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.

 

[mamba]

Given that Bigbys makes a lot of references to Xanathar's, Tasha's, and Monsters of the Multiverse, I'm thinking these three are basically the "almost core three" now.

I have my doubts about Xanathar and Tasha, with 2024 just around the corner they will become legacy content soon, just like Volo (I know it is not a new edition, but I still think so, at least effectively)

 

[Micah Sweet]

You have to look at this from the point of view of the corporation. Light weight lore is fine but anything that splits the market of adds overhead to the production of new product is not worth it in the long run.

Well, I'm never going to look at anything from the corporation's point of view favorably.

 

[Parmandur]

I have my doubts about Xanathar and Tasha, with 2024 just around the corner they will become legacy content soon, just like Volo (I know it is not a new edition, but I still think so, at least effectively)

There are a ton of Subclasses between the two books that aren't going to be covered in the PHB, and might not get recovered or a few years (I'd guesstimate 2027 for the next "Everything" style release). The PHB test material we have so far mentions all three books by name...and I think that's for the final release.

 

[mamba]

There are a ton of Subclasses between the two books that aren't going to be covered in the PHB, and might not get recovered or a few years (I'd guesstimate 2027 for the next "Everything" style release). The PHB test material we have so far mentions all three books by name...and I think that's for the final release.

I am not saying they are not compatible / cannot be used, but to me they belong to the 2014 core, and the 2024 core will get its Xanathar in 26 or 27

We already know such a book is coming and will update most of the Xanathar & Tasha subclasses, so they are going obsolete / legacy, it is just a matter of time

 

[Parmandur]

I am not saying they are not compatible / cannot be used, but to me they belong to the 2014 core, and the 2024 core will get its Xanathar in 26 or 27

I'm not just saying they can be used, I think the 2024 Core will directly reference them as resources to use, as theyvare still selling them.

 

[mamba]

I'm not just saying they can be used, I think the 2024 Core will directly reference them as resources to use, as theyvare still selling them.

why would the 2024 PHB need to reference them?

The PHB should be self contained, the only reference I expect would be something like ‘if you use a Xanathar subclass that has not been updated yet, make the following adjustments’

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Well, I'm never going to look at anything from the corporation's point of view favorably.

I am not asking you to do. How you view it is immaterial. But if you want to understand what they are do and why it helps to look at it from their perspective. It will help manage expectations.

 

[Parmandur]

why would the 2024 PHB need to reference them?

The PHB should be self contained, the only reference I expect would be something like ‘if you use a Xanathar subclass that has not been updated yet, make the following adjustments’

The playtest material we received has already referenced them, and in ways that make me think that's going to be in the final books. As to why...to sell more books.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I am not asking you to do. How you view it is immaterial. But if you want to understand what they are do and why it helps to look at it from their perspective. It will help manage expectations.

I get what you're saying, but I'm long past having any expectations of WotC.

 

[Remathilis]

If lore for a setting is too restrictive (although I struggle to understandhow that can be), make a new setting.

Elrond:
Our time here is ending, Arwen's time is ending. Let her go... let her take the ship into the West. Let her bear her love for you to the Undying Lands, there it will be ever green...

Aragorn:
...but never more than a memory.