D&D 5E D&D's Classic Settings Are Not 'One Shots'

In an interview with ComicBook.com, WotC's Jeremy Crawford talked about the visits to Ravenloft, Eberron, Spelljammer, Dragonlance, and (the upcoming) Planescape we've seen over the last couple of years, and their intentions for the future.

He indicated that they plan to revisit some of these settings again in the future, noting that the setting books are among their most popular books.

We love [the campaign setting books], because they help highlight just how wonderfully rich D&D is. They highlight that D&D can be gothic horror. D&D can be fantasy in space. D&D can be trippy adventures in the afterlife, in terms of Planescape. D&D can be classic high fantasy, in the form of the Forgotten Realms. It can be sort of a steampunk-like fantasy, like in Eberron. We feel it's vital to visit these settings, to tell stories in them. And we look forward to returning to them. So we do not view these as one-shots.

- Jeremy Crawford​

The whole 'multiverse' concept that D&D is currently exploring plays into this, giving them opportunities to resist worlds.

When asked about the release schedule of these books, Crawford noted that the company plans its release schedule so that players get chance to play the material, not just read it, and they don't want to swamp people with too much content to use.

Our approach to how we design for the game and how we plan out the books for it is a play-first approach. At certain times in D&D's history, it's really been a read-first approach. Because we've had points in our history where we were producing so many books each year, there was no way anyone could play all of it. In some years it would be hard to play even a small percentage of the number of things that come out. Because we have a play-first approach, we want to make sure we're coming out with things at a pace where if you really wanted to, and even that would require a lot of weekends and evenings dedicated to D&D play, you could play a lot of it.

- Jeremy Crawford​

You can read more in the interview at ComicBook.com.

 

[Parmandur]

Definitely not a wish.



From the comicbook.com interview: "Rather than sort of having to reset the clock, [the rules revisions] means then we can return and do different things the next time we visit a setting, look at it through a different angle, explore different parts of the setting, dig deeper in certain areas than we did before." (The emphasis is mine.)

I may well be reading more into it than is actually there, but that definitely says to me we're more likely to get books detailing a part of a setting than the whole.

Well, look at Van Richten's Guide to ravenloft: it covered areas other than Barovia from Curse of Strahd. Or Curse of the Netherdeep: it covered areas of Exandria outside of Wildemount. So, if they come back to Eberron, they donned to revisit Khorvaire in detail: Rising from the Last War already has thar covered under 2024 rules. A book covering Xen'drik, whether a Setting product or an Adventure campaign, would fit the bill of what Crawford is saying. Or a Ravnica murder mystery AP to go with the upcoming card set, covering other material than what is in Guildmasters Guide.

 

[Vaalingrade]

4E did not invent "points of light." I am pretty sure Tolkien did.

Like he invented elves and wizards and mountains.

 

[Hussar]

Definitely not a wish.



From the comicbook.com interview: "Rather than sort of having to reset the clock, [the rules revisions] means then we can return and do different things the next time we visit a setting, look at it through a different angle, explore different parts of the setting, dig deeper in certain areas than we did before." (The emphasis is mine.)

I may well be reading more into it than is actually there, but that definitely says to me we're more likely to get books detailing a part of a setting than the whole.

That’s certainly been the approach so far. Particularly when most setting books are wrapped around adventure paths.

 

[Azzy]

I probably explained it poorly.

I have noticed that, anecdotally, the biggest champions for Greyhawk in particular are those who played the original adventures and discovered the secrets of the world through play, rather than people who picked up one of the Greyhawk boxed sets or books and made up their own adventures.

That's odd. A most of the 1e modules had a paucity of setting material in them (if any at all).

If this bore out to be true outside of anecdotes, it might also explain why DragonLance has never caught on fire outside of the original modules and the novels.

It didn't?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

That's odd. A most of the 1e modules had a paucity of setting material in them (if any at all).

Prior to the Greyhawk folio, the few sentences here and there in modules, and the descriptions of artifacts in the DMG, basically were all the setting material that existed. It wasn't much by today's standards, but it was all there was. I still remember at how the Village of Hommlet description hinted at a larger world beyond the village borders, and portrayed this area as an island of relative stability in a war-prone region.

Honestly, all the detail that came since (especially in the dreadful Temple of Elemental Evil) never really could live up to the implied setting of those early modules.

 

[Azzy]

See, adventures are where I lean into 3rd party content. There are lots and lots and lots and lots and...you get the point...people who are willing and capable of making adventure content. I'd much rather WotC give us quality settings instead of giving us adventures I can easily get somewhere else, unlike official lore content.

While I agree with you, the adventures have been pretty profitable for WotC so I don't see them changing the formula too much.

 

[Maxperson]

While I agree with you, the adventures have been pretty profitable for WotC so I don't see them changing the formula too much.

I don't, either. At this point I don't ever expect to see another quality setting from them. If one comes, it will be a very pleasant surprise.

 

[QuentinGeorge]

"We don't look at these as one offs, we have plans to come back and do even more damage to your favourite settings!"

 

[Azzy]

It was Neil Young.

Nah, it was G.H.W. Bush.

 

[deganawida]

Prior to the Greyhawk folio, the few sentences here and there in modules, and the descriptions of artifacts in the DMG, basically were all the setting material that existed. It wasn't much by today's standards, but it was all there was. I still remember at how the Village of Hommlet description hinted at a larger world beyond the village borders, and portrayed this area as an island of relative stability in a war-prone region.

Honestly, all the detail that came since (especially in the dreadful Temple of Elemental Evil) never really could live up to the implied setting of those early modules.

Yeah, I’m guessing it’s a bit like Star Wars in the OT’s release, assuming one only knew of the three movies and their implied setting.