Do you want Greyhawk updated to 5e?

[Istbor]

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showth...pdated-to-5e&p=7570875&viewfull=1#post7570875

Yes, yes. I saw this shortly after I posted. I gave you XP by way of an apology for my eagerness to see results.

I was born too late to get to experience Greyhawk at its height. I know I could probably investigate and run one on my own, but I mostly do homebrew stuff now. Plus, I kinda feel like I would want some older grey-bearded man (or woman, I am up for equality) to DM it for me. Not sure why, but I think that would be the best way for me to experience it.

 

[Baron Opal II]

I would prefer a reprint rather than an update.

The folio provided the right balance of setting information that sparked one's imagination. All I need is that there is a "high level" magician in the Valley of the Mage. I can come up with the stats on my own. From what I remember, there was fairly little game information beyond these classes over here, those monsters over there. That's just right for me.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

And if you wold be kind enough to help me fnde good stuff

That's the thing, you are dealing with a setting with 35 years of lack-of-support. Very little stuff (good or otherwise) was ever written.

Of course, if Greyhawk had been the popular setting the coolkidz would be hating on that instead of FR.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[akr71]

I mean, don't get me wrong - if WotC releases a Greyhawk campaign guide for 5e, I will buy it. It will sit on my shelf and go unused though.

I'm quite content to continue to play in the Realms - my version of the Realms where I make stuff up to suit my needs, ignore what doesn't, etc. In fact the village of Orlane was recently discovered to be in the Kingdom of Cormyr in my campaign... If I get bored of the Realms, I'd likely do my own homebrew world.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The first is the emphasis; one is a swords and sorcery setting, and one is a high fantasy setting. This matters for some people, especially those who prefer a grittier, pulp feel that occasionally crosses into weirdness.

The second is that because Forgotten Realms has been ... um .... touched so much by the powers that be, it is both very appealing to some people, while not appealing at all to others. Sure, at different times TSR/WoTC has published stuff about GH since 1985 (something something Vecna, some more stuff about the Sea of Dust, an update to the timeline for 3e, etc.), but GH never became the kitchen sink setting. It never had to deal with multiple timelines, and retcons, and continual novelizations.

That's why they forced Kara Tur and Al Qadim and ... well, pretty much all of Greyhawk into FR (hey, look kids of the FR, it's Big Ben, Parliament, and Acererak, famous lich of the Forgotten Realms!). It's only mildly surprising that they haven't incorporated Eberron into it (the newest undiscovered continent of Toril ... Eberron!).

Plus all of the sunderings and plaguings and fracturings.

(I say that jokingly; it's not like people can't make fun of GH- look at the history of how Gygax filled in the map names sometime)


Now, there are some people (and many of them post here) who are totally into this! They love getting into the lore; digging into the rich history of FR that has been detailed through multiple sources; they enjoy trying to understand how these multiple sources interact and influence each other (how canon is an FR video game?); they love that FR has ready-made areas with different "flavors". Being able to draw on this rich and detailed history that is already fleshed out is not a bug, but a feature! And that is totally great for them.

But ... not everyone wants that. Some people want a classic swords and sorcery setting that hints of greater adventures, without all that lore. The idea that the "known world" is really just a small part of Oerth*, and you can fill in the rest. And GH scratches that itch.


*Speaking of funny names![/QUOTE]

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The first is the emphasis; one is a swords and sorcery setting, and one is a high fantasy setting. This matters for some people, especially those who prefer a grittier, pulp feel that occasionally crosses into weirdness.

This is a combination of retcon and bovine faeces. Back in the 1980s every pretty published module was located in Greyhawk, irrespective of sub-genre. You can tell any type of story in Greyhawk, you can tell any kind of story in FR. My current campaign is set in the FR, is very pulpy, and crosses into weirdness far more than occasionally.

​

The second is that because Forgotten Realms has been ... um .... touched so much by the powers that be, it is both very appealing to some people, while not appealing at all to others. Sure, at different times TSR/WoTC has published stuff about GH since 1985 (something something Vecna, some more stuff about the Sea of Dust, an update to the timeline for 3e, etc.), but GH never became the kitchen sink setting. It never had to deal with multiple timelines, and retcons, and continual novelizations.

True this.

]But ... not everyone wants that. Some people want a classic swords and sorcery setting that hints of greater adventures, without all that lore. The idea that the "known world" is really just a small part of Oerth*, and you can fill in the rest. And GH scratches that itch.

You know the easy way to do this? Create a homebrew setting, and only decide what is over the next hill just before the players get there.

But whatever, I have no problem with people setting their games in Greyhawk (which is basically homebrew with a couple of names pre-attached). I just don't think there is any point in updating it (which seems to me to remove the appeal of the setting for those who like it) or printing a hardback of it.
​

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Paul Farquhar]

You're right that many of the modules from the late 70s into the early 80s had a default Greyhawk setting (even before the setting was published).

And, of course, those modules were Swords & Sorcery, pulpy, "kill the monster, steal the treasure" kind of modules encouraged by the game at that time.

You mean modules like White Plume Mountain, that Tales from the Yawning Portal unapologetically translates to the Forgotten Realms and Krynn, despite their "Heroic Fantasy only Rule"? Or modules like U1-3, with their clearly heroic narrative of defeating the bad guys evil plan to save the town?

Words are cheep. Actions show the truth, and the truth is their aint no inherent genre differences between FR and WG.

 

[S'mon]

Yes, but...

They should do a hard reboot like with Dark Sun, reset to 576 CY, and not advance the timeline.