A Look At The D&D Acquisitions Inc. Book

D&D Beyond has a look at the upcoming Acquisitions, Inc. D&D sourcebook, scheduled for a June 18th release date.

Details include:

• Authors: Shawn Merwin, Teos “Alphastream” Abadia, and Scott Fitzgerald Grey.
• Archetypes: cartographer, decisionist, documancer, hoardsperson, loremonger, obviator, occultant, secretarian.
• New race: Verdan.
• A complete adventure.
• Monster & NPC stat blocks.

 

[Parmandur]

I doubt it. Personally, I don't think that a significant percentage of D&D players are engaged in Penny Arcade content. I could be wrong, but almost everyone I know who plays D&D (veteran or otherwise) has never looked at any AI content.

I don't watch or listen to AI, or read PA stuff: but the viewership numbers for their content are large and I somehow doubt that much of their viewership is non-D&D players.

 

[Parmandur]

It has? Just because the designers wanted to change FR?

The people in charge of Forgotten Realms canon say Acquisitions Inc. is canonical, and the Creator of the setting treats Acquisitions, Inc. as canonical and includes them in a canonical novel. Not sure how much more canon something even could be, if you are into that sort of thing.

 

[ParanoydStyle]

You know, it's really strange. Obviously I'm stoked on D&D, and I have been a rabid Penny Arcade fan since 2002, even if I've never been able to afford to go to a PAX. But I could scarcely be less interested in this book. The same's true with the Rick & Morty D&D tie-in. The same's true even moreso with the Stranger Things D&D tie-in since Stranger Things is either a rip off of my own game Psionics or coincidentally and independently plunged into the pretty much the same mix of tropes and ideas about two years after I published. Either way, ew. It's a show I would like if it didn't fill me with surging feelings of "BUT I DID THAT FIRST, JUST NO ONE PAID ANY ATTENTION".

Anyway after a moment or two of self analysis I think it is the expectation that I purchase these products that makes me want to not do just that. I'm the biggest Rick and Morty fan you'll ever find (expect a CR 30 5E Rick at some point, I already statted him in RIFTS). But Rick & Morty appear on so much merchandise, it's just really transparent that marketing people believe nerds will buy any old crap as long as it says Rick and Morty on it. I mean right now I'm within sight of a Prison Break Rick FuncoPop! that I bought for some insane reason, within range of my drug tray which is emblazoned with a far out Rick and Morty tableau, and there's an awesome metallic painting of Rick & Morty running through a portal on a wall that I bought from an independent artist. This last one is the only one I'm not ashamed of. The Acquisitions Inc. book might be ing great, for all I know. If Jerry wasn't too busy being rich and famous to write it himself, I might be interested in it. But the whole project just vaguely offends me, vaguely like the Rick & Morty tie-in D&D book. See, I already know that the marketing pukes are thinking "hah, these rubes will buy ANYTHING if we put this popular thing they love on it!"...and I don't like how D&D has become one of those possible ANYTHINGS. From a marketing perspective the quality of the product is almost totally irrelevant: we're being conditioned, like Pavlov's dogs. "Haha!If we put (POPULAR THING) on D&D, these nerds will definitely buy it in droves! The only thing nerds like better than (POPULAR THING) is D&D! So drink what we pour down your trough, losers". I guess it's my contrarian streak. "Devon, Rick and Mory is your favorite thing and D&D is your second favorite thing! You can't resist buying this merchandise!" to which another of the voices in my head replies "You just effing watch me resist, bub."

I feel mostly pretty much the same about Acq. Inc.

I wonder if this screed made any sense on any level.

 

[Psyzhran2357]

I wonder if this screed made any sense on any level.

No.

 

[cbwjm]

You know, it's really strange. Obviously I'm stoked on D&D, and I have been a rabid Penny Arcade fan since 2002, even if I've never been able to afford to go to a PAX. But I could scarcely be less interested in this book. The same's true with the Rick & Morty D&D tie-in. The same's true even moreso with the Stranger Things D&D tie-in since Stranger Things is either a rip off of my own game Psionics or coincidentally and independently plunged into the pretty much the same mix of tropes and ideas about two years after I published. Either way, ew. It's a show I would like if it didn't fill me with surging feelings of "BUT I DID THAT FIRST, JUST NO ONE PAID ANY ATTENTION".

Anyway after a moment or two of self analysis I think it is the expectation that I purchase these products that makes me want to not do just that. I'm the biggest Rick and Morty fan you'll ever find (expect a CR 30 5E Rick at some point, I already statted him in RIFTS). But Rick & Morty appear on so much merchandise, it's just really transparent that marketing people believe nerds will buy any old crap as long as it says Rick and Morty on it. I mean right now I'm within sight of a Prison Break Rick FuncoPop! that I bought for some insane reason, within range of my drug tray which is emblazoned with a far out Rick and Morty tableau, and there's an awesome metallic painting of Rick & Morty running through a portal on a wall that I bought from an independent artist. This last one is the only one I'm not ashamed of. The Acquisitions Inc. book might be ing great, for all I know. If Jerry wasn't too busy being rich and famous to write it himself, I might be interested in it. But the whole project just vaguely offends me, vaguely like the Rick & Morty tie-in D&D book. See, I already know that the marketing pukes are thinking "hah, these rubes will buy ANYTHING if we put this popular thing they love on it!"...and I don't like how D&D has become one of those possible ANYTHINGS. From a marketing perspective the quality of the product is almost totally irrelevant: we're being conditioned, like Pavlov's dogs. "Haha!If we put (POPULAR THING) on D&D, these nerds will definitely buy it in droves! The only thing nerds like better than (POPULAR THING) is D&D! So drink what we pour down your trough, losers". I guess it's my contrarian streak. "Devon, Rick and Mory is your favorite thing and D&D is your second favorite thing! You can't resist buying this merchandise!" to which another of the voices in my head replies "You just effing watch me resist, bub."

I feel mostly pretty much the same about Acq. Inc.

I wonder if this screed made any sense on any level.

I bought the Rick and Morty DnD comics because I love Rick and Morty (though I hate the rabid fan base) and Patrick Rothfuss was writing it. I haven't read his books but his style in the DnD games made me think I would enjoy it and honestly, it was great would definitely recommend to fans of DnD and Rick and Morty.

 

[The White Sorcerer]

It has? Just because the designers wanted to change FR?

Isn't that the only reason anything happens in FR canon?

 

[MNblockhead]

Well, all I can say is that I watched a live stream of Acquisitions Inc. in a packed movie theater and it was far more enjoyable than the Dungeons & Dragon movie.

I think it is impressive that they could pack a movie theaters 1,600 miles from the convention where they were located.

On the other hand, they only did this once, so it much not have been that successful. Perhaps Minneapolis was an anomaly.

 

[generic]

The people in charge of Forgotten Realms canon say Acquisitions Inc. is canonical, and the Creator of the setting treats Acquisitions, Inc. as canonical and includes them in a canonical novel. Not sure how much more canon something even could be, if you are into that sort of thing.

Wait, really? I was unaware of that. Furthermore, I tend to be a bit silly before I've had adequate caffeine.

 

[Parmandur]

Wait, really? I was unaware of that. Furthermore, I tend to be a bit silly before I've had adequate caffeine.

Yup, Omin Dran (Jerry's PC) is a minor character in one of Ed Greenwood's novels, and Perkins has stated that AI is canon on multiple occasions, and deciding canon is part of his job description:

https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Omin_Dran

 

[Mercador]

I've seen a regain of faith in D&D5 and this is mostly because of youtube series and such, so the match with AI, PAX and the like isn't coincidental. Heck, I even remember Mike Krahulic discovering D&D 4th edition and Jerry Holkins giving him his baby steps in this territory, it's been a while. Maybe it's the case now, the older fortysomething that knows D&D since first edition are put aside by the new generation of millenials that discover the joys of D&D. If I was someone that invest in the hobby, millenials would be my main target for sure. Then, they'll have kids of their own and it will be a D&D6 (or 7) to get our crowd back again.

Just an old man ramblings