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.

 

[Micah Sweet]

My point is that there is significant friction between "if you're going to change it, do something new" and "why are you doing this, we already have X" theory. WotC could make a new setting set in a barren desert world with real Conan vibes, but it would immediately be scorned for being Fake Dark Sun. Of course, if they release a Dark Sun that is very different from the 2e one (and they would) they would be getting the Ravenloft/Spelljammer "you changed it and now it sucks" and if the release Dark Sun faithfully, it would be a PR nightmare. There is no move that doesn't end up a fecestorm.

I would prefer "why are you doing this, we already have x", because they're unwilling to do x properly. This way gives them more creative freedom.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Let's rebember the superheroes comics where there is space for street vigilantes because the most powerful groups are facing cosmic menaces and those things. Not even the best cops in the fiction can clean totally the city. Always a new menaces appear.

FR is not only Elmister or Drizzt D'ourden. And we know here FR is the main brand by WotC, but we shouldn't put all the eggs in only one basket.

Maybe Greyhawk and Mystara need good stories with fabulous characters. This should help to give them more popularity. Mystara may be better for crossovers with other franchises.

 

[Remathilis]

I would prefer "why are you doing this, we already have x", because they're unwilling to do x properly. This way gives them more creative freedom.

Not always. For example, if they decided to do Pirates of the Astral Sea where galleons fly though the Astral to different worlds and planes, every Spelljammer fan on the Internet would scream BETRAYAL! because they made a new Spelljammer knockoff that avoided Wild space, phlostigen (sp) and giffs. Likewise, a utterly faithful recreation of 2e SJ would annoy the 4e fans that liked the Astral Sea and would claim its further evidence of 4e erasure. Or they could make two competing "flying ships going to different planets" settings, but that's just cannibalizing an already niche market. Most likely if you get neither. You get a wink and a nod in the text or an Easter egg.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Not always. For example, if they decided to do Pirates of the Astral Sea where galleons fly though the Astral to different worlds and planes, every Spelljammer fan on the Internet would scream BETRAYAL! because they made a new Spelljammer knockoff that avoided Wild space, phlostigen (sp) and giffs. Likewise, a utterly faithful recreation of 2e SJ would annoy the 4e fans that liked the Astral Sea and would claim its further evidence of 4e erasure. Or they could make two competing "flying ships going to different planets" settings, but that's just cannibalizing an already niche market. Most likely if you get neither. You get a wink and a nod in the text or an Easter egg.

Anything is better than twisting a classic setting to conform to modern desires, including not doing it at all. I mean, sailing on the Astral Sea was a separate thing from Spelljammer anyway; there was a great Dragon article on the subject back in the day.

I'll die on this hill.

 

[mamba]

My point is that there is significant friction between "if you're going to change it, do something new" and "why are you doing this, we already have X" theory. WotC could make a new setting set in a barren desert world with real Conan vibes, but it would immediately be scorned for being Fake Dark Sun. Of course, if they release a Dark Sun that is very different from the 2e one (and they would) they would be getting the Ravenloft/Spelljammer "you changed it and now it sucks" and if the release Dark Sun faithfully, it would be a PR nightmare. There is no move that doesn't end up a fecestorm.

So what is the solution then, release nothing new, because it in some minor way resembles something you already did ?

 

[Vaalingrade]

Maybe release a full setting guides for the things they have material for, advance their timelines or reboot them openly without regard to the old guard who will hate them no matter what they do, and then after proving their chop, THEN try their hand at a 5e-based CS like they did with Eberron.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Anything is better than twisting a classic setting to conform to modern desires, including not doing it at all. I mean, sailing on the Astral Sea was a separate thing from Spelljammer anyway; there was a great Dragon article on the subject back in the day.

I'll die on this hill.

You can indeed die on the hill, you are being ignored by Wizards anyway.

 

[Reynard]

You can indeed die on the hill, you are being ignored by Wizards anyway.

The last thing that WotC needs to do is worry about what GenXers will and won't buy.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Let's rebember the superheroes comics where there is space for street vigilantes because the most powerful groups are facing cosmic menaces and those things. Not even the best cops in the fiction can clean totally the city. Always a new menaces appear.

FR is not only Elmister or Drizzt D'ourden. And we know here FR is the main brand by WotC, but we shouldn't put all the eggs in only one basket.

Maybe Greyhawk and Mystara need good stories with fabulous characters. This should help to give them more popularity. Mystara may be better for crossovers with other franchises.

It used to NOT be just Elminster and Drizzt until 4E happened and WotC wiped out 90% of the iconic characters.

Heck Drizzt only got his companions back after WotC realized what a stupid decision all that was.

 

[Vaalingrade]

It used to NOT be just Elminster and Drizzt until 4E happened and WotC wiped out 90% of the iconic characters.

Shoulda gone for the heads.