D&D 5E (2024) D&D Universes Beyond - what should they do?

[doctorbadwolf]

I think Witcher as a TTRPG is strongly tied to R Talsorian Games given that CD Projekt Red actually made everyone interested in Mike Pondsmith's Cyberpunk again with Cyberpunk 2077.

Yes I know Mike Pondsmith did work for TSR, but his company basically has dibs on Witcher because they made a video game of his main RPG and it seems like CD Projekt Red has some sway on who gets to make TTRPG of Witcher.

The Witcher is based on a series of novels, it isnt like CDPR has any control of it as an IP outside their video games.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Yes that was what i am trying to express, concerning the witcher, because there are only a handful of "wizards" in the seting. Mostly the Ladies like Yennefer, Triss etc. and a handful of males also. At least if you are not counting in the elves from the other world, not the native ones. Clerics with powers like in D&D, there are none. Cannot even tell what religions are in the setting except the thing with the holy flame. All the mundane stuff does not need to be discussed, but something like a warlock would be considered a monster, which eventually needs to be hunted down by Geralt.

Edit: If i had to do such a conversion i would prolly use DSA rules they might fit perfectly its just refluffing, or eventually modified CoC rules but surely not D&D.

A Warlock could easily just be a witcher.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

At least the Nightsisters have dabbled in some necromancy, so there is some precedent.

Summoning and teleportation could just be very rare (not canonized yet).

Summoning is easy. It is a construct of some kind.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

The Witcher is based on a series of novels, it isnt like CDPR has any control of it as an IP outside their video games.

They don't have control outside the video games, but I noticed the ones published by R Talsorian really emphasize the connection to the video games probably because of the R Talsorian/Cyberpunk and CD Projekt Red/Cyberpunk 2077 connection.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Labyrinth and Demon Hunters could be fun as D&D things

Both are definitely strong contenders, although I think it'd be tough to get a very long book out of Labyrinth. (There's also a well-liked Labyrinth RPG from a few years ago, although I don't know when River Horse's license expires.)

 

[doctorbadwolf]

They don't have control outside the video games, but I noticed the ones published by R Talsorian really emphasize the connection to the video games probably because of the R Talsorian/Cyberpunk and CD Projekt Red/Cyberpunk 2077 connection.

Sure. They made it in collaboration with CDPR. My point is that CDPR isn't the copyright holder for the Witcher, so it is quite lilely that thier relationships would have no bearing on whether wotc can get a license to make one.

 

[Marandahir]

Record of Lodoss War.
Flight of Dragons // The Last Unicorn
Dragon Quest // FINAL FANTASY
Pokémon

Various other Anime (Dragon Ball, InuYasha, Demon Slayer, Naruto, One Piece, all these and more come to mind)

There's endless opportunities. D&D is a versatile platform.

Oh and course, a new edition of Gamma World!

 

[Eyes of Nine]

BLEACH!

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

An update of Gamma World is possible, maybe starting with a "backdoor pilot episode" where the PCs from a D&D fantasy world travel to GW but this would be a fictional world not our future Earth.

A manganime franchise could be an interesting option but here I would bet for "One Piece" because it has got more vibes of "D&D adventure".

 

[Moonmover]

Were I WotC looking for a setting to liscence, I would go for Prythian, the setting of the A Court of Thorns & Roses novels.

It feels like a world that's roughly on a D&D-scaled power level - there are legendary monsters and super-powered spellcasters, but a highly-skilled human fighter like Jurian can still hold his own. It's got a large variety of both monsters to fight and humanoid species to play as.

The protagonists in the novels are already doing a lot of D&D-like things. They go on quests, fight monsters, find magic items, and learn spells.

But it's also distinctly not a D&D setting. The world-building in it is laser-focused on the various fey, and it's all got this twisted-fairy-tale thing going on. So it would feel distinct from D&D's in-house settings.

And, as had been pointed out up-thread: the other crossovers WotC has announced have all been properties that appeal firstly to middle-aged men. And they're nostalgia properties. ACOTAR is newish and current, and its fans are mostly women.

Also this would be the chance to implement masterwork weapons. By which I mean, they'd have to implement masterwork weapons for game-balance reasons, because magic weapons (specifically weapons, not other kinds of magic item) in this setting are basically inaccessible and an enormous deal when they turn up. Like if a single magic weapon showed up in an ACOTAR campaign, that would become what the campaign was about.