WotC WotC needs an Elon Musk

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Eberron came out in the 3e era, years after I had invested in other settings, and honestly I don't really care all that much about it. To me, Eberron is where artificers and the warforged (both awesome) come from, and that's about it. The rest of the setting doesn't mean much to me.

I know this is off-topic, but how familiar are you with it? Are you familiar at all with its version of "undead"-worshipping elves (the Aereni worship divine corporeal undead that control their civilization, and the Tairnadal practice ancestor worship and try to take on the traits of honored ancestors)? Or the concept of the Silver Flame (a divine flame created through the sacrifice of the Couatls that protects the world from demons and aberrations)? Or Riedra (a psionically-controlled dystopia ruled by telepathic tyrants that serve a demigod of nightmares)?

 

[JEB]

OK, so Eberron was apparently a bad example. Let's try another - SCAG. Ignoring the clear disappointment folks had with the amount of detail in the book, it's neither a reboot like Ravenloft or Spelljammer, nor a copy-paste from 2E or 3E etc. with only updated mechanics. Instead, it makes some mild retcons, and largely just advances and continues the previous lore (even incorporating 4E). Like Eberron, this struck me as the winning move for mass appeal (unless you were a hardcore fan of the 4E Realms). But was that a bad call, to some of you veteran fans? Do you really think it would have been better as just a book of updated mechanics and lore copied from, say, the 3.0 Realms book?

 

[Zardnaar]

Eberron was updated right.

 

[Zardnaar]

OK, so Eberron was apparently a bad example. Let's try another - SCAG. Ignoring the clear disappointment folks had with the amount of detail in the book, it's neither a reboot like Ravenloft or Spelljammer, nor a copy-paste from 2E or 3E etc. with only updated mechanics. Instead, it makes some mild retcons, and largely just advances and continues the previous lore (even incorporating 4E). Like Eberron, this struck me as the winning move for mass appeal (unless you were a hardcore fan of the 4E Realms). But was that a bad call, to some of you veteran fans? Do you really think it would have been better as just a book of updated mechanics and lore copied from, say, the 3.0 Realms book?

SCAG has multiple problems. The archetypes basically suck and it's comparable to 1990 FR adventures book vs 1E or 2E boxed sets. Better than nothing maybe lame comparatively.

Update yes chainsaw wielding hackjob no.

 

[JEB]

SCAG has multiple problems. The archetypes basically suck and it's comparable to 1990 FzR adventures hook vs 1E or 2E boxed sets.

Right, I'm well aware of the disappointment about various things in SCAG. But I'm asking specifically about how the lore updates were handled.

 

[Zardnaar]

Right, I'm well aware of the disappointment about various things in SCAG. But I'm asking specifically about how the lore updates were handled.

Just to scant. Thee not enough there.

I'm not buying Spelljammer based on feedback here (I like Spelljammer, the new one isn't it). Not buying Dragonlance (tbf I don't like old Dragonlance). Bought Ravenloft book (meh book).

So Eberron, Ravnica Theros ate the decent settings I own the Echo knight one as well but haven't read it enough to care one way or another.

 

[Parmandur]

They showed that with Spelljammer and the even sparser lore. They've certainly refined their ability to sell less for more.

Hence why I ask: what reason is there to believe that a venture capitalist would change the direction, or might not change the direction to triple down on their 5E trajectory...?

 

[Parmandur]

But were the dips in sales (if there were any) because of the Hadozee controversy, or how small and lackluster the books are? And is Dragonlance doing poorly (if we take your word for it) because of Spelljammer, or is it because there's just inherently less interest in the setting or this type of setting-adventure hybrid book?

Or is it not selling as well on Amazon because people wanted to buy the digital board game combo, or get it with the board game at a game store...? Getting board games on Amazon is bogus, way moreso than any sort of book.

 

[darjr]

But were the dips in sales (if there were any) because of the Hadozee controversy, or how small and lackluster the books are? And is Dragonlance doing poorly (if we take your word for it) because of Spelljammer, or is it because there's just inherently less interest in the setting or this type of setting-adventure hybrid book?

Fallout from Spelljammer more likely dur to it being crap.

We'll see if there's any fallout assuming it's even from Spelljammer.

Alot of angry MtG players, D&D is peanuts by comparison.

So the bad PR turned that all around did it?

 

[Parmandur]

I don't remember what the 2e book had. How does it stack up to the 3e lore?

The FRCS has about 2-3 pages on Chult, while Tomb of Annhilation has a 6 page introduction to the peninsula and culture, amd a 20 page Gazateer for the main port city. The sandbox chapter really details a wide range of locations and people for the hexvrawl in Chapter 2, as well.