D&D 5E Announcement Next Week--What Hints For Upcoming D&D Books?

WotC uses Unearthed Arcana to playtest D&D material which often ends up in a later hardcover book. Mages of Strixhaven was in Unearthed Arcana in June 2021, and Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos was published in December 2021. Draconic Options was in Unearthed Arcana in April 2021, and Fizban's Treasury of Dragons came out in October. The same applied to Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft, and other books--the lead time appears to typically be somewhere around 6 months. So what have we had recently which might give us an insight into upcoming books?

WotC is holding a press event this coming Friday, with an embargo for March 22nd (which is Tuesday next week), meaning that an announcement is around the corner.

Unearthed Arcana has slowed in the last year or so, but there have been two notable articles:

• August 2021 -- Travelers of the Multiverse. 6 months after this was February, so if the 6-month lead time theory holds true, a multiverse-themed book would be imminent. The amount of speculative chatter about Spelljammer, Planescape, and 'Planejammer' is at a high.
• March 2022 -- Heroes of Krynn. This UA was released last week; six months would put a Dragonlance hardcover roughly about September, around the same time that Weis & Hickman's new Dragonlance novel releases.

So these two appear the most likely--some kind of multiverse book, and a Dragonlance book.

We know that a new starter set--Dragons of Stormwreck Isle--is on its way this year. WotC has spoken about two brand new settings, and two classic settings in 2022 (which fits the theory!)

They also spoke about a 'brand new format' for the 2 classic settings--WotC's Ray Winninger said in June last year that ""Each of these products is pursuing a different format you've never seen before. And neither is "digital only;" these are new print formats."

As I've mentioned on a couple of occasions, there are two more products that revive "classic" settings in production right now.

The manuscript for the first, overseen by [Chris Perkins], is nearly complete. Work on the second, led by [F. Wesley Schneider] with an assist from [Ari Levitch], is just ramping up in earnest. Both are targeting 2022 and formats you've never seen before.

In addition to these two titles, we have two brand new [D&D] settings in early development, as well as a return to a setting we've already covered. (No, these are not M:tG worlds.)

As I mentioned in the dev blog, we develop more material than we publish, so it's possible one or more of these last three won't reach production. But as of right now, they're all looking great.

 

[Morrus]

I haven't been paying much attention to D&D world or reading ENWorld over the last few months, and am too lazy to read the nine pages of this thread. I did hear that there was supposed to be an announcement on Friday? Anything? Can someone summarize: What we know for certain and what seems likely?

All I can gather from skimming the thread is that Dragonlance and Spelljammer are very likely, even definite. But it is unclear the format or anything else that might come out this year. Is that correct?

Just read the first post.

(Announcement is Tuesday)

 

[Parmandur]

I haven't been paying much attention to D&D world or reading ENWorld over the last few months, and am too lazy to read the nine pages of this thread. I did hear that there was supposed to be an announcement on Friday? Anything? Can someone summarize: What we know for certain and what seems likely?

All I can gather from skimming the thread is that Dragonlance and Spelljammer are very likely, even definite. But it is unclear the format or anything else that might come out this year. Is that correct?

There was a private press event yesterday. The press will be allowed to talk about it next week, after the next book is announced on Tuesday. WotC social media posted a distorted picture that has the book cover and title, but it is hard to get much from it ("Journey Beyond the Radiant Citadel" is the best guess Iveseen, but only "Journey...the Radiant..." is clear). We know (with fair confidence) WotC has a Spelljammer product in development, and a Dragonlance one. The most likely leak so fsr indicates that this book is neither, but a compilation similar to Candlekeep Mysteries.

 

[Mercurius]

Just read the first post.

(Announcement is Tuesday)

Thanks (and duh, to me).

 

[Mercurius]

There was a private press event yesterday. The press will be allowed to talk about it next week, after the next book is announced on Tuesday. WotC social media posted a distorted picture that has the book cover and title, but it is hard to get much from it ("Journey Beyond the Radiant Citadel" is the best guess Iveseen, but only "Journey...the Radiant..." is clear). We know (with fair confidence) WotC has a Spelljammer product in development, and a Dragonlance one. The most likely leak so fsr indicates that this book is neither, but a compilation similar to Candlekeep Mysteries.

OK, thanks. Interesting. Maybe a Spelljammer anthology that acts as a tour of iconic locations? Seems like a valid way to explore a setting. Back when the "new format" thing was first announced, I remember mentioning that format may not be as much the physical nature of the product (e.g. book, box, slipcase) but the way it combines different elements in new ways. But I guess we'll see.

 

[Parmandur]

OK, thanks. Interesting. Maybe a Spelljammer anthology that acts as a tour of iconic locations? Seems like a valid way to explore a setting. Back when the "new format" thing was first announced, I remember mentioning that format may not be as much the physical nature of the product (e.g. book, box, slipcase) but the way it combines different elements in new ways. But I guess we'll see.

There is a leaker on Reddit who says there are three distinct products at play: this book, which is a compilation of short adventures, not a Setting, and Spelljamemr and Dragonlance products later this year. We will find out soon enough...

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Or some other non-D&D property, such as Star Frontiers or Top Secret.

Because it's a safe place to test mechanical changes that might appear in 5.5E one year later, the same way that Star Wars Saga Edition previewed 4E D&D.

I think that would be an amazing idea... does anyone know what IP WotC has to play with?

 

[GMforPowergamers]

One thing I haven't seen discussed yet: I think it's probably only a matter of time before WotC publishes a true solo D&D adventure book with no DM required.

But whatever Liz Schuh was hinting at in the Dragon Talk podcast isn't that.

there have been in 2e no DM needed adventures with predone rolls "the orc hits a 7" type things

 

[Parmandur]

I think that would be an amazing idea... does anyone know what IP WotC has to play with?

They have Gamma World, Star Frontiers, and Boot Hill up on the DMsGuild for active sale.

 

[vecna00]

They have Gamma World, Star Frontiers, and Boot Hill up on the DMsGuild for active sale.

I think they still have Star Drive, but not the names Alternity and Dark Matter. Would be nice, because I would love to get my hands on those again.

Currently missing my copy of the original Dark Matter book signed by Sean K. Reynolds...

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Maybe it will be a module about an alien spaceship crashed in a fantasy world (but then we would an explanation about how they didn't land in the crystal shell). The goal would the fandom to get used to the idea in D&D universe could appear "planar tears" as point of origin of elements from other franchises.