D&D 5E What do you want and not want out of future settings added to 5E?

[HammerMan]

I want a world were NPCs NEED the PCs... and that small and medium size problems can be solved by plucky young adventurers.

 

[jmartkdr2]

I want a world were NPCs NEED the PCs... and that small and medium size problems can be solved by plucky young adventurers.

This requires the pc's to be special, which a surprising number of people do not like in their DnD.

 

[Rogerd1]

This requires the pc's to be special, which a surprising number of people do not like in their DnD.

I tend to have a blurb prior to gameplay setting the tone and what is required of the players.

In some they are to be a shining light, acting as a beacon to others. Unless they have discussed whether their character is following a fall from grace and redemption arc; those that do not follow the tone have their character made into an NPCs.

Now if they were playing in a Conan type setting they would be told they are heroes living in a world of grey, sometimes where there is no good decision and all are bad. But they have to make that tough decision even though some would seem it evil, e.g. serial killer wizard switches sides to stop the Old One. But if they kill him a greater evil will arise type deal.

 

[JEB]

How did Ghostwalk do as a new setting with new ideas for people? How did Council of Wyrms do? Al-Qadim?

Al-Qadim's product line got extended a year longer than originally intended, for what it's worth, which suggests it must have been doing fairly well. (And it would have gotten another year if not for cutbacks in 1993.)

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

I want a world were NPCs NEED the PCs... and that small and medium size problems can be solved by plucky young adventurers.

So . . . Eberron. That's kind of one of the defining features of Eberron (NPCs like Elminster and Mordenkainen that could practically solve all of the world's problems without the help of the PCs are practically non-existent, and the few high-level NPCs that do exist are fairly restricted in mobility in one way or the other, like the Tree Druid or Jaela Daran).

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Making new abilities that are both variants of "I hit it with my sword" and also interesting, fun, and meaningful additions to the game is hard!

Cranking out another 20 to 30 spells that seem like they could be useful in some situations is easy.

It's not that people are super obsessed with spellcasters. It's just what produces the most content for the least effort.

It's especially difficult because D&D is a fantasy game . . . and magic is kind of the defining feature of fantasy. Having non-magical features that define a fantasy world are few and far between.

Magic is the bread and butter of fantasy, and while there's definitely a place for well-defined and important martial traditions, it's a bit difficult to find a niche for them, especially when basically everything that a martial character can do is often over-shadowed by a spellcaster (in both D&D and other fantasy works).

 

[Parmandur]

One of the reasons why the Magic The Gathering settings released for 5e have worked so well is that they stay focused. It takes far fewer words to explain Theros or Ravnica than it does Eberron. I don't play MtG, but the 5e books have all been interesting and inspiring to read.

Magic Settings need to have a clear "Elevator Pitch" that can be communicated with iconic key art pieces in the store display. I think that focus actually makes for a good candidate to fill out and nuance with a longer D&D style treatment.

 

[Parmandur]

Yeah they are hesitant, because you are only one person out of hundreds of thousands who has made much of an indication that they'd want it. They can't spend all that money producing a series of books to placate one single person, especially considering who knows if you actually would want and buy the setting they came up with?

How did Ghostwalk do as a new setting with new ideas for people? How did Council of Wyrms do? Al-Qadim? I'm pretty sure WotC has decades of information telling them how many people actually wanted and spent money on completely new settings, and how much money it would cost them to produce those things in their entirety. And they probably know that for the most part the former sure ain't going to generate the money to cover the latter.

I mean come on... why do you think they are producing all these Magic: The Gathering settings for D&D? It's because most of the stuff included in them has already been built, written, and designed! Their work for the RPG is more than halfway already done! They already have the world-building done, they already have NPCs, they already have paid for the art... the new stuff they have to make to finish these books off is probably less that half than what they'd have to make for any completely, entirely new setting. And with the M:tG settings they already know how many people were interested in them from the card game perspective! Now that ain't a one-for-one conversion to the RPG obviously... but it's certainly more information than they'd have from any completely new thing they'd make up.

It's all well and good to say "I want something new!" But if WotC has no way of knowing whether you'd actually back up your words with actions... they have no reason to listen to you. And instead, they'll listen to the people who are saying "We love Critical Role, and we actually bought their first Tal'Dorei setting book... we'll buy another one if you make it!" And sure enough... they did.

I mean, WotC is making pretty bold moves in Magic Settings, and that allows them to build something that would appeal to D&D players.

Ghostwalk could make a coneback if they brought it to Magic.

 

[Yora]

I realized something important today.

What I'd love to see once for a change is a setting based on the middle ages.

During 2nd edition, the presentation of D&D fully committed to a 17th century style, and it has continued to become more modern in feel ever since. With 5th edition (and also Pathfinder), I am getting a very strong 19th century impression.

Give me something based on the 100 Years War, or even much further back with the Carolingians.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Definitely! For Magic, you need a distinct setting that can be distilled to this tiny piece of art and a few sentences on each card.

Magic Settings need to have a clear "Elevator Pitch" that can be communicated with iconic key art pieces in the store display. I think that focus actually makes for a good candidate to fill out and nuance with a longer D&D style treatment.