The Official Elemental Evil Announcement

We've known about it since last August, but WotC has just made their official announcement about the Elemental Evil storyline slated for March. Set in the Forgotten Realms, Princes of the Apolocalypse is a campaign for levels 1-15 and includes the genasi as a new character race. Additionally, a free download in March will include more new races, and tie-ins with the Neverwinter video game will be released. The Adventurer's Handbook is not mentioned.

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One question that springs to mind is what happened to the Adventurer's Handbook? I assume it's still coming out, unless it's been changed into that free download they mention below? This is all they sent me, so I'll keep my ears open for news on the Adventurer's Handbook. It shows as cancelled here.

Also of note is a new DM screen and miniatures. Here's the press release in full.

January 20, 2015 – Renton, WA – Today, Wizards of the Coast announced the newest Dungeons & Dragons storyline and accompanying product offerings for both digital and tabletop RPG players. Coming off of the biggest and most exciting year yet for Dungeons & Dragons, the Elemental Evil storyline starts in March and runs through mid-summer. During that time, heroes are needed in the Forgotten Realms to discover and defeat secret cults that threaten to annihilate the Sword Coast by harnessing the powers of the elements of fire, water, air, and earth.

The product line-up includes the release of a new downloadable module—Neverwinter: Elemental Evil—for the highly acclaimed free-to-play Dungeons & Dragons MMORPG from Cryptic Studios and Perfect World Entertainment. Serving as an additional way for fans to experience the storyline, Neverwinter: Elemental Evil brings a new playable class—the Paladin—and increases the game’s level cap to 70. Neverwinter is set in the Forgotten Realms, and the new expansion launches in early 2015. Cryptic also recently announced Neverwinter on Xbox One will be available in early 2015 as well.

Characters in the D&D tabletop roleplaying game can help prevent devastation to the lands and people of the Forgotten Realms in the Princes of the Apocalypse adventure by Wizards of the Coast and Sasquatch Game Studio. Princes of the Apocalypse is available on April 7, 2015 and includes an epic adventure for characters levels 1–15 as well as new elemental spells and the element-touched genasi as a new playable race. In addition, a free download will be available in mid-March that includes more new races plus the player content available in Princes of the Apocalypse, just in time for the start of the Elemental Evil season of the D&D Adventurers League.

Other products tied into the Elemental Evil storyline include the Temple of Elemental Evil Adventure System Board Game and pre-painted collectible miniatures, both from WizKids Games. WizKids has also partnered with Perfect World Entertainment to bundle in-game items for Neverwinter with the Temple of Elemental Evil Adventure System Board Game and miniatures boosters. Rounding out the tabletop RPG game products is Gale Force Nine’s new Dungeon Master’s screen featuring Elemental Evil art, as well as unpainted, resin miniatures that tie into the adventure, all slated to release beginning in March.
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[lkj]

I think they might be trying something clever. By releasing the player's content for free as a download, they avoid the critique from folks that would say 'Why do I have to buy an adventure I don't want just to get a few races and some spells?'. At the same time, that free content may tempt some folks into buying the adventure.

And it sidesteps the problem of having to buy an expensive new book just to get a set of options on a theme you may only be partly interested in. Shove the rest into a thicker adventure and charge a bit more for those who are into it.

AD

 

[Joe Liker]

They're still letting gf9 make screens?

The owner of my FLGS told me that the gf9 DM screen project was such a train wreck that WotC took it back and did it themselves. Apparently gf9 has a long history of unprofessional behavior that shows no sign of improving.

 

[kettite]

Anyone note what the page count is? For $49.95, I'm hoping for at least 192 pages.

 

[Morrus]

The owner of my FLGS told me that the gf9 DM screen project was such a train wreck that WotC took it back and did it themselves. Apparently gf9 has a long history of unprofessional behavior that shows no sign of improving.

The owner of your FLGS is talking nonsense.

The GF9 DM Screen was created before the rules were finalized. WotC approved the content, which deliberately had nothing on it that might change. The deluxe screen was scheduled long, long before the GF9 one was released, and was designed to be the "rules" one.

GF9 is now producing the Elemental Evil screen.

 

[ZombieRoboNinja]

I think they might be trying something clever. By releasing the player's content for free as a download, they avoid the critique from folks that would say 'Why do I have to buy an adventure I don't want just to get a few races and some spells?'. At the same time, that free content may tempt some folks into buying the adventure.

And it sidesteps the problem of having to buy an expensive new book just to get a set of options on a theme you may only be partly interested in. Shove the rest into a thicker adventure and charge a bit more for those who are into it.

AD

I think you're right. In 4e you could (I believe?) just pay for DDI every month and get all the classes and feats and stuff from books that came out without buying dead tree versions; maybe they figured out that growing the brand is more important than getting 10 bucks a month from a few hardcore gamers, so they've just decided to throw all that extra crunchy stuff on the internet for free, at least until they get their ducks in a row with the 5e digital offerings.

 

[Sir Brennen]

I think you're right. In 4e you could (I believe?) just pay for DDI every month and get all the classes and feats and stuff from books that came out without buying dead tree versions; maybe they figured out that growing the brand is more important than getting 10 bucks a month from a few hardcore gamers, so they've just decided to throw all that extra crunchy stuff on the internet for free, at least until they get their ducks in a row with the 5e digital offerings.

I don't think it's a decision, so much as an experiment, as Mearls mentioned, to see how it works this time. We might get different delivery methods and mixes of pay/free in future offerings while they feel things out.

 

[Joe Liker]

The owner of your FLGS is talking nonsense.

I'm not convinced. He had a pretty long list of other, non-D&D problems he's had with them, and it painted a rather vivid picture of a company lacking professionalism.

 

[Morrus]

I'm not convinced. He had a pretty long list of other, non-D&D problems he's had with them, and it painted a rather vivid picture of a company lacking professionalism.

I've no idea what dealings he has with GF9, but his description of what happened with the DM screen is completely wrong.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

View attachment 66432

These four seem to be the Elemental Prophets.

 

[CapnZapp]

Wont paladins be overpowered at level 70 if all other classes cap at level 20?