Elminster? Really? Why is he so popular?

[Swedish Chef]

I enjoyed Elminister in the "Wizards Three" articles, but only because it was a 1-4 page article that usually had some nifty magic items at the end that I could use in my game.

I love the Realms setting as a whole and my group has adventured there almost exclusively for 20+ years. We have no problem ignoring the published NPCs. Only once have my players actively sought out Elminster or Khelben, and never Drizzt.

When I was a teen, I enjoyed the pulp fiction put out by TSR. But I "grew out" of it and stopped reading it, mainly because it became "the same old same old". First Drizzt Trilogy - fine. Spellfire - okay. After that, boring.

I think they're continuing to target the same audience with the novels - teens, specifically males. That's probably the market they feel will bring in the most money for them. And they're probably right. It worked when I was a teen.

 

[Therise]

I'm really not interested in what the Forgotten Realms have morphed into. Although I loved 1E and 2E Realms, 3E was starting to get wearisome with all the shenanigans. I utterly hated 4E Realms, and 5E Realms will just be a continuation of that with yet another RSE and a slew of "psych! I'm not dead!" NPCs that all have some version of immortality (or "get out of death free" cards) and unbreakable plot armor.

It's way, way past time to find something new, because that old barn has too many differently-colored coats of paint on it. They even crashed another planet into it, literally, and that certainly didn't fix anything.

IMO, WotC should've re-launched Greyhawk. It would've been the perfect time for it with 5E.

Or they should've focused on something entirely new.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Great so a writer said "big war, all my powerhouse will fight it, but I will leave some scraps for your pcs "

Why don't more people have pitchforks out?

 

[Salamandyr]

His quote isn't really an indication of anything except that it's yet another "Realms Shattering Event" and the PC's exist in the aftermath. It's just like how in 4e your PC's weren't there for the Spellplague but you're there to stop the resurgent Netherese Empire.

Trust me, it's a lot worse when they publish these RSE's as a series of modules that you supposedly can participate in, but you can't affect the outcome, nor can you be the main characters.

I'm not as big a fan of the Realms as I was back in the Grey Box days. The Time of Troubles pretty much killed it for me. I can't get into any setting there gods are prominent characters.

 

[Alan Shutko]

yet another "Realms Shattering Event"

Long term investments really don't seem to be a good idea in the Realms. I can't imagine what it would be like to be an insurance carrier.

 

[Nikosandros]

Long term investments really don't seem to be a good idea in the Realms. I can't imagine what it would be like to be an insurance carrier.

Insurance doesn't cover "acts of WotC".

 

[Desdichado]

It's way, way past time to find something new, because that old barn has too many differently-colored coats of paint on it. They even crashed another planet into it, literally, and that certainly didn't fix anything.

Last time they tried that, the results were somewhat mixed. I certainly thought Eberron was great, but clearly it didn't manage to supplant Forgotten Realms in terms of popularity or sales. I can't imagine that anyone looking at D&D as a business would think that trying to revive FR for 5e and spruce it back up to reclaim fans isn't a better idea than creating a new setting to showcase the game.

Although, y'know what? If they ever put out a "Points of Light" setting book, I'd probably buy it. Especially if it's fairly system-lite so it can be applicable across a broader range of editions. That's especially important, I think, in a time when 4e is still running, 5e is announced, and now 1e and 3e reprints are also either already out or due within a month or so. In that kind of environment, I don't think any setting books that are system-heavy are going to generate adequate sales.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

I really hope the next incarnation of the Realms will do what Eberron has done: fix the timeline at a certain point and then ignore the novels in all RPG products.

When the inevitable reset takes place for 6E WotC can do some sort of survey and determine which of the novel events to include in the next version of the Realms.

(One of the best things about this idea is posting it at Candlekeep and watching some of the more diehard FR fans - who, BTW, don't even play D&D anymore - go absolutely ballistic about the lack of constant change.)

Edit: Despite being a FR fan, I also think it's time for a new setting. Eberron was too different to become a default world (I also like Eberron so no criticism is expressed or implied by my statement) but, like some others have suggested, Greyhawk could potentially be worth a reboot especially with updated versions of the classic adventures (which I suggest because I can't imagine WotC writing good new adventures... but that's another topic).

 

[Dire Bare]

Face facts haters!

Sigh, yet another thread filled with Elminster and Drizzt hate. To me, it isn't much different than edition warring. Face facts haters:

WotC continues to ask Greenwood to write Elminster novels and Salvatore to write Drizzt novels because they are actually, wait for it, POPULAR. More people like them than whine about them on the intarwebs. If you noticed, Elminster's appearance in the keynote address slide show got the loudest and longest applause of the evening.

Same goes for redoing the Realms for D&D Next vs. finding another campaign setting. FR is simply the most popular setting for D&D, EVER. I would be surprised, and a bit angered, if WotC decided to dump their most popular setting and most popular characters to take a risk with something new.

I'll add that I am not a fan of the character Elminster myself, or of Greenwood's writing. I do read and enjoy Salvatore's books, although I see the criticisms some folks level at his writings and even agree. But I don't waste my time bashing WotC for continuing to publish things that I don't particularly care for, nor do I waste time demeaning books, authors, characters that I don't like, but that I know many others do. I simply move on to what I do like.

If WotC can increase the popularity and profitability of D&D with the Realms and it's most (in)famous characters, then they are more likely to create new settings and new characters that I will enjoy. If they harm the brand by ignoring what most fans enjoy, then we all lose because we won't magically be getting redos of other classic settings or brand-new settings if the main game and setting fail.

A successful FR is a successful D&D that will open up space for supplements that go beyond vanilla fantasy. Embrace the Realms, even if you don't read the novels or play the setting.

 

[Nellisir]

Although, y'know what? If they ever put out a "Points of Light" setting book, I'd probably buy it. Especially if it's fairly system-lite so it can be applicable across a broader range of editions. That's especially important, I think, in a time when 4e is still running, 5e is announced, and now 1e and 3e reprints are also either already out or due within a month or so. In that kind of environment, I don't think any setting books that are system-heavy are going to generate adequate sales.

I was thinking it would actually be nice to see Mystara/The Known World brought out and overhauled for 5e. I think you could keep most of the concepts, but still break it down and overhaul it into a "PoL" setting (ie, maybe Glantri isn't a country, but just a city...). It's certainly got room for anything they want to throw in there.