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

 

[Voadam]

Explain why in 584 YK, dwarves, elves and halflings could become clerics all of a sudden and achieve higher levels in classes.

Explain why in 1372 DR, people called sorcerers began to emerge using magic without a spellbook.

Explain why in 591 YK, dwarves can now use arcane magic, gnomes can be paladins, and elves can become monks.

Explain why in 755 BC, children who were born in the Demiplane of Dread with strange defects were called Calibans, with stats similar to half-orcs emerge.

I'd like the in universe rationale for why these things changed in each setting coincidentally when a new edition changed the PC options.
If it's all one continuity, their has to be rationale explanations for such radical changes.

Right?

I am not aware of references to class and level limits in my copy of the World of Greyhawk Folio so edition changes to those when using the setting do not seem like something that needs an in universe explanation.

2e to 3e did have the Greyhawk/Ravenloft/Planescape adventure Die Vecna Die in which Vecna attempts to become an overgod and reshape the multiverse to his will, leading to his failure with but a mere reshaping of the multiverse (which could be used to explain 2e to 3e rules changes in universe) and him ascending from demigod status to only full normal god status.

 

[Parmandur]

It means that since there is no setting canon, there are no official settings. When none of it matters and none of it can be relied upon officially, then it's just a bunch of words with no real meaning. Removing the setting books as canon removes any foundation that they once provided. Anything and everything can be changed tomorrow.

I mean, it's almost as if it is all make believe.

 

[Bolares]

It's a bit unfair for you to call @Henadic Theologian out and not also call out @a.everett1287 who been out of control with his abuse of the laugh button and insulting posts.

I think we should start by respecting each other. We don't need to escalate personal attacks because of made up worlds of elfgame. It's cool to be passionate about stuff, but taking digs ate other people, asking for people to loose their jobs, making fun of each other...

 

[Maxperson]

The assumption of needing gods is part of the core books defaulting to Forgotten Realms, as are race descriptions, spell descriptions, the multiverse with a Wheel, monster descriptions, etcetera. Forgotten Realms bakes into everything.

Greyhawk also has the great wheel, almost all the same races, spell descriptions(hell, 16 wizard spells are Greyhawk specific), monster descriptions, etc. The spells, races and monster descriptions are also in multiple other settings. The section on gods includes Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Eberron and the nonhuman deities. All of the races have sidebars and more than include other settings.

The Realms, Greyhawk, etc. are all baked into the core rules, not just the Realms.

 

[Parmandur]

Clarify?!?!? The blog post was none sensical, self contradictory, and incoherent, and a disaster. Clarity is something this blog post had none of.

It actually makes perfect sense, and is quite clear. You do not like it. There is a difference.

 

[a.everett1287]

It's a bit unfair for you to call @Henadic Theologian out and not also call out @a.everett1287 who been out of control with his abuse of the laugh button and insulting posts.

Yeah, I will cop to my own level of culpability here. Not necessarily out of regret, because I meant most of those reactions, but out of fairness.

Also, I want to state that the like reaction I'm leaving on this post is NOT a laugh reaction; it's a like reaction, because I agree with the content, whereas before I found the content humorous.

 

[Maxperson]

I mean, it's almost as if it is all make believe.

That's a cop out. There is context to what I'm saying. Nothing I'm arguing is arguing that his stuff is real(other than the physical game itself and the players). People put trust in canon, though. It does matter.

 

[Yaarel]

Greyhawk also has the great wheel, almost all the same races, spell descriptions(hell, 16 wizard spells are Greyhawk specific), monster descriptions, etc. The spells, races and monster descriptions are also in multiple other settings. The section on gods includes Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Eberron and the nonhuman deities. All of the races have sidebars and more than include other settings.

The Realms, Greyhawk, etc. are all baked into the core rules, not just the Realms.

It is more like 5e Forgotten Realms absorbed elements from other settings in previous editions (Wheel, Feywild, etcetera).

The 5e Forgotten Realms is the default of the 5e core books.

 

[Parmandur]

That's a cop out. There is context to what I'm saying. Nothing I'm arguing is arguing that his stuff is real(other than the physical game itself and the players). People put trust in canon, though. It does matter.

Only in a very loose way: recall that the largest portion of the playerbase are homebrewers who like an example, not cannonistas. WotC is pretty upfront about the goal of not overburdened their medinpartners and new players, and giving themselves the freedom to change things as desired. It all makes sense.

 

[Bolares]

People put trust in canon, though. It does matter.

Where I find it hard to understand is where canon is not mattering...

The way I see it this makes it easier for people to get in to the lore, but still makes the game open for those who want a complex lore. The "old stuff" doesn't dissapear, it's just not the focus, Is it really that bad to make it "read if you want" instead of "this is a must read"?