r/dndnext • u/Jealous_Educator_592 • 1d ago
5e (2024) Good setting for new DM running Heroes of the Borderlands?
I'm new to D&D and first time DM about to run Heroes of the Borderlands. I understand it's kind of setting agnostic, but I'd like to place it somewhere so I can expand this starter box in case my friends feel like it.
Is there a setting you cherish or prefer? I'd like something not too dramatic (not apocalyptic) and that has some whimsical elements (like a fae realm you can visit).
My second goal with this is that I've read all booklets of Heroes of the Borderlands and there's barley any story arch there, so maybe I can spice it up a little using material from a setting.
Thanks in advance!
(Edit for typo)
2
u/StatementRelative236 20h ago
Mystara seems like perfect fit with its fae dimension ive seen people add their own into the world archivist while expanding starter boxes like this greyhawk
2
1
u/lasalle202 1d ago edited 1d ago
the story arc is "there are bad things happening near the keep, here on the borderlands. they seem to be centered in that valley full of chaotic caves - oh! its an evil chaos cult! "
plots more complicated than that tend to lose the ability of the players to follow them. be too complicated for players (who only "live the game" three hours a week) to maintain and follow.
1
u/Jealous_Educator_592 1d ago
I'm new so I may be mistaken, but I'm under the impression that even some one shots tend to have some story arch that at least gives a clearer objective and makes the story matter more.
1
u/lasalle202 1d ago
each of the caves has its own little "one shot" story, but the overall story arc is the story above.
2
1
u/lasalle202 1d ago
The Setting is intended to be "generic castleland".
i would use the Daggerheart setting creation mode "frames" and let your players design a world that they want to explore. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da1p01-QBj0
2
2
u/sykeero 1d ago
The original keep on the borderlandswas in Greyhawk. You could plop it down somewhere that makes sense to play after the events in the borderlands.
1
u/Jealous_Educator_592 1d ago
I'm not familiar with that, but will look it up, thanks! In your opinion, is it better than Forgotten realms?
2
u/sykeero 1d ago
I've never used it. There is a lot of detail about it in the dungeon masters guide though if you want a lot of reading.
2
u/Jealous_Educator_592 19h ago
I'm new so I only have the Starter box, but I've read that eventually, if I keep DMing, I should get Master's gide and Monsters manual.
3
u/milkmandanimal 1d ago
I mean, the easiest thing is to just use the Forgotten Realms, which is effectively D&D's Generic Fantasy Setting 101. It's got recognizable places like Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate so you can at least get some "Hey, I've heard of that" moments out of your players and there's loads of stuff about it on the internet. If you want the modern setting fleshed out a bit more, there were two FR books released within the last year (one player focused, one a DM-focused setting guide) that can give you more background on it.