D&D 5E D&D and Settings: What's Next?

[Morrus]

Back in 2015, WotC conducted a survey. It covered many things, amongst which were D&D's various worlds and settings.

The settings fell into three 'tiers' of popularity:

• Tier 1: Eberron, Ravenloft, Dark Sun, Planescape, Forgotten Realms
• Tier 2: Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Spelljammer
• Tier 3: Everything else

Of that first tier, three of the five have been covered, with Dark Sun and Planescape yet to come. The drop between Tier 2 and Tier 3 is "fairly steep".

They also noted that "Spelljammer has often lagged behind the broad popularity of other settings, falling into love-it-or-hate-it status depending on personal tastes. Greyhawk and Dragonlance hew fairly close to the assumptions we used in creating the fifth edition rulebooks, making them much easier to run with material from past editions. Of the top five settings, four require significant new material to function and the fifth is by far our most popular world."

 

[Zardnaar]

Planescapes probably easy enough to convert with things like Mordenkainens and Volos plus DMG.

Saltmarsh had overhauled vehicle rules, we know they're working on psionics. Saltmarsh ships stick a helm on them and fly off.

Darksun and Spelljammer probably in that order.

 

[qstor]

Planescapes probably easy enough to convert with things like Mordenkainens and Volos plus DMG.

Saltmarsh had overhauled vehicle rules, we know they're working on psionics.

To me that means Dark Sun which also had a 4e book like Eberron.

 

[Zardnaar]

To me that means Dark Sun which also had a 4e book like Eberron.

Yeah that's another one.
Greyhawk kinda got touched on with Saltmarsh as well.

IDK how Strahd and Saltmarsh did but testing waters sales would give an indicator for full releases later.

Planescape or something close to it can be done with existing material

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[PabloM]

Yes, I think it is most likely Dark Sun.
Anyway, I wonder if its popularity is not a bit retroactive effect for having had a 4e version. I mean, Forgotten Realms, Eberron and Dark Sun are the settings that received the most official attention in the last twelve years, it is obvious that they will be the most popular.
Don't get me wrong, I love those settings, but it's also true that we haven't had settings books for worlds like Dragonlance or Greyhawk (or others) for a long time, and people are less and less likely to meet them.

 

[robus]

My feeling, with all the setting material already existing for these (on DMs Guild etc), the best way to handle it would be in a Player’s Guide to the Multiverse, and a companion DMs Guide to the Multiverse. The Player’s Guide would naturally provide races, classes and backgrounds for the various settings (and new spells and equipment) . The DMs guide would provide maps, and adventure building advice along with treasure unique to the settings, (and I guess advice and updating old adventures to 5e?)

Do they need more than that? My thinking is that both books would be a good resource even if you’re r not planning to set a game there.

 

[OB1]

I think Dark Sun would be the next full campaign setting, where Planescape could be done with a level 10-20 Adventure Path in the vein of CoS, possibly as a follow up to Descent into Avernus.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I'd go with Dark Sun for their next major release (barring a out-of-left-field surprise, like Ravnica).

Simply because, at some point, they are going to want to release psionic rules, and that seems the most appropriate way to do it.

Exactly.

They aren't going to do Dark Sun for Dark Sun's sake... they'll do Dark Sun because they want a place to put their psionics rules.

 

[Parmandur]

I'd go with Dark Sun for their next major release (barring a out-of-left-field surprise, like Ravnica).

Simply because, at some point, they are going to want to release psionic rules, and that seems the most appropriate way to do it.

Yes, Dark Sun would round out the Classes, and provide a distinct experience. I would propose Planescape is likely to be next, then Dragonlance.