D&D 5E 5e isn't a Golden Age of D&D Lorewise, it's Silver at best.

[Parmandur]

Interesting, can you link me to the post in question. And when was it?

My Google Fu has failed me (discovery on Twitter is terrible), but it was in the Mearls era.

 

[Mallus]

Mad slowly turns towards Mallus. He raises a hand, jaw opening unnaturally wide as he screams “Not one of us!!!”

Hey, I’ve definitely run D&D scenarios involving brunch. I just don’t need a source book about it.

(which isn’t to say I didn’t buy The Complete Book of Elf Brunches back in the 90s… it was a long time ago and my memory isn’t great anymore).

 

[MonsterEnvy]

On the other hand we loose interesting back story. Like how Kenku were curse to be wingless by Grazz’t. Additionally, beholders lack the motivation they once had as they’re no longer the raging xenophobes they once were (yes I realize someone can read into that and see parallels with Nazis xenophobia but let’s be real. The beholder is a fictional alien that’s shoots various forms of death from the many tentacle-mounted eyeballs covering its body)

Back to the lore, it feels in WotC making everything more accessible or flexible, the races and classes lose their uniqueness.

Wait Beholders are still huge Xenophobes.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Absolutely YMMV. I hate the 5e beholder lore.

Why? Should also point out it’s partially based on 4e Beholder Lore.

 

[JEB]

There was no change at any point in how they view canon.

Incorrect - as of the 5E DMG, novels and video games were considered part of a setting's canon (page 4). But as of the 2021 statement those media are now separate canons from the tabletop canon. There were also a lot more nods to older settings in early 5E products than later on, that only serve any purpose if they expect folks to rely on older canon materials, and not stick strictly to 5E. Clearly they did have some rethinks between 2014 and 2021.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Where the aberrations from an alien realm reproduce in an absolutely alien way and can manipulate reality in awesome ways (creating the potential for even cooler Beholder-variant monsters than ever before)? Wow. I cannot imagine hating that. YMMV, indeed.

I can’t think of a new thing Micah likes.

 

[Scribe]

I can’t think of a new thing Micah likes.

While I cannot speak for Micah, the Oath of Conquest Paladin is one of my favorite things.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

While I cannot speak for Micah, the Oath of Conquest Paladin is one of my favorite things.

I was thinking more on the lore side.

 

[Scribe]

I was thinking more on the lore side.

5e lore? Uhh....yeah that may be harder for me to source something.

Actually no, I liked some of the stuff in Fizbans.

 

[Steampunkette]

Incorrect - as of the 5E DMG, novels and video games were considered part of a setting's canon (page 4). But as of the 2021 statement those media are now separate canons from the tabletop canon. There were also a lot more nods to older settings in early 5E products than later on, that only serve any purpose if they expect folks to rely on older canon materials, and not stick strictly to 5E. Clearly they did have some rethinks between 2014 and 2021.

Even page 4 doesn't confirm that the old canon is standard and goes hand in hand with new material. It only states that "Official material" is "Assumed" to take place.

Does that mean the 2e novels or the 5e novels? Does that mean Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance and Demonstone or does it mean BG3 and Honor Among Thieves?

And also there's a keyword "Assumed". Doesn't mean it -did-. Because it's your version of the setting that you can change as you like, which they specify at the end of that very paragraph!

In short: Canon for 5e isn't canon for your games. And Canon for 5e isn't bound by Canon for 2e. Or 3e. Or 1e. Or 4e. It's just whatever they want to use and whatever you want to use. Nothing more. Nothing less.