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Critical Role The New D&D Book Is 'The Explorer's Guide to [Critical Role's] Wildemount!' By Matt Mercer

It looks like Amazon has leaked the title and description of the new D&D book a day early (unless it's all a fake-out by WotC) -- and it's a new D&D setting book called The Explorer's Guide to Wildemount; it's the Critical Role campaign setting, penned by Matt Mercer!

It looks like Amazon has leaked the title and description of the new D&D book a day early (unless it's all a fake-out by WotC) -- and it's a new D&D setting book called The Explorer's Guide to Wildemount; it's the Critical Role campaign setting, penned by Matt Mercer!

Wildemount%2C_Version_20%2C1.png

image from Critical Role wiki

There's no cover image yet, so we're stuck with the "Coming Soon" image.

This book appeared without a title on Amazon last week, and a 'reveal' date of January 9th, which was then later delayed until January 13th. Amazon appears to have jumped the gun a day early.

Here's some information about Wildemount, which is a continent in the same world as Critical Role's other setting, Tal'Dorei. It is described by the official wiki has having "real-world Eastern European influence.... The Dwendalian Empire takes inspiration from 15th century Russia as well as Germanic nations in Central Europe (e.g., Prussia). Xhorhas has a more 13th-century Romanian flair. Outside of Wynandir, on the edges of the Dwendalian Empire, the cultures and peoples of those regions display a distinctly 14th-century Spanish flavor."

HOW DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS?

A war brews on a continent that has withstood more than its fair share of conflict. The Dwendalian Empire and the Kryn Dynasty are carving up the lands around them, and only the greatest heroes would dare stand between them. Somewhere in the far corners of this war-torn landscape are secrets that could end this conflict and usher in a new age of peace—or burn the world to a cinder.

Create a band of heroes and embark on a journey across the continent of Wildemount, the setting for Campaign 2 of the hit Dungeons & Dragons series Critical Role. Within this book, you’ll find new character options, a heroic chronicle to help you craft your character’s backstory, four different starting adventures, and everything a Dungeon Master needs to breathe life into a Wildemount-based D&D campaign…
  • Delve through the first Dungeons & Dragons book to let players experience the game as played within the world of Critical Role, the world’s most popular livestreaming D&D show.
  • Uncover a trove of options usable in any D&D game, featuring subclasses, spells, magic items, monsters, and more, rooted in the adventures of Exandria—such as Vestiges of Divergence and the possibility manipulating magic of Dunamancy.
  • Start a Dungeons & Dragons campaign in any of Wildemount’s regions using a variety of introductory adventures, dozens of regional plot seeds, and the heroic chronicle system—a way to create character backstories rooted in Wildemount.
Explore every corner of Wildemount and discover mysteries revealed for the first time by Critical Role Dungeon Master, Matthew Mercer.

Critical Role's other setting, Tal'Dorei, was published a couple of years ago by Green Ronin. This brings the list of settings in official D&D books to five: Forgotten Realms, Ravnica, Ravenloft, Eberron, and Wildemount.

UPDATE! Barnes & Noble has the cover (but not the title or description).

9780786966912_p0_v2_s600x595.jpg
 

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Retreater

Legend
Yeah. I checked out Tales of the Yawning Portal when it was released in 3.x edition (and prior). If I had my wish, I'd get some fresh content, unlike the recent reprints (Tyranny of Dragons, Saltmarsh, Yawning Portal) and media tie-in stuff that I just can't take seriously.
My groups are mostly done with D&D at this point. The output has just been ... boring?
5e has seemed like the "Member Berries" edition. Reprinting mostly "greatest hits" from previous editions and not really giving us anything new. All the new stuff is coming from companies other than D&D.
I don't want to buy a $50 hardcover with 10 pages of adventure content.
 

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dave2008

Legend
Disclaimer that I'm probably not in the majority of D&D fans these days and that what I want may not be feasible or profitable for the company. Just my personal interests.
I'd like to see more adventures. The big meta-plot ones are usually hit-or-miss, so I'd like more "smaller" ones. Maybe not 32 pagers like the modules of yore, but I'd certainly take some mini-campaigns like "Red Hand of Doom."
Stats seem to indicate games aren't running long and into the high level, so it would seem to reason that short, mini-campaigns from levels 1-5 or 3-8 might be a good idea. Plus they'd get the opportunity to try diversifying the types of adventures produced if they want: Dark Sun, Spelljammer, etc.
I understand that. Though I only ever purchased 1 or 2, I to miss the old single adventure format.

That being said, isn't that what this product is providing? It has 4 unrelated entry level (lvl 1-4/5 I would guess) adventures set in different parts of the world. I realize there is a lot more stuff, but for less than $30.00 (discounted amazon price) I think that seems like some value. 4 fresh new adventures in a suitably generic setting to be able to drop into your own with little or no conversion.

Or are you insisting on the one book / one adventure format to fulfill your interest?
 

Parmandur

Book-Friend
I understand that. Though I only ever purchased 1 or 2, I to miss the old single adventure format.

That being said, isn't that what this product is providing? It has 4 unrelated entry level (lvl 1-4/5 I would guess) adventures set in different parts of the world. I realize there is a lot more stuff, but for less than $30.00 (discounted amazon price) I think that seems like some value. 4 fresh new adventures in a suitably generic setting to be able to drop into your own with little or no conversion.

Or are you insisting on the one book / one adventure format to fulfill your interest?

Honestly, every single larger Adventure book in 5E is actually a collection of smaller modules with a mwtaplotntonise or ignore.
 

dave2008

Legend
Honestly, every single larger Adventure book in 5E is actually a collection of smaller modules with a mwtaplotntonise or ignore.
I get that (mostly with PotA and SKT), but this one is even more explicit in providing 4 unrelated starter adventures, or at least that seems to be how it is advertised.
 

dave2008

Legend
Yeah. I checked out Tales of the Yawning Portal when it was released in 3.x edition (and prior). If I had my wish, I'd get some fresh content, unlike the recent reprints (Tyranny of Dragons, Saltmarsh, Yawning Portal) and media tie-in stuff that I just can't take seriously.
My groups are mostly done with D&D at this point. The output has just been ... boring?
5e has seemed like the "Member Berries" edition. Reprinting mostly "greatest hits" from previous editions and not really giving us anything new. All the new stuff is coming from companies other than D&D.
I don't want to buy a $50 hardcover with 10 pages of adventure content.
I agree with @zedturtle that AL provides a bunch of different shorter adventure options that are available on the DMsGuild for little cost. There is really a lot to work with there and a lot of variety.
 

Retreater

Legend
I understand that. Though I only ever purchased 1 or 2, I to miss the old single adventure format.

That being said, isn't that what this product is providing? It has 4 unrelated entry level (lvl 1-4/5 I would guess) adventures set in different parts of the world. I realize there is a lot more stuff, but for less than $30.00 (discounted amazon price) I think that seems like some value. 4 fresh new adventures in a suitably generic setting to be able to drop into your own with little or no conversion.

Or are you insisting on the one book / one adventure format to fulfill your interest?
No. I'm not that insistent. I can work with shorter adventures. I guess if I'm dissuaded by the Essentials Kit is the idea that it seems for "absolute beginners." Does it have any use for DMs/players who have been around for a bit?
Also, I don't want something that is a one-hour adventure.
 

Parmandur

Book-Friend
No. I'm not that insistent. I can work with shorter adventures. I guess if I'm dissuaded by the Essentials Kit is the idea that it seems for "absolute beginners." Does it have any use for DMs/players who have been around for a bit?
Also, I don't want something that is a one-hour adventure.

It's designed for a few weeks of play, series of mini-quests with a hub.
 


dave2008

Legend
No. I'm not that insistent. I can work with shorter adventures. I guess if I'm dissuaded by the Essentials Kit is the idea that it seems for "absolute beginners." Does it have any use for DMs/players who have been around for a bit?
Also, I don't want something that is a one-hour adventure.
I don't know about the essentials kit, I was talking about the new book set in Wildemount. Someone else posted about the essentials kit.

However, I believe the essentials kit is a sort of follow on the the starter's kit, so it is not for complete newbies.
 


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