D&D 5E The case for (and against) a new Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book

[Mercurius]

In my experience Forgotten Realms fans are just as geriatric as Dragonlance fans. NWN2 came out 15 years ago, so the people who grew up playing it are in their 30s now. BG fans even older. Exandria is what is familiar to 2020 youngsters.

You think there is strong correlation between video games and RPGs? I honestly don't know, as I've never gotten into video games beyond the odd foray into Tetris and this or that app.

But my point remains: The huge cohort of new players have almost all played in the Forgotten Realms, simply by default (as most story arcs are set there). They know what it is. Most of them don't know about Greyhawk or Mystara or Dragonlance, or probably even Planescape and Dark Sun - except through rumors. This isn't unlike how most of my cohort--the "D&D boomers" of the early 80s--didn't know much about Blackmoor or even Wilderlands, at least at first, until they were republished in some way, and/or if we went looking.

This is why I'd love to see WotC offer a series of articles through the website or Dragon+ that essentially introduces the "legacy settings" of D&D, and even does some polling to see which settings readers want to see more of. This would be a decent way to gauge interest in older settings, beyond guessing.

 

[akr71]

One book for all of Faerun would be either too big and costly for most FR gamers to afford, or if it were condensed down to something affordable, would gloss over so many things as to be useless.

The DM's Guild is where we are likely to see such products. In fact we are already seeing it
Calimsham

Calimshan Adventurer's Guide - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild

Calimshan Adventurer's Guide - Explore Calimshan in this campaign sourcebook for the world's greatest roleplaying gameCalimshan! Land of intrigue, empi

www.dmsguild.com

The Border Kingdoms

The Border Kingdoms: A Forgotten Realms Campaign Supplement - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild

The Border Kingdoms: A Forgotten Realms Campaign Supplement - According to the sage Meriadas of Westgate: “The Border Kingdoms are the most favored destination for adventurers wh

www.dmsguild.com

And I believe M.T. Black (Author of the Calimsham title) is working on an Anaurach one too. WotC can make any of these products 'official' any time they want, don't have to worry about production costs. As consumers, we can buy just the guides we need, when we need them - assuming there is one. If there hasn't been one written yet, then 3E will do for now.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

I basically agree with @akr71 except for one thing I would add: I don't want WotC to make another FR world book or campaign setting. I want Ed to do it. I really want to see what I hoped Elminster's Guide to the Forgotten Realms was going to be - a return to FR set before the days of the OGB and before the novels largely ruined the world in so many ways. My preference would be for two sets: The first set would be focused on the Heartlands (aka Hartlands) of Cormyr, Sembia, the Dalelands, and the Moonsea. The second set would be a return to the Shining South but a bit more to the west centred on the island of Tharsult in the Shining Sea. No novels. No WotC. Just a lot of details and even more adventure hooks from the keyboard of the guy who made the world in the first place.

 

[Xenonnonex]

Well, in six years we have 5 or six detailed zoom-in Gazeeter-heavy books set in the Sword Coast. That's an awfully large number, frankly, since each can spin off long-running campaigns easily.

To quote that number for that timeframe and claim "they are putting out FR mini settings constantly" is a stretch. It is also rather disingenuous. Especially since you well know the common complaints of a lack of quantity of books.
The adventure books are great. However they only include information that has a bearing on the adventure itself. Anything outside the boundaries of the adventure and you simply will not have enough information.

 

[akr71]

@Scrivener of Doom you are probably already aware, but just in case you are not, Ed is the author of the Border Kingdoms title on the DM's Guild. Hopefully it proves to be a profitable use of his time and he considers doing others. He's not getting any younger and whether people like the Realms or not, it would be great to have his thoughts on his world somewhere other than just inside his skull.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

You think there is strong correlation between video games and RPGs? I honestly don't know, as I've never gotten into video games beyond the odd foray into Tetris and this or that app.

No, a weak one - there are no Exandria computer games yet. But my familiarity with Forgotten Realms comes mostly from computer games.

But my point remains: The huge cohort of new players have almost all played in the Forgotten Realms, simply by default (as most story arcs are set there).

They know "generic D&D setting". They don't know anything else about it, and aren't partially interested in knowing more. They would rather watch Critical Role.

Most of them don't know about Greyhawk or Mystara or Dragonlance, or probably even Planescape and Dark Sun - except through rumors.

Planescape and Spelljammer they do know by reputation, and Greyhawk they have heard of. But I agree Mystria and Dragonlance are dead.

[NB, I know this because my players are all younger, I'm a good 20 years older than everyone else in my group.]

 

[FlyingChihuahua]

If one can be pragmatic and ignore that MtG is another brand owned by WotC, I think many MtG planes have tremendous creative value. It's actually a blessing that they are picking some highlights to bring to D&D.

There are entire creative writing teams and enormous artistic talent poured into these settings; why leave them to whither just because the concept of "cross promotion" is annoying. Get past that first instinct and evaluate them for their content alone.

You know the word that people use to describe artists making money off of their work?

It's sell-out. If you or someone else could make money off of your art, you're a sell-out and your work is immediately bad, regardless of actual quality.

 

[Parmandur]

To quote that number for that timeframe and claim "they are putting out FR mini settings constantly" is a stretch. It is also rather disingenuous. Especially since you well know the common complaints of a lack of quantity of books.
The adventure books are great. However they only include information that has a bearing on the adventure itself. Anything outside the boundaries of the adventure and you simply will not have enough information.

Hence SCAG. It's a one-two combo.

 

[Xenonnonex]

Hence SCAG. It's a one-two combo.

Which puts out ToA. You only get what you get with that.
And the combo does not help the people who do not want to get SCAG.

 

[Parmandur]

Which puts out ToA. You only get what you get with that.
And the combo does not help the people who do not want to get SCAG.

No, bit ToA is quite thorough.

Not everyone wants every product, but if a product serves it's function (by selling well for five years, for example) it is unlikely to be replaced swiftly.