D&D 5E New survey from WotC about boxed sets

Parmandur · Jun 16, 2019

doctorbadwolf said:
I think you’re right, and also I really think that Eberron has the broadest potential appeal to people just diving in to dnd.

It it doesn’t matter to such a person who hat the history of dnd is, so “most generic form of dnd” is irrelevant. It hits fantasy notes in a way that is very popular today, especially in cartoons and video games, mixing genres, not running on medieval sensibilities, etc, it’s a fun setting that can also be played as dark or gritty as you want, and it facilitates the sort of weird, flashy, adventures we see in stuff like She-Ra, Adventure Time, Guardians of The Galaxy, etc.

And a lot of people come to fantasy gaming via more general gaming and nerd culture, and so are more/just as familiar with steampunk, noir fantasy, sci-fantasy, and other fantastical genres of speculative fiction that Eberron takes inspiration from.

Basically, I think that an Eberron box set with the classic image of the warforged hanging off the side of an airship, or the aerial battle in Sharn, on the cover, in big box stores like Target, would sell like hot cakes after a hunger strike.

The Phandelver Starter Set is still selling briskly at my local Target, after 5 years of release: that's pretty astounding, and doing a setting box as a "next step" alongside the revised Essential Set seems like good business.

Parmandur · Jun 16, 2019

gyor said:
I'd prefer FR first then Eberron and other settings, I want a full map of FR dang nabbit. We shall see.

If setting boxes really hit it off, FR might happen eventually: but it wouldn't make any business sense to do multiple settings simultaneously.

As it is, FR is getting detailed regional Gazeeters in the Adventure products on a regular basis. Crawford, in the latest Dragon Talk, discussed how the Baldur's Gate Gazeeter in Descent to Avernus is very large and sufficient to run a whole campaign that ignores the Hell material entirely.

doctorbadwolf · Jun 16, 2019

BronzeDragon said:
You have neither a heart nor a soul.

P.S.: Regarding the Campaign Setting, I'm praying it's not FR/Eberron/Ewwvnica. Birthright would melt my heart and essentially force me to buy two copies. Planescape would be next best, then Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Dark Sun, Mystara/Hollow World, Al-Qadim, Ravenloft, all of which would be instant buys.

Alas, it's gonna be FR or Eberron, because meh is the favorite flavor these days.

I get the aversion to FR, but Eberron is way more interesting than Greyhawk or Mystara

Parmandur · Jun 16, 2019

doctorbadwolf said:
I get the aversion to FR, but Eberron is way more interesting than Greyhawk or Mystara

They all have their place: no need to declare badwrongfun on any of it.

doctorbadwolf · Jun 16, 2019

Parmandur said:
They all have their place: no need to declare badwrongfun on any of it.

Sure. I’m just saying there isn’t all that much that sets those settings apart in comparison.

flametitan · Jun 16, 2019

doctorbadwolf said:
Sure. I’m just saying there isn’t all that much that sets those settings apart in comparison.

Greyhawk does have a lot of similarities with the FR, though I seem to recall Mystara got a little more weird materials progressed (though I dunno if most games really interacted with the weird stuff in Mystara.)

That said, I do think that if WotC were to ever release them, they'd need more time to flesh out the question of, "Why play this setting over the Realms?" Greyhawk seems to have an answer in the form of, "Darker, more Swords and Sorcery style," but I'm not sure what Mystara would do. Maybe emphasize the weirder parts of the setting? Or play up the fact that it's even more of a hodge podge kitchen sink than the others?

Mercurius · Jun 16, 2019

Mystara is a pipe-dream. I mean, if they start a new line of "legacy settings" box sets, we might see it in 5+ years, but there are half a dozen or more settings we'll see before it, and as far as going for nostalgia kitchen-sink, FR or Greyhawk are more likely.

Greyhawk is sort of a mixed bag. I don't think it would be their first box set, unless Mearls--who is a fan--sees it as his personal project. Maybe two or three down the line.

Eberron or FR are the two that are most likely. This has been discussed already...not really anything to add.

As I mentioned, I love the idea of a Dragonlance Campaign box, although this would also work for a two-part hardcover series.

Planescape and Dark Sun are also quite possible, although might follow after one of Eberron or FR.

I don't see any other legacy setting getting a box set before the others. I suppose I'd give Nentir Vale and Spelljammer slightly more likelihood than the rest.

A final possibility would be a new setting, but given that they did Ravnica last year I think it more likely they do a legacy setting first.

Most likely: Eberron, Forgotten Realms, Dark Sun, Planescape
Unlikely, but possible: Dragonlance, Greyhawk, Spelljammer, Nentir Vale, new setting
Very unlikely: Mystara, other legacy settings

IMO, of course.

Parmandur · Jun 16, 2019

Worth noting that we got a 5E version of Mystarra in Goodman Games Isle of Dread hardcover.

Arnwolf666 · Jun 16, 2019

BronzeDragon said:
You have neither a heart nor a soul.

P.S.: Regarding the Campaign Setting, I'm praying it's not FR/Eberron/Ewwvnica. Birthright would melt my heart and essentially force me to buy two copies. Planescape would be next best, then Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Dark Sun, Mystara/Hollow World, Al-Qadim, Ravenloft, all of which would be instant buys.

Alas, it's gonna be FR or Eberron, because meh is the favorite flavor these days.

I would love to see something new setting wise. No disrespect to greenwood intended. A full birthright setting,
Ravenloft setting, planescape setting. Anything new. Glen Welch has been doing a great job converting mystara.

gyor · Jun 16, 2019

BronzeDragon said:
You have neither a heart nor a soul.

P.S.: Regarding the Campaign Setting, I'm praying it's not FR/Eberron/Ewwvnica. Birthright would melt my heart and essentially force me to buy two copies. Planescape would be next best, then Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Dark Sun, Mystara/Hollow World, Al-Qadim, Ravenloft, all of which would be instant buys.

Alas, it's gonna be FR or Eberron, because meh is the favorite flavor these days.

Al Qadim IS FR, Can here to be specific, I think you mean not Faerun. I get being sick of the swordcoast, but Faerun has other really cool areas.