The best Dungeons & Dragons setting for High Fantasy Adventures

Key things

• Radiant Citadel offers variety and breaks traditional European tropes, making it unique
  D&D
  settings.
• Eberron blends magic with technology, featuring airships and Warforged, adding a twist to high fantasy.
• Planescape is perfect for groups looking for fantasy elements revolving around Sigils and extraplanar adventures.

Dungeons & Dragons is a versatile game with a comprehensive fantasy adventure framework that can hold many different game types. Of course, with its robust spellcasting rules and classic sword and sorcery archetypes, high fantasy is generally the most suitable flavor for a D&D campaign.

Throughout the TTRPG's rich history, numerous published settings have been released to inspire players on their own adventures. These settings come in a wide variety of tones and themes, but here are ten of them the best setting for a traditional high fantasy adventure that D&D is the best in

10 A shining citadel

A fantastic adventure centre

• First performance: 5th edition, Journeys through the resplendent citadel2022

A shining citadel is the latest new setting to grace the site Dungeons & Dragonsintroduced in the 2022 fifth edition adventure anthology. The titular citadel is a massive crystalline landmass floating along the ethereal plane. It is inextricably linked to various mystical realms on the material plane, each providing ample opportunity for danger and adventure.

Perhaps the biggest selling point for Radiant Citadel and its related realms is its variety. The anthology draws inspiration from real cultures around the world, making it the perfect choice for groups looking to break away from the ubiquitous European fantasy tropes that are ubiquitous in many other D&D settings.

9 Eberron

Industrial magic

• First performance: Release 3.5, Eberron campaign settings2004

High fantasy is usually characterized by a lack of advanced technology, with characters relying on magic or medieval agriculture and trade to meet their needs. Eberron provides a unique twist on the industrial age, mixing magic and technology in a way that makes it possible D&D advance the industry without losing its fantasy elements.

The people of Eberron use magic to power fantastic mechanisms such as airships and trains. The existence of Dragonmarks, hereditary mystical blessings, adds a layer of social intrigue. Eberron is also famous for introducing the Warforged, magically powered mechanical humans who became a mainstay in the tapestry Dungeons & Dragons.

8 Charmer

High fantasy space opera

• First performance: 2nd edition, Spelljammer: AD&D Adventures In Space, 1989

Charmer is one of D&Dmost outlandish setting, as it brings the game's conventional high-fantasy adventure into space. Adventurers in the Spelljammer campaign travel the Astral Sea in spaceships known as Spelljammers, which range from conventional sailing ships to fantastical fish-shaped vessels.

Despite the contrived space travel, Spelljammer remains firmly rooted in magic and sorcery, as the name might suggest. Exotic alien creatures and mighty dragons await in the endless reaches of the Astral Sea, demanding discovery and magic D&D to unimaginable new heights.

7 Theros

For the Gods

• First performance: 5th edition, The mythical odyssey of Theros2020

While Theros made his D&D debut in 2020, first appearing as a venue for a Magic: The Gathering set in 2013. This mystical realm is a perfect fit D&Das his inspirations from heavy Greek myths give him a lot of versatility. The sourcebook contains rules for devotion to the gods themselves and gives players a chance to receive both mystical blessings and divine punishments.

While the official setting of Theros lacks fantasy mainstays like elves and dwarves, there are more than enough fantasy creatures for players to try out, like the feline leonine, as well as mythic staples like minotaurs, centaurs, and satyrs. God interference and divine magic are very common tropes in many fantasy stories, and Theros is one of the best. D&D out there when it comes to gods.

6 Strixhaven

Back to school

• First performance: 5th edition, Strixhaven: Curriculum of Chaos, 2021

There are plenty of options for fans D&D play as non-magical characters, but with the large number of spells and the wealth of spellcasting classes on offer, many players find spellcasting to be a place where Dungeons & Dragons it shines. A huge wizarding academy Strixhaven provides the perfect environment to explore the depths of this TTRPG's magic system.

Strixhaven is another import from Magic: The Gathering which serves as a school for aspiring magicians of all categories to hone their craft. The school is divided into five factions, giving players plenty of inspiration for a variety of aesthetics and behind-the-scenes stories, and with the menacing Oriq lurking in the background, there's plenty of conflict to provide an entire magical campaign.

5 Dragonlance

Riding to war

• First performance: 1st edition, Dragons of Despair1984

Epic battles and great wars are the hallmark of the high fantasy genre, and they are few and far between D&D the setting suits it just as well Dragonlance. The world of Krynn, where the story takes place, is caught in a conflict between the forces of good and evil, and as the name suggests, dragons are right at the heart of it.

Dragonlance features numerous high fantasy characters such as fallen knights, legendary artifacts, and of course dragons. The titular Dragonlances are mythical weapons that allow even non-magical warriors to slay mythical fire-breathing creatures, and these are just some of the mighty sources of magic and power that await adventurers in Krynn.

4 Ravnica

City of Guilds

• First performance: 5th edition, Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica2018

World city Ravnicathe realm of magic and intrigue, was one of the most important environments in Magic: The Gathering since its debut in 2005. In 2018, Wizards of the Coast brought the environment Dungeons & Dragonsallowing fans of both games to pursue quests in this spectacular and chaotic city.

Ravnica is defined by its ten warring guilds, each fighting for control of the city. Each guild uses different types of magic and is associated with different fantastical creatures. Dragons and demons roam the streets of Ravnica, as well as other unique creatures such as bioengineered frog monsters and piles of mold. The variety of guilds gives players plenty of options for character builds and life stories, and despite the urban setting, Ravnica never abandons the high fantasy elements of its original game.

3 Exandria

Mercer's World

• First performance: 5th edition, Wildemount explorer2020

A critical role is a franchise that needs no introduction. The massively famous real-life game-turned-animated-TV-series campaign has been credited with gaining most of the modern D&D fans to the game. This popularity is due to the charisma of the stream's seasoned voice actors, as well as the incredible DMing and world-building skills of Matt Mercer, including his creation of an entirely new environment: the world Exandria.

Wizards of the Coast has given fans a chance to follow in Mercer's footsteps by releasing the Wildemount campaign setting in 2020, according to some unofficial guides published by third parties. This book gives players access to the wealth of lore from Mercer's homeworld, allowing them to tell their own stories in the famed DM's realm of magic, mystery, and danger.

2 Forgotten Realms

Respect the classics

• First performance: 1st edition, Bloodstone Pass1985

While the world Forgotten Realms not the first campaign setup D&D when he had is certainly the most ubiquitous, especially for modern fans. It is the official default setting for 5th edition and serves as the setting for the recent movie Honor among thieves movie as well as massively successful Baldur's Gate 3.

Almost every high fantasy trope that modern fans associate with D&D is present in the Forgotten Realms, making it an ideal setting for traditional sword and sorcery adventures. Mighty dragons, menacing demons, and divine angels watch over a diverse cast of fantasy races, from elves to orcs to dwarves. What Forgotten Realms lacks in quirky, genre-bending twists, it more than makes up for in reliability and accessibility.

1 Planescape

Unspoken worlds

• First performance: 2nd edition, Planescape campaign setting1994

Planescape is the ideal setting for groups looking to turn the fantasy elements of their campaigns up to 11. This setting revolves around Sigil, the legendary City of Doors, an extraplanar metropolis laced with portals to various alien planes that form D&Dcomplex cosmology.

So the sigil functions as a sort of melting pot for reality itself D&D; players can expect to rub elbows with angels, devils and dragons, sometimes in the same bar. Planescape turns many commonly held assumptions about morality and ethics on its head, and due to the otherworldly nature of its inhabitants, campaigns and plans can have consequences that stretch back centuries. For players who want to dive deep into the biggest and weirdest things D&Drealms to offer, Planescape is a perfect fit.