D&D 4E D&D Fluff Wars: 4e vs 5e

[FormerlyHemlock]

So, 5e has proven a hugely successful "win back the crowd" move by WoTC, as can easily be discerned by just taking a look at pretty much anywhere online, and all on the strength of its mechanics. But what about its fluff? Although mechanically it's a throwback to AD&D & 3e in a lot of ways, fluff-wise, it's pretty much as big of a change from the lore of those editions as 4e was. But, I was wondering; comparing 4e lore to 5e, which lore do you folks prefer?

For the most part, 5E doesn't seem to have any interesting lore. 5E is mostly just a bunch of combat stats.

With a couple of exceptions (the giant hierarchy is kind of interesting) I've stolen everything lore-related in my 5E games from AD&D 2nd edition.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I've stolen everything lore-related in my 5E games from AD&D 2nd edition.

"Steal Shamelessly" was my motto for running one campaign. (OK, maybe more than one.)

...

Though, y'know, 'stealing' from 2e to pay 5e? That's more just recycling.

 

[Parmandur]

FR is the stated setting of Volo's guide, and the story elements are made with FR in mind.

Well, no, not really. The Yuan-Ti chapter in particular is about generic D&D Yuan-Ti and specifically NOT FR style Yuan-Ti; less obvious, but the same with the other chapters. Aside from Volo and El, the NPCs are mainly Greyhawk, in the fluff sections.

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[Parmandur]

For the most part, 5E doesn't seem to have any interesting lore. 5E is mostly just a bunch of combat stats.

With a couple of exceptions (the giant hierarchy is kind of interesting) I've stolen everything lore-related in my 5E games from AD&D 2nd edition.

If it works for WotC, why not you? The Orduning is 2E lore.

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[FormerlyHemlock]

If it works for WotC, why not you? The Orduning is 2E lore.

Really? I wasn't aware of that.

 

[Parmandur]

Really? I wasn't aware of that.

Yup, from some Troy Denning books, and a tie-in called Giantcraft.

Admittedly, that was Realmslore specifically...

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[QuietBrowser]

Really, you'd probably have an easier time figuring out what 5e lore is not taken from either 2e or Pathfinder (don't believe me? Look at 2e Azers, look at PF Azers, then look at 5e Azers). They took practically nothing in terms of 4e lore that I'm aware of - the existence of the Shadowfell and Feywild, a very different take on the Elemental Chaos, and the ideas of gnolls being creations of Yeenoghu rather than stolen from him, but more along the shallow lines from the Monster Vault writeup than the nuanced one from Dragon Magazine.

 

[Parmandur]

Really, you'd probably have an easier time figuring out what 5e lore is not taken from either 2e or Pathfinder (don't believe me? Look at 2e Azers, look at PF Azers, then look at 5e Azers). They took practically nothing in terms of 4e lore that I'm aware of - the existence of the Shadowfell and Feywild, a very different take on the Elemental Chaos, and the ideas of gnolls being creations of Yeenoghu rather than stolen from him, but more along the shallow lines from the Monster Vault writeup than the nuanced one from Dragon Magazine.

They did take the better elements, yes, but also went back to the 1E/2E stuff when that was preferable; James Wyatt led the charge on a quite extensive research into peoples lore preferences: the 5E hybrid is the result. It may not be to your preference, but as someone who didn't take part in that research, and who has no memory of pre-3E D&D, I was rather delighted by the results. Smart money is that they are here to stay, particularly as they get reinforced by things like movies, action figures, etc.

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[Parmandur]

Well, no, not really. The Yuan-Ti chapter in particular is about generic D&D Yuan-Ti and specifically NOT FR style Yuan-Ti; less obvious, but the same with the other chapters. Aside from Volo and El, the NPCs are mainly Greyhawk, in the fluff sections.

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As a little context on the Yuan-Ti: in the WotC podcast, Perkins specifically talks about how the Yuan-Ti as described in Volos differ from the Yuan-Ti of the Realms as one of the few places the FR differ from the standard assumed D&D setting. Most of the time, the FR matches (because it incorporates Greyhaw/1E default life, really), so it makes a good example setting, but the default is a generic homebrew.

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[avin]

While I loved some 4E fluff such Fomorians, most of it was too much intrusive. 4E tieflings were Just horrible compared to what we had in Planescape (2E).
5E fluff it's also a bit intrusive.

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