road supplement and Map 10 Lenap to download if you want to see what you are getting.

Rob Conley