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Typically, D&D has always been about fantasy lands. But sometimes there’s something that’s nice about modern or slightly futuristic themes. One theme that players may enjoy playing in would be a nuclear wasteland.

And what’s not to enjoy? Not only are the player characters struggling to eek out an existence, but so are all the NPCs they’ll be encountering. And surely enough, many of the survivors will have formed their own organizations, each with their own goals.

So here’s three ways to go about it:

1. Play D20 Modern, but use a post-nuclear war setting. Since D20 Modern uses modern items and skills, it’s most fitting for a campaign set in a nuclear wasteland.
2. Get lost in Cyre, aka The Mournlands. Part of the history of the Eberron Campaign Setting is the fall of the kingdom of Cyre. The whole nation literally ended up being very much a nuclear wasteland, after a magical equivalent of a nuke blew up in it. This would be ideal if you want the nuclear wasteland setting, but want to keep the swords and magic.
3. Play Fallout. No, I’m not talking about the computer RPG. I’m talking about the fan-created paper and pencil RPG! And since it doesn’t seem easy to find (though you can eventually find it after a little searching), you can download the Fallout P&P RPG here!

If you want to stick with what’s more familiar (D&D-wise at least), then I recommend sticking with #2. If you’re willing to play a different d20 system, then go for #1. And if you’re up for needing a LOT of D10s, then definitely give #3 a try! Who knows, it may be a lot of fun!