When working creatively, it’s common to pull inspiration from the world around you. After all, that reality is what we know best. It can be observed on a daily basis, there are many resources available to the public, and it’s easiest to emulate a world that we exist in. Some might be unenthusiastic about the premise of ‘real world’ influences on a fantasy game like Dungeons & Dragons; however, despite the illusion of being fictitious, fantasy is created from real-world influence.
Urban fantasy is a pretty neat subgenre and a rather popular one at that. Famous stories like Mary Poppins, Harry Potter, and the Darkest Powers are all examples of urban fantasy. The subgenre is essentially the integration of modern settings with the fantasy genre. The urbanization of Dungeons & Dragons can be very interesting to toy with. Imagine dragons and griffins flying over NYC, and that being an everyday occurrence. What if you could stop for your morning coffee and get a potion to help with some acid reflux you have from eating too much cheese the night before? What if Walmart sold wands and swords? Honestly – the possibilities are endless when it comes to this subgenre!
An interesting way you could integrate an urban cityscape into your campaign is to use actual maps from large cities like New York, Dubai, London, et cetera. Using the outlines of big cities would help with building an urban fantasy city from the ground up. If you’re leaning more towards using an actual city in your campaign, then integrating fantasy technology would be a neat way of creating an urban fantasy setting. This could look like flying cars, magical elevators, modernized forges, expensively branded armor (like if Gucci or Balenciaga produced armor), or spin-offs on brands we see every day in big cities.
Ideas for Urban Fantasy D&D Settings:
• A tire store run by wizards specializing in speedy car repair magic.
• Pet stores/adoption centers specifically for magical animals.
• “Find Your Focus!” – a three-step guide to picking out a magic focus.
• Primary Care? Neuroscience? Medical specialties now include curses and magical illnesses. In the same wavelength, veterinarians can now specialize in magical animals or even monster or beast health.
• A strip mall with stores like Magic R Us, Ace Forgeware, Swordazon, Armormart, et cetera.
• College majors include Sword & Shield Science, Half-Orc Studies, Elf Studies, Magical Animal Studies, Pre-Magic, and Battle Athletics.
D&D City Adventure Character Ideas
• Zeke Snakeblade: Half-Orc Bard
Zeke Snakeblade is a Half-Orc College of Lore Bars who is currently attending college and majoring in Half-Orc Studies. His goal is to eventually teach as a Half-Orc Studies Associate Professor, but his heart is pulling him to adventure and, even more, to help the communities that raised him.
• Taron Aedmire: High Elf Ranger/Druid
Taron Aedmire is a High Elf Beast Master Ranger/Circle of the Land Druid. He is a veterinarian in trade and works exclusively with large magical animals, specifically hippogriffs and griffins.
• Jeff Prince: Human Rogue
Jeff Prince is a Human Thief Rogue who spends his time on the shady sides of the city. He’s the son of a gang leader in the area and is ready to prove to his father and everyone else that he’s just as good a thief as his dad – maybe even better.
• Leaf Tigra: Tabaxi Paladin
Leaf Tigra is a Tabaxi Oath of Redemption Paladin. She spent the first couple of decades of her life working for the wrong people and getting hooked on the wrong things. She had a moment of clarity when she discovered Eldath, goddess of peace, and devoted her life to be better than she was.
Feel free to take those ideas, switch them up a little bit, or disregard them altogether! The fun part about Dungeons & Dragons is that you can really do anything with it, and because of that, it’s fun to add some different genres to it every now and again. If you need help with planning out and creating a good map for your campaign, sign up for our email list to receive our free Cartography Guide! The guide is full of tips and tricks for creating an excellent map for your campaign and will definitely come in handy for making your urban cityscape.
