D&D 5E (2024) WotC Should Make 5.5E Specific Setting

[Remathilis]

FFX is the game that always first comes to mind for me when referencing the series personally, it being the only major non-handheld entry i've put significant time into, but if we're including artificer and 5.5's guns that entry feels pretty apt with magic and tech both being prominent in that game (although in a magic vs tech dynamic that a 5e setting wouldn't probably have)

although i haven't played any ebberon i've gotten the impression from discussions of it here of being sort of, a magictech industrialist setting(though my impressions could be mistaken), what i'm imagining is more along the lines of a 'brighter' high-fantasy setting.

Older FF (up to 6) games were fantasy with a bit of Barrier Peaks level tech. Eberron feels the closest to 6 because it's still a medieval based world with a heavy magi-tek mixture. All the FFs from 7 on (save 9) feel more modern/sci-fi with fantasy elements. Cars and motorbikes and skyscrapers next to ruins and swords and magic. More Starfinder than Spelljammer, if that helps. I could absolutely see a more modernistic/futuristic setting that still holds a heavy fantasy element.

 

[eclair~]

A setting specifically for 2024 5e has plenty of potential to integrate classes into the lore and worldbuilding of the setting...

• Barbarians are impeccable scouts due to their ability to Sneak and See Angrily, but panic at the sight of a wolf.
• Bards have replaced most Clerics/Druids/Wizards in the world.
• Clerics hire themselves out to break reality once a day.
• Druids pretend to be Clerics in hopes that they get gifts and boons that aren't pale imitations of Cleric powers.
• Fighters carry around 20 weapons each and still only use one. Any Fighter who uses a longsword is laughed at.
• Monks are a bunch of white humans who do nothing but pretend kung-fu all day long.
• Paladins try not to stand too close to each other.
• Rangers are considered to be cursed; they are (more out of pity than contempt) referred to as "the marked".
• Sorcerers are god-kings of magic. For a few minutes a day at least.
• Warlocks are assumed by the average person to also be Paladins.
• Wizards are still Wizards.
• Artificers are conjurers in league with the mob. "That's a nice platemail I poofed up for you, would be a shame if it ceased to exist while you were fighting that dragon..."

 

[Henadic Theologian]

A new setting is probably coming either 2026 or 2027.

But who knows because the last announced books are Lorwyn: First Light and Eberron: Forge of the Artificer. Nothing announced for next year. It's so freaking weird its starting to bug me. Like why?

 

[Amphytrion]

Waterdeep Dragonheist, 0 dragonborn or tieflings that I recall.

There are multiple dragonborn and tieflings in that adventure. Here are some off the top of my head:

• A tiefling judge;
• A tiefling orphan, pictured multiple times in the book;
• A dragonborn bookseller;
• A dragonborn priestess of Gond.

There are probably others.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Ravnica was like a "homage" for M:tG players but some players could have thought Stryxhaven and Theros were more like a rehash to make money.

Maybe a new setting needs some reason because 3PPs wanted to publish content in DMGuild. I vow for the idea of chronomancer guilds and alternate universes.

Other option could be a mash-up version of some franchise by other company, for example (cancelled) Disney Mirrorverse, or Capcom. Or a D&D version of Tatsunoko Productions's IPs.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I mean, when Eberron came out, it was touted as a setting designed for modern (WotC) era D&D, which at the time meant magic shops and any race being any class. But I think if Eberron has just been that, it wouldn't have lasted. Eberron brought a lot of unique flavor to D&D you didn't get in Greyhawk or Realms, and that flavor carried it into 4e and 5e. So yes, a 5.5 designed setting would be preferable, but it needs to be more.

Thing of it this way: what unique things did Nerath/Nentir Vale bring to the table besides perfect compatibility to 4e? What was it doing that couldn't be done in Greyhawk or the Realms? (And that's not a slight at it, I think it could be a great setting for 5e, but it needs a hook better than "the default setting for 4e".)

I think the unique flavor of the Nentir Vale is that the heroes are in a world where the great Empires are all gone - bad and good. Civilization is still recovering, and the heroes will be basically agents that can help this recovery come along in some form. The Points of Lights that exist need defending and to be connected, and the secrets of the previous Empires might be scattered throughout the world, be it for personal riches, for helping one of the PoL, or for building a new Empire.
And I think the interesting part is that it's also a bit the same on the opposing side - the villains might still need to make a name for themselves and carve out their empire. There might be dangers everywhere between the points of light, but it's not organized. In a way, it's a setting of opportunity to shape the world and become a historical - if not mythical - figure.

I think that is different from Greyhawk, Eberron or Forgotten Realms because those are still full of large kingdoms and empires, and the evil and good empires and factions are well-defined. It's also not something like Ravenloft where evil is ruling the world (or at least the corner Ravenloft is set in?), or Dark Sun, where evil Dragon Sorcerors or what they are called rule and the world is dying.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

A specifically urban setting would be cool but I am not sure how well 5.5E (or any D&D) maps to urban adventures.

Very very well. Especially with the newer rules, though 4e was even better at it.

My biggest problem with spelljammer is that it fails to be IMO a good fantasy space opera, but also technically is fantasy space opera, so we will never see a "Star Wars meets Treasure Planet meets 80's dark fantasy film and 90's science fantasy cartoons" setting that i so badly want.

 

[zakael19]

And I think the interesting part is that it's also a bit the same on the opposing side - the villains might still need to make a name for themselves and carve out their empire. There might be dangers everywhere between the points of light, but it's not organized. In a way, it's a setting of opportunity to shape the world and become a historical - if not mythical - figure.

Threats to the Nentir Vale did a great job of driving this bit home. So many factions in there that can be used to run an entire Heroic tier campaign.

 

[Parmandur]

My biggest problem with spelljammer is that it fails to be IMO a good fantasy space opera, but also technically is fantasy space opera, so we will never see a "Star Wars meets Treasure Planet meets 80's dark fantasy film and 90's science fantasy cartoons" setting that i so badly want.

Well...the Cosmere RPG might be goijg there pretty soon.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Well...the Cosmere RPG might be goijg there pretty soon.

Yeh. And Starfinder does a good job with a more...Vernian take, i guess.

I just want to be able to jump into a tiny 1-2 person vessel in order to harry the ships firing on the bigger ship we all live in, with magic, dragons, swords and space guns, no assumption of human dominance....

Ugh i should just finish the settimg i have been making...