Zendikar: The greatest D&D setting never published

[The_Gneech]

Um ... no thank you. That art all looks like the 4E art ... which is one the things that's worst about 4E.

-The Gneech

 

[Rykion]

Um ... no thank you. That art all looks like the 4E art ... which is one the things that's worst about 4E.

-The Gneech

Strange I thought it looked a lot like Pathfinder's art, and quite a bit like 3E, but mostly like MtG art with adventurers. Personally I like the art and the ideas behind Zendikar's setting a lot.

 

[Mistwell]

Strange I thought it looked a lot like Pathfinder's art, and quite a bit like 3E, but mostly like MtG art with adventurers. Personally I like the art and the ideas behind Zendikar's setting a lot.

I don't know if it looks like Pathfinder (have not seen their art) but it definitely looked a lot more like 3e era than 4e era art to me too.

 

[Asmor]

There's definitely more than a few buckles in there.

Although I disagree that there's such a huge rift between 3e and 4e's artwork to begin with.

 

[Celebrim]

Damned disheartening. Twenty-five years after Oriental Adventures, twenty years after Final Fantasy, and pastiches of Fantasy Japan are still "exotic" and there are still people complaining that Monks and Ninja don't have any place in "fantasy" settings.

Well, they don't.

Any more than Druids, Paladins, and Barbarians have a place in 'fantasy' settings.

Monk and ninja's have a place in fantasy Japan. Druids, Barbarians and Paladins have a place in fantasy Europe.

But all in conception too tightly bound to some real world culture to really be a part of a fantasy setting not tightly bound to a real world culture.

I get quickly disgusted at pastiches of any sort that aren't tightly tied to a particular historical reality. It is IMO a failure of imagination. But even worse is than a pastiche is the sort of pastiche of pastiches that has become concensus/core D&D. It would be one thing if the setting was inspired by different real world ingredients and blended together like cake batter until it was hard to tell what it was made from, but typically what you get is more like a salad bowl of mixed by wholly unchanged ingredients as if it makes perfect sense for them to all sit side beside looking exactly like things in the real world without any cultural exchange.

 

[Betote]

Zendikar looks great (and I'm looking forward to the release to play the heck out of it), as did Alara and Lowryn/Morningtide. I wish the guys who come up with the setting ideas for M:tG would write something for D&D. If the Loxodon, Rhox, Viashino or Leonin made their way to PHB-X, I might start a 4e campaign

 

[mach1.9pants]

Looks like my group!

So, there are cracked bones and old blood splattered all over the alcove? I step in!

We have a running joke (stolen from Ren & Stimpy) about "pushing the shiny red button."

Yeah we have a similar thing in the 'wing fall off button'. It comes from the Air Force and the tendency of blokes (especially aircrew blokes) to push any button they don't now what it doe to find out.

"It says 'Wings Fall Off'; I wonder what it does, I'll push it and see....aaarrrgggghhhhhh"
[/threadjack] Soz

 

[SkidAce]

...typically what you get is more like a salad bowl of mixed by wholly unchanged ingredients as if it makes perfect sense for them to all sit side beside looking exactly like things in the real world without any cultural exchange.

I think that my homebrew (circa 1986) would be considered guilty as charged using the description above.

Over the years there has been a refining, things make sense to the players and blend more or less well...but if you look at the surface, it's definately a melting pot. Which means you would probably not like it. Which to my players and friends would be a shame. But I can respect it. I personally can't stand orcs...they died out a long time ago.

One thing worth of mention. It's not entirely a lack of imagination. We use the world as a framework for our characters and adventures. So if the Varencian Empire is based off of the Roman Empire they players and DM gain a lot of unsaid mental "sight pictures" if you will. I.e., guards with gladius and shield, armies called legions. Lot's of stone columns in cities and temples.
etc.

It does save time and provides a common set of reference standards if you will.

And most of my monks are quarterstaff wielding celibates. It makes sense if you know the history of the land.

I suppose it would make my case even worse if I told you I used some Sumerian deities, some Norse, some from Greyhawk. And we do have ninja societies. (this is getting long, I could send you the backstory if you wanted but that's not the point)

It works as it is meant to...a short cut for player/DM reference and ease of communication. And when you add the adventures, and NPCs, and stories, and myths and legends, it feels like a plausible world.

 

[slwoyach]

ack no! It sounds like a horrible setting!

 

[Derulbaskul]

Asmor- thanks for posting all of this. I don't keep up with Magic and so knew nothing about this but the art is perfect for my campaign set in Akanul (the genasi lands) of the Forgotten Realms.