D&D (2024) Greyhawk Confirmed. Tell Me Why.

[TwoSix]

In my experience, moat players know nothing about any of this, though they may know the words "Forgotten Realms." Settigns are about helping DMs with their prep work: the less familiar the players are with how a Setting "should" be, the better IMO.

It depends. The value of a setting is entirely dependent on how shared it is. If only the DM actually knows anything about the setting, then they should change whatever they see fit, and just use the parts of the setting that they deem useful.

But if several players know the setting well, then making broad changes loses the "shared imagination" shortcut that a well-known setting is supposed to facilitate.

 

[AstroCat]

If it is a mission statement, surely you have a communication you can point to in order to confirm it?

I have read, experienced and seen enough over the last 3-4 years to make this theory viable, at least for me. I don't need anyone to ultimately agree or disagree, but it is my observation and experience.

 

[Belen]

I do think WotC's weird indifference to creating a setting laser-focused on their young audience is a mistake, although third party productions like Obojima are definitely benefitting from it. Hopefully one of their new settings coming in the next few years is more in keeping with Avatar and Studio Ghibli, etc.

Why?

The DMs are the main controllers of the D&D experience so the focus is going to have to follow that crowd. The core of D&D is still focused around dungeons crawls and adventuring.

It is advantageous for them to maintain their brand versus following the latest TikTok buzz. In fact, many brands have seen a collapse by chasing trends and destroying their core audience for a new one that does not exist.

Stranger Things, Critical Role, and the YT D&D influencers have kept the core experience largely intact so younger players can certainly appreciate the core experience and settings.

The new PHB goes farther by including Spelljammer, Planescape, etc so it does provide a broad avenue for players.

Most likely, they will let third parties create the niche content, and it is niche, and they may select the most successful for inclusion in D&D Beyond (Humblewood, for example.)

 

[payn]

I have read, experienced and seen enough over the last 3-4 years to make this theory viable, at least for me. I don't need anyone to ultimately agree or disagree, but it is my observation and experience.

Thats different than a mission statement.

 

[AstroCat]

Thats different than a mission statement.

I do believe there is an internal mission statement, or at least a top tier bullet point sitting on a presentation. Kind of like the "destroy d&d beyond" quote.

 

[Remathilis]

Actually they do and are... literally a version of just that. It didn't start like that but it has evolved actively into this as a mission statement. If you compare the 2014 5e vs 2024 5e strategic alignment, you will see just that. It's been a paradigm shift that has accelerated over the last 3-4 years.

You know, it's strange. I was in a Star Wars discussion group and they were talking about how the sequels and new continuity was a ploy by Disney to fire their longtime fans and appeal to some new modern casual fans with certain agendas. Then I went on Twitter and they were talking about how the new season of Doctor Who was trying to fire their longtime fans and appeal to some new modern casual fans with certain agendas. Then I went on a comic book forum and they were talking about how Marvel's comic lineup was designed to fire their longtime fans and appeal to some new modern casual fans with certain agendas. Weird how every fandom older than a decade decided to fire their longtime fans and appeal to some new modern casual fans with certain agendas at the same time...

Surely that has to be a coincidence.

 

[Yaarel]

Psionic angels????

Here is a picture from the 1e Monster Manual 2.

The Solar is a psionic being. All angels are.

(Heh. Who knew Wolverine is an angel? Who knew he is psionic?)

 

[Cadence]

Here is a picture from the 1e Monster Manual 2.

The Solar is a psionic being. All angels are.

View attachment 363193



(Heh. Who knew Wolverine is an angel? Who knew he is psionic?)

That armor class feels wrong... I assume it should be -9? (Planetar has -7, the Devas are -4 to -6).

 

[AstroCat]

You know, it's strange. I was in a Star Wars discussion group and they were talking about how the sequels and new continuity was a ploy by Disney to fire their longtime fans and appeal to some new modern casual fans with certain agendas. Then I went on Twitter and they were talking about how the new season of Doctor Who was trying to fire their longtime fans and appeal to some new modern casual fans with certain agendas. Then I went on a comic book forum and they were talking about how Marvel's comic lineup was designed to fire their longtime fans and appeal to some new modern casual fans with certain agendas. Weird how every fandom older than a decade decided to fire their longtime fans and appeal to some new modern casual fans with certain agendas at the same time...

Surely that has to be a coincidence.

It's not a coincidence. It's happening across a lot of current pop media. It is absolutely a current trend. It won't last forever and things go in cycles. There have been many trends and directions in pop media over the decades. This is a current one, without question. The alienation of previous fans of IPs to in theory obtain a much different current customer base has been the current trend. Although it has met with mostly failures and debatable successes, and I believe it is now experiencing so much backlash from new and old customers, it has slowly started to shift. There is a way to maintain and respect long time IP supporters and bring in new customers without the mean spirited alienation. I think for a lot of people, new and old, "expectations subverted" tolerance has been already adequately "subverted". How about we move to, "exceeding expectations" for a change of pace, let's give that a try.

 

[Cadence]

Darn those corporations changing everything!!!

(Avengers 16 with release date of 11 Mar 1965, and a few cherry-picked letters from the several that appeared 3 months later in issue 19).