3 Classic Dungeons & Dragons Settings That We Still Need in 5e (And 1 Is Probably Coming Soon)

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For decades, Dungeons & Dragons has offered players diverse and imaginative worlds to explore. Whether it’s the popular Forgotten Realms, recently featured in Baldur’s Gate 3, or the gothic horror of Ravenloft, there’s a setting for every kind of adventure. Plus, with content created by fans, like the folk horror setting Crooked Moon, the options are practically limitless. However, since the release of Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition in 2014, some of the game’s most beloved campaign settings have been missing. While some of these have been reintroduced in recent years, others are still waiting to be updated for the current edition.

Recently, popular classic settings have been updated for the 5th edition of Dungeons & Dragons. The 2022 release of D&D Spelljammer: Adventures in Space brought back the beloved Spelljammer setting, originally from the 2nd edition. And the 2024 update to the Dungeon Master’s Guide reintroduced Greyhawk, a foundational setting famous for creatures like the Owlbear and Mind Flayer. However, some fan-favorite settings are still missing from official 5e books, despite strong demand from players.

3. Mystara

Mystara, originally the main setting for Dungeons & Dragons, is a classic high fantasy world. It’s often called a “kitchen sink” world because it mixes so many different cultures and countries. While it shares similarities with other popular high fantasy settings like Greyhawk and the Forgotten Realms, Mystara stands out with its diverse people and independent nations, offering players a lot of freedom.

Mystara is a beloved setting from the early days of Dungeons & Dragons, but Wizards of the Coast hasn’t released any official adventures or rulebooks for it in the current 5th Edition. However, fans clearly want to see it, and have created a lot of their own content to adapt Mystara for 5e. While other classic settings have recently been updated for 5e, Mystara seems less likely to appear. This is likely because it shares similarities with existing settings, and it would be a challenge to create balanced content for all of its many different countries.

2. Al-Qadim

The Al-Qadim campaign setting, originally created for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition, draws its inspiration from Arabic cultures. While officially part of the Forgotten Realms, its unique sourcebooks established it as a distinct location for Dungeons & Dragons adventures. Although well-loved by fans, there hasn’t been any new Al-Qadim content published since 1998. It might be featured in future Forgotten Realms books, but a dedicated, standalone Al-Qadim adventure seems unlikely.

I really enjoyed Al-Qadim back in the day, but looking back, some of the way it portrayed Arabic culture feels pretty stereotypical now. Wizards of the Coast is trying to be more thoughtful and inclusive with D&D 5e, so bringing Al-Qadim back would require a lot of changes. Honestly, with so many other great settings available, I think it’s unlikely we’ll see it updated. Still, if you’re curious, you can actually play the old Al-Qadim: The Genie’s Curse video game on Steam, which is a fun little piece of nostalgia!

1. Dark Sun

Dark Sun is the most talked-about setting among fans hoping for a return in the current edition of Dungeons & Dragons (5e). Playtest content has started to include psionics – psychic abilities strongly linked to the Dark Sun campaign world. While Wizards of the Coast hasn’t confirmed any official Dark Sun books or materials for 5e yet, the introduction of psionics has fueled speculation.

The Dark Sun campaign setting, similar to Al-Qadim, contains sensitive themes and outdated stereotypes that would need careful handling if Wizards of the Coast were to bring it back. However, its unique, post-apocalyptic desert world of Athas remains very popular with fans, offering a refreshing change from traditional high fantasy D&D adventures. The original stories tackle difficult subjects like slavery and genocide, which have prevented a full return of the setting in newer materials. While it’s unclear if the Dark Sun setting itself will be revisited, it looks like some of its distinctive elements will be incorporated into the 5th edition of the game soon.

Where would you love to run your next Dungeons & Dragons campaign? Share your ideas in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-10-27 23:14