D&D 4E Greyhawk 4e: Back to the Beginning...

[The Little Raven]

Furthermore, I think this reboot would be a nice tribute to Mr. Gygax.

After hearing this, I thought to myself that it's a shame that he didn't live until this plan was put into effect, as they might have considered him for consultation on a reboot.

 

[Jack Colby]

I love the ideas, hope the poster was correct, and wish WotC had rebooted all the campaign worlds from the beginning, literally. And then never advanced the timeline again except in optional supplements that add to the base assumptions of the core world book(s). Since they suggest not porting over characters from earlier editions, a total restart for each world seems highly appropriate. Too late for the Realms though...

 

[TerraDave]

I have doubts...including doubts if we will see 4E Oerth at all.

but, the only way they could market greyhawk would be with a big screaming CLASSIC.

This (setting aside some particular details) would be the way to do it, and make it 4E.

 

[Hella_Tellah]

These are RPG settings, not classic literature. They should be relaunched for each generation, reinventing themselves while preserving their essential character.

If it worked for comics, it'll work for WotC. The only question for me is whether it will feel more like Marvel Ultimates (ooh, how will they re-imagine Silver Surfer? What does the new Galactus look like? Must buy next issue!) or DC's Crises of Infinite Crises (reboot and simplify, re-complicate, rinse, repeat, yawn).

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

I have no issues with reboots; as someone mentioned, we're not talking novels here. This is a campaign setting that has taken as many forms as there are DMs who have run it. So a setting should provide a strong framework for that to happen. So fast-forward, rewind, and anything else are kosher with me if it improves the framework of the setting. If not, I use my old version.

Besides, Greyhawk (allegedly) was core in 3.x. Give it a rest for a few years, neh? Come up with something new or mangle something else.

There's something to be said for this. I would love to see a serious, concentrated effort to deliver a setting that is unique to 4th Edition. Points of Light provides that framework, but it's far too vague to be called a campaign setting.

 

[teitan]

I would love such a Greyhawk to death.

I'll second that and third it. I was debating starting a 1e campaign of this sort myself.

 

[mearls]

Yeah, the post that sparked this thread pretty much summarizes most of what I've done with Greyhawk in my current campaign. In fact, the characters were in the midst of getting carved up by Obmi and a small host of Iuz's followers when we broke our last session.

I can't speak to what WotC will or will not release. Obviously, it's the campaign I run so I like the idea, but decisions like that are many spots above me on the totem pole.

In many ways, my approach to GH reflects the reasons behind my initial interest in it back in the day. I liked the setting because there was no metaplot, no novels, and little canon. If I ever use the Greyhawk wars, as an example, I'd rather use the war as a current plot point/developing event for my campaign, rather than read about it.

I think it would be a lot of fun, if you published a "Retro-Hawk", to take all the events after the '83 boxed set and plant their seeds in the text. For instance, you might include the text from an intercepted communique from the Scarlet Brotherhood that hints at their tactics in the war to come, stuff like that.

 

[Mercule]

I doubt there is any truth to this rumor, but it gives me warm fuzzies, anyway.

I could guarantee two sales of the setting and Player's Guide, though. One for me and one for my buddy.

 

[JeffB]

I think it would be a lot of fun, if you published a "Retro-Hawk", to take all the events after the '83 boxed set and plant their seeds in the text. For instance, you might include the text from an intercepted communique from the Scarlet Brotherhood that hints at their tactics in the war to come, stuff like that.

Get to work then!

Seriously- your GH, as well as the "retro hawk" idea sounds very cool- I'm on board. Congrats on your new position as well, Mike.

 

[Henry]

With all that said, above, would I like to see a Greyhawk reboot in this style?

NO. I really wouldn't.

Why? Two reasons:

1) I'd rather see something new. They're sitting on TWO, count 'em, TWO settings that lost to Eberron in the design project, both good enough to make it to the final three. Both could be made from scratch in 4e's image as they pleased.

2) Greyhawk is such that its fans are so divided in desire, as this thread makes evident, that no one can please them fully. Greyhawk is this family Teddy Bear that started out brand new and whole, then got a bit worn on the edges, and the sadistic brother tore the stuffing out, so Dad re-stuffed it, cut out the torn up parts and sewed it back together, to have it get hit by lightning, then repatched, then left in the driveway and backed over by the family SUV, then repatched, etc.... until it's a third of its original size, has buttons for eyes, and a bunch of fans caring for it out of memory for what it represented to them. Leave the damn bear alone, and go get a new one. Let the fans argue over what the original color of the teddy bear was, or where its eyes are really supposed to go, or what material the original stuffing was made from...