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Wizard_Lizard
2020-07-18, 12:01 AM
Here is a poll to find out what the favourite setting to play/dm is for the forums!
I’m gonna go ahead and put my vote in for Eberron.
Also yes homebrew is a valid option.
here are the votes so far.
homebrew - 12
Eberron - 9
Spelljammer - 6
Planescape - 5
Mystara - 4
Forgotten Realms - 4
Nentir Vale - 3
Dragonlance - 2
Greyhawk - 2
Dark Sun - 1
Golarion - 1
Shanarra - 1
Birthright - 1

Calthropstu
2020-07-18, 01:03 AM
Ummm.

I will assume "Mine" doesn't cut it.

So guess I'll go with forgotten realms.

factotum
2020-07-18, 01:50 AM
Planescape for me. I would have said Spelljammer, but that's more of additional rules added on top of existing settings rather than its own thing.

Khedrac
2020-07-18, 02:23 AM
It's not going to win (it might over at The Piazza) but mine is Mystara/The Known World.
(Hands up all those who don't remember hearing of it.)

Anonymouswizard
2020-07-18, 10:21 AM
It's not going to win (it might over at The Piazza) but mine is Mystara/The Known World.
(Hands up all those who don't remember hearing of it.)

I'll admit, I knew that the Hollow World was a setting before I knew the Known World was (because I assumed that the Hollow World book was meant to add onto a homebrew setting instead of being meant as a Mystara thing, I was like ten when I discovered it). There are some bits in there I thought should just be assumed possible in Mystara though, such as Warrior-Elves.

Anyway, I'm going to put my favourite down as Planescape, although it's a tough call between that, Dark Sun, and Eberron. To me those three are the most unique worlds which still work with D&D, although I do think Dark Sun tends to work better when pointed to Spell Point based systems.

Tvtyrant
2020-07-18, 12:58 PM
Spelljammer, then Dark Sun.

DataNinja
2020-07-18, 01:10 PM
For all people may complain about it, and for how unorthodox it is... the Nentir Vale/Points of Light setting is my favorite. There's just so much potential there, and so many hooks to explore.

Palanan
2020-07-18, 01:39 PM
Originally Posted by Calthropstu
I will assume "Mine" doesn't cut it.

I think homebrew settings should be a valid category, since right now that's my favorite as well.


Originally Posted by DataNinja
For all people may complain about it, and for how unorthodox it is... the Nentir Vale/Points of Light setting is my favorite.

Is this 4E, or 5E, or both? Not clear from a quick google search.

.

Anonymouswizard
2020-07-18, 02:47 PM
For all people may complain about it, and for how unorthodox it is... the Nentir Vale/Points of Light setting is my favorite. There's just so much potential there, and so many hooks to explore.

I'll give it this, out of the four 'default' settings it's the best (Mystara is a close second, but is a bit too 'big'). It's not my favourite, but I'd had preferred 5e if it had used it instead of the Remembered Realms as it's core setting. At least we wouldn't have the word Moon all over the place.

DataNinja
2020-07-18, 02:54 PM
Is this 4E, or 5E, or both? Not clear from a quick google search.
This is the 4e setting - the World Axis cosmology, as opposed to the Great Wheel. I just prefer that sort of thing, and then the inbuilt setting lore for it, with the recently fallen empire of Nerath, and the further-past clashing empires of the Dragonborn and Tieflings… I really enjoyed how all the lore was put together.

5e unfortunately stripped away most of what I loved from the setting in exchange for genericizing it. Which, ironically, was one of the complaints some had for the setting itself. That it was too generic. I felt it had enough character, though, and room for adventures without feeling like there were powerful mages to solve problems around every corner.

JadedDM
2020-07-18, 04:53 PM
Dragonlance gets my vote.

137beth
2020-07-18, 05:16 PM
Eberron for me.

2D8HP
2020-07-18, 06:53 PM
The Tower of Zenopus by way of Greyhawk

5e's Saltmarsh at least has it on a map.

el minster
2020-07-19, 12:53 AM
mashup of everything thrown into tippyverse if that's how you spell it

Tarmor
2020-07-19, 03:15 AM
Greyhawk - which isn't on your list and should be, along with Forgotten Realms. I've never heard of some of your options. (How is "Tower of Zenopus" a setting? It's a module/adventure from what I can see.)
My second choice would be Dragonlance.

Kaptin Keen
2020-07-19, 04:09 AM
I think mine would have to be Dark Sun. Or Planescape. Might be a bit of a tie, but since I have only one vote, let's go with Dark Sun.

Zhorn
2020-07-19, 04:23 AM
If I'm DMing; Forgotten Realms. Lots of recent content, easy to access wikis, and I know most players I pick up will have a passing familiarity with something in the setting to build a backstory off.

As a player: preference for the DM's homebrew. Too much of a gamble at times with official settings to have a DM care at all about established lore and continuity.

Silly Name
2020-07-19, 04:49 AM
Dragonlance for the memories and nostalgia, and because I was lucky enough to play with people who made Kender into actually likeable characters!

Spelljammer because it's simply awesome. When I try to design a setting I always think back on Spelljammer and how good it was at drawing you in right from the start, the absurd amount of hooks and ideas, the detail and the freedom it offered.

And I also love making my own homebrew settings and letting players loose in them, so I guess that counts too.

Imbalance
2020-07-19, 06:38 AM
Forgotten Realms for me - haven't been at this long enough to scratch the surface, let alone get bored.

Satinavian
2020-07-19, 07:10 AM
Eberron for me

Quertus
2020-07-19, 09:57 AM
Homebrew, all the way.

Here's the thing: nobody ever actually adventures in Dark Sun or the Forgotten Realms - they adventure in Forgotten Realms ripoff #42,317. But, when you're playing in a homebrew, you're (usually) actually in that world.

Additionally, you can actually Explore a homebrew in a way that you really can't a published setting, because the GM actually knows the world, knows its secret underpinnings.

Outside that? Spelljammer (and anything else that acknowledges the canonicity of the connection between worlds).

(Also, is Dark Sun missing from the list?)

Yora
2020-07-19, 10:08 AM
Favorite would be Planescape, though it's not the best made one.

NorthernPhoenix
2020-07-19, 10:10 AM
I prefer Forgotten Realms, and i (shock!) consider Planescape and Spelljammer to be effectively part of it rather than their own settings entirely.

Jarawara
2020-07-19, 10:26 AM
I'm an old fan of Greyhawk, though oddly I have never actually played in a campaign of it. I just like hearing the old stories from the early days of it.

However, officially put me down for "Homebrew" as my favorite. I've been running my own campaign for 30 years. All my efforts and interest goes to that.

Mastikator
2020-07-19, 10:41 AM
Put me down for Eberron

NRSASD
2020-07-19, 11:06 AM
Homebrew all the way

Mr.Sandman
2020-07-19, 11:14 AM
Eberron, then a toss up between Golarion and DragonStar (setting only, Dragonstar's mechanics are... Complicated)

Faily
2020-07-19, 12:32 PM
Eberron, then a toss up between Golarion and DragonStar (setting only, Dragonstar's mechanics are... Complicated)

Oh hey, someone else that has played Dragonstar. :D Love that setting.


My vote goes to Mystara, but I have a great love for Eberron and Ravenloft. And Planescape.

QuickLyRaiNbow
2020-07-19, 12:40 PM
Is Planejammer a vote for Planescape, Spelljammer or homebrew?

Dienekes
2020-07-19, 12:42 PM
Homebrew. And it’s not close.

Corsair14
2020-07-19, 02:45 PM
Spelljammer then Darksun

D&D_Fan
2020-07-19, 03:31 PM
MTG Plane Shift.
Is that an option?
I will vote for that one since I don't think anyone else is.
There is some neat stuff there.

If I can't do that, then just put Homebrew.

Anonymouswizard
2020-07-19, 04:15 PM
I prefer Forgotten Realms, and i (shock!) consider Planescape and Spelljammer to be effectively part of it rather than their own settings entirely.

:smallconfused: Planescape doesn't use anything like the Forgotten Realms cosmology :smallconfused:

Sir_Chivalry
2020-07-19, 04:44 PM
I prefer Forgotten Realms, and i (shock!) consider Planescape and Spelljammer to be effectively part of it rather than their own settings entirely.

With that loose a definition (in that it uses the great wheel) it's derivative of Greyhawk, not Forgotten Realms, and all votes for FR should go to Greyhawk instead ;)

Because there's a seven year gap between their publication dates, and with Spelljammer and Planescape's worldbuilding being integrated into both, the oldest one assumes prime place then, no?

Or you can go with settings that canonically don't connect with Planescape and Spelljammer, like Eberron (my vote)

QuickLyRaiNbow
2020-07-19, 04:49 PM
:smallconfused: Planescape doesn't use anything like the Forgotten Realms cosmology :smallconfused:

Depends on the edition, no?

Millstone85
2020-07-19, 04:52 PM
I don't know what to vote for.


I prefer Forgotten Realms, and i (shock!) consider Planescape and Spelljammer to be effectively part of it rather than their own settings entirely.Shouldn't it be the other way around?

The planet Toril of Forgotten Realms, along with the planets Oerth of Greyhawk and Krynn of Dragonlance, is part of the Prime Material Plane as described by Spelljammer, which is in turn part of the Great Wheel as explored in Planescape.


:smallconfused: Planescape doesn't use anything like the Forgotten Realms cosmology :smallconfused:
Depends on the edition, no?Indeed, Forgotten Realms has changed cosmologies at least three times:

2e
Great Wheel


3e
World Tree


4e
World Axis


5e
Great Wheel

QuickLyRaiNbow
2020-07-19, 05:03 PM
I don't know what to vote for.

Shouldn't it be the other way around?

The planet Toril of Forgotten Realms, along with the planets Oerth of Greyhawk and Krynn of Dragonlance, is part of the Prime Material Plane as described by Spelljammer, which is in turn part of the Great Wheel as explored in Planescape.



It might the other way around, but it doesn't have to be. The 5th edition adventure Out of the Abyss takes place in the Underdark under the Sword Coast and related areas. It involves several portals to the Abyss, an NPC devoted to the dark god in the Demiplane of Imprisonment, and a group of left-behind modrons from the last march. It is definitely compatible with Planescape, but it's also just as clearly set in the Forgotten Realms. Even if the small bucket of Faerun fits into the bigger bucket of Planejammer, the links to the bigger metasettings are incidental to the world the adventure is occurring in.

el minster
2020-07-19, 07:39 PM
Already put this in the other thread but tippyverse with other stuff mixed in from other campaign settings

adso
2020-07-19, 08:33 PM
Eberron for sure. I've read just about every other setting and none of them make D&D make sense in the world the way Eberron does. I have no plans to consider playing anything other than Eberron or a custom world.

Sir_Chivalry
2020-07-19, 08:51 PM
Eberron for sure. I've read just about every other setting and none of them make D&D make sense in the world the way Eberron does. I have no plans to consider playing anything other than Eberron or a custom world.

Cuts to the heart of Eberron's greatness right there. People see surface elements, but Eberron is a world where the core races are stripped back to their base stats and the fluff FOLLOWS from what they can do, rather than the fluff existing and then the stats being pegged in.

Tanarii
2020-07-19, 11:15 PM
Mystara / Known World. Also goes hand in hand with my favorite D&D rule set, BECMI.

Runners up are Dark Sun and Spelljammer.

Least favorite was Planescape. They took the wonderful mysteries of the Planes and made it boring, accessible, and annoying. Berk this berk that. :smallyuk: Plus the art was garbage.

Psyren
2020-07-20, 02:00 AM
Assuming the question is restricted to "published settings" - Golarion is my personal favorite due to all the genres and plot sizes I can run there.

Eldan
2020-07-20, 07:31 AM
:smallconfused: Planescape doesn't use anything like the Forgotten Realms cosmology :smallconfused:

It did back when Forgotten Realms used the Great Wheel and they were officialy part of the same setting as all the other world supported at the same time.

Eldan
2020-07-20, 07:32 AM
Plus the art was garbage.

You did not just say that. You can insult the setting all you want, it had plenty of problems, but di Terlizzi made the best art D&D ever had.

Tanarii
2020-07-20, 07:55 AM
You did not just say that. You can insult the setting all you want, it had plenty of problems, but di Terlizzi made the best art D&D ever had.
Oh please. Hands down Elmore.

Planescape art was just a bunch of scribbling.

Eldan
2020-07-20, 09:10 AM
Elmore? Really? I almost found those super weird. Terlizzi is pretty much the only D&D artist I know who actually put some character into his... characters. They don't just stand there looking vaguely grim or serious or heroic.

QuickLyRaiNbow
2020-07-20, 10:24 AM
I like Elmore sometimes ("A Murder", "Avalyne the Life Giver", "Ancient Powers"), but he has a tendency towards oily muscles and TnA that I find a bit silly and offputting. DiTerlizzi's work is just filled with personality even if I don't love the color style.

Lord Torath
2020-07-20, 03:33 PM
Spelljammer, then Dark Sun.
Spelljammer then DarksunI'm going to have to agree with both of these highly-cultured gentlefolk who happen to have exquisite taste when it comes to campaign settings.

As far as Elmore vs DiTerlizzi, I like them both. But don't forget about Brom!

Tanarii
2020-07-20, 03:49 PM
Elmore? Really? I almost found those super weird. Terlizzi is pretty much the only D&D artist I know who actually put some character into his... characters. They don't just stand there looking vaguely grim or serious or heroic.
Character doesn't make up for bargain basement art. They clearly went with it because it was the cheapest artist they could find.

LudicSavant
2020-07-20, 03:52 PM
My own homebrew (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?445953-Olidammara-the-Laughing-Rogue). Followed by Eberron.

Telok
2020-07-20, 04:18 PM
Spelljammer and the implied setting of the AD&D 1e modules. Yes, including Expedition to the Barrier Peaks and those others.

Anonymouswizard
2020-07-20, 06:56 PM
While I've only seen the original boxed set, the Planescape art is wonderfully evocative and better than some of the other bits of 2e art I've seen (I'm not going to name artists because I don't care).


I'm going to just throw in my favourite setting element that I tend to port over to homebrew worlds: Birthright dwarves tend to have neatly cropped beards. This makes so much sense to me, it stops the beard from getting in the way during work or catching on anything, and it makes long beards (and hair) a potential status symbol saying 'I don't need to work'. Plus it makes the dwarves look so much more professional. My homebrew worlds tend to have working dwarves keep their beards short, with only elders growing them out if at all. Elves just let their hair grow out, dwarves style it, and for many male dwarves this means a cropped beard and braided hair.

QuickLyRaiNbow
2020-07-20, 08:03 PM
I'm going to just throw in my favourite setting element that I tend to port over to homebrew worlds: Birthright dwarves tend to have neatly cropped beards. This makes so much sense to me, it stops the beard from getting in the way during work or catching on anything, and it makes long beards (and hair) a potential status symbol saying 'I don't need to work'. Plus it makes the dwarves look so much more professional. My homebrew worlds tend to have working dwarves keep their beards short, with only elders growing them out if at all. Elves just let their hair grow out, dwarves style it, and for many male dwarves this means a cropped beard and braided hair.

I really like this. My favorite piece of portable fluff is about dwarves drinking, from a sidebar in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes:


Dwarves have a reputation for being able to consume great quantities of ale. Although drinking plays a significant role in their culture, it is a mistake to assume that intoxication has the same effect on them as it does on humans. Humans drink to forget, while dwarves drink to remember. A dwarf deep in his cups is overcome by powerful, vivid memories of his past, especially events tied to lost kin, great deeds, or monumental failures. When dwarves drink in a group, this effect spreads among them. The clan might joyfully sing of triumph as they reminisce over the defeat of a dragon, or weep as they recall the death of a beloved elder.

I tend to ignore the last section of the sidebar, about how drinking alone makes dwarves sullen because they're more likely to focus on bad memories. I use drinking for lone dwarves separated from kin as a mechanism of taking part in a shared ritual, even when physically separated. I've sort of adopted that into most of my homebrew worlds.

Corvus
2020-07-20, 10:01 PM
If not homebrew then Dark Sun. It isn't even close how far head to anything else Dark Sun is. Just so unique and different to regular fantasy.

Probably why Spelljammer comes in second as well.

(Plus they are both 2ed settings.)

Khedrac
2020-07-21, 05:45 AM
Spelljammer and the implied setting of the AD&D 1e modules. Yes, including Expedition to the Barrier Peaks and those others.
Half (or more) of them are explicitly set in Greyhawk, e.g. Expedition to the Barrier Peaks etc.
The rest were generic with no setting, e.g. Ravenloft etc.

You could usually tell by the module code, the I and UK series were generic, the L, T, G, D and S series were set in Greyhawk. And so forth.

Kyutaru
2020-07-21, 10:21 AM
Planescape. Easily, no better system, the magic changes were also appreciated.

Spriteless
2020-07-21, 01:55 PM
Eberron when I want magic to mean technology, which is most of the time.

Second is Dragonlance, where magic means induction into a conspiracy.

If I want magic to be corruption, War Hammer does it better than Dark Sun.

Look it's a big subsystem if it isn't also subtext than it's wasted time.

Quertus
2020-07-21, 08:44 PM
Re: art. Plane scape art was the most… memorable. To me, it stuck out like a sore thumb. I personally hated it, but… it's art - people can have different opinions. I can see how some might really love it. Just… sacred cows, it wasn't D&D… and I wouldn't have liked it even if it wasn't in a D&D book.


Or you can go with settings that canonically don't connect with Planescape and Spelljammer, like Eberron (my vote)

Huh? How does that work? World in a bottle or something?


Eberron is a world where the core races are stripped back to their base stats and the fluff FOLLOWS from what they can do, rather than the fluff existing and then the stats being pegged in.

… so, not "Dwarves are great artisans, how do we map that into stats", but "Dwarves have these stats, what does that make them"? If so, why do you prefer this to the alternative?

Duff
2020-07-21, 09:13 PM
Spelljammer.

Or Ravenloft, though when I played there I wasn't a mature enough roleplayer to fully enjoy it (and the GM also was too new to do it properly)

Luccan
2020-07-21, 09:26 PM
Eberron or Dark Sun for official settings.

I won't say a flat out no to any D&D setting, though Planescape intimidates me.

Palanan
2020-07-21, 10:36 PM
The OP seems to have stepped out, so here’s my best effort at a running tally. This is approximate, since some people are giving two or three answers, in which case I usually tally the first as their “official” vote.

I’m impressed that Eberron has so many votes—I didn’t realize it was that popular. And ditto for Spelljammer, although I know it’s been around much longer.

Eberron - 8
homebrew - 8
Spelljammer - 5
Planescape - 4
Mystara - 3
Forgotten Realms - 3
Dragonlance - 2
Greyhawk - 2
Dark Sun - 1
Golarion - 1
Nentir Vale - 1

Alexvrahr
2020-07-21, 10:51 PM
Dunno that I'd put any one homebrew world at the top, but as a collective there's a homebrew for any game concept I want to run. I'm not above stealing other's work there.

While there are single worlds which try to encompass everything (Eberron, Golarion, Mystara, maybe FR) the dividing lines tend to be jarring and they often don't do whatever-you're-after well.

Luccan
2020-07-21, 11:14 PM
Dunno that I'd put any one homebrew world at the top, but as a collective there's a homebrew for any game concept I want to run. I'm not above stealing other's work there.

While there are single worlds which try to encompass everything (Eberron, Golarion, Mystara, maybe FR) the dividing lines tend to be jarring and they often don't do whatever-you're-after well.

I think Eberron accomplishes this better than FR (and I assume the others), mainly because Eberron doesn't pretend to be generic high fantasy. It's a pulp action, post-war, magitech setting. That just happens to allow for a lot of game types. The Houses' control over much of the magical services and the generally low power of most individual NPCs is the main reason it isn't a Tippyverse and allows for more classic adventures in remote areas, where backup is still days to weeks away and no one has bothered to focus their resources yet, while letting the major cities serve as good hubs for mystery and intrigue or heist games.

Lord Torath
2020-07-22, 07:07 AM
Or you can go with settings that canonically don't connect with Planescape and Spelljammer, like Eberron (my vote)
Huh? How does that work? World in a bottle or something?Sort of. The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook suggests Athas (Dark Sun's world name) exists in a crystal sphere that has no phlogiston rivers flowing to it, or is so far away from the next closest sphere that no one can reach it in a meaningful amount of time. There's also supposed to be a dangerous cloud or something surrounding access to the planet from the Astral plane, although one of the official adventures features a gate (Gate? What gate?) allowing access to the Astral, and the original box set says fiends can be summoned by those brave/foolish enough to deal with them.

I'm also surprised at how much love Spelljammer is getting. In a similar poll at Dragonsfoot (https://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/), Spelljammer fared much worse (https://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=60670).

Anonymouswizard
2020-07-22, 07:30 AM
Dark Sun is technically part of the Great Wheel (and Spelljammer setting) but is mostly cut off due to possibly natural barriers. Even Athas's Ethereal Plane doesn't work as normal, although it is connected to the Inner Planes which fuel the setting's divine magic.

Eberron has always just had it's own completely separate cosmology that's straight up incompatible with the Greet Wheel, featuring thirteen planes of waxing and waning influence. Suggestions for connecting it to the Great Wheel tend to involve it and it's cosmology sitting somewhere in the Deep Ethereal with a natural barrier possibly related to the planetary rings, and while this is official in 5e I believe it wasn't in previous editions. Even moreso than Athas Eberron is a special snowflake, with suggestions of connections to other settings mainly there to make importing adventures easier.

Palanan
2020-07-22, 08:01 AM
Originally Posted by Lord Torath
I'm also surprised at how much love Spelljammer is getting. In a similar poll at Dragonsfoot, Spelljammer fared much worse.

I’m not familiar with that forum, but since they describe themselves as “the home of TSR-era D&D,” they’re likely skewed towards older editions with a more classic feel. That probably explains why Greyhawk has the most votes by a wide margin in their poll, with Forgotten Realms a distant second.

Zombimode
2020-07-22, 08:46 AM
Suggestions for connecting it to the Great Wheel tend to involve it and it's cosmology sitting somewhere in the Deep Ethereal with a natural barrier possibly related to the planetary rings, and while this is official in 5e I believe it wasn't in previous editions.

It isn't, and for good reason. The setting's themes would get diluted and the only people wanting to connect Eberron to the Greate Wheel are those who have no interest in Eberrons particularities in the first place. Why catering to people with the least investment in the setting?

Anonymouswizard
2020-07-22, 09:55 AM
It isn't, and for good reason. The setting's themes would get diluted and the only people wanting to connect Eberron to the Greate Wheel are those who have no interest in Eberrons particularities in the first place. Why catering to people with the least investment in the setting?

Oh, certainly, Eberron shouldn't be connected at all. It's telling that the section of the 5e book that connects it to the Great Wheel goes out of it's way to throw barriers in place to the point where you might as well just not connect the settings. But I think WotC wants to cater to the casual crowd and overworked GMs who'd rather run published adventures than make their own, and they're not going to be making more published Eberron adventures than the one in the book.

The rest of the book is good, it's hard for Eberron not to be, to the point where I'm sad this will probably be the only Eberron book this edition. But the section annoys me as much as it does you, and I didn't even mention how it implies that the Eberron races are copies of races from other settings (I mean, the dwarves are very much the same, but the rest of them have great twists).

D&D_Fan
2020-07-22, 10:48 AM
My vote going to be for Spelljammer I think. I changed it.
This is because basically all of the other settings exist/can exist in it.

Also, I think one of the first games I DMed started out in Space. I had to retcon a character being incinerated.

Anonymouswizard
2020-07-22, 11:04 AM
My vote going to be for Spelljammer I think. I changed it.
This is because basically all of the other settings exist/can exist in it.

Except, as noted, Eberron.

QuickLyRaiNbow
2020-07-22, 11:35 AM
It's a shame the old Gleemax forums are gone; there were several great threads about how Shardspace fit into Spelljammer.

D&D_Fan
2020-07-22, 12:51 PM
If the DM says Eberron is in Spelljammer the it is. Maybe the Ring of Siberys acts as a crystal sphere? That is just what I would do.

Millstone85
2020-07-22, 03:18 PM
Maybe the Ring of Siberys acts as a crystal sphere? That is just what I would do.There are at least two problems with that:

How does a ring act as a sphere?
The moons are outside the ring.

I would just put Eberron, the ring and the moons inside a crystal sphere.

Tvtyrant
2020-07-22, 03:22 PM
There are at least two problems with that:

How does a ring act as a sphere?
The moons are outside the ring.

I would just put Eberron, the ring and the moons inside a crystal sphere.

Spelljammer has lots of room for this, they have tree-spheres and dragon-spheres, etc. I would probably make it so Siberys is the broken remnants of a sphere that collided with Eberron's sphere, which is what gives it the mystical effects. It also makes it insanely dangerous to travel around which is why Jammers are rare.

Zombimode
2020-07-22, 03:43 PM
While you can come up with convoluted explanations how to shoe-horn Eberron into the Spelljammer verse, I still don't see why you would want that. Again, connecting Eberron to the Spelljammer/Great Wheel metasetting serves only to dilute and weakening many of the salient themes of Eberron like the questions on divinity or the afterlife.

Telok
2020-07-22, 03:47 PM
Spelljammer has lots of room for this, they have tree-spheres and dragon-spheres, etc. I would probably make it so Siberys is the broken remnants of a sphere that collided with Eberron's sphere, which is what gives it the mystical effects. It also makes it insanely dangerous to travel around which is why Jammers are rare.

Given that the interior and exterior sizes, shapes, or pretty much anything, of a crystal sphere don't need to match it could be almost anything. Most spheres, from the inside, had a crystal sphere as a limit on their volume. But I don't recall that being an iron clad rule. It could be perfectly possible to have an infinite volume interior with the inner side of the crystal sphere being a small round thing in the middle of a planet. All a spelljammer would see when they opened a portal would be a rock wall. The only spelljammer visitors you could get then are things able to travel through solid rock.

D&D_Fan
2020-07-22, 05:51 PM
The real question: Can you fit all of MTG into Spelljammer space?
Probably The Forgotten Realms is in Spelljammer space.
Acquisitions Incorporated sourcebook is canon I think, since Acq Inc is canon in 5e forgotten realms.
In there, there is a trinket table.
In it you can have a postcard from Ravnica.
MTG in Spelljammer confirmed.
All other MTG PLanes exist as well.Both games are owned by WotC. Honestly they work together fine enough as a sort of greater setting, and could probably coexist.Then there may still be ways to travel between multiverses.
This is just speculation.

Imbalance
2020-07-22, 06:25 PM
What, like it's hard to suppose that any setting's cosmology is little more than the best working theory of the brightest minds within that setting and is just one major discovery away from being blown out of the water? If I want to imagine that all of these worlds are actually plane(t)s in the same solar system that haven't noticed one another in proximity yet, but by magical means their denizens can travel between them, then I guess that's my homebrew. I don't get why such a possibility has to be problematic.

Anonymouswizard
2020-07-22, 06:36 PM
In D&D terms MtG Planeswalkers just hop from one material plane to another.


Any, can you connect Eberron to whatever D&D oversetting you want? Eh, kind of (you basically have to handwave Eberron as being in a superspecial place just to justify it's cosmology, and you can connect it to Spelljammer but why?). It wasn't designed to fit in either setting, and while you can cut bits off the square peg to fit it in the round hole it won't fit as well as a round peg.

Luccan
2020-07-22, 06:41 PM
Eh I'm bothered more by the other ways 5e attempted to officially tie together all official and homebrew material than it being technically possible to get to Eberron by spelljammer (especially since it's quite difficult). I don't see much purpose in visiting Eberron specifically by spelljammer, though. You're playing the equivalent of a Star Trek episode where they visit a planet remarkably similar to 20th century Earth. Great for a session or two, generally less interesting than the parts that deal with jamming spells.

Eldan
2020-07-23, 03:02 AM
I could absolutely see someone in Eberron developing their equivalent of Spelljammers, though (a considerably more higher powered elemental airship, probably) and then trying something like trying to mine shards directly from Siberys.

Millstone85
2020-07-23, 03:09 AM
It could be perfectly possible to have an infinite volume interior with the inner side of the crystal sphere being a small round thing in the middle of a planet.Interesting, because while the crystal sphere would contain that space, so would the planet core contain the entirety of phlogiston space. A bit like that episode of Futurama with the boxes.

But in practice, and to reference another sci-fi cartoon, isn't that just a planar portal with extra steps?

Democratus
2020-07-23, 08:45 AM
Homebrew for sure.

Great thing about homebrew is that you can steal any of the good stuff from all the other settings. :smallcool:

D&D_Fan
2020-07-23, 01:21 PM
I could absolutely see someone in Eberron developing their equivalent of Spelljammers, though (a considerably more higher powered elemental airship, probably) and then trying something like trying to mine shards directly from Siberys.
This might be what you are talking about.
http://keith-baker.com/dm-stars/

Millstone85
2020-07-23, 03:39 PM
This might be what you are talking about.
http://keith-baker.com/dm-stars/Straight from the Creator's mouth, and oh so very interesting.

I had got it into my head that one of the moons of Eberron, perhaps Eyre (Fernia) or Barrakas (Irian), had to double as this world's sun. But no, the sun is separate, and here Keith Baker suggests several options:

Eberron orbits the sun, making the latter the true center of this material plane or crystal sphere.
The sun orbits Eberron, like a more distant moon.
The sun, like the stars, is a fixed point on the firmament, though Eberron rotates on itself.

You know what, I am casting my vote on Spelljammer. It is just too funny to think about what is going on in the sky of a fantasy world.

Sam113097
2020-07-23, 03:44 PM
I’ll actually cast another vote for the Nentir Vale - to me, it’s a better basic “fantasy setting” than Forgotten Realms, and its got a special place in my heart as the first setting I read/played in.

Palanan
2020-07-24, 02:27 PM
Originally Posted by Sam113097
I’ll actually cast another vote for the Nentir Vale - to me, it’s a better basic “fantasy setting” than Forgotten Realms....

This is interesting, since I'm familiar with Forgotten Realms but not with Nentir Vale. What about the latter sets it apart for you?

Tanarii
2020-07-25, 09:18 AM
This is interesting, since I'm familiar with Forgotten Realms but not with Nentir Vale. What about the latter sets it apart for you?Personally I enjoy the "points of light" concept in any setting. It harks back to my first experiences with D&D Basic/Expert, before I really started using the Known World / Mystara, which feels more like highly occupied/explored with danger on the (extensive) fringes. Forgotten realms has that feel too. Most of the danger is on the fringes of civilization, or at least it encapsulates large pockets of civilization.

Other non-D&D settings that do that well are:
- Torchbearer
- Dungeon World
- Forbidden Lands

Vortling
2020-07-25, 10:28 AM
Definitely Eberron for me. I really enjoy the theming and getting away from the medieval fantasy archetypes.

Sam113097
2020-07-27, 02:33 PM
This is interesting, since I'm familiar with Forgotten Realms but not with Nentir Vale. What about the latter sets it apart for you?

I’m not an expert on either setting by any means, but my impression of the Nentir Vale’s “Points of Light” setting was that it was really conducive to classic, dungeon-delving adventuring parties. When I was starting out as a new DM, Forgotten Realms’ vast scope, extensive lore, and cast of established characters were pretty intimidating. I felt like it was hard to justify a small band of adventurers taking care of a major problem when Elminster, the Harpers, or some other powerful group could step in. It’s a feeling that I get in several settings. “Points of Light,” on the other hand, is only a small frontier region with isolated towns recovering from a major societal collapse. I got the impression that it really would be a place where a bunch of low-level adventures could be needed and make a difference. As a new D&D player, it felt more inviting (especially with the simpler cosmology).


Personally I enjoy the "points of light" concept in any setting. It harks back to my first experiences with D&D Basic/Expert, before I really started using the Known World / Mystara, which feels more like highly occupied/explored with danger on the (extensive) fringes. Forgotten realms has that feel too. Most of the danger is on the fringes of civilization, or at least it encapsulates large pockets of civilization.

I agree! I feel that Nentir Vale is a dangerous, ruin-filled wilderness with marginal pockets of civilization, while Forgotten Realms seems to be a collection of civilizations with dangerous wildernesses on the margins.

aglondier
2020-07-27, 04:59 PM
Mystara. Loved the gazetteers. Had a lot of fun with the Isle of Dread...

Palanan
2020-07-27, 05:25 PM
Here’s the updated running total, with homebrew moving into a very narrow lead on Eberron, plus some more love for Spelljammer.

homebrew - 10
Eberron - 9
Spelljammer - 6
Planescape - 4
Mystara - 4
Forgotten Realms - 3
Dragonlance - 2
Greyhawk - 2
Nentir Vale - 2
Dark Sun - 1
Golarion - 1

This is my best guess based on the comments presented thus far, so there may be some fuzzy-wuzzy, timey-wimey variance in there.

Thayborne
2020-07-27, 05:39 PM
A official campaign setting? Forgotten Realms maybe even Greyhawk.

Composer99
2020-07-27, 06:09 PM
I vote homebrew. While I've enjoyed every setting I've ever played or run, my favourite is homebrew. I'm so excited to be running a game in a homebrew setting, as I am right now.

QuickLyRaiNbow
2020-07-27, 07:55 PM
I agree! I feel that Nentir Vale is a dangerous, ruin-filled wilderness with marginal pockets of civilization, while Forgotten Realms seems to be a collection of civilizations with dangerous wildernesses on the margins.

I really enjoyed the game I ran, many years ago now, in the Shannara world for this reason. There are like three actually safe cities, and every short path between x and y has to pass through Mordenhei, the Swamp of Murdercrocs, under Mount Firepoison through the Caves of Glittery Deceaseage and up the dread Staircase of Ill Health, where the Dark Lord Shadowwhatever has camped his evil nasty mean army. You can get away with anything.

JAL_1138
2020-07-28, 07:33 AM
Planescape.

Xervous
2020-07-28, 09:43 AM
homebrew - mostly what I’ve ended up running the past ten years, however this feels like a cop out answer.
Eberron - I’ll spare my 39 1/2 foot pole
Spelljammer/Planescape - while I like the concepts they just don’t present enough to engage with by default, I view them more as a framework than a setting.
Mystara - haven’t encountered it, haven’t a clue.
Forgotten Realms - (pre 3e lore blender) nice kitchen sink that does low level stuff well. As is true with most settings it asks for suspension of disbelief on its thumb twiddling demigods. While I can’t say it’s my favorite this is the one I’d be most willing to accept a pitch of “do you want to play X setting?”
Dragonlance - far too rigidly defined for my tastes, it’s fan service and I’d honestly rather pick a more dynamic setting if opting for one backed by popular literature
Greyhawk - in all my wanderings I’m just not sure what Greyhawk really is. Surely I must have read a bunch about it indirectly but nothing ever came out and said ‘here be Greyhawk’
Nentir Vale - haven’t a clue
Dark Sun - Wonderful themes that I respect the implementation of but will not engage with.
Golarion - haven’t touched PF lore yet, planning on a deep dive into PF1 content for some time later this year.

Telwar
2020-07-28, 04:00 PM
Birthright, then Eberron.

Tanarii
2020-07-28, 08:26 PM
Spelljammer/Planescape - while I like the concepts they just don’t present enough to engage with by default, I view them more as a framework than a setting.

I dont know that a lack of engagement is a problem, but calling them a framework is pretty accurate.

At least until Planescape went critical mass with all its boxed sets.

gloryblaze
2020-07-29, 03:35 AM
Thirding Nentir Vale/Points of Light. While I DM almost exclusively in my own homebrew world, its cosmology, pantheon, and history draw extensively from 4e lore as I found 4e's lore very fun, refreshing, and inspiring.

Palanan
2020-07-29, 07:23 AM
Originally Posted by gloryblaze
...I found 4e's lore very fun, refreshing, and inspiring.

Interesting. Could you elaborate?

What in particular about the lore was refreshing?

gloryblaze
2020-07-29, 12:14 PM
Interesting. Could you elaborate?

What in particular about the lore was refreshing?

The Great Wheel feels very overbloated with a lot of needless symmetry (especially alignment-based box-ticking) to me. The 4e lore feels a lot more natural and like a real myth system that might evolve over time. Also, the Dawn War is a way cool, unifying creation myth.

Palanan
2020-08-12, 10:33 AM
This thread seems to have attracted all the votes it’s likely to, so here’s the final tally:

homebrew - 11
Eberron - 9
Spelljammer - 6
Planescape - 5
Mystara - 4
Forgotten Realms - 4
Nentir Vale - 3
Dragonlance - 2
Greyhawk - 2
Dark Sun - 1
Golarion - 1
Shanarra - 1
Birthright - 1

Wizard_Lizard
2020-08-13, 07:53 PM
Sorry for not really updating the tally, I've just done that now.

Luccan
2020-08-13, 10:18 PM
I shouldn't be surprised Eberron came out on top* I suppose (it's quite popular), but I am surprised how far down the more general settings are. Especially with how many got fewer votes than Mystara, which hasn't been updated in far longer if I understand.

*Homebrew covers way too much and of course most people like the stuff they built themselves, so I don't think that's a fair comparison to any official setting.

Wizard_Lizard
2020-08-13, 10:30 PM
I think Eberron got a lot of votes because of it's unique take on a lot of things, kind of why spelljammer got a lot too.

Democratus
2020-08-14, 07:53 AM
Speaking of homebrew.

Gygax was initially surprised that anyone wanted a published setting.

He figured everyone would want to build and run their own world.

Glad to see that a large segment of the gaming community is going through all the work of creating their own magic. :smallsmile:

Gtdead
2020-08-14, 08:52 AM
Homebrew gets my vote, but

If I had to pick a second, I'd say FR, because it is so drilled to my brain after countless hours of BG and NWN. It's not a favorite, but I'd rather play FR than something I like more but have less experience with.

Xervous
2020-08-14, 08:53 AM
Speaking of homebrew.

Gygax was initially surprised that anyone wanted a published setting.

He figured everyone would want to build and run their own world.

Glad to see that a large segment of the gaming community is going through all the work of creating their own magic. :smallsmile:

Settings? I’ll do you one better, make my own system!

Noting my inclination towards numbers and systems from early number crunching to my current job I wonder if the homebrew/not homebrew splits along lines other than spare time. Though I have strong suspicions the personalities that gravitate towards the gm seat are at least mildly biased towards homebrew.

Quertus
2020-08-17, 02:31 PM
I wonder if the homebrew/not homebrew splits along lines other than spare time.

I don't care whether the GM has had the spare time to learn a whole official setting well or not; I prefer for them to run custom settings to give me something unknown to Explore.


Though I have strong suspicions the personalities that gravitate towards the gm seat are at least mildly biased towards homebrew.

Hmmm… there definitely seems a strong correlation between "controlling personality" and "wants to be GM". I'm not so sure that GMs who want to control published settings are any less common than GMs who want to control homebrew settings.

Heck, from an alignment PoV, wouldn't it be:

Controlling: Lawful

Published settings: Lawful

Homebrew: Chaotic

Kyutaru
2020-08-17, 02:41 PM
Heck, from an alignment PoV, wouldn't it be:

Controlling: Lawful

Published settings: Lawful

Homebrew: Chaotic
Yeah, and from the DM's perspective it's also...

DM's world of wonder: Good
The Players themselves: Evil

Some of things players come up with should require a mandatory psych evaluation.