Your favorite 3.x published campaign setting?

[Derulbaskul]

My absolute favourite was an is the Forgotten Realms. That said, I think we're spoilt for choice:

- Midnight is simply outstanding but, of course, a different style of game.
- Greyhawk, as published in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, was excellent.
- Kingdoms of Kalamar has some of the best support products ever (the atlas, DM's screen, the city guide to Geanavue) but be advised that any rules-based stuff is, um, crap. But I love the atlas.
- Last but not least, Golarion. There is a simple reason they have such devoted fans: their stuff really is good.

The OP mentioned Mongoose's Conan. It's a great setting, and quite a good take on the d20 ruleset, but, as always, it's Mongoose. You can never be sure if you've got an edited and playtested product or the first draft.

 

[Riley]

Ptolus is brilliant.

 

[Darrin Drader]

I'll exclude Golarion because in my mind if it post-3.x. Some will debate me on that and probably make valid points, and if you want the truth, it is top on my list of current campaign settings.

The one I want to talk about though, is DCC 35: Gazetteer of the Known Realms. What I like about it is the fact that it is intentionally designed to function like early D&D settings. More importantly, there are no grand sweeping stories set there, though specific regions are noteworthy and flavorful. The setting stands on its own and essentially provides you with an empty canvas upon which to work. You can nuke the entire setting throughout the course of a campaign if you wish and there won't be any major issues with continuity. You won't have to worry that what you're doing now will ruin something else Goodman Games does later.

I'm also partial to the Forgotten Realms and Oathbound, but I'm sure you can guess why on those two.

 

[Krensky]

Dragonstar.

I'll be hiding over there.

If you want traditional settings... Golarion, I suppose, or Eberron. Golarion is really great, but I tend more towards Late Rennissance/Age of Reason/Victorian science fantasy type worlds.

I'd play (and have or am in a number of cases) any of the settings listed.

 

[delericho]

The FRCS is an amazing book. In fact, I consider that to be the best setting book I have, for any setting for any edition. I'm not a big fan of the Forgotten Realms themselves, but WotC really excelled themselves with that product.

Eberron is a strange one. I was distinctly Meh when I first heard about the product, but was won over by the art gallery on Wizards' site (seriously). And my opinion has only improved over time - the book read very well, the setting has a lot of charm to it, and I'm now running a campaign set there that I'm enjoying a great deal.

And Golarion is also brilliant. This one seems to be much more traditional sword'n'sorcery fare, in the mould of Greyhawk of old. It's also very clearly a setting that has been shown a lot of love by the creators (rather than just being a "setting by the numbers" as it might have been). Basically, if I'm running a campaign and don't have a specific setting in mind, Golarion will now be my setting of choice.

So there it is. My favourite setting book remains the FRCS. But for my favourite setting, it's a toss-up between Eberron and Golarion.

 

[lrsach01]

Dragonlance.... MArgaret Weis {roductions put out first rate setting books covering almost the whole of world. Not only did they include almost everything fromn the books, they also managed to do it with style and coherency not always present in the fiction. They also updated the original 12 modules to 3.5 as well as releasing an adventure path that has covered my group from 1st level through 15th.... so far.

Also, you can pick up lots of the books for a song right now.

 

[Gilladian]

I really liked (though have never actually played) the Pathfinder AP, rise of the runelords? Or sinlords? Something like that. The setting was very evocative to me, I liked the cultures. Just using the first installment of the adventure and the player's guide would be a great start.

Golarion is the Rise of the Runelords setting. It is also Paizo's "home" setting for all their adventures and AP's. They've got several books out for it now. I haven't kept up with it since I decided to stick with my Homebrew world, but it is a very fine one.

 

[megamania]

For 3.5 Eberron will always be my favorite. There is believeable sence of history to it and one we (well myself anyway) can relate to by comparing it to post- WWII. There is the spy game (James Bond) to Pulp Detective (especially within Sharn) there pirate stuff (Lhazaar Princ.). There is the emerging "can we trust you" countries of Darguun, Droaam and even Valenar. There is the holy wars of Thrane and the high magic of Aundair.

There is the puppeteers of the Dragon Marked houses. And they manipulate within their family groups as much as outside of the family or against the royal houses and common people.

There is Xen'drik which is set up to allow ANY theme or content a DM wishes to include (For me- insert Darksun). And there is Sarlona which is a psionic based country that can be used or ignored as much as one wants.

Then there is the horror and mystery of the Mournlands.

If you already have books for other campaign worlds, it is VERY easy to drop most themes or creatures into the world of Eberron also. Between Xen'drik, Valadis and the creatures of Khyber most anything can be explained.
Eberron is the way to go.

 

[DaveMage]

My top 3 (order varies on my mood, so let's just put them alphabetical):

1a. Oathbound

It's not a standard-style campaign setting, but it is literally a world designed as a proving ground for adventurer-types.

1b. Ptolus

It's all there. Everything you might want in a campaign setting product. Adventures, details, inspiration, etc.

1c. Wilderlands of High Fantasy Box Set

Almost every entry in this setting also has an adventure hook, yet there are no campiagn plot issues that PCs have to deal with. If your a home-brewer, but want a place that provides the canvas to your masterpiece, this is probably the best place to play.

Others of Note

Aereth (Goodman Games)

Similar to the Wilderlands, another world that would be a great place to use as a backbone for adventures designed by a DM (or use the DCCs that Goodman makes)

Golarion (Paizo)

Paizo's world that has a little of everything. I have not read the entirety, but what I have read I have enjoyed.

 

[S'mon]

I've always liked 'Wilderlands of High Fantasy'. Been playing in that setting since AD&D.

Ditto, WoHF for me. The box set is great, with all the inspiring detail. The Players' Guide gives a nice broadbrush overview. Being from the '70s its tropes predate 'modern' fantasy, it reads like the Heavy Metal movie! Giant winged apes! Amazon warriors! Blue guys who casts ice, water and weather magic! Mighty thewed red skinned barbarians with ginormous swords! Sinister green guys with Fu Manchu moustaches! 500' long lake monsters! *woot*