D&D 5E WotC: 5 D&D Settings In Development?

WotC's Ray Winninger spoke a little about some upcoming D&D settings -- two classic settings are coming in 2022 in formats we haven't seen before, and two brand new (not Magic: the Gathering) settings are also in development, as well as return to a setting they've already covered in 5E. He does note, however, that of the last three, there's a chance of one or more not making it to release, as they develop more than they use.

Two classic settings? What could they be?​

So that's:

• 2 classic settings in 2022 (in a brand new format)
• 2 brand new settings
• 1 returning setting

So the big questions -- what are the two classic settings, and what do they mean by a format we haven't seen before? Winninger has clarified on Twitter that "Each of these products is pursuing a different format you've never seen before. And neither is "digital only;" these are new print formats."

As I've mentioned on a couple of occasions, there are two more products that revive "classic" settings in production right now.

The manuscript for the first, overseen by [Chris Perkins], is nearly complete. Work on the second, led by [F. Wesley Schneider] with an assist from [Ari Levitch], is just ramping up in earnest. Both are targeting 2022 and formats you've never seen before.

In addition to these two titles, we have two brand new [D&D] settings in early development, as well as a return to a setting we've already covered. (No, these are not M:tG worlds.)

As I mentioned in the dev blog, we develop more material than we publish, so it's possible one or more of these last three won't reach production. But as of right now, they're all looking great.

Of course the phrase "two more products that revive 'classic' settings" could be interpreted in different ways. It might not be two individual setting books.

 

[Rikka66]

I think if you were to grab every scrap of lore from the various books (and there is a lot of scraps in backgrounds, character options, ect. along with the bigger pieces) and the multiple monthly articles from Dragon/Dungeon, you'd end up with something very oddly both sparse and detailed with the Nentir Vale.

 

[Mind of tempest]

I think if you were to grab every scrap of lore from the various books (and there is a lot of scraps in backgrounds, character options, ect. along with the bigger pieces) and the multiple monthly articles from Dragon/Dungeon, you'd end up with something very oddly both sparse and detailed with the Nentir Vale.

I believe some guy on rpg.net did just that, I read his work.

 

[overgeeked]

I believe some guy on rpg.net did just that, I read his work.

Not only that, but there's another person who's creating a Nentir Vale sandbox that has some incredibly detailed notes. It's rather impressive and cool.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Isn't this the concept of Ghosts of Saltmarsh?

I don't have Saltmarsh you I don't know.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

I don't have Saltmarsh you I don't know.

The beginning of the book provides an detailed section on the Kingdom of Keoland, which is located in Greyhawk. There's a map of the region, another map of the town of Saltmarsh, and segments of information on the surrounding settlements, forests, etc. Also included are key NPCs including the town council.

It is essentially a gazetteer to the Saltmarsh region (not the whole of Keoland). Then the remainder of the book is the adventures, some of which are explicitly centered around Saltmarsh (others are setting neutral).

Anyway, this setup where we get an introductory chapter that provides some setting material on Dragonlance, followed by some of the old adventures remade for 5E, seems like a very possible setup for a Dragonlance release. It would not really be a new format though, as this is similar to GoS.

 

[JEB]

I think if you were to grab every scrap of lore from the various books (and there is a lot of scraps in backgrounds, character options, ect. along with the bigger pieces) and the multiple monthly articles from Dragon/Dungeon, you'd end up with something very oddly both sparse and detailed with the Nentir Vale.

There were also plans at one point to release a product called Gazetteer: The Nentir Vale, which would have been followed by other gazetteers for the default 4E setting.

 

[Yaarel]

The beginning of the book provides an detailed section on the Kingdom of Keoland, which is located in Greyhawk. There's a map of the region, another map of the town of Saltmarsh, and segments of information on the surrounding settlements, forests, etc. Also included are key NPCs including the town council.

It is essentially a gazetteer to the Saltmarsh region (not the whole of Keoland). Then the remainder of the book is the adventures, some of which are explicitly centered around Saltmarsh (others are setting neutral).

Anyway, this setup where we get an introductory chapter that provides some setting material on Dragonlance, followed by some of the old adventures remade for 5E, seems like a very possible setup for a Dragonlance release. It would not really be a new format though, as this is similar to GoS.

Out of curiosity, does the setting recommend where to plug Saltmarsh in the FR setting?

 

[Yaarel]

There were also plans at one point to release a product called Gazetteer: The Nentir Vale, which would have been followed by other gazetteers for the default 4E setting.

Does Nentir count as a "classic setting"?

 

[Parmandur]

Out of curiosity, does the setting recommend where to plug Saltmarsh in the FR setting?

The Mere of Dead Men, IIRC, so that the major power shifts from being the Kingdom of Keoland to Neverwinter, and the Sea Princes become Luskan.

 

[Yaarel]

The Mere of Dead Men, IIRC, so that the major power shifts from being the Kingdom of Keoland to Neverwinter, and the Sea Princes become Luskan.

Great. I like this approach, especially for regional settings.

Each setting should stand true to itself. Then suggest ways to optionally link it to other settings.

For world settings too, like Eberron and Dark Sun, I wish they were their own unique settings, true to themselves, but with optional advice for any tables wanting a way to plug them into the FR multiverse.