Second Dungeons & Dragons Product for Fall 2018: Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

Olaf the Stout · Jun 4, 2018

DQDesign said:
This.

And also publishing stuff related to your own campaign setting is explicitly prohibited on dmsguild (you can do it through OGL, but you lose access to anything not included in 5.1 SRD).

So, wotc locks unsupported settings on dmsguild and bars you from developing your own setting on dmsguild. A total waste of positive energies, for me.

If you want to sell it on DM's Guild, yes, that's a limitation. However, there's nothing stopping you from publishing your 5E compatible product independently.

There's also nothing stopping you from stealing liberally from any of the hundreds of official D&D setting products that have been published over the last 40 years for use in your home campaign. You just can't sell it (which is quite understandable).

Anton A. Kryzsko · Jun 4, 2018

I have no problem with other setting getting some love, but the problem is which one/ones? Every time something new comes out people complain about wanting something other than Forgotten Realms but then proceed to disagree on which setting should be brought back. One person says Eberron and another says no they hate Eberron and they want Spelljammer, another wants Greyhawk, another wants Dark Sun, and yet another wants Dragonlance, and so on and so on. I guarantee if the next book was Eberron in the comments there would be people complaining it was not Greyhawk or whatever. The problem with having a history of so many different setting is that there are fans of even the most obscure setting. There is no way to make everyone happy.

I do think the best solution would be to open up DMs Guild to these other settings. Why not? I can't think of any downside. In fact, it could be a good test bed to see what settings are the most popular.

Irennan · Jun 4, 2018

Rhylthar said:
Won´t deny it.

I was thinking about the Promenade in Skullport. If I remember correctly there was a Shrine to Eilistraee.

It is stealthily being retaken by the followers of Eilistraee, according to Ed Greenwood.

Olaf the Stout · Jun 4, 2018

TheSword said:
Sorry, just remind me why on earth WOC should open up their IP for you to profit from? Why should they hand over their IP to you for free? Why should they give access to the IP when they intend to go there themselves given time?

Why don’t you publish your own work, instead of riding WOC’s coat tails?

My apologies if that seems snappy, I’m just getting tired of the entitlement from forum posters trashing WOC’s work for being too forgotten realms, while simultaneously complaining about not being able to plunder their other IP. It bemuses me.

Exactly. Why should WotC open up all of their settings for people to profit off?

Yes, WotC are currently leaving several setting sit dormant, but considering that all those settings contributed heavily to the demise of TSR, I'm not surprised they are trying to avoid repeating that mistake.

Abstruse · Jun 4, 2018

Anton A. Kryzsko said:
I do think the best solution would be to open up DMs Guild to these other settings. Why not? I can't think of any downside. In fact, it could be a good test bed to see what settings are the most popular.

The downside is not being able to present an "official" version of the setting first. After the Curse of Strahd, they made Ravenloft available in the DM's Guild. It made sure that the material used in DM's Guild for 5e rules for things like how the Mists and the Dark Powers work are consistent. You'd want something similar for other settings as well, so you know you'll have the same rules for how spelljammer ships or dragonmarks or regency powers or whatever work, so you're not having to relearn whatever homebrew conversion this author did that are wildly different than what this author made up.

Olaf the Stout · Jun 4, 2018

Personally I like the sound of both new books and will likely buy them both.

I can't remember the last big urban adventure WotC published and a mega-dungeon is always fun. The two of them linked together makes it even better.

Myrdin Potter · Jun 4, 2018

I don’t get it. Recently Kobold Press released a detailed 5e version of Midgard. Cubicle 7 has Tolkien’s Middle Earth for 5e. Frog God Games has the their Lost Lands setting (including their own mega dungeon). Legendary Games has a whole interstellar romp for 5e. You can play a Conan style adventure with the Thule setting. Scarred Lamds was just released in 5e.

There is no shortage of releases that are not Forgotton Realms, and these are all major publishing houses that have been making material for decades in many cases with many of them working for TSR/WoTC at some point.

Remathilis · Jun 4, 2018

Myrdin Potter said:
I don’t get it. Recently Kobold Press released a detailed 5e version of Midgard. Cubicle 7 has Tolkien’s Middle Earth for 5e. Frog God Games has the their Lost Lands setting (including their own mega dungeon). Legendary Games has a whole interstellar romp for 5e. You can play a Conan style adventure with the Thule setting. Scarred Lamds was just released in 5e.

There is no shortage of releases that are not Forgotton Realms, and these are all major publishing houses that have been making material for decades in many cases with many of them working for TSR/WoTC at some point.

You forgot Tal'dorei (from Critical Role) as having its own 5e setting, produced by Green Ronin: https://greenroninstore.com/products/critical-role-tal-dorei-campaign-setting

Jester David · Jun 4, 2018

Aldarc said:
Pssst... Not everyone can.

Francisco Grillo said:
Psst I run my own legal firm, husband and have kids. No time to do that....

Option 1) DMs Guild. There are endless numbers of PDFs and several Print on Demand campaign settings. The lore is edition neutral. Just update a few races (which are often done by fans on the Guild) and you’re golden.

Option 2) Midgard by Kobold Press. This has a huge splatbooks of PC options and is fantastic. And the campaign setting is massive. Plus, they have numerous adventures for Pathfinder and 5e already out.

Option 3) Speaking or Pathfinder... go Golarion. Use that setting. You can even upgrade their Adveture Paths fairly easily. And there are often conversions online.

Option 4) Tal’Dorei. The campaign setting from Critical Role and published by Green Ronin. No adventures, but a decent sized world and a product full of adventure hooks.

Option 5) Use the Realms. It’s just a background for adventures. Use it.

Option 6) Rename the Realms. Like the above, but swap out all the proper nouns.

Option 7) Find a different 3rd Party setting: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showth...the-Third-Party-5th-Edition-Campaign-Settings

Remathilis · Jun 4, 2018

Abstruse said:
The downside is not being able to present an "official" version of the setting first. After the Curse of Strahd, they made Ravenloft available in the DM's Guild. It made sure that the material used in DM's Guild for 5e rules for things like how the Mists and the Dark Powers work are consistent. You'd want something similar for other settings as well, so you know you'll have the same rules for how spelljammer ships or dragonmarks or regency powers or whatever work, so you're not having to relearn whatever homebrew conversion this author did that are wildly different than what this author made up.

Moreover, I think they want to set the tone of each setting before the fans run wild on it. Some fans of Dark Sun prefer the 2e version (complete with uber ability scores and scant race/class options) while others favor the more 4e style of reflavoring PHB options rather than reinventing everything. I think WotC would like to get a word in on that before letting the fans go wild.

Sigh, still waiting for "Shemenska's Guide to the Multiverse" to lay down the guidelines for other worlds and then open them to the DM's Guild for expansion. Maybe 2019?