Dungeons & Dragons May Not Come Back to Greyhawk After 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide

Wizards of the Coast does not appear to have future plans for the Greyhawk setting past the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide. Speaking at a press event earlier this month, Dungeons & Dragons game architect Chris Perkins explained that the inclusion of Greyhawk campaign setting material in the upcoming rulebook was meant to stand on its own. "Basically, we're saying 'Hey DMs, we're giving you Greyhawk as a foundation on which you can build your own setting stuff,'" Perkins said when asked about future Greyhawk setting material. "Whether we get back to Greyhawk or not in some capacity I cannot say, but that's our intention for now. This is the sandbox, it's Greyhawk. Go off and run Greyhawk or Greyhawk-like campaigns with this if you wish. We may not come to this version of Greyhawk for a while because we DMs to own it and play with it. This is not a campaign setting where I think we need to go in and start defining large sections of the world and adding more weight of content that DMs have to sit through in order to feel like they're running a proper Greyhawk campaign."

The 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide includes a campaign setting gazetteer focused on the Greyhawk setting, one of D&D's earliest campaign settings. The use of Greyhawk is intended to be an example for DMs on how to build a full-fledged campaign setting, with an overview of major conflicts and places to explore within the world. New maps of both Oerth and the city of Greyhawk are also included in the rulebook.

However, while it seems like Wizards isn't committing to future Greyhawk campaign setting material, Perkins admitted that the fans still have a say in the matter. "We're not so immutable with our plans that if the fans rose up and said 'Give us something Greyhawk,' that we would say 'No, never,'" Perkins said. "That won't happen."

Perkins also teased the appearance of more campaign settings in the future. "We absolutely will be exploring new D&D worlds and that door is always open," Perkins said.

 

[QuentinGeorge]

By changing a few names?

You did actually read what was changed right? it was more than "a few names".

 

[Vaalingrade]

By changing a few names?

And updated the apparent 'default' setting you can do anything with to reflect the playable default species that didn't exist when the setting was first invented as existent demographics.

They made the default the default. The shame. The horror.

 

[TiQuinn]

And I like the up to date one that gives you a 'can be an ally can be an enemy' figure that's got a lot more use everywhere, rather than being this weird one note "Man atheism bad" thing they had their. Someone damning themselves through their actions rather than "oh the gods got pissy and gave an EVIL SOUL" is a lot more compelling as a story

3E was 20 years ago which, y'know, is more than 'not long ago', and the company that published the Ravenloft stuff then, White Wolf, is, y'know. White Wolf. Given what happened to White Wolf, I don't think WotC wants to replicate what they've done

Well now people can choose whichever one they want.

 

[Hussar]

You did actually read what was changed right? it was more than "a few names".

I did read it. And, yes, it's pretty much just a couple of names that were changed. We're talking about stuff that most people wouldn't know about, and don't care even if they do.

Good grief, the level of hyperbole just keeps climbing higher and higher.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

You did actually read what was changed right? it was more than "a few names".

Yes and I am familiar with the old versions too. The few changes are just not a big deal.

 

[FrozenNorth]

And updated the apparent 'default' setting you can do anything with to reflect the playable default species that didn't exist when the setting was first invented as existent demographics.

And default classes.

They made the default the default. The shame. The horror.

 

[Stuart Kerrigan]

So, whilst discussing things with you learned gentlefolk on this forum, I was also working on this for DM's Guild:-


This free guide uses a similar framework to the one presented in the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide but more closely resembles the original incarnation of the World of Greyhawk whilst also taking into account many developments in that setting that took place since the publication of the 1980 World of Greyhawk Folio.

It is our hope that we will provide Dungeon Masters additional options for running Greyhawk the way they want, and to establish a common baseline for discussing this classic setting with newer players.

The Classic Guide to Greyhawk provides a 16 page overview of the original campaign setting including:-

• History of the Flanaess: A detailed one-page overview of the setting's history.
• Greyhawk Conflicts: Three significant sources of villainy strongly baked into the Flanaess: the decadent and fractured Great Kingdom, Iuz and his wicked followers, and the insidious Scarlet Brotherhood.
• Gods of Greyhawk: A one-page summary of the Flanaess's major faiths.
• The Calendar: The 364 Day Greyhawk Calendar with Lunar Cycles
• People of the Flanaess: Learn about the major human ethnicities and how they interact with the benevolent demihumans and maruading humanoids.
• Factions: A detailed overview of all nine members of the Circle of Eight at 576 CY along with a prospective member who will join in the future and an overview of the major Knightly Orders of the Flanaess.
• The Flanaess: A detailed overview of the Central Flanaess, Old Keoland, Eastern Flanaess (Old Nyrond against the Great Kingdom and Neighbors), Northern Flanaess and Western Flanaess (Baklunish West). Writeups of all major nations are provided along with short descriptive entries for each ruler of the Flanaess.

Addendum: If you do like the Guide please rate and review it, as a free product it will age like milk on the DM's Guild carousel otherwise. (You can also do this if you don't like it but why? )

(Moderators: Apologies if this is a faux-pas).

 

[QuentinGeorge]

So, whilst discussing things with you learned gentlefolk on this forum, I was also working on this for DM's Guild:-

View attachment 386176
This free guide uses a similar framework to the one presented in the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide but more closely resembles the original incarnation of the World of Greyhawk whilst also taking into account many developments in that setting that took place since the publication of the 1980 World of Greyhawk Folio.

It is our hope that we will provide Dungeon Masters additional options for running Greyhawk the way they want, and to establish a common baseline for discussing this classic setting with newer players.

The Classic Guide to Greyhawk provides a 16 page overview of the original campaign setting including:-

• History of the Flanaess: A detailed one-page overview of the setting's history.
• Greyhawk Conflicts: Three significant sources of villainy strongly baked into the Flanaess: the decadent and fractured Great Kingdom, Iuz and his wicked followers, and the insidious Scarlet Brotherhood.
• Gods of Greyhawk: A one-page summary of the Flanaess's major faiths.
• The Calendar: The 364 Day Greyhawk Calendar with Lunar Cycles
• People of the Flanaess: Learn about the major human ethnicities and how they interact with the benevolent demihumans and maruading humanoids.
• Factions: A detailed overview of all nine members of the Circle of Eight at 576 CY along with a prospective member who will join in the future and an overview of the major Knightly Orders of the Flanaess.
• The Flanaess: A detailed overview of the Central Flanaess, Old Keoland, Eastern Flanaess (Old Nyrond against the Great Kingdom and Neighbors), Northern Flanaess and Western Flanaess (Baklunish West). Writeups of all major nations are provided along with short descriptive entries for each ruler of the Flanaess.

Addendum: If you do like the Guide please rate and review it, as a free product it will age like milk on the DM's Guild carousel otherwise. (You can also do this if you don't like it but why? )

(Moderators: Apologies if this is a faux-pas).

I like that Bucknard even matches up to his appearance in Age of Worms. Great attention to detail.

 

[Hussar]

I gotta admit, I love this way of treating the setting. I hope the "Classic" moniker catches on. It makes for a nice way to distinguish between original Greyhawk (updated) and the Newer rerelease.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

What I really want is a good island based setting, like Earthsea. I have used the Moonsheas (2nd edition version) but was very disappointed that Theras had such a rubbish map.