Welcome to the RPGBOT.Podcast, where tonight we bravely attempt to eat the entire Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting menu in one sitting. No tie-ins, no supplements, no “this was technically in Dragon Magazine once” nonsense: just the official D&D settings, served tasting-menu style. From post-apocalyptic deserts where magic killed the planet, to punk fantasy with robot soldiers, to the setting so generic it’s basically carbonated water, we’re ranking, roasting, and reminiscing about the worlds that shaped tabletop roleplaying games. Grab your character sheet, loosen your belt, and prepare for Forgotten Realms Coke vs Greyhawk Pepsi discourse.
Show Notes
In this episode of the RPGBOT.Podcast, we review the official Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings created by Wizards of the Coast (excluding licensed tie-ins and sub-settings) to help players and Dungeon Masters understand what makes each world distinct.
Rather than deep dives, this episode delivers a high-level overview of each D&D setting’s tone, themes, and playstyle, helping listeners decide which campaign setting best fits their table.
Campaign Settings Covered
- Birthright – A kingdom-management focused D&D setting where divine bloodlines grant rulers supernatural authority. Ideal for players who want politics, rulership, and domain-level play alongside traditional adventuring.
- Dark Sun – A grimdark, post-apocalyptic fantasy setting defined by ecological collapse, psionics, scarce resources, and moral ambiguity. One of D&D’s darkest campaign settings.
- Dragonlance – Epic fantasy rooted in legendary novels, fallen gods, returning dragons, and mythic heroism. A classic D&D setting built around narrative arcs and world-shaking events.
- Eberron – A pulp fantasy and dungeon-punk setting where magic functions as technology. Airships, warforged, political intrigue, and post-war fallout define this highly popular D&D world.
- Forgotten Realms – The default D&D campaign setting for 5e. High-magic, high-fantasy, dense lore, iconic characters, and flexible adventure design make it the most widely recognized setting.
- Greyhawk – The original published D&D setting, emphasizing sword-and-sorcery, moral ambiguity, and classic fantasy roots tied to iconic spells and characters.
- Mystara – A simplified fantasy setting originally designed for Basic D&D, featuring lighter tone, fewer races, and a more approachable style for new or younger players.
- Nentir Vale – A minimalist fourth-edition setting designed as a flexible framework rather than a fully realized world—perfect for Dungeon Masters who prefer homebrew.
- Planescape – A multiversal setting centered on Sigil, the City of Doors. Philosophical factions, planar travel, cosmic weirdness, and reality-bending concepts define this fan-favorite.
- Ravenloft – Gothic horror fantasy featuring cursed domains, tragic villains, and psychological dread. A setting focused on atmosphere, consequences, and survival.
- Spelljammer – Space fantasy for D&D, blending swashbuckling adventure with crystal spheres, astral travel, and magical ships sailing between worlds.
Support RPGBOT by Visiting our Affiliate Partners
- Amazon – All of your regular online shopping, plus support RPGBOT.
- Cantrip Candles – The original TTRPG candle.
- DMsGuild and DriveThruRPG – The leading source of PDF source books
- dScryb – Proprietors of finely-crafted “boxed text.” Use coupon code “RPGBOT” at checkout for 10% off your first subscription payment or “RPGBOT5” for $5 off your first subscription payment.
- Easy Roller Dice – Dice, dice trays, dice jails, and other tabletop gaming accessories. Use coupon code “RPGBOT” at checkout for 15% off your purchase
- Ezoic – RPGBOT’s long-time banner ad provider. If you have a cool website, Ezoic is really great.
- Heroforge – The premiere provider of custom miniatures.
- Humble Bundle – Buy bundles of games and game products at a massive discount and support both RPGBOT and charity.
Support the Pod
If you enjoy the show, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. It’s a quick, free way to support the podcast, and helps us reach new listeners.
If you love the show, consider joining us on Patreon, where backers at the $5 and above tiers get ad free access to RPGBOT.net and the RPGBOT.Podcast, direct access to the RPGBOT.Team on the RPGBOT.Discord, and can join us every week for live-streamed recordings.
Support us on Amazon.com when you purchase products recommended in the show at the following link: https://amzn.to/3NwElxQ
How to Find Us:
In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net
Tyler Kamstra
Ash Ely
- Professional Game Master on StartPlaying.Games
- Join Ash’s West Marches-style PF2 Game
- Bluesky: GravenAshes
- YouTube: @ashravenmedia
Randall James
- AmateurJack.com
- Bluesky: @JackAmateur
- Read Melancon: A Grimoire Tale
