Do you Prefer Your Fantasy Setting Epic or Grimy?

RPGPundit · March 13, 2018, 03:59:33 AM

In general, do you prefer fantasy settings that are epic and full of majestic sights, castles and giant statues and magical wonders and stunning vistas? Or are you more at home with a setting full of filthy cities and pirate dens and half-starved peasants living in mud-huts?

S'mon · March 13, 2018, 04:10:14 AM

I like Wilderlands of High Fantasy - it has both!

I also like Yggsburgh, which is more to the grimy end, as is Nentir Vale. So I guess if I have to choose I'd go grimy, but I really like the contrast best.

Kiero · March 13, 2018, 05:46:47 AM

Grimy.

But only because I'd prefer straight historical over fantasy if I was given the choice. I find most "epic" fantasy lazy and derivative; far too often instead of any consistency or hard thought being applied, they resort either to "a wizard did it" or traditions.

Armchair Gamer · March 13, 2018, 07:51:03 AM

Epic. Give me Middle-Earth over Nehwon any day. (I haven't read enough Conan to make the comparison to the Hyborian Age.)

Teodrik · March 13, 2018, 08:10:44 AM

I love both classic high fantasy and sword&sorcery. So both Tolkien and Howard. I am quite fatigued with dreary and gritty low-fantasy. Something that I think many don't get these day is that sword & sorcery in a Conan sense is just not grim and gritty but also escapist, romanticist and life affirming.

For general fantasy I'll take shining castle's and pegasus riding knights farthing rainbows over yet another "life is shit and you are dirtlow scum trying to get rich before the world ends in a month".

Vidgrip · March 13, 2018, 08:27:29 AM

I enjoy both equally. After a few adventures in one, I tend to start craving the other.

Steven Mitchell · March 13, 2018, 08:28:15 AM

Quote from: Teodrik;1029088I love both classic high fantasy and sword&sorcery. So both Tolkien and Howard. I am quite fatigued with dreary and gritty low-fantasy. Something that I think many don't get these day is that sword & sorcery in a Conan sense is just not grim and gritty but also escapist, romanticist and life affirming.

This. I like the base to be edging ever so slightly into epic, with notable but muted dashes into mythic, grit, horror, comedy, fairy tales, and so forth. Jack Vance's "Lyonesse" trilogy probably comes the closest to the tone I want.

Nerzenjäger · March 13, 2018, 08:32:35 AM

It really depends on the game system.

For whatever reason I love using Palladium Fantasy 2E for High Intrigue Fantasy Settings. Probably because the characters are so powerful and detailed from the get-go.

0E is pulp, obviously. Though I've run 5E in a pulp fantasy setting as well.

For Epic Fantasy I prefer 2E or C&C. Not too detailed, but with enough options to make sweeping and broad actions inside the setting possible and everyone gets to shine.

Chris24601 · March 13, 2018, 09:53:52 AM

Quote from: RPGPundit;1029058In general, do you prefer fantasy settings that are epic and full of majestic sights, castles and giant statues and magical wonders and stunning vistas? Or are you more at home with a setting full of filthy cities and pirate dens and half-starved peasants living in mud-huts?

Why must it be either-or?

Why not filthy slums in the shadows of majestic castles and sky pirate dens on the lip of an active volcano?

Frankly, the gleaming towers just make the squalor of the masses more profound.

Thanos · March 13, 2018, 12:36:44 PM

Grime. So tired on stumbling over magic items and scrolls etc, every encounter. Low magic For The Win. Sure you can resurrect your 3rd level rogue if you go on a quest to challenge the gods which may include your death.

Gronan of Simmerya · March 13, 2018, 12:52:00 PM

The Hyborian Age had plenty of both. I like that.

Adventurewise, I hate "save the world" type games.

Frey · March 13, 2018, 02:31:33 PM

Grimy without being grimdark.

RebirthTeam · March 13, 2018, 04:41:15 PM

Dark and grimy all the way!

Sometimes a play on dystopian that hits both. For example, the players see an excellent gorgeous castle full of riches and whatever, only to reveal the peasants are forced to live in the sewers and are secretly poisoning the royalty. (Kind of a fun play on H.G. Wells "Time Machine").

Then again, it also does com down to what the campaign is about.

Skarg · March 13, 2018, 05:34:45 PM

I like a gameworld to have a variety of places arranged on an interesting, consistent and detailed map. It seems to me almost every world should include some grimy places, and since I like consistency, the shiny places want some background and explanation rather than just being all Duloc is a perfect place or "behold the excessively vertical towers of impossibility" or whatever - they need some foundation that holds some water or they fail to impress and may backfire into disbelief.

James Gillen · March 13, 2018, 05:52:28 PM

"'E must be the King... 'e 'asn't got shit all over 'im."