D&D 5E WotC Explains 'Canon' In More Detail

Recently, WotC's Jeremy Crawford indicated that only the D&D 5th Edition books were canonical for the roleplaying game. In a new blog article, Chris Perkins goes into more detail about how that works, and why.

This boils down to a few points:

• Each edition of D&D has its own canon, as does each video game, novel series, or comic book line.
• The goal is to ensure players don't feel they have to do research of 50 years of canon in order to play.
• It's about remaining consistent.

If you’re not sure what else is canonical in fifth edition, let me give you a quick primer. Strahd von Zarovich canonically sleeps in a coffin (as vampires do), Menzoberranzan is canonically a subterranean drow city under Lolth’s sway (as it has always been), and Zariel is canonically the archduke of Avernus (at least for now). Conversely, anything that transpires during an Acquisitions Incorporated live game is not canonical in fifth edition because we treat it the same as any other home game (even when members of the D&D Studio are involved).

D&D Canon | D&D Studio Blog | Dungeons & Dragons

In this D&D Studio Blog, Chris Perkins describes the D&D Studio's position on canonicity.

dnd.wizards.com

D&D General - WotC: Novels & Non-5E Lore Are Officially Not Canon

At a media press briefing last week, WotC's Jeremey Crawford clarified what is and is not canon for D&D. "For many years, we in the Dungeons & Dragons RPG studio have considered things like D&D novels, D&D video games, D&D comic books, as wonderful expressions of D&D storytelling and D&D lore...

www.enworld.org

 

[Henadic Theologian]

No, not really. I just find your histrionic response in which you callously insult the integrity of developers and writers you don't even know to be entertaining.

Screw you, I look forward to karma getting you and your nasty personality some day.

 

[dave2008]

For Eberron, there is a WotC canon (corresponding to Eberron: Rising from the Last War + PH-MM-DMG).

But there is also a separate canon that Baker speaks about, that involves other Eberron books and much content online.

No, Crawford just said only the PHB, MM, & DMG are canon. Eberron: Rising from the Last War is not canon. It is just a book about Eberron.

PS I don't necessarily believe him, but I personally love the idea.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Seeing how you say anything that is counter to your own taste is lazy, nonsensical and a mess (making us that love this change what exactly? Mad? ), and saying that the designers are lazy incompetents looking for a quick buck.

I'd take a minute before saying someone is making spiteful and nasty comments.

The designers picked this fight not me, they didn't need to do this, this very act was spiteful on their part.

 

[Remathilis]

I think everyone should calm down and get some saddle-ointment, the tensions and rhetoric is getting a little heated on all sides.

 

[a.everett1287]

Screw you, I look forward to karma getting you and your nasty personality some day.

I'm sure it'll happen some day, I've always had a hard time with snark.

 

[Maxperson]

No, Crawford just said only the PHB, MM, DMG are canon. Eberron: Rising from the Last War is not canon.

PS I don't necessarily believe him, but I personally love the idea.

Just a nitpick, but that was Perkins clarifying Crawford's statement that only 5e was canon.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

The designers picked this fight not me, they didn't need to do this, this very act was spiteful on their part.

No, you want to read it this way.

You decided this was an act of war, decided that it was deserving of boycott or a petition.

They did not target anyone. You chose to make it personal.

As you can see, there's no one from WotC here to argue against. So insulting them brings you nothing.

You are the one being full of spite toward and invisible foe.

 

[Bolares]

Actually that is incorrect. The only WotC canon on Eberron is what is in the PHB, MM, & DMG. According to Crawford, no other books are canon.

I think people are over simplifying the statement. The setting books are obviously canon for that specific setting.

 

[Yaarel]

No, Crawford just said only the PHB, MM, DMG are canon. Eberron: Rising from the Last War is not canon.

PS I don't necessarily believe him, but I personally love the idea.

The three core books are the WotC canon.

However, the Forgotten Realms setting is the default setting for the three core books. (That is the way it is, tho I wish core lacked a default setting, and focused on worldbuilding and examples from various other settings.)

Players who are playing in a different setting, have their own canon for that setting. Namely, the setting guide. For Eberron, this setting content is split between the official WotC book, Eberron: Rising from the Last War, and additional content that Baker and collaborators provide elsewhere.

Perkins doesnt explicitly mention the canonicity of Eberron, but he does mention how separate novels and separate gaming campaigns develop their own canon that is true for their own world. Eberron is in that category. The additional Eberron material comes from the games that Baker and others play.

 

[Maxperson]

I think people are over simplifying the statement. The setting books are obviously canon for that specific setting.

They give contradictory information. They say that only the core three are canon, right after they title the section "canon begins with the core three." Then they say, "If you not sure what else is canonical..." indicating that more is canon than the core three.