D&D 5E Revisited Setting News: Its not the 2023 Classic setting, but rather for 2024

[Aldarc]

Way back around the end of the playtest, WotC did a survey about people’s favorite settings, and sorted the results into tiers based on their popularity. I don’t think it’s relevant any more, given how much 5e’s demographics have shifted in the 8 years since then.

And since then Jakandor has become even more relevant than it ever has been!

 

[bedir than]

Boo technically already appeared in a AL supplement, but it was entirely silly and not at all AL-legal.

A vast majority of AL products are not developed by WotC. They aren't at all canon. And few that know of D&D have ever experienced any of the adventures.

 

[Marandahir]

A vast majority of AL products are not developed by WotC. They aren't at all canon. And few that know of D&D have ever experienced any of the adventures.

Sorry, to be specific, he was in a humourous, semi-AL-legal WotC-developed supplement published as AL00-09.

Minsc & Boo's Guide to Stuff and Things.

The adventure therein is AL-legal but the character options are entirely humorous and not made to be taken seriously, but instead was made to support Extra Life. It's on the level of Muk's Guide to Everything He Learned from Tasha.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

2024, the 50th Anniversary? Greyhawk has been visited in 5E in Ghosts of Saltmarah. Greyhawk 50th Anniversary Setting seems plausible.

It's only plausible in the sense that WotC have been trying to make GH happen for the entire time they've owned D&D, and have made some real mistakes doing that. It's not a setting there's any evidence of a real fan appetite for at this point. It gets less discussion and hype than Birthright, even, especially among players under 40, and most of the discussion it does get is about whether it would need a "just" huge revamp or a complete revamp. Also it wouldn't be a revisit in any meaningful way given it's only been in what, one moderate-profile campaign? They sure didn't push Saltmarsh as hard as as the most recent FR one or the upcoming Feywild one.

It's going to be the FR (small possibility of Tal'Dorei but very small).

 

[Ruin Explorer]

The 30 page Gazateer goes into regional politics (including Iuz!) and religion. It is focused, but it is a visit to the Setting. A Greyhawk Setting could reasonably be described as a "revisit" with air quotes on Winninger's part, and would fit for a 59th anniversary product capitalizing on nostalgia and, more importantly, borrowed nostalgia selling newer players on the heritage of the game.

This is some extreme wishful thinking.
Just look at anywhere D&D is discussed by non-grogs. Literally Birthright is more on their radar. Saltmarsh represents one of the many slightly sweaty attempts to make GH happen. It is absolutely true that the aging people at WotC include some GH fans, but the idea that the general audience has "nostalgia" for it is laughable. In 2014 when we were just talking long term fans, sure, but in 2021 when we have 50m+ people, most of them with zero awareness of GH and little interest even where they have awareness. Nah mate. It still might happen but only because of fans on staff causing WotC to make a TSR-like terrible decision.

Edit: Sorry for separate posts, on phone and it's hard to combine them.

 

[GuyBoy]

Not sure that I agree with @Ruin Explorer here, though I get where much of your argument comes from, and I’m also aware that part of my thinking may be “wishful thinking” as a D&D player since 1976.
If we are are talking about the 50th Anniversary of the game, this creates its own nostalgia to a pretty powerful level. I just cannot see how any other setting gets close to surfing this wave as Gygax’s original, which also spawned so many of the cultural reference points of the game, from Acererak to Zuggtmoy.
Personally, I’m not a purist and would completely welcome an updated version....in fact, I believe this would be crucial....but I think “zero awareness” of GH is overstating the case in regards to younger fans of the game.
50 years = Greyhawk.

 

[Parmandur]

Not sure that I agree with @Ruin Explorer here, though I get where much of your argument comes from, and I’m also aware that part of my thinking may be “wishful thinking” as a D&D player since 1976.
If we are are talking about the 50th Anniversary of the game, this creates its own nostalgia to a pretty powerful level. I just cannot see how any other setting gets close to surfing this wave as Gygax’s original, which also spawned so many of the cultural reference points of the game, from Acererak to Zuggtmoy.
Personally, I’m not a purist and would completely welcome an updated version....in fact, I believe this would be crucial....but I think “zero awareness” of GH is overstating the case in regards to younger fans of the game.
50 years = Greyhawk.

Well said. I started playing about 15 years ago, when Greyhawk was the barely present default, and have nostalgia for that. I think it is limiting to ignore the power of borrowed nostalgia for core brand elements.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I thought that for 2024 it might be both Greyhawk and the Forgotten Realms, but someone pointed put to me recently WTF would you even put in a Greyhawk Setting book that you don't have yet. Like it's lore hasn't advanced in decades! Not only is there no new races to add to the PHB, but you don't really need all of the PHB, heck the one thing you could use, major Greyhawk Gods are already in the PHB. You can just as easily play Greyhark with the Core Books and old Greyhawk setting books.

Of all the settings there is the LEAST reason to do Greyhawk except it was one of the first settings.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Well said. I started playing about 15 years ago, when Greyhawk was the barely present default, and have nostalgia for that. I think it is limiting to ignore the power of borrowed nostalgia for core brand elements.

But in practice, what would you do with Greyhawk, it's the single most frills free basic setting in D&D. It's "special" races became D&D default races like Elves, Dwarves, Hadlings, etc..., so no Real mechanical meat to it and its lore hasn't changed. You just use the old Greyhawk books with the 5e core books.

I don't say this to rain on your parade, I'm genuinely curious what you'd put in a Greyhawk book.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

But in practice, what would you do with Greyhawk, it's the single most frills free basic setting in D&D. It's "special" races became D&D default races like Elves, Dwarves, Hadlings, etc..., so no Real mechanical meat to it and its lore hasn't changed. You just use the old Greyhawk books with the 5e core books.

I don't say this to rain on your parade, I'm genuinely curious what you'd put in a Greyhawk book.

You know this isn't an objective truth right?

Like, I feel that FR is the single most frills free basic setting in D&D (it's why it's essentially become 5E's default setting), but I'll admit that's my opinion, not a fact.

I do agree that Greyhawk doesn't have much mechanical meat to it... but I also feel that same way to an FR update too. I know FR technically has more races scattered around its world in remote locations, but they've really never taken center stage. And I don't see where FR is going to be pulling more unique subclasses from either.

I suppose a Greyhawk Setting Book would be a lot like the SCAG; mostly just republishing the old lore, with a glossy new book with nice new art, maps, etc. Some changes here and there where appropriate, stats for the biggest NPCs like Iuz, that sort of stuff. Maybe a couple new classes, and probably some space for a medium-sized adventure much like Strixhaven is doing.