Ravnica: Is This The New D&D Setting? [UPDATED & CONFIRMED!]

Mercurius · Jul 22, 2018

Dualazi said:
It's disappointing because it IS a rehash, just from one of their sister franchises. It's a cynical corporate move to try and cross-pollinate their fanbases. This is the opposite of branching out, while simultaneously making no (known) progress on any of the more classic settings. Overall quite disappointed from this announcement.

I'd say your interpretation is what is cynical. I don't see it as cynical that they're wanting to connect their franchises. And this isn't a rehash for the vast majority of D&D players. Is there a Ravnica setting book for MtG? Has it been detailed, mapped, fleshed out?

Ancalagon · Jul 22, 2018

Jester David said:
Agreed. I'm hoping we get *something* in the Guild that isn't just "fans can do Eberron now."

There's going to be disappointed people, yes. But people are more upset because we'd spent a month wondering what the announcement would be and staff at WotC spent much of that time teasing up with the possibility it might be something classic.

Had this come out of nowhere, people would be surprised and no one would be disappointed.
Had they instead said "something is coming, and you will be surprised as it's not what you think..." people might be surprised and fewer people would be disappointed.

But, instead, they trolled us. They got people's hopes up. Which has moved some people from unimpressed to pissed off.

Do not be too eager to get upset. There is still another setting, and that is the classic one (edit: probably). This leak is not the whole story. Let's wait and see

Demetrios1453 · Jul 22, 2018

Jester David said:
Agreed. I'm hoping we get *something* in the Guild that isn't just "fans can do Eberron now."

There's going to be disappointed people, yes. But people are more upset because we'd spent a month wondering what the announcement would be and staff at WotC spent much of that time teasing up with the possibility it might be something classic.

Had this come out of nowhere, people would be surprised and no one would be disappointed.
Had they instead said "something is coming, and you will be surprised as it's not what you think..." people might be surprised and fewer people would be disappointed.

But, instead, they trolled us. They got people's hopes up. Which has moved some people from unimpressed to pissed off.

How have they trolled us? This leak was presumably unintentional, and we know from previous statements that we'll be seeing news on more than one setting tomorrow. So, presumably, all the classic setting teasers they've been doing will pertain to the second setting announcement tomorrow. Only if, against everything they've said so far, there isn't news on settings beyind this tomorrow, have they trolled us.

Jester David · Jul 22, 2018

Mercurius said:
My guess is that they're going to announce Ravnica (obviously) and some kind of Planescape/Spelljammer hybrid book coming out some time early next year, which will also offer more info on other prime material planes--other D&D worlds--than previous Manual of the Planes books.

I also don't think we'll see a 5e Eberron book from WotC, but that it will either be opened up to DM's Guild or licensed to a 3PP under Keith Baker's oversight. This might be true of Dark Sun as well, but do think we're more likely to see at least a story arc.

So my guess is that the next five or so books, in some particular order, will be:
*Ravnica setting book
*Ravnica book of adventures ("Ravnican Yawning Portal")
*Planescape/Spelljammer book
*Planescape/Spelljammer story arc - something involving the githyanki
*Dark Sun story arc that includes psionics and setting info

I doubt they'll do a second campaign setting so soon, let alone devote much resources into this setting until they know it's a success. That'd be a huge gamble.

Really, this means we're unlikely to see a second campaign setting book for the next couple years, until they know if this was was successful or not and they feel a new book won't compete directly with this one for sales.
Plus, that they went with this setting over the others really speaks to the staff's decision not to release books they've already done. They purposely chose not to release a classic setting rather than test the markets for a setting book with a known popular world.

This is likely IT for published settings for 5e. This is what we're getting.

SkidAce said:
I am surprised by the negativity. My initial reaction was "cool", and then when I started reading the thread I was caught totally off guard.

I guess all the people who have been asking for new settings haven't woken up yet.

Or, unsurprisingly, they were a minority of the fanbase.

Most D&D games are set in homebrew worlds. The largest minority of players who uses published settings go with the Realms, likely because that's the default of the adventures. A published campaign setting was always going to appeal to a smaller minority of players, especially a new one without established fans.
I guess WotC is hoping that MtG fans will offset the reduced sales to D&D players.

Zarithar · Jul 22, 2018

I'm intrigued and have been waiting for an MtG/D&D crossover for years (even though I no longer play MtG).

Mercurius · Jul 22, 2018

Based on the Nathan Stewart quotes that [MENTION=7635]Remathilis[/MENTION] posted, it sounds like we're going to see three setting products (of some kind) this year, two that "hardcore fans" like, and then the "surprise" Ravnica later this year.

What is interesting is that he says they'll be playable this year, and something about this summer. That means that we'll either see a surprise book(s) at GenCon or some kind of PDFs, with a book(s) early next year, like I previously speculated.

Enevhar Aldarion · Jul 22, 2018

Just looking around a bit more and if they are going to make this a live announcement and not just drop the info on their website/Facebook/Twitter, Monday is when they air the Dragon Talk podcast at 2pm Pacific time and that show has the Lore You Should Know segment. That sounds as likely a time as any for the announcement tomorrow.

Jester David · Jul 22, 2018

Demetrios1453 said:
How have they trolled us? This leak was presumably unintentional, and we know from previous statements that we'll be seeing news on more than one setting tomorrow. So, presumably, all the classic setting teasers they've been doing will pertain to the second setting announcement tomorrow. Only if, against everything they've said so far, there isn't news on settings beyind this tomorrow, have they trolled us.

We're hoping there's more announcements tomorrow. There might be more tomorrow.
But there just as easily could not be.
It could just as easily be "and the fans can do stuff for Eberron and Planescape on the Guild!"

Nathan Stewart repeatedly poked the fans with cryptic pictures that teased Spelljammer and Eberron. The interviews given suggested classical settings.
And so far we have this.

Had they not teased and hyped the reveal and said what they did during the interviews, this would have just been a surprise instead of a let down for so many fans.

Yaarel · Jul 22, 2018

Mercule said:
So torn. It's not the Realms, which is awesome. But, it's Mtg, which is something I've actively avoided for about 20 years, after a brief flirtation.

I'd say I'm mostly disappointed, but I think some of that is my interest in Eberron, some is disinterest in Magic, and some is that the hype was explicit in this not being a new setting. Well, this is a new setting for D&D.

I know little about M:tG lore. But ... urban? multicultural? tech? quasi-modern? fantasy? That can appeal to me.

I am also a fan of Eberron but expect it to show up later, after psionics.

Jester David · Jul 22, 2018

Ancalagon said:
Do not be too eager to get upset. There is still another setting, and that is the classic one (edit: probably). This leak is not the whole story. Let's wait and see

There's no way they're doing a fifth hardcover this year, let alone three books in a single month. Anything else is going to be small PDFs, likely adventures, or a half-tested Unearthed Arcana.

Ravnica: Is This The New D&D Setting? [UPDATED & CONFIRMED!]

Mercurius

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Ancalagon

Dusty Dragon

Demetrios1453

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Jester David

Hero

Zarithar

Adventurer

Mercurius

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Enevhar Aldarion

Hero

Jester David

Hero

Yaarel

He Mage

Jester David

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