D&D 5E Sword Coast book - not really a campaign setting? And some speculations about the future

[Mercurius]

When the Sword Coast book was first announced it was presented as--or at least interpreted by the community as--more of a setting book. [MENTION=1]Morrus[/MENTION]'s announcement said "the first official 5E setting." Now it seems that it isn't quite that, that it is more of a combination of theme, splat, and setting book, with the setting part being tertiary to the player-focused splat and theme stuff. Is that correct?

It also seems like this replaces the earlier elemental adventurer's book that was cancelled. Perhaps they wanted it less focused on PotA and more for general use in the entire Sword Coast region?

Anyhow, if this really is more of a player's guide, would it be jumping the gun to assume that a DM's book will be forthcoming in 2016, perhaps a full treatment of the Realms as a whole? It would just seem odd to put out a book for players that is not a true setting treatment, without a follow-up setting book. I like this formula for settings:

*Core book for DMs - a $50 mega-book, ala the 3E Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book.
*Players' "adventurer guides" for specific regions, e.g. Sword Coast, but perhaps eventually Dalelands and adjoining areas, and other regions; these would be based upon the story arcs as they come out.

Each adventurers guide could cover a large area. If Sword Coast includes Waterdeep, the North, and the Silver Marches, that's quite a lot of ground right there. The Dalelands book could include Anauroch, Cormyr, Sembia, and the Moonsea.

Maybe one such setting-oriented book a year, like so:
2015: Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
2016: Forgotten Realms setting "DM's book"
2017: Dalelands Adventurer's Guide

Beyond that it would be hard to speculate. Maybe they continue with the Realms - a southern guide for Calimshan/Tethyr/Amn, or Thay, or the Sea of Fallen Stars as a whole, etc. Or maybe they do another setting.

Just speculating, of course!

 

[Corpsetaker]

Here is my problem with this:

They should have released an overall campaign guide first and then focus on the regional guides because someone who really wants to run a game in the Dalelands would have to wait two years if we go by your timeline there. This is almost forcing people to use the first region until they get the region of their choice. At least with an overall campaign guide, DM's can use the campaign guide to give them some information about an area and use the eventual region guide to fine tone his campaign.

 

[Mercurius]

Here is my problem with this:

They should have released an overall campaign guide first and then focus on the regional guides because someone who really wants to run a game in the Dalelands would have to wait two years if we go by your timeline there. This is almost forcing people to use the first region until they get the region of their choice. At least with an overall campaign guide, DM's can use the campaign guide to give them some information about an area and use the eventual region guide to fine tone his campaign.

I agree with you, but that's been their overall approach so far with the story arcs. As I've said/complained before, my issue with 5E is that they are catering to two extremes only: On one hand there are people who want to only play the story arcs, one after the other; and then there are those who want to do their own thing and have time/energy/interest to do everything themselves - and this latter group only by default. There's a lot of space between those extremes - people who like tools, one-shot adventures, campaign stuff to get ideas form and enjoy, etc etc. I would include setting stuff in the middle, if a bit more towards the first group, in that it enables people to explore beyond the story arc; e.g. "further adventures in the Sword Coast."

What is exciting about this product is that it enables just that. However, it doesn't fully make sense without the accompanying DM treatment, unless there is far more setting material than advertised. And I will preemptively cut off the predictable "But...DM Classics!" As true as it is that one can always draw upon the entire product catalog either in PDF or used hard-copy form, to some degree 5E should be self-contained, especially with their approach of focus on the story arcs and in terms of guiding new folks into the hobby. The archives works for us old time "masters" and for "journeyman" newbies, but not for "apprentices." For the more enterprising newbie, a search through 40 years of back catalog can be fun. But for many a new book is far easier to work with, not to mention the fact that we still don't know what the 5E Realms looks like post-Sundering. So it seems inevitable that we see a fuller setting treatment, and hopefully sooner than later. Hopefully.

 

[S_Dalsgaard]

I don't see what makes this any less of a campaign guide, than for example the 3rd edition one. Sure, it covers a smaller area, but with how complex FR has become, I think it is preferable to concentrate on a smaller area, instead of trying to cover everything from Kara-Tur to Maztica.

 

[epithet]

Here is my problem with this:

They should have released an overall campaign guide first and then focus on the regional guides because someone who really wants to run a game in the Dalelands would have to wait two years if we go by your timeline there. This is almost forcing people to use the first region until they get the region of their choice. At least with an overall campaign guide, DM's can use the campaign guide to give them some information about an area and use the eventual region guide to fine tone his campaign.

I think if you look, you'll find plenty of material published on the Dalelands over the past couple of decades. What resource are you lacking for that area?

 

[Corpsetaker]

I think if you look, you'll find plenty of material published on the Dalelands over the past couple of decades. What resource are you lacking for that area?

New folks don't necessarily have access to all the old stuff nor do they necessarily want to. Also, if I wanted to delve into the old stuff then I would just be playing 1st and 2nd edition.

I want information on the world as a whole through the eyes of 5th edition and to know what all the Sundering has done. I own all the old FR products.

 

[neobolts]

When the Sword Coast book was first announced it was presented as--or at least interpreted by the community as--more of a setting book. Morrus's announcement said "the first official 5E setting." Now it seems that it isn't quite that, that it is more of a combination of theme, splat, and setting book, with the setting part being tertiary to the player-focused splat and theme stuff. Is that correct?

I don't see it this way. I think this is a middle of the road offering in terms of DM vs player. Maybe like a hefty gazetteer or perhaps 3.5's "Eberron Explorer's Handbook".

Anyhow, if this really is more of a player's guide, would it be jumping the gun to assume that a DM's book will be forthcoming in 2016, perhaps a full treatment of the Realms as a whole?

Yeah, jumping the gun possibly. I don't think a full setting is necessarily on the way. The Sword Coast is easily lore-rich enough to be a setting on its own, and the products are largely focused there. This also ties in with the new video game.

Maybe one such setting-oriented book a year

...

Just speculating, of course!

I don't see this happening, but I'll be happy for you if it does.

 

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

It would be jumping the gun. If this book sells, expect more like it for as long as WotC desires to pay attention to the Realms before moving on to the next campaign world.

 

[Henry]

I want information on the world as a whole through the eyes of 5th edition and to know what all the Sundering has done. I own all the old FR products.

Agreed. It's why I'm running my current 5e campaign in DR1372.

 

[variant]

Maybe the actual campaign setting won't have any crunch.

One thing is for sure, things are going to get complicated for new players when they start releasing non-FR stuff since they don't have any indicator that the Sword Coast is apart of the Forgotten Realms except a mention of Faerun in the description. Maybe they should put a Forgotten Realms logo on the book somewhere.