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!

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).

 

[Hussar]

It constantly baffles me why people insist that WotC be the one to publish settings which restrict options. After all, WotC is the big dog here. Any WotC book, simply by the fact that it IS a WotC book, has to cater to a very broad range of people. Particularly in light of their comparatively slow publication schedule.

But, good grief, there are dozens of professional, well supported, and in some cases, gorgeously done 3rd party published 5e settings which will do EXACTLY what folks claim they want - limit options in order to foster a specific feel. There are just so many out there.

So, exactly why should WotC be doing what TONS of other people are already doing?

 

[Doc_Klueless]

So, exactly why should WotC be doing what TONS of other people are already doing?

Because it'd be "official?"

That's all I can think of.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

It constantly baffles me why people insist that WotC be the one to publish settings which restrict options.

People don't want "settings that restrict options". They want settings, that, to do properly, have to have restricted options (you can't be a cleric if all the gods are dead), and WotC own the rights to them. A 3PP cannot do Dark Sun because WotC own the rights.

 

[Maxperson]

It constantly baffles me why people insist that WotC be the one to publish settings which restrict options. After all, WotC is the big dog here. Any WotC book, simply by the fact that it IS a WotC book, has to cater to a very broad range of people. Particularly in light of their comparatively slow publication schedule.

All settings and all games restrict options. That's what makes them interesting. If it's a rule, it's restricting you. If it's setting specific, it's restricting you. To say that people don't want a setting that restricts options is wrong. They do.

 

[generic]

If Darksun comes out, the normal races will be restricted unless the DM says otherwise. It can't be Darksun and have races as normal. Even the ideas that Mearls is tossing out will have a PC of a normal PHB race be an individual exception to the restrictive rule.

I know, you quoted an older comment I made, before Parmandur informed me of Mearls's view on the subject. I am as hopeful as you are.

 

[Parmandur]

The thing is, if you do a "classic" setting that doesn't use core D&D rules, like Dark Sun or Dragonlance, it will be different in 5e, and so you will attract a huge amount of criticism and internet hate from the very people you where trying to please. See the complaints about tieflings in Greyhawk - and that is a core rules setting!

It's much easier to do an original setting, because then no one can complain WotC are doing Wildemont "wrong".

WotC literally couldn't care less about that: if Dark Sun or Dragonlance would sell, they'll do it. They aren't precious about altering the Core for an expansion: the entire game is built on exceptions based design.

 

[Parmandur]

It constantly baffles me why people insist that WotC be the one to publish settings which restrict options. After all, WotC is the big dog here. Any WotC book, simply by the fact that it IS a WotC book, has to cater to a very broad range of people. Particularly in light of their comparatively slow publication schedule.

But, good grief, there are dozens of professional, well supported, and in some cases, gorgeously done 3rd party published 5e settings which will do EXACTLY what folks claim they want - limit options in order to foster a specific feel. There are just so many out there.

So, exactly why should WotC be doing what TONS of other people are already doing?

WotC has no problem releasing a product with restrictions?

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Istbor]

Pretty sure it was rhetorical.

Honestly I was excited by two reasons for this book.

One, I know nothing about the Critical Role worlds so, new stuff is always fun to me. Plus I can see how another, rather more impressive DM builds his worlds.

Two, I figured this would cause a stir here with some peeps, and I am not disappointed.


On those concerns. Shrug I don't live in the published adventure world. I mostly homebrew, as do any of my friends that DM. I can snip and steal anything cool for my purposes. The same as I would do with spelljammer or Dark Sun. Those settings don't move me to play in them one bit, but their ideas and bits and pieces interest me.

I am also pretty chill with letting the newest waves of D&D players and fans get something actually relevant to them. I had my times in the Forgotten Realms or Greyhawk. They were fun, but this is no longer then.

Sure, what I wanted was that Arabian nights type setting. Al-Qadim or what have you. I didn't get it, but I won't let that sour my outlook on D&D as it continues to grow in size, and appeal to a greater audience.

 

[Stormonu]

Is Taldore, Acquisitions Incorporated and Wildmonte all the same campaign world? I’m not familiar at all with Critical Role (not one for podcasts/live-streams), and wondering if this would be of any interest to me (And how it might be different from Greyhawk/Forgotten Realms/Mystra/Classic pseudo-medieval setting).