1 Greyhawk
2 Known World (Mystara while it was a (non A)D&D setting)
3 Forgotten Realms
least favorite: Darksun
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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As a DM I would hate to do Forgotten Realms. ... If you don't like that there's both a Sembia and a Westlake, or if you don't like that Elminster lives in Shadowdale -- you're pretty stuck. Changing it makes it no longer FR but a Homebrew inspired by FR.
(grin) Now you're being a curmudgeon, Molech.
As soon as you introduce free-willed PC's into your campaign, you're no longer playing an entirely canonic Campaign Setting.
"Hey, it wasn't those PC's who restored the dragon's sanity! According to this novel, it was that group of fictional characters."
"Hey! You can't kill those guys in Illfaern. This dungeon's part of the canonical setting."
"Hey, now! You can't talk to Elminster. There's no record that he ever talked to anyone today!"
That's not the way to use a campaign setting. It's not meant to be a straight-jacket.
The strength of the detail is that there's a lot of interconnected story hooks to play with, which have ramifications that a particular DM could see and understand and implement, but which she might not have realized on her own.
AD&D Forgotten Realms.
No other setting in the RPG history has been so deeply described as this one was.This is actually a hindrance, not a boon.
W. E. Ray
Yes I agree with you that so much material sometimes become an overload to read and dominate. As a player I prefer to go everywhere and explore diferent realms and cultures, this is only possible when you have a whole detailed continent linked from realm to realm. What if your players already know all the place and there is nothing elese to explore, then a DM has to create or add another setting to the whole world to the players to explore. But again that varies from player to player. It is true that a small setting is easier to run but free spirit players could feel trapped in the same place.
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(grin) Now you're being a curmudgeon.
I don't think so. I see the point you're making -- and I admit I've only been in a couple FR adventures (and I've certainly never DMed one) -- so I don't really know how groups that play long term in FR, or other considerably published campaigns change or don't change the setting.
The examples I gave, though, were specifically gross, not subtle changes: the existence of Westgate or Elminster's residence. Subtle changes: PCs meeting Bruenor at Mithral Hall or a fire that ravages a section of Memnon are all fine and could easily be done. And done well.
-W. E. Ray
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Playing not DMing, hmmmm. I generally DM so there aint many to choose from.
Lihr in the Scarred Lands.
UK "Living" style campaign only played at conventions four times a year. The most important part was that each table played a different adventure and so affected the future of our city. Plus there was some of the best players at Cons on each table.
played: Planescape
refereed: Homebrew (alt-history-high fantasy-earth after the dragon wars- took place mostly in space.)
refereed beside homebrew: Eberron
*I love Birthright but never got to play nearly enough. I had a mean DM too, who wiped our little civilization off the board in like five seconds with his megalithic highly advanced magocratic goons.
I've got to say that I love playing around in 3.5 Forgotten Realms. Mostly for the Pantheon to be honest (though I don't like Midnight/Mystra, I prefer the late Mystra.. you know, the LN one)
... but don't get me started on that...
but my favorite has got be home brewed.
I presume you mean "official WotC/TSR D&D setting".
Answer: Greyhawk
However, if we go with outside official, I would include Zobeck, from Open Design and Golarion.
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Anyone play in "The Known World"/Mystara? I'm very intriqued with this setting since many of the OD&D adventures were set there.*
BECMI was set in "the known world/mystara". OD&D was greyhawk and blackmoor (as they were the two author's "o.g." homebrew campaigns). technical detail, sorry.
now, to the topic:
favorite to dm? hatheg (my homebrew)
favorite to play? either FR (3.x) or old school greyhawk (ad&d).
dark sun was a good read, but i can't stand psionics in a fantasy game (in my homebrew, illithids are wizards or sorcerers).
spelljammer, imo, really reeked (but i know it has its fans)
mystara/known worlds? loved playing in them as a kid, but haven't played BECMI since junior high. good memories thought, and "red arrow: black shield" was FUN...
ravenloft? not a big gothic horror fan
dragonlance? i honestly never gave the setting a proper chance after being railroaded through the books in the original modules.
kara-tur, maztica, al qadim i lump in with FR.
eberron? i would play it for the "indiana jones meets steampunk" kitsch, but i don;t know if i'd run it...
3pp: i really like scarred lands as a setting, midnight was interesting, but too depressing, iron kingdoms seems interesting, but i haven't seen enough to have an informed opinion. rokugan is cool. kalamar is ok, but kinda feels "done before" to me.
Has everybody had their say on this?
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I don't think I have.
As a DM: Seeing as how the only official setting we've played in was sharn (that's right, not even the entire eberron, just sharn), I'm gonna have to go with that. Everything else has been homebrew, or just using a locale in another setting to run a short adventure.
As a player: similar problem to above in that I've only ever played in either a homebrew, or in the iron heroes setting. i'm not sure what it's called, or if there is even a proper setting.
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1. Planescape
2. Ptolus
3. Forgotten Realms
4. Greyhawk
Haven't used it yet, but I can easily see Golarion being added to the list. My current campaign, 7 years and going, is currently being based out of Ptolus, which I inserted into Forgotten Realms. They will be traveling to Sigil soon so Planescape will be involved also. I still use the Planescape books when dealing with the planes. I was able to complete my planescape collection about a year ago when I found The Inner Planes in a mark down shelf at an old hobby store for 5 bucks. Lucky find for me.
1. HOMEBREW/GREYHAWK - Mix of the two.
2. GREYHAWK - The best from Against the Giants to Savage Tides.
3. RAVENLOFT - Only played one campaign there but really enjoied it.
Bandit of LV
1. Ravenloft. The theme appealed to me and helped to create some unusual approaches to campaigns.
2. Forgotten Realms. Well I didn't read much of the source material at all, enough to find some themes and organisations I liked and know what was where in the Sword Coast. We ran several linked campaigns in that area.
3. Planescape. I liked it a lot, but too be honest I struggled running it quite a bit. However the concept was great!
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Could you send me more information on this? I love the Scarred Lands, but I'm not familiar with this.Playing not DMing, hmmmm. I generally DM so there aint many to choose from.
Lihr in the Scarred Lands.
While I've mostly played homebrew, Dark Sun is still my favourite of the published settings. A harsh struggle to survive, evil ruling the little that is left so you have to be true heroes to actually be heroic. Great fun.
Lihr Scarred Lands information can be found here but the campaign finished earlier this year, though it may be picked up again.
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Setting aside homebrew settings, this is still a very though question for me. I love many, many settings. My least favorite would be DragonLance. It's a great setting for fiction. Not so much for RPG sessions, IMO.
My all time favorite is Ptolus.
Most favorites would also include AD&D's Ravenloft, Spelljammer and Greyhawk. I'd vote Ravenloft because that's the one I had the most blast playing. Spelljammer provided me with incredible/hilarious/epic/weird moments of game play as well. Greyhawk is what I started with, and the most "medieval" of the early settings.
I like Mystara, the Forgotten Realms, Eberron, Birthright, Planescape and Dark Sun too.
Wilderlands are super cool, though I never played in a campaign using them.
I'm sure I'm forgetting tons of them.
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In order:
Mystara (especially the Savage Coast/Red Steel region)
Dragonlance (before it became the Apocalyse of the Decade)
Greyhawk (Classic, but Gygax's self-referential easter eggs got a little tired.)
SpellJammer (a little strange, but I love swashbuckling!)
Ravenloft (cliche ridden)
Forgotten Realms (I tried it, but my players were the curmudgeons.)
Planescape (too strange to suspend disbelief)
In concept, I liked Dark Sun and Birthright, but since I never had the chance to play, I can't comment.
I would have to say I am fondest of Ebberon though I do love Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance. Golarion Is starting to grow on me the more i play it and may end up replacing the others, but it is too early still for me to say.
Greyhawk. No other setting has ever had the same "it's there, waiting for you to discover it" feel for me.
The Forgotten Realms. <sob>
Damn WotC.
Birthright, above and beyond all others.
I have to say i agree with you there, depite all the typo's and Errors i loved running this. Who doesn't want to be a King!!!
Please Paizo buy the rights for this..........
1. Forgotten Realms, homebrew version: lots of options for a wide-open game. Includes the lore (but not necessarily actual adventures) from Al'Qadim, Kara-Tur, Maztica, Spelljammer, and Planescape.
2. Ravenloft: for when one wants a different style of game.
3. Greyhawk: for classic adventures like GDQ 1-7, the S series, some of that Vecna business, etc.
4. Savage Tide adventure path: wherever the DM places it!
Forgotten Realms note: I read few of the novels, so canon vs. homebrew issues don't bother me too much.
Planescape is a great setting, but I have seen a DM give up running it simply because there were too many possibilities. I think that the (potentially) sheer unpredictability of party actions can be an issue there: does one prepare an adventure today for the Abyss, for Asgaard, or for Acheron?
Dragonlance always seemed too restrictive to me.
Dark Sun and psionics in general are interesting, but I do not want to deal with "yet another magic system". There's only so much room in my brain! :)
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In order from most to least favorite:
1. Greyhawk
2. Spelljammer
3. Ravenloft
4. Darksun
5. Forgotten Realms
6. Planescape
I won't list Golarion...yet. My group has only played part of the first Rise of the Runelords adventure. Still, if what I've seen is any indication, Golarion will quickly move up in the list.
Now what is your favorite NON_WOTC Setting?
And I really did like Iron Kingdoms, up until they started that silly war so they could use their line of minis...
I guess that's what happens when you stay with a product line ;)
I really enjoyed both Iron Kingdoms and Midnight, but was in campaigns that were way too short.
Of the ones I've played:
1. Homebrewed Styes campaign (lots of Dungeon magazine adventures)
2. Planescape
3. Scarred Lands
4. Greyhawk
Currently running Curse of the Crimson Throne in Golarion; having fun with that and a Planescape pbp here.
I started collecting 2nd/3rd edition campaign settings and supplements after 4th edition came out. I've read and enjoyed Midnight, Iron Kingdoms and Ptolus but haven't been able to play them.
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I'm a Dragonlance fanboy so naturally that's my favorite D&D setting. I've played in other campaign settings but Dragonlance is by far the campaign setting in which I've had the most fun adventures.
Second on the list is Forgotten Realms. I've spent most of my 3.x days adventuring in the Realms and it's been one hell of a ride.
I ran a Scarred Lands campaign for three years. Great times in Hollowfaust and Shelzar.
I was really disappointed when White Wolf opted not to continue the setting.