Greyhawk
Forgotten Realms
Ravenloft
Dark Sun
Dragonlance
Mystara
Planescape
Legend of the Five Rings
Spelljammer
Eberron
Kingdoms of Kalamar
Chosen Answer:
A true answer might take 10 pages. I’ll try a condensed summary.
Greyhawk: 1st major established game world developed by D&D authors. Origin of many infamous villains (e.g. Iggwilv, Iuz), spells, and modules (e.g. Temple of Elemental Evil).
Forgotten Realms: Much like Greyhawk in sense of content, but fleshed out to a much larger world. Successor to Greyhawk and Dragonlance and wildly popular setting because virtually all types of campaigns, whether they be oriental, high magic, desert, etc., can find a home. Only downfall is that perhaps there’s TOO much material for it. We’re talking dozens of accessory books, hundreds of gods, a billion epic-level NPCs and so on.
Ravenloft: Excellent premise of small kingdoms ruled by someone or thing so dark, evil, or sadistic they were drawn to this demi-plane of pure evil presumably created by denizens of pure evil. Because it touches on all gaming worlds, could be inserted in any ongoing campaign. Only downside is that evil “wins” here and any victory for good is generally temporary. Most campaigns are focused on getting out of Ravenloft. Home to the #1 bad guy of D&D, Strahd the vampire.
Dark Sun: Phenomenal when it came out but changed so rapidly that players were turned away. Focuses on desert world where there are no gods, just elemental powers, and survival is brutal, so starting levels and ability scores were higher. Introduced several new races like thri-kreen and brought back psionics. Took a new approach to magic drawing power from plants and life, sorcerer kings granting clerical powers, and redefined the role of each race (e.g. halflings become savages with cannibalistic tendancies). Introduced new style of modules (a flip book for the players with visuals and a flip book for the DM…never caught on).
Dragonlance: Took the gaming world by storm with a popular series of books. Similar to Greyhawk but took a focus on heroics, the rule that good will triumph over evil, and that a balance between the two must be kept. Introduced a few new races (took away orcs) and classes, more strictly defined class roles than other worlds. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but fresh at the time and still popular. True to its name, dragons did play a large role during certain periods of history. World never got fleshed out besides a certain period of time compared to other campaigns.
Mystara: When D&D was still sold in blue, red, green, and so on boxes with basic-enough rules to fit your character sheet on two lines of text, the early modules needed a setting, so Mystara was made. It was abandoned during 2nd edition, but fans have continued keeping it alive. It’s your basic D&D world with every race and monster. Its simplicity (compared to the Realms, for example) makes it attractive for those seeking a new gaming world to try out.
Planescape: One of the best settings ever developed during 2nd edition. Set in the Inner, Outer, elemental and Astral planes, this setting really introduced a unique place to game that spoke of high fantasy and never-ending adventure. It could be tied to any gaming world, jumped in and out of at any time. With such diversity, you could run a game with a thri-kreen from Dark Sun, a Knight of Myth Drannor from the Realms, and a Tower Wizard from Dragonlance without anyone batting an eye.
Legend of Five Rings: (I’ve only seen the rules, not played). Can’t speak to this as well, but basically a really simplistic set of rules for Tolkein’s world. Not a whole lot of material developed, and the rules don’t translate to the universal d20 system we have now (much less 2nd edition). While I’m sure some still play it, can’t say that would be a large number.
Spelljammer: Personally I’m not a fan, but if you like space-travelling ships and hippo-people and the ability to zip to different worlds in a pseudo-sci-fi type fashion, this works. Not convinced space travel and fantasy mix well, but nevertheless, that’s what you’ve got. Otherwise, mixes with any other standard D&D gaming world (except Dark Sun, which is protected from any spelljammers entering it).
Eberron: Fan-inspired 3rd edition world, mixing a little of Steampunk (e.g. trains and some technology) into a D&D-esque world. Adds the popular Warforged race and a post-renaissance type world that used Dragonshards for some artifact-type mystique. Setting of the D&D online game and really one of those places that with a tweak or two fits into any setting.
Kalamar: Totally a D&D world like Greyhawk and the Realms. If you’ve read Knights of the Dinner Table comic, this was inspired by where those crazy gamers played. Nothing overly crazy, but there’s something refreshing about a simpler setting. It’s totally meant for 3rd and now, 4th edition and is the Hackmaster setting (which is 3.5 compatible and appropriately, more hack n slash).
by: M P
on: 24th January 11