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

[UngainlyTitan]

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.

I am pretty sure that magic weapons in ACOTAR are legendary artifacts, not +1 moonblades.

Edit: I feel I should add, that Frieren: Beyond Journeys End has a D&D vibe.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

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

This feels like a no-brainer to me.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

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.

As a big fan of post-apocalyptic fantasy, that would be 100% my jam. Interesting premise for a WotC sized adventure - create a Forgotten Realms PC, and then get switched to Gamma World. Or at least maybe that could be one of the backgrounds.

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".

Yeah, and One Piece has the live-action TV show and 10,000,000 tankobon volumes. OP would make more sense than Bleach or Naruto from a business standpoint. I just personally am not a fan compared to the other two properties.

 

[Stormonu]

I could do with a RWBY tie-in. At the least, the multi-weapons would be a great stab at an iteration of the Weapons of Legacy book.

 

[overgeeked]

Edit: I feel I should add, that Frieren: Beyond Journeys End has a D&D vibe.

That makes sense given it's origin.

Frieren is a what if / spiritual continuation of Record of Lodoss War, i.e. what happens to Deedlit after Parn ages and dies.

Record of Lodoss War was created as a replay of the Japanese edition of Red Box D&D.

 

[dave2008]

As a big fan of post-apocalyptic fantasy, that would be 100% my jam. Interesting premise for a WotC sized adventure - create a Forgotten Realms PC, and then get switched to Gamma World. Or at least maybe that could be one of the backgrounds.

You might want to check out @mearls patreon. He is creating a 5e Gamma World riff called Ruins & Radiation. It looks pretty fun.

 

[dave2008]

Edit: I feel I should add, that Frieren: Beyond Journeys End has a D&D vibe.

I second that suggestion!

 

[overgeeked]

There’s an absolute mountain of Japanese anime, manga, light novels, and video games WotC could license. Anything that’s even vaguely fantasy could be forced to fit. Given we already have Doctor Who 5E and there’s a Star Wars D&D coming, anything goes.

 

[Zaukrie]

There’s an absolute mountain of Japanese anime, manga, light novels, and video games WotC could license. Anything that’s even vaguely fantasy could be forced to fit. Given we already have Doctor Who 5E and there’s a Star Wars D&D coming, anything goes.

I would totally do Manga is I was them....not that I own/read/know any of it. But I'm not the target for the future.

 

[tombowings]

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

Are you say D&D should have a crossover with porn novel? Personally, I don't play those type of games. Your mileage may vary.