What should Wizards of the Coast do next?

Eternalknight · Jun 3, 2002

We have just had Stronghold Builder's Guide and the Book of Challenges is just around the corner. Further down the track we have (amongst others) Monster Manual 2, Book of Vile Darkness, Epic Level Handbook and D20 Modern. What do we expect next? Race books? A world-building guide perhaps (maybe Ray Winniger's Dungeoncraft articles in a book)? A 3rd edition version of Arms and Equipment? Or something completely different?

BiggusGeekus · Jun 3, 2002

I'm amazed they haven't done a psi-class book yet.

Hey, BG! That's what the hardcover psi book was. DUH!

I don't see that as stopping them. Along a similar line, I've long predicted/suggested a line of alignment books. "The Complete Guide to Lawful Good" and such.

Hey BG! That's a really dumb idea.

I don't see that as relevant.

But what I really think would be cool is a collection of generic areas. Shadowrun did this with "Sprawl Sites" and that book got more use than any other GM suppliment I ever purchased (though "Listen Up You Primitive Screwheads" was a better read).

Happy gaming!

Lady Dragon · Jun 3, 2002

Here what I think WoTC will do in the next two years or so meaning 2003-2004. They will do at least 5 hardcovers a year 1 of which will be a forgotten Realms book.

IMO they will do a Tome of Magic book,with new spell magic items and magical theories.They will do a generic style Arabian Adventures to go with OA though I think they will stay away from Zahara this time like they stayed away from Kara-tur.

They have already announced they are going to do a dragonlance book with Sovereign stone and I bet they will do a Dark sun book before they turn it over to AEG.I also think we will see a totally new world as a one time only thing.

In 2004 we will see a MM3.I also so think some kind of Hardcover splatbook is inevitable although they may or may not call it Unearthed arcana.And I fully expect a full tray of total surprises.
As well as the usual stuff like 4 products for FR per year and a number of softcover world building books per year.

RogueJK · Jun 3, 2002

Eternalknight said:
What do we expect next? Race books?

Yep.

Races of Faerun is supposedly due out in late 2002/early 2003.

Then there's always the enigmatic "Project G"...

We'll probably eventually see some more "utility" books for the DM like the Book of Challenges and Enemies and Allies. Probably something along the lines of the old City/Country/Castle Sites products: books containing general locations, encounters, and NPCs that a desperate DM can use when they run out of ideas or a need some quick help in the middle of a campaign.

Personally, I'm hoping that, now that most of the obligatory class/deity/psionics/etc. books are out of the way, they'll start working on some types of books that haven't been done before. BiggusGeekus' idea for books on the various alignments is a good example (though I'm not sure how well it would work in practice.) I'd also like to see some 3rd Edition historical supplements like the Historical Reference series for 2nd Edition. It's much more likely that most of these types of books will come from the various d20 publishers, though.

And as always, you can't go wrong with more uber-adventures like RttToEE, City of the Spider Queen, and the old 2e boxed set adventures like Night Below and Dragon Mountain.

bwgwl · Jun 3, 2002

Eternalknight said:
What do we expect next? Race books?

seems likely. after class books, why not race books?

i'm thinking:

The Skinny Guys: Elves and Half-Elves
The Big Guys: Humans and Half-Orcs
The Short Guys: Dwarves, Halflings, and Gnomes

A world-building guide perhaps

i sure hope so!!

(maybe Ray Winniger's Dungeoncraft articles in a book)?

i sure hope not!! not to offend anyone who may be a fan of "Dungeoncraft," but i do not agree with about half of his worldbuilding advice, and i definitely wouldn't buy it in book format. they should get the guy who wrote 2e's World Builder's Guide (Rich Baker?) to write it.

A 3rd edition version of Arms and Equipment?

i dunno -- i've never noticed not having enough choices of arms and equipment with just the core rulebook. what would be in here?

(in an sci fi game like Star Wars, i can see the need for such a book. sci fi as a genre has almost always been defined by its gadgets.)

Or something completely different?

this is the best idea yet!!

Psychotic Dreamer · Jun 3, 2002

Well I imagine they will try to cover more genres using D20. Probably come out with D20 Space, D20 Horror, D20 Bio-Tech, D20 High-Tech, D20 Ultra-Tech, D20 <Insert Random Name Here>...

Just my thoughts...

Yuan-Ti · Jun 3, 2002

Psychotic Dreamer said:
Well I imagine they will try to cover more genres using D20. Probably come out with D20 Space, D20 Horror, D20 Bio-Tech, D20 High-Tech, D20 Ultra-Tech, D20 <Insert Random Name Here>...

Just my thoughts...

Are they hiring Steve Jackson to run the line?

I agree, they will likely do Race books... I think one thing that will get to them is that the OGC will mean that a lot of their "long-run" ideas will have already been done when WotC gets around to it.

New ideas would be good, but those are difficult to come up with!

Darkness · Jun 3, 2002

Fiend Folio
Unearthed Arcana

Psychotic Dreamer · Jun 3, 2002

Psychotic Dreamer said:
Psychotic Dreamer said:

Well I imagine they will try to cover more genres using D20. Probably come out with D20 Space, D20 Horror, D20 Bio-Tech, D20 High-Tech, D20 Ultra-Tech, D20 <Insert Random Name Here>...

Just my thoughts...

Click to expand...

Originally posted by Yuan-Ti
Are they hiring Steve Jackson to run the line?

Yes thats what I was getting at. I could honestly see WOTC trying to do something of that nature with D20 stuff. Although maybe once D20 Modern is out there other companies will jump on the wagon and release stuff along those lines.

Storminator · Jun 3, 2002

I think they'll stick to things no one else can do.

Anyone can put out a magic book, just check the market right now. Generic setting style items, like Backdrops from Altas, or Seven Cities, are also available elsewhere.

I think a lot of their effort will go into Wheel of Time, Chthulu, and Forgotten Realms. Those are places no one else can compete, and that's where they'll be looking. That's why they're doing Races of Faerun, not just Races.

PS