Is THIS The BEST D&D Campaign Setting For New Dungeon Masters?

Everyone has their favorite D&D campaign setting. Let me share my thoughts I why I think the Nentir Vale might be the best Dungeons and Dragons setting for new Dungeon Masters.

Whether it is Dungeons and Dragons, Tales of the Valiant, or any number of other Tabletop Roleplaying Games, I want to talk about them.

Details about the Nentir Vale can be found in these books...

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[alexbarrett]

I wish they'd done a full campaign guide for Nentir Vale at the end of 4e though. There is actually so many little lore nuggets, but having them scattered across all the 4e books and adventures makes it somewhat hard to access. Otherwise a really nice little setting.

[igwilly]

Jesus Christ, this map is so nostalgic to me.
The part about the lore is actually very interesting: it was a pretty huge point in 4e that the world was is a Dark Age following the fall of Nerath, and each part of the former empire suffered its own problems afterwards. So anyone actually *living* in it wouldn't have the breadth of scholarly knowledge that real-world fans of more detailed settings would have about these settings. Often the lore we had of the bigger world was scattered and more like myth and ancient history than precise year-to-year accounts.
Even though 4e was *very* different in terms of rules and mechanics and even feel of play, the setting was one of the most old-school settings of D&D, for these and other reasons. It tapped into the origins of heroic fantasy like few settings at the time. Or since.

[beladan]

The Vale gives you a place to learn about quickly, and there are plenty of environments, places, and ecosystems within a short travel period to explore and adventure in. But by the time you've reached the edge of the map, there is unlimited opportunity for ANYTHING to lay beyond its bounds. It's the perfect blend of a space your characters can connect and grow in, and graduate from into the larger world beyond its borders.

[cpvest]

It's like an updated and expanded Keep on the Borderlands turned into a setting (look at Winterhaven map). Also if you do need to expand into a larger world it can easily be done by using the Conquest of Nerath boardgame map, and the Nerathi Legends articles in Dragon Magazine 399 - 403, 405 and 406. Fantastic for world building, I've used them a few times.

[MykeDiemart]

It was one of the best things to come out of 4th ed.

[Arcboltkonrad]

Freaking LOVE the Nentir Vale. It's small, sure, but it is JAM PACKED with adventure.

[Drudenfusz]

I enjoyed the setting as well as I enjoyed the overall points of light philosophy that was in 4th edition.

[captaindudeman]

I think Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale should warrant mention too. Although a monster book it its hyper focused on the monstrous entities and humanoid factions that exist in the Vale.

So many hooks can be generated from this book and context for encounter planning by region is outstanding. With this you can really distinguish who is operating in what area providing that living world sandbox feel.

Yeah the stat blocks are 4e, but that doesnt mean you cant sub em out for stat blocks for whatever game your using or if you feel up to it lift the bits that sound interesting and run em as is disregarding all that doesnt fit.

[nicklarocco]

The Nentir Vale proves that bigger isn't always better for campaign settings. A small, tightly focused setting is great, and it was awesome to see something with a stronger focus than something like the Realms.

[RobLi]

The H1-3 Keep on the Shadowfell series is great if you look up the Orcus variant that someone made up. Plenty to do, easy to run, and like you said with the rest of the Nentir Vale, plenty of blank space to make your own.

[strixvaria]

Thanks for the recommendation. I’ve been planning on running a campaign for my kids. I’ll be looking into this now that you put it on my radar

[sylvaincousineau]

My present campaign is in Nentir Vale . 🍺

[dylanhyatt]

The Nentir Vale map just sucked me in when I first saw it, with its pin-points of light theme and Tolkien 'shire' feel. Thanks OldeGreybeard and great to see you back.

[chaoshead]

The lack of everything being completely fleshed out is why I LOVED the vale. I played in and just around the vale for most of our first three campaigns in 4e. I did place my fourth campaign in Eberron but only because we had been playing there for most of 3e and we all knew and loved khorvaire. Keep up the good work brotha, long live 4e!

[Hellheart]

You ever notice that the Dwarf armourer, Teldorthan (he's one of the quest hooks), doesn't have the same last name each time they mention him? If you read about Fallcrest, they call him "Ironhews", "Irontooth", and "Goldcap." It's pretty funny.

[theerectus]

Mentor Vale is my groups setting since the beginning of 4e. We were absolutely heartbroken that the setting book got scrapped and the essentials dmg + threats monster manual ended up being the biggest source material for it. But that gave us a lot of room to completely make it our own. To this day we reminisce about our 4e games more than the 3.5 or 5e games.

[nagashtheforsaken]

I only wish there was a guide for Nentir Vale. Great video!

[clarkside]

I ain't done with it yet! My in-person group just finished Keep on the Shadowfell (my 5e conversion) and I'm prepping for their trip to Fallcrest and then Thunderspire Labyrinth after that.

I will say, regarding the Nentir Vale, they have a named Chromatic Dragon for each color except Blue. That makes me sad, so I'm putting a Blue Dragon in the storm above the Thunderspire. My take on him will be that he's having a Shadar-kai witch transmute his lightning into magical magnetism by making his bones metal. Once he can make his magnetic field big enough, he'll draw in whatever he can. It might not get gold, but it could get the chests or vaults carrying gold or other magnetic magic items (likes swords, shields, armor, etc). I just don't have a great name for him. Any thoughts? Feel free to use him yourself for whatever!

[RickUnderwood]

It's where I'm currently DMing a campaign, set around restoring the Primal Spirits, opposed by Asmodeus and his organisation The Iron Circle. It's a great setting. The party are up to level 5 and haven't even left Harkenwold yet.

[ShawnStutts]

I adore this setting. The DMG laid things out nicely.