WotC Birthright may be opened up for DM's Guild

[TheSword]

Had a Highlander vibe to it.

Currently watching the Highlander TV. There can be only one/blooded scions similar concept.

Definitely, with a bit a superhero - everyone has their own power vibe combined with a relatively gritty Witcher / Game of thrones style setting (though it was released before Game of Thrones). An strangely satisfying combination.

If I was running it now I would be inspired by some of the Witcher and GoT themes... a highly ruthless but competent and neutral power attempting to conquer Anuire in the south - probably Darian Avan, with the threat of the Gorgon in the North a distant memory laughed off by most southerners.

There are some things that fit the aims of diversity and inclusion.

Hostile elves based on centuries of land seizure. The wild hunt is an actual thing which is cool.

Organised and civilized orcs (orogs) and goblins with their own kingdoms and organizations.

Non-white cultures that have thrown off their imperial masters to form their own kingdoms - fully fleshed out and playable like Ariya.

 

[Burnside]

That's a 2E product. There are plenty of earlier edition WotC products for otherwise barred settings available on DMsGuild (pretty much all the older edition Dragonlance stuff is on there, for example).

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

That's a 2E product. There are plenty of earlier edition WotC products for otherwise barred settings available on DMsGuild (pretty much all the older edition Dragonlance stuff is on there, for example).

We know. But this is just uploaded and free. Like I said, the purpose of spending ressources on prepping this and then offering it for free is not clear to me, if it's not in preparation fo doing something with Birthright.

 

[Zardnaar]

Birthright never really caught on. I liked reading it in 1999, never played it.

 

[NiClerigo]

I love Birthright -it is my favorite campaign setting with Eberron. I do hope it is opened up in the DMsGuild, at the very least. Have there been any other potential hints, in addition to this? It is weird that it is available on DriveThru RPG but not on the DMsGuild yet, though

 

[R_J_K75]

Birthright never really caught on. I liked reading it in 1999, never played it.

I remember reading the original boxed set around that time too. Because I was reading a lot of different campaign settings back then it might have been a case of information overload/burnout; I didn't get into it. OTOH, it was a very unique setting that from what I recall had a lot of unique rules specific to the setting. I could see a good amount of extra effort above and beyond what a DM normally does to run a campaign. I put it on the bookshelf where it sat until I sold it.

I honestly believe why we don't see a lot of settings for 5E is because anything other than FR, Eberron, and Ravenloft have alot of setting specific rules. They'd need translation and take up a large portion of a campaign guide. Of course this could change if they revise their product/release template, i.e. I could see Darksun requiring 2 or 3 books to update.

 

[Zardnaar]

I remember reading the original boxed set around that time too. Because I was reading a lot of different campaign settings back then it might have been a case of information overload/burnout; I didn't get into it. OTOH, it was a very unique setting that from what I recall had a lot of unique rules specific to the setting. I could see a good amount of extra effort above and beyond what a DM normally does to run a campaign. I put it on the bookshelf where it sat until I sold it.

I honestly believe why we don't see a lot of settings for 5E is because anything other than FR, Eberron, and Ravenloft have alot of setting specific rules. They'd need translation and take up a large portion of a campaign guide. Of course this could change if they revise their product/release template, i.e. I could see Darksun requiring 2 or 3 books to update.

Darksuns easy to put in one book.

Original boxed set the books are small and large letters. Smaller font 300 page book not a problem.

 

[R_J_K75]

Darksuns easy to put in one book.

Original boxed set the books are small and large letters. Smaller font 300 page book not a problem.

You have a point on page count and font size that I hadn't considered. Probably some of those setting specific rules could be trimmed if not completely omitted.

 

[ninjayeti]

Yeah pretty sure this is just them trying to get more of their back catalog up on DriveThru. IIRC the original product here was a free brochure they gave away in game stores as marketing for the setting. Hardly the sort of big deal release that would herald the release of the setting on DMG.

 

[Laurefindel]

Birthright never really caught on. I liked reading it in 1999, never played it.

Same here.

I do believe it would be more appreciated now then it was then however. Birthright has had a strong influence on many DMs I know, and yet none of us ever ran it. It plays on many tropes that are more popular now than they were in TSR's setting-happy AD&D of the late 90's.

As stated before, this setting would be a perfect outlet for official...

• Mass combat rules
• Player domain/stronghold/guild management rules
• Extended downtime rules (like a whole season, or a full year)
• External power sources to fuel magic (almost à la M:tG)
• Regional magic
• A slow(er)-paced campaign construction
• An official setting with less available, yet powerful magic (I don't dare say "low magic" anymore)
• "Race/subrace" variants as bloodlines or regional traits (already explored with dragonmarks in Eberron; RftlW)