D&D: Five Great Campaign Settings You Should Explore Beyond WotC
Dungeons & Dragons is so much more than the Forgotten Realms. Here are some third-party campaign settings worth checking out!
When it comes to D&D, one of the most relied upon splatbooks is the humble campaign setting. After all, D&D is a game of the imagination. And what sparks the imagination more than a whole world inviting you to play in it?
Campaign Setting books are often very detailed affairs that give you a whole new wrinkle on your game. Most often, it’s making D&D feel like it’s set in Greek Mythology, Asian Mythology, or Norse Mythology. But you know, there is some variety out there.
Arkadia
For real though, Greek Mythology is probably one of the biggest drivers of 5E campaign settings. And Arkadia is a pretty good jumping-off point for this. A Mithral Best-Seller on DriveThruRPG and ENnie Award Winnder for Best Setting in 2020, Arkadia is a world inspired by Ancient Greece. Inside you’ll find 12 new archetypes (one for each of the core 5E classes), as well as a handful of new playable species options, including the Phaedran, a monstrous option inspired by Satyrs, Sirens, Centaurs, Gorgons, and Harpies for all you monster-curious folks.
It’s very Bronze Age, but it does it very well. If you want a game that could easily be in the prehistory of your own campaign world, this is a great resource.
Svilland
Seriously. It’s the the second of the three big mythology archetypes. Vikings got a big surge back in the late 2010s and have been going strong ever since. But this trope goes back even further than that. In the original D&D at TSR, the Norse pantheon was a big factor in their books. Before Corellon Larethian or Umberlee, there were the gods of our world, complete with statblocks and hit points and everything.
With that in mind, of course there are several Viking campaign settings. And Svilland does a good job of filling in that archetype. Spirits. Runes. And “the true meaning of blood, magic, raids, and the wrath of the gods.”
The Islands of Sina Una
Bringing up the trifecta is The Islands of Sina Una, which pulls from the precolonial mythology and culture of the Philippines. In this campaign setting, you’ll dive into a world where the mortal races must deal with the great Celestial Eater, Bakunawa, who may one day rise from the sea to destroy the moon and bring about the end of all things.
It also has 2 new base classes, 12 new subclasses, as well as new subraces, backgrounds, and of course, rules for being on a boat that will add much depth to any ocean-going campaign you happen to play. This setting’s lead writer is Makenzie De Armas, whose name you might recognize from official 5E products.
Historia
Of course, sometimes, just plain old history will do for your fantasy world. Historia, from Mana Project Studios (who also make the Cowboy Bebop RPG), does exactly that. It’s a world inspired by the Renaissance and history as the name implies. Which is why the campaign setting is full of anthropomorphic animals. Clearly they happened in history.
In this book, yo’ll find rules for playing as anthropomorphic animals, as well as 10 new classes designed to fit the setting. And of course, rules for Renaissance-era firearms, because you may as well bring out the big guns if you’re going to the Renaissance.
Moomins & Dragons
Finally, one going in a wildly different direction, Moomins & Dragons is a campaign setting inspired by and set in the world of the Moomins. This was a campaign setting designed as a birthday present for a Moomin fan. Venture into the Moominvalley and you’ll find creatures from Tove Jansson’s absolutely astonishing series, which if you haven’t read any you should.
What are some of your favorite 5E settings?
