D&D 5E Are DMsGuild sequels the way to go for making high-level content?

[Alby87]

Recently, the release of Chains of Asmodeus bring a sequel to Descent to Avernus, making it a full campain to 20. How would you see "official" DMsGuild by Wotc sequels to campaign sold like these? Think, a sequel to 20 for Curse of Strahd, Tomb of Annihilation, Storm King's Thunder and so on. Available as PDF, then as POD if successful enough, no need to print with risk of making too many books, and finally high-level support. They can also be used to promote old adventures, that are still sold.

Is this a bad idea?

 

[Burnside]

Recently, the release of Chains of Asmodeus bring a sequel to Descent to Avernus, making it a full campain to 20. How would you see "official" DMsGuild by Wotc sequels to campaign sold like these? Think, a sequel to 20 for Curse of Strahd, Tomb of Annihilation, Storm King's Thunder and so on. Available as PDF, then as POD if successful enough, no need to print with risk of making too many books, and finally high-level support. They can also be used to promote old adventures, that are still sold.

Is this a bad idea?

FWIW, except in exceptional cases, POD on DMsGuild has to be decided from the outset of the project (i.e. can't be added later based on "success"), and unlike DriveThruRPG titles, is subject to approval by DMsGuild - it's not something the creator can just decide to do; it's limited to select products approved my management.

Also, despite the marketing saying as much, I would hesitate to bill Chains of Asmodeus as a "sequel" to Descent into Avernus. Aside from the setting, the stories are not related, and the level overlap is off as well (Descent is 1-13, Chains starts at 11). "Run this as a sequel to Descent into Avernus" feels like something someone thought of after the fact as a marketing hook.

 

[aco175]

I say not at all. It certainly seems that less people play that high level and making the books POD makes sense. I'm not sure if they are official but are better than the stuff I put out on there. My stuff tends to be my home campaign and how it is modified from the published books. This might be more along those lines where someone finished the campaign and happens to work at WotC. Not sure.

 

[mamba]

Is this a bad idea?

To me it is a bad idea because there is less demand for high level adventures (compensated by there being less available) and by tying it to an existing WotC module you are potentially limiting your audience to those that played through that module and want more of the same. To me you are better off keeping it a very loosely coupled sequel / wholly independent. Bonus points if multiple WotC APs can serve as a prequel.

 

[Stormonu]

I think doing the high level campaigns as DM Guild "official" add-ons is probably the way to go. Gives them some time for people to have gone through the base book and identify any problems so they can be addressed.

And frankly, I'm just not interested in high-level games. They can tailor the additional material for those who are interested with forcing the rest of us into running into levels (and the additional time/prep involved) we don't care for while still giving a satisfactory low-level end point.