DnD Settings Tier List - Are the Forgotten Realms the best DnD Setting?

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  • @zzzcocopepe
    @zzzcocopepe 11 місяців тому +9

    Blackmore was actually made by arneson. The other creator of Dungeons & Dragons

    • @russellharrell2747
      @russellharrell2747 8 місяців тому +1

      Blackmoor wasn’t just created by Arneson, it was The First Fantasy Campaign. While Ed Greenwood wrote some stories set in what would eventually become the Forgotten Realms it wasn’t a campaign world until much later. Gygax’s own Greyhawk was mostly a shameless lifting of Blackmoor’s environments with some of the Castle and Crusades Society war gaming locations mixed in.

    • @matunusdonnerhammer3423
      @matunusdonnerhammer3423 3 місяці тому

      Being made by Arneson doesn't make it a good setting. Much like an edition being the favorite edition of Gygax doesn't make it a good edition.

  • @golgarisoul
    @golgarisoul Рік тому +7

    I respect everyone's favorite d&d setting, as I LOVE hearing the why's it resonates with them. For me, as a 3.5 baby, I'm an Eberron fan boi through and through and it's influenced my TTRPG style ever since.

  • @adammcclelland5746
    @adammcclelland5746 Рік тому +34

    You forgot about Mystara.

    • @worldbuildingsage
      @worldbuildingsage  Рік тому +6

      The only thing about the setting is that I know it exists. I'll give it a read.

    • @samuelbastable2002
      @samuelbastable2002 Рік тому +1

      @@worldbuildingsage Check out Mr Welch, he does a lot of videos covering Mystara, if that may help as well.

    • @worldbuildingsage
      @worldbuildingsage  Рік тому +2

      @@samuelbastable2002 I will, thanks.

    • @Mr_Welch
      @Mr_Welch Рік тому +18

      If he included that one that's the only one he could talk about because It's already recognized as the best. You have to give the other lesser settings their moment in the sun every once in a while

    • @worldbuildingsage
      @worldbuildingsage  Рік тому +3

      @@Mr_Welch lmao. I can't deny this yet.

  • @horseblinderson4747
    @horseblinderson4747 10 місяців тому +3

    I like Ravenlof as a concept being that it's at least semi sandboxed by the mists.
    Way better for keeping the game moving along seeing you can't get distracted by a bigger wider world all the time.

  • @Michael-cf9cj
    @Michael-cf9cj Рік тому +16

    My favorite is Greyhawk, but that could be because I grew up playing campaigns there. I'm familiar with the lore, the names big and small, the lands from one end of the Flanaess to the other. Now, the best novels ... Dragonlance without question.

    • @worldbuildingsage
      @worldbuildingsage  Рік тому +3

      Completely fair. Greyhawk is a good setting for DnD (and I prefer it to the forgotten realms)

  • @AI-DnD-Campaign
    @AI-DnD-Campaign 4 дні тому

    Only played/ran homebrew until now, but truly fallen in love with Eberron and can't wait to play that one!

  • @madmachanicest9955
    @madmachanicest9955 Рік тому +9

    Darkmoor was made by Dave artisan and not gygax . Invented Greyhawk as his own personal campaign setting and much of that was rolled into the forgotten. All of God got his original games revolved around under deep. And the yawning portal which are originally from greyhawk but are now found in the forgotten

    • @DIEGhostfish
      @DIEGhostfish 3 місяці тому

      Ehh the under Castle Greyhawk is SIMILAR to Waterdeep's underdeep but I dunno about that.

  • @madmachanicest9955
    @madmachanicest9955 Рік тому +4

    Birthright was partially inspired by Highlander as you're fighting for control over a kingdom and the aura of command is inherited when you kill someone.

  • @aratheonfantasyworld1514
    @aratheonfantasyworld1514 3 місяці тому +1

    I love the Forgotten Realms as far as the book series go. Especially the Drizz't Do'urden, Elminster, and Brimstone Angel series. They're all pretty entertaining.

  • @striderfox71
    @striderfox71 Рік тому +6

    Dark Sun is my favorite, sadly I never get the chance to play in it! Also Theros would be my second favorite.

    • @worldbuildingsage
      @worldbuildingsage  Рік тому

      Yeah, I wish I could play in a Dark Sun campaign one day. I'll probably never DM it since I prefer using my own worlds.

  • @B00Radl33
    @B00Radl33 4 місяці тому

    Great video. Always fun to meet another Eberron fan. 😁
    I think I basically agree with your assessment

  • @c.d.dailey8013
    @c.d.dailey8013 3 місяці тому

    Thanks. This video is so helpful. I get to learn more about the worlds of DND. I have a lot more experience with MTG. So I can give more info here. My big thing is that I freaking love Ravnica. That is definitely S tier. The Guildmasters Guide to Ravnica is the first DND 5E book I ever got. I didn't know how to play DND at the time. I like to flip through and look at all the pretty pictures. That is so inspiring. Ravnica is even the first MTG setting I learned about. It is a plane that is almost entirely made up of city. There are ten factions, called guilds, that compete for political control. There is a powerful magic to prevent open warfare called the Guildpact. MTG has five colors to group cards. The ten guilds represent all ten combinations of two colors. Each guild has its own aesthetic, card mechanics, and philosophy. It is truely fascinating to see. Ravnica is essentially MTG meets Game of Thrones. It is so iconic that the guild names have become the general names of color pairs. A player can refer to thier deck by guild name, even if its cards depict a different plane. I am a big fan of Theros. I love Greek Mythology, and this plane is way up my ally. The Theros book was one of the earliest DND 5E books I got. I am also fond of Archavios. That is the plane that has the magical school of Strixhaven. I am a huge fan of magic school, and I love Harry Potter. There is a cool DND 5E book on Strixhaben. I got that too. There are plenty of other planes in MTG. That would make great inspiration for jomebrew. There is Dominaria, Eldraine, Kaldheim and so much more.

  • @joshuakanapkey6570
    @joshuakanapkey6570 Рік тому +6

    Blackmoor was Arneson, not Gygax.👍
    Others that haven't come into 5e, but are worth discussion: Red Steel (one of my favorites from 2e) is a setting of frontiers, crazy region-spanning curses, and dueling, swashbuckling fun including firearms.
    It's actually a sub-setting of my other suggestion, Mystara, which is a bit basic at first glance (literally, it was the default setting for Basic D&D), but actually has a lot of depth to it, including Shadow Elves and The Hollow World.
    Also, a sub-setting to Dragonlance was Taladas, another continent of Krynn, that was not human-centric and definitely had its own flavoring for a setting.
    Good times. Yeah.

    • @worldbuildingsage
      @worldbuildingsage  Рік тому +2

      Yeah I realised that blunder already.
      10+ years ago I could have added those ancient notes to correct that x)
      And yeah, I looked into Mystara after a few people recommended it to me. It's definitely interesting and deserves a higher spot on the list.

    • @joshuakanapkey6570
      @joshuakanapkey6570 Рік тому +1

      @worldbuildingsage No worries, not trying to be a hater. Would love to see an updated list including these other settings!
      Keep up the good work!

  • @Nachotaco101
    @Nachotaco101 18 днів тому

    bro put my 2 fovorite settings in S! Respect+

  • @damongraham1398
    @damongraham1398 Рік тому +3

    Please include the link about your critique of Forgotten Realms?

    • @worldbuildingsage
      @worldbuildingsage  Рік тому +1

      It's part of my campaign building video. ua-cam.com/video/O2eRrppiPRE/v-deo.html

  • @bytecode5834
    @bytecode5834 8 місяців тому

    Fantastic video, thanks for the gift!

  • @vell7297
    @vell7297 Рік тому

    Personally i really like ravenloft, cause its not exactly just gothic horror, sure you got barovia, but you also have a ghost train, a mummy infested dessert, one with a ton of mind flayers , and many more.
    I also love how each one has its own ruler who is just as much a prisoner, its also easy to create your own or swap into from another setting

  • @davemills8193
    @davemills8193 Рік тому +5

    GREYHAWK

  • @bustertn2014
    @bustertn2014 4 дні тому

    The best one is absolutely OBVIOUS. It's the one YOU as the DM, and the players, like to adventure in the most.

  • @ToTheNines87368
    @ToTheNines87368 Рік тому +1

    Dracula approved

  • @ArtsAndTactics
    @ArtsAndTactics 8 місяців тому +1

    I think it has become very trendy to dislike Forgotten Realms due to it's front and center role in the generally watered down lore of 5e. (please don't hate. I really like 5e but it's not the richest system.) There hasn't been a really good rendition of the realms since 2000. The 3rd Edition FG campaign setting is amazing. My 5e FG group still uses it. Yes, the sword coast is over accentuated in all things D&D. That doesn't make it bad. There is also a whole world there most people (including WOTC) don't bother with. Cormyr, The Dalelands, Sembia, Aglorond, Thay, Amn, and even The Silver Marches and Icewind Dale. Honestly, it is a beautifully detailed setting that has been trendy to be "too good for" because of it's success.

  • @JacksonOwex
    @JacksonOwex Рік тому +2

    3:26 That art gives me STRONG Pathfinder vibes, wonder if the DS artist(s) do things for Paizo now.
    5:32 This piece as well. Don't know why I'm surprised, Paizo ended up with a LOT of former WotC people during the first Dark Times of D&D. Should we call it the first?! Are we STILL in the same Dark Times?! Were we just too blind to see that things haven't actually gotten any better?! I suddenly have SO MANY questions now!

  • @darkishphoenix
    @darkishphoenix Рік тому

    When I started with 2nd ed I was really into spelljammer and planescape. Not thrilled with the 5e spelljammer. In 3.5 I loved the Scarred Lands. Among my current games Eberron is my favorite

  • @svachalek
    @svachalek Рік тому +1

    It’s pronounced Ravneesa. It’s my favorite Magic setting, it’s just unique and fun. I haven’t tried it in D&D. I love Planescape and Dark Sun and agree with you on the other settings I am familiar with so I think I would probably agree on the ones I haven’t tried yet!

    • @worldbuildingsage
      @worldbuildingsage  Рік тому +1

      From those I've read, Ravnica is definitely my favourite Magic setting too.

    • @JacksonOwex
      @JacksonOwex Рік тому +2

      No, not once, not ever!!! Maybe in whatever YOUR native tongue is but I've ALSO heard it as "Rav-knee-ka", including from the most important people, the ones created it!!!

    • @disciple012
      @disciple012 Рік тому +2

      Not sure where you got that crazy pronunciation from, but according to Wizards of the Coast, AKA the people who created Ravnica, it's pronounced Rav-nick-a.

    • @professorlich
      @professorlich Рік тому +1

      I know nothing about Ravnica setting. However, in Slavic languages from the Balkans (Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, etc), word "ravnica" means "plain" (as in, flat land). Other Slavs have similar names ("równina" in Poland, "ravnina" in Russia, etc). I doubt it had anything to do with the name for the setting, just thought I'd bring it up as a fun fact. :)

    • @professorlich
      @professorlich Рік тому

      PS Word "vekna" means "loaf". So, hearing someone say Lord Vecna sounds utterly ridiculous in my head. :)

  • @JacksonOwex
    @JacksonOwex Рік тому +1

    Golarion is the best D&D campaign!
    7:44 Oh, well... that was a surprise!
    "Good! Use your aggressive feelings boy. Let the hate flow through you. HEHEHE"

  • @matunusdonnerhammer3423
    @matunusdonnerhammer3423 3 місяці тому

    I agree about Eberron as it is the most logical and coherent world built on DnD rules. In any magical world, magic would be part of technology and Eberron is the only setting that works in that way.
    I would rate Dark Sun one or two tier lower, because despite catching the mood and tone of a postapocalyptic world, it has some major inconsistancies with DnD mechanics. Dark Sun is setting, that is much about survial, e.g. getting food and water, enduring enviromental conditions etc. However DnD mechanics easily make that aspect pointless, as even a low level cleric or druid can solve this problem with a few spells.
    I'd rate Forgotten Realms A-tier, because despite some flaws (no technical and social advancement in centuries, powerful good NPCs, who for some reason act very passive) and more generic medieval nature, it is very detailed and is certainly not limited to the Sword Coast (I ran my first campaign in Aglarond and Rashemen, another in Cormyr and Sembia, none of which are anywhere near the Sword Coast).
    As far as Wildemount, I fully agree, it is really an generic example of the most generic of generic settings.

  • @cheapmanx
    @cheapmanx Рік тому

    We have the same taste 🎉

  • @ogrehaslayers605
    @ogrehaslayers605 11 місяців тому

    My all time favorites remain Planescape and Birthright.
    My all time least favorites remain Forgotten Realms and Eberron.

  • @praisethesun3907
    @praisethesun3907 Рік тому +2

    Dragonlance!

  • @terratorment2940
    @terratorment2940 5 місяців тому

    I used to dislike Golarion but it has grown on me

  • @jaysw9585
    @jaysw9585 2 місяці тому

    Blackmoore is not a setting. It was just the game Arnesons group was running. In 1e it was rolled into Greyhawk and moved over to Mysteria as the base setting for Classic DnD.

  • @RiotKurhein
    @RiotKurhein Рік тому +2

    How about some 3rd party settings?

    • @worldbuildingsage
      @worldbuildingsage  Рік тому +3

      I definitely will do a Tierlist for those in the future!

  • @deannatheos4471
    @deannatheos4471 Рік тому +2

    I like all the D&D worlds especially Grey Hawk and mostly Forgotten Realms. I most definitely don't like pathfinder it's strange and boring I looked at the novels and they didn't get me. And I feel the same about the magic the gathering games have a nice day.

    • @worldbuildingsage
      @worldbuildingsage  Рік тому +1

      Golarion is definitely a clusterfuck on its own, that's correct.

  • @golgarisoul
    @golgarisoul Рік тому

    Can i get a link to the tiermaker you used with all of these dnd settimgs on it, please?

    • @worldbuildingsage
      @worldbuildingsage  Рік тому

      Eh! I'd give you a link if I still had it. I didn't create it on my own since it had pretty much everything needed.
      Just look for a DnD setting tiermaker on the tiermaker website.

  • @dercount804
    @dercount804 Рік тому

    How would you rate the Dungeons of Drakkenheim Setting?

    • @worldbuildingsage
      @worldbuildingsage  Рік тому

      I haven't read much about it. I only know about it because of the many DnD UA-camrs that have it sponsored.

  • @BX-advocate
    @BX-advocate 4 місяці тому

    The answer is Mystara...Mystara is objectively the best setting.

  • @madmachanicest9955
    @madmachanicest9955 Рік тому

    Alcadim is a supplement book for their forgotten this makes it a gazatir or an expansion .

  • @danddjacko
    @danddjacko Рік тому +1

    Greyhawk followed by Eberron

  • @KenronTheGamer
    @KenronTheGamer Рік тому

    What about Mystara?

  • @jaysw9585
    @jaysw9585 2 місяці тому

    I disagree with some of the list. Greyhawk is s teir. Its not generic, its literally the OG. What makee Greyhawk S teir is that its a static setting with very little history and minimalist detail. This makes it a much bigger playground for DMs to homebrew. Greyhawk became an official setting when they were trying to connect all the 1e modules to a single setting. At ita core, its a setting of dungeons.
    I agree with you in Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance. Both are generic and too detailed to be a playground. Also, damn good criticism on Forgotten Realms. Dark sun should be ranked lower for the same reason. Its a cool setting, but the lore is extremely restrictive which makes it very difficult to run a campaign in. There just isnt much to do there.
    Planescape is easily S teir. It's a great playground. Ravenloft should be S teir for the same reason. Its a huge DM play ground were any theme or even historical time frame can be difference. You can do Renaissance Venice game or ancient egypt in the same setting. You can do classic fantasy, or even a bit of scifi. Its easily my favorite setting for creativity. There is literally something for everyone in Ravenloft.
    Other mentions not listed, Mysteria, Hollow World, and Lankhmar.

  • @diogenesstudent5585
    @diogenesstudent5585 6 місяців тому +1

    Planescape.

  • @Zr0din
    @Zr0din 12 годин тому

    FateForge!!! BlaneBreaker!!! Drakkenheim!!!

  • @Arnsteel634
    @Arnsteel634 3 місяці тому

    Hmm. Planescape, ravenloft,
    Birthright, mystara,
    Dark sun, oerth, krynn,
    Toril are all good

  • @adrianniks2591
    @adrianniks2591 4 місяці тому

    Desend in to Awerness XD

  • @apesecks8404
    @apesecks8404 Рік тому

    Planescape

  • @81Earthangel
    @81Earthangel Рік тому +1

    Of course D&D works in low magic settings. Why wouldn’t it? I really didn’t get your point. And of course different settings have different races and classes.

    • @worldbuildingsage
      @worldbuildingsage  Рік тому

      DnD is made for High Magic Pulp Adventures. If you want to play low magic, there are way better systems to represent it without having to restrict the classes to fighters and rogues.

    • @81Earthangel
      @81Earthangel Рік тому +1

      @@worldbuildingsage D&D uses a D20 system and there are many very similar rules used for low or no fantasy settings. Call of Cuthulu or other horror settings work, sci-fi settings work and also low magic settings. There are lower Magic settings/RPGs in which magical classes are still very powerful compared to non-magical classes and not the other way around. E.g. The Black Eye RPG. But, that's not an issue of the rule system. The reason why in most D&D settings non-magical classes are so immensely powerful is like you said, because it is so pulpy. Any hero no matter if a fighter, ranger, bard or whatever can take out dozens of enemies, huge monsters or even demi gods. In other medieval fantasy RPGs players would have no option to fight, but would have to sneak, run or outwit... But, I guess that's why we love D&D so much. Everyone is a super hero fighting through a whole dungeon or hell itself.

    • @worldbuildingsage
      @worldbuildingsage  Рік тому

      @@81Earthangel Yeah. You said it. That's why it's just simply better to play certain things with their respective system.
      Call of Cthulhu is simply better to play dark eldritch horror campaigns because it's tailored to exactly that experience.
      Same with low fantasy. Warhammer Fantasy RPG is actually quite well suited for Low Fantasy, or the German System "The Black Eye"

    • @christopherkowalczyk4405
      @christopherkowalczyk4405 Рік тому

      I took the point as if its low magic any spellcasters in the group are going to a bit op if they progress with the same spell lists and slots as in other settings.
      So if you want to keep the low magic concept you'd have to handicap what spells and abilities magic users get.
      So the low score could be because that makes more work for the DM to do.
      If the setting already has rules for that baked in great. If you come to the setting using just the core books you have to homebrew it and unless the players are really into the low magic concept some will probably complain about having their class broken.
      Least that's how I processed the narrator's reasons for the ranking.

    • @worldbuildingsage
      @worldbuildingsage  Рік тому

      @@christopherkowalczyk4405 Exactly this. Though my main argument was that there are just better Pen and Paper systems you don't have to break at all if you want to play Low Fantasy.

  • @michaelmorton6566
    @michaelmorton6566 Рік тому +5

    seriously forgotton realms is s teir its by far the most flushed out world its not just the sword coast

    • @worldbuildingsage
      @worldbuildingsage  Рік тому +2

      It's definitely their most cluttered setting because of 40+ years of baggage.

    • @ytchanviewer5389
      @ytchanviewer5389 Рік тому +3

      "Fleshed out" does not mean it's good. Said otherwise : quantity does not imply quality.
      Personally, I find the Forgotten Realms fairly ridiculous because everything goes. The lore is at the same time very specific (e.g. Goliath have a personality like this very-detailed this, their society is like that very-detailed that) and extremely vague (where do you find them ? Er ... in the mountains. In which mountains ? Er ... in whichever mountain you want : we didn't put them somewhere on the map so you can put them wherever you want.)

    • @InquisitorThomas
      @InquisitorThomas Рік тому

      @@ytchanviewer5389 Yeah Forgotten Realms has too much lore to have a region that can be a canvas for DM or player to add their own ideas, but a lot of the lore is either too shallow, stereotypical, or convoluted to make for good inspiration.

    • @belegur8108
      @belegur8108 Рік тому +2

      @@InquisitorThomas i dare to disagree here. Sure, the Swordcoast is heavily overused and overly fleshed out in tiny details, but Fearun is far more than only the west coast. WotC sadly never invested in bringing to live all the other regions of that world, which are covered in numerous books from the 80's and 90's.
      A campaign setting for Forgotten Realms in the Time of Troubles ( a lot playing in the Dale Lands, a region south east of the great desert next to the sword coast )would be awesome, where the High God Ao banished all the other gods from the heavens and hells ( with Helm being the exception as the guardian of the gate to the celestial realms ) to walk the earth in their mortal avatars, to earn back the faith of their followers. Several gods died and several mortals replaced those vacancies... truely epic
      Maybe the upcomming D&D movie will touch some of the Realms, because the underground city with the chubby red dragon and the Red Wizards of Thay are not set at the coast.

  • @apocratos0174
    @apocratos0174 Рік тому

    I didnt knew mtg took the campaign setting for theros!!!
    Lol

  • @TRivan-kx2bi
    @TRivan-kx2bi Рік тому

    Forgotten Realms followed by Dragonlance, for me. I know less about the other settings.

  • @Mekol
    @Mekol 3 місяці тому

    Skipping Mystara :D

  • @CitanulsPumpkin
    @CitanulsPumpkin Рік тому

    For those who need more info on Ravnica, it is the best Sigil/Planscape book WotC is ever going to release.
    Ravnica is a massive city that covers its entire plane/planet. The city-world is run by ten guilds, which are what you would get if you took the Factions of Sigil and made them relevant to the day to day operations of Sigil itself.
    One guild runs the courts and government. Another runs the church, mafia, and tax collectors. One guild handles all the city infrastructure. One for healthcare. One for sewer maintenance. One for military police. One is all spies. And the last three are a nature cult that offers better food and Healthcare than the other guilds, a demon cult full of BDSM circus performers, and the angry soccer hooligan guild.
    Regardless of any biases you might have against Magic the Gathering, the Ravnica book is the best faction politics book WotC will ever put out. Just like how Theros is the best version of Dieties and Demigods ever released.

  • @jonhunt1419
    @jonhunt1419 2 місяці тому

    I hated, and still hate, that they dropped Greyhawk and created forgotten realms just to get away from Gygax. FR sucks overall but some of the supplements are very good - moonshae and underdark - and one was excellent - Rashemen. Also, you are right about Wildemount - it's trash.

  • @JacksonOwex
    @JacksonOwex Рік тому +1

    Ravnica is a great setting, the 5E book SUCKS! It doesn't give you SHIT for use of creating your campaign!

    • @worldbuildingsage
      @worldbuildingsage  Рік тому +1

      5e books about other settings are generally bad. The best one is Eberron's in terms of content and it's only decent.

  • @zico81
    @zico81 Рік тому

    I have Eberron but was not very impressed. I mean it's alright, but Birthright and Dark Sun are both WAY more interesting.

  • @codemonster8443
    @codemonster8443 Рік тому +1

    Dude, I'm not joking, that accent turned me off from this otherwise decent video. Please drop it, for the listener's sake and perhaps your chaneel

    • @textoffender3410
      @textoffender3410 Рік тому

      You cant just drop an accent, you'd have to deliberately put on a fake one. That's unreasonable and would probably push more people away than it would stop

    • @balroggambit
      @balroggambit Місяць тому

      Word

  • @terratorment2940
    @terratorment2940 5 місяців тому

    I used to dislike Golarion but it has grown on me