Dungeons & Dragons Campaign Settings: Difference between revisions

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**Last supported edition: [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]], possibly. No idea if the 1999 reprint used the old [[Dungeons & Dragons]] ruleset or not.
**Last supported edition: [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]], possibly. No idea if the 1999 reprint used the old [[Dungeons & Dragons]] ruleset or not.


*[[Dark Sun]]: Dying desert world.
*[[Dark Sun]]: Dying desert post-magical-apocalypse world.
**Last supported edition: [[Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition]], though most [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition|5e]] adventure modules discuss what would be needed to port them over to Athas, and the creators have stated they do plan to provide more support in the future.
**Last supported edition: [[Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition]], though some [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition|5e]] adventure modules discuss what would be needed to port them over to Athas, and the creators have stated they do plan to provide more support in the future (but haven't after several years).


*[[Dragon Fist]]: <s>If Dragonlance were manlier.</s> D&D set in the world of wuxia folktales from ancient <s>China</s> Tlanguo, the land of this setting.
*[[Dragon Fist]]: <s>If Dragonlance were manlier.</s> D&D set in the world of wuxia folktales from ancient <s>China</s> Tlanguo, the land of this setting.
**Last supported edition: '''None'''. Uses a weird hybrid of [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] and [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]] rules. Published online-only by Wizards, never expanded or supported. Sold to Green Ronin (where its main creator went) who proceeded to... do absolutely nothing with it.
**Last supported edition: '''None'''. Uses a weird hybrid of [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] and [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]] rules. Published online-only by Wizards, never expanded or supported. Sold to Green Ronin (where its main creator went) who proceeded to... do absolutely nothing with it.


*[[Dragonlance]]: One of the more well-known D&D settings, thanks to the many books about it. Twisted D&D standards in a [[Setting:Brighthammer 40,000/2nd edition|Brighthammer40k]] sort of way. Home to the [[kender]].
*[[Dragonlance]]: One of the more well-known D&D settings, thanks to the many books about it. Twisted D&D standards in a [[Setting:Brighthammer 40,000/2nd edition|Brighthammer40k]] sort of way. Home to the absolutely terrible [[kender]].
**Last supported edition: [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]], through a licensing agreement between [[WoTC]] and Sovereign Press, though mostly through discussing ways to port stuff over from other books.  Unlike Athas, though, Krynn's close enough to Faerun for the conversion to be more comprehensive.
**Last supported edition: [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]], through a licensing agreement between [[WoTC]] and Sovereign Press, though mostly through discussing ways to port stuff over from other books.  Unlike Athas, though, Krynn's close enough to Faerun for the conversion to be more comprehensive.


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*[[Greyhawk]]: One of the three original campaign settings, and the default D&D setting for most of its existence. Revered for being the personal setting of [[Gary Gygax]].
*[[Greyhawk]]: One of the three original campaign settings, and the default D&D setting for most of its existence. Revered for being the personal setting of [[Gary Gygax]].
**Last supported edition: [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]], in the same manner as Dragonlance, though in the [[Dungeons & Dragons Forth Edition| 4e]] days it was killed off for a while around its 25th birthday in order to make way for [[Nentir_Vale|Points of Light]].
**Last supported edition: [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]] with the release of [[Ghosts of Saltmarsh]]. During the [[Dungeons & Dragons Forth Edition| 4e]] days it was assumed to have been killed off for a while around its 25th birthday in order to make way for [[Nentir_Vale|Points of Light]] (which is ironic due to PoLand getting no real official support in 5e).


*[[Jakandor]]: Self-contained setting set on an island divided between magic-loving mage civilization, and magic-hating barbarian horde.
*[[Jakandor]]: Self-contained setting set on an island divided between magic-loving mage civilization, and magic-hating barbarian horde.
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**Last supported edition: [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]]
**Last supported edition: [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]]


*[[Kara-Tur]]: A supplement to Forgotten Realms, taking place on the same planet. Ancient fantasy China/Japan with some later material detailing India and Southeast Asia
*[[Kara-Tur]]: Another supplement to Forgotten Realms, taking place on the same planet. Ancient fantasy China/Japan with some later material detailing India and Southeast Asia
**Last supported edition: [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]], though the setting/land itself did not advance at all from its original publication.  Got a token mention in [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition| the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide]] as a potential location for the "foreigner" background.
**Last supported edition: [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]], though the setting/land itself did not advance at all from its original publication.  Got a token mention in [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition| the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide]] as a potential location for the "foreigner" background.


*[[Maztica]]: A supplement to Forgotten Realms, taking place on the same planet. Fantasy post-Columbian America, complete with paladins exterminating and suppressing the believers of native gods.
*[[Maztica]]: Yet another supplement to Forgotten Realms, taking place on the same planet. Fantasy post-Columbian America, complete with paladins exterminating and suppressing the believers of native gods.
**Last supported edition: [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]]. Got a token mention in [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition| the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide]] as a potential location for the "foreigner" background.
**Last supported edition: [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]]. Got a token mention in [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition| the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide]] as a potential location for the "foreigner" background.


*[[Mystara]]: One of the three original campaign settings, and the first one to be officially published and supported. Partially inspired Greyhawk, it paints a broad picture of the lands around Castle Greyhawk and was designed by David Cook and Tom Moldvay. (Also includes the ''Hollow World'' and ''Red Steel'' settings.)
*[[Mystara]]: One of the three original campaign settings, and the first one to be officially published and supported in any real way thanks to the Gazetteer series. Was conceptually designed by David Cook and Tom Moldvay. (Also includes the ''Hollow World'' and ''Red Steel'' settings.)
**Last supported edition: [[Dungeons & Dragons]]
**Last supported edition: [[Dungeons & Dragons]] though WotC gave permission to the fan group "Vault of Pandius" to maintain the setting though this has been mostly through tweaking maps and trying to adjust and fit the setting into 3e and all future editions.


*[[Planescape]]: [[plane]]s, planes everywhere — and we don't mean the flying kind. Established the Great Wheel cosmology. Made famous by the videogame [[Planescape: Torment]]
*[[Planescape]]: [[plane]]s, planes everywhere — and we don't mean the flying kind. Established the Great Wheel cosmology. Made famous by the videogame [[Planescape: Torment]]
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**Last supported edition: [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]]. Published and expanded on exclusively in ''Imagine'''s UK edition.
**Last supported edition: [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]]. Published and expanded on exclusively in ''Imagine'''s UK edition.


*[[Nentir_Vale|Points of Light]]: The "default" setting for [[4e]]. An entirely new world, called "Nentir Vale," completely separate from any existing D&D cosmology, presented as a predominantly blank slate with various cosmological and historical notes to hold it together before you begin personalizing it.
*[[Nentir_Vale|Points of Light]]: The "default" setting for [[4e]]. An entirely new world, called "Nentir Vale," completely separate from any existing D&D cosmology, presented as a predominantly blank slate with various cosmological and historical notes to hold it together before you begin personalizing it. Was not meant to be it's own setting but slowly got developed into one through subsequent publications of the online Dungeon and Dragon magazines and the various 4e supplements.
**Last supported edition: [[Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition]]
**Last supported edition: [[Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition]]


*[[Ravenloft]]: You are evil and being punished in a magic Gothic world that hates you, or if you aren't evil the world still hates you and will either keep you from accomplishing anything, or slowly turn you into something as bad as what you fight.
*[[Ravenloft]]: You are evil and being punished in a magic Gothic world that hates you, or (if you aren't evil) the world still hates you and will either keep you from accomplishing anything, or slowly turn you into something as bad as what you fight.
**Last supported edition: [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]].
**Last supported edition: [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]].


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**Last supported edition: [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]], but authorized homebrew conversion to [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]] took place at [http://www.spelljammer.org/]. Rules for using a Spelljammer ship appear in [[Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition]] ''Manual of the Planes''.  The [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition| 5e]] team has discussed it, mentioning that it's a very love-it-or-hate-it setting that makes it a bit of a rough sell, though they ''have'' said they want to do at least a little work with it.  Got several mentions in ''Volo's Guide to Monsters'', including the reintroduction of the iconic [[neogi]] adversaries. A Mind Flayer Dreadnaught shows up at the start of ''[[Baldur's Gate]] III'', of all things.
**Last supported edition: [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]], but authorized homebrew conversion to [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]] took place at [http://www.spelljammer.org/]. Rules for using a Spelljammer ship appear in [[Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition]] ''Manual of the Planes''.  The [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition| 5e]] team has discussed it, mentioning that it's a very love-it-or-hate-it setting that makes it a bit of a rough sell, though they ''have'' said they want to do at least a little work with it.  Got several mentions in ''Volo's Guide to Monsters'', including the reintroduction of the iconic [[neogi]] adversaries. A Mind Flayer Dreadnaught shows up at the start of ''[[Baldur's Gate]] III'', of all things.


*[[Empire of the Petal Throne|Tékumel]]: The vary first setting ever to be published, and by TSR no less. An elaborate fantasy world based on Eastern themes. A whole language was build around it.
*[[Empire of the Petal Throne|Tékumel]]: The very first setting ever to be published, and by TSR no less. An elaborate fantasy world based on Eastern themes. A whole language was built around it.
**Last supported edition: Original Dungeons & Dragons (Although the game branched off D&D long ago to become its own thing. It is currently in its fifth edition, under a whole new rule-set.)
**Last supported edition: Original Dungeons & Dragons (Although the game branched off D&D long ago to become its own thing. It is currently in its fifth edition, under a whole new rule-set.)


Revision as of 21:09, 6 September 2020

Dungeons & Dragons had always been replete with campaign settings, both those officially released and those created by DMs themselves. From the grim and dark world of Ravenloft, to the noble and chivalrous Dragonlance, they span all manner of interests and themes in order to provide as broad an attraction to players and DMs of all strips.

List of D&D Campaign Settings

  • Al-Qadim: A supplement to Forgotten Realms, taking place on the same planet. Fantasy medieval Middle East at the height of its wealth, science, and power.
  • Birthright: Long ago a bunch of gods died and heroic mortals gained their divine energy. One or more of your PCs is a descendant of those heroes.
    • Last supported edition: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, unofficial porting to 3e taking place at http://www.birthright.net/. The 5e Dungeon Master's Guide actually mentioned it as a potential location for adventures and/or planar jaunts, though, which is more than most previous editions gave it, so who knows what the future holds?
  • Blackmoor: One of the three original campaign settings, developed by D&D co-creator Dave Arneson. Later retconned into Mystara as a Krull-esque distant past.
  • Dark Sun: Dying desert post-magical-apocalypse world.
    • Last supported edition: Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition, though some 5e adventure modules discuss what would be needed to port them over to Athas, and the creators have stated they do plan to provide more support in the future (but haven't after several years).
  • Dragon Fist: If Dragonlance were manlier. D&D set in the world of wuxia folktales from ancient China Tlanguo, the land of this setting.
    • Last supported edition: None. Uses a weird hybrid of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition rules. Published online-only by Wizards, never expanded or supported. Sold to Green Ronin (where its main creator went) who proceeded to... do absolutely nothing with it.
  • Dragonlance: One of the more well-known D&D settings, thanks to the many books about it. Twisted D&D standards in a Brighthammer40k sort of way. Home to the absolutely terrible kender.
    • Last supported edition: Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, through a licensing agreement between WoTC and Sovereign Press, though mostly through discussing ways to port stuff over from other books. Unlike Athas, though, Krynn's close enough to Faerun for the conversion to be more comprehensive.
  • Eberron: Magitek adventurepunk in a world literally made of dragons.
    • Last supported edition: Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, though it took forever and spent years as just content that was either "translation guide in the back of the book" type or strictly WIP/playtest material.
  • Ghostwalk: The Monte Cook one everyone forgets exists. The Ethereal Plane meets inverse Ravenloft meets Forgotten Realms, and players can play as ghosts.
    • Last supported edition: Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition, one of two new settings created for it. Only published reference material was its campaign sourcebook and two Web Enhancements for that book (one purely devoted to 3.0 to 3.5 updates).
  • Greyhawk: One of the three original campaign settings, and the default D&D setting for most of its existence. Revered for being the personal setting of Gary Gygax.
  • Jakandor: Self-contained setting set on an island divided between magic-loving mage civilization, and magic-hating barbarian horde.
  • Kara-Tur: Another supplement to Forgotten Realms, taking place on the same planet. Ancient fantasy China/Japan with some later material detailing India and Southeast Asia
  • Maztica: Yet another supplement to Forgotten Realms, taking place on the same planet. Fantasy post-Columbian America, complete with paladins exterminating and suppressing the believers of native gods.
  • Mystara: One of the three original campaign settings, and the first one to be officially published and supported in any real way thanks to the Gazetteer series. Was conceptually designed by David Cook and Tom Moldvay. (Also includes the Hollow World and Red Steel settings.)
    • Last supported edition: Dungeons & Dragons though WotC gave permission to the fan group "Vault of Pandius" to maintain the setting though this has been mostly through tweaking maps and trying to adjust and fit the setting into 3e and all future editions.
  • Pelinore: For all you Britfag grognards out there. Somewhat similar to Ptolus in that it focused on a single city and it's surrounding environs.
  • Points of Light: The "default" setting for 4e. An entirely new world, called "Nentir Vale," completely separate from any existing D&D cosmology, presented as a predominantly blank slate with various cosmological and historical notes to hold it together before you begin personalizing it. Was not meant to be it's own setting but slowly got developed into one through subsequent publications of the online Dungeon and Dragon magazines and the various 4e supplements.
  • Ravenloft: You are evil and being punished in a magic Gothic world that hates you, or (if you aren't evil) the world still hates you and will either keep you from accomplishing anything, or slowly turn you into something as bad as what you fight.
  • Mahasarpa: A setting that draws heavy influence from India and its neighbors. Found exclusively in the Web Enhancement for 3rd Edition Oriental Adventures
  • Spelljammer: D&D IN SPAAACE!
    • Last supported edition: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, but authorized homebrew conversion to Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition took place at [1]. Rules for using a Spelljammer ship appear in Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition Manual of the Planes. The 5e team has discussed it, mentioning that it's a very love-it-or-hate-it setting that makes it a bit of a rough sell, though they have said they want to do at least a little work with it. Got several mentions in Volo's Guide to Monsters, including the reintroduction of the iconic neogi adversaries. A Mind Flayer Dreadnaught shows up at the start of Baldur's Gate III, of all things.
  • Tékumel: The very first setting ever to be published, and by TSR no less. An elaborate fantasy world based on Eastern themes. A whole language was built around it.
    • Last supported edition: Original Dungeons & Dragons (Although the game branched off D&D long ago to become its own thing. It is currently in its fifth edition, under a whole new rule-set.)
  • Kingdoms of Kalamar: Fairly standard D&D type world, although with some notable changes - hobgoblins replacing orcs as the primary hostile humanoids. A third party setting originally, the third edition version was officially licensed but written by third party (and really bad mechanically). More known nowadays for becoming the setting for HackMaster.

Modern & Futuristic Campaign Settings

  • Dark Matter: an "all conspiracies are true" alternate version of Earth.
  • Dimension Zero: 2620 where the Nazis won and natural resources have run out that must steal from other realities to survive.
    • Last supported edition: Never. Was mentioned in the campaign primer for Project Javelin (was supposed to be a full Adventure Path for d20 Modern), but that campaign was canceled with only the first adventure (which takes place in another setting of the GM's choice) published.

Noteworthy/developed 'homebrew' settings

Dungeons & Dragons Campaign Settings
Basic D&D Mystara (Blackmoor) • Pelinore • Red Sonja
AD&D Birthright • Council of Wyrms • Dark Sun • Diablo • Dragonlance • Forgotten Realms (Al-Qadim • The Horde • Icewind Dale • Kara-Tur • Malatra • Maztica) • Greyhawk • Jakandor • Mystara (Hollow World • Red Steel • Savage Coast) • Planescape • Ravenloft (Masque of the Red Death) • Spelljammer
3rd/3.5 Edition Blackmoor • Diablo • Dragonlance • Dragon Fist • Eberron • Forgotten Realms • Ghostwalk • Greyhawk (Sundered Empire) • Ravenloft (Masque of the Red Death) • Rokugan
4th Edition Blackmoor • Dark Sun • Eberron • Forgotten Realms • Nentir Vale
5th Edition Dragonlance • Eberron • Exandria • Forgotten Realms • Greyhawk • Ravenloft • Ravnica • Theros • Spelljammer • Strixhaven • Radiant Citadel
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