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Explaining D&D Major World Settings | Which One Should You Run?

The Fantasy Historian

136,179 views

A brief overview of the major D&D world settings from 1e-5e. Check out the links in below for some helpful resources!
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Time Stamps:
0:00-3:28 Greyhawk
3:29-8:50 Mystara
8:51-12:22 Ravenloft
12:23-14:50 Dragonlance
14:51-20:02 Forgotten Realms
20:03-23:45 Spelljammer
23:46-26:36 Dark Sun
26:37-30:28 Birthright
30:29-34:18 Planescape
34:19-38:29 Eberron
38:30-39:38 Honorable Mentions
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Researched, Written, Edited, and Narrated by yours truly: The Fantasy Historian

Helpful Resources:

1. List of all the Acessories TSR and WOTC:
https://www.tsrarchive.com/index3.html

2. D&D Campaign Settings List: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeon...

3. Greyhawk Adventure Locations Map:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Greyhawk/com...

4. Mystara's Evolving Map:
https://mystara.thorfmaps.com/known-w...

5. Dragonlance (map and Player's Guide Campaign Book)
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/krynn-sh...
https://archive.org/details/tsr02143p...

6. Forgotten Realms Complete Timeline
https://alphastream.org/index.php/202...

7. Birthright 5e
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-L4h_Q...
http://www.birthright.net/forums/show...

8. Spelljammer map explanations:
https://laughingbeholder.com/location...

9. Ebberron map:
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/eberron-...

10. Dark Sun:
-3.5e Reddit: 35_dark_sun_rework
-5e Reddit: dark_sun_campaign_setting_5e_a_full_526page_5e

YouTube Videos:
1. Dark Sun Explained (This channel also covers many other settings)
The Brutal History of D&D’s Dark Sun

2. Greyhawk Briefly Explained (Lots of other Greyhawk stuff)

3. Ravenloft Explained
Ravenloft in 5 Minutes! Dungeons & Dragons...

Image Sources:
Mainly all TSR and WOTC products and magazine covers

Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976: Allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research.
All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

#lore #dungeonsanddragons

20 Comments

@TheFantasyHistorianYT Creator 9 months ago Pinned

I have had some good feedback in the comments on things that I messed up on, I appreciate the fixes! I wish I could fix them in the video, but, alas, that is the bane of a Youtuber's existence. There are only options to trim, cut, or blur, but not actually fix things unless I reupload. I still have lots to learn myself and was hoping that a video like this would be helpful to get a basic idea of what setting to pick for your own games. The most glaring mistake that was pointed out is the map of the "Hollow World" I used (6:58 and onwards) is actually the "Hollow World" from DC Comics and not from Mystara. How embarrassing...at least the idea behind it is similar. The correct map is found here https://mystara.thorfmaps.com/hw-hollow-world-diagram/. My apologies for giving incorrect information and thank you for the help!

@thetrustysidekick3013 9 months ago

I've been enchanted by the Dark Sun setting in high school. The setting is just so unique and feels so different compared to the other settings.

@DurrutiColumn 9 months ago (edited)

You had me at "militant humanoid hippos"

@mrp8171 8 months ago

Gentlemans, there is easy way to understand differences between High Fantasy and Sword & Sorcery.
High Fantasy: "Look, there is evil wizard tower, we must go inside and stop him from conquering world"
Sword & Sorcery: " Look, there is evill wizard tower, we must go inside and loot this place"

@wingedhussar5528 8 months ago

I loved Dark Sun the campaign setting was so different than everything else.

@Huntsville_Actual 11 months ago

You put a lot of work and did a great job on this, yet have a criminally low number of viewers. I hope more folks come along and discover it too.

@JCody-pt3th 7 months ago

I played an Eberron campaign as my last time in a D&D group. It wasn’t my favorite setting, but I really appreciated it for the development. I liked the idea of low magic being used for things like mass transit, daily convenience, or general industrial use.

@user-pg3pe4gx4p 4 months ago

Started playing in 1979 when the only setting available was Greyhawk. My Dad, our DM, made up his own campaign setting which was a map of the known world and a few deities (one for each alignment). We were fans of LOTR so our world felt a little like Middle-Earth. Maybe the best campaign setting is one in which you just make up as you go along.

@mikequigleyorruneoform7096 5 days ago

Forgot Realms was my jam. started in 1st edition in late 80s. At one time I had every Forgot Realms book and box up to the buyout of TSR. I once used a conference room floor to layout every map overlapped and lined up. The hole world in 1 inch to 30 mile scale.

@Ipanophis 9 months ago

I watched this whole video to hear you say "Ghostwalk". Literally the very last one you said. 😂 Thanks man.

@AdiunTesserande 7 months ago

Birthright, Mystara, Eberron, and the Forgotten Realms are by far my favourite settings.

@michaelsmyth3935 1 month ago (edited)

The Keep on the Borderlands started it all for myself. Started developing my world in 1980.
Still going.
Still have most of the Gazetteer sets. The Legions of Thar!!

@ZZ-sp3tt 8 months ago

Dragonlance is dungeons and dragons to me.

@gorillaguerillaDK 4 months ago

I freaking LOVED the BECMI books and Mystara...

@MagusMarquillin 9 months ago

If you want a deeper dive (close to an hour) into most of these settings (as well as more forgotten fantasy series) the channel "exits examined" is a great one.