D&D (2024) Greyhawk Confirmed. Tell Me Why.

[MerricB]

I hear they're not even going to have level limits on demi-humans! Appalling!

One of the fun things in early D&D is watching the level limits go up and up for demi-humans.

 

[MNblockhead]

Looking at the "Adventure Locales" section of the original Greyhawk. I hope they do the same with the DMG version. They've already published a number of classic adventures originally set in Greyhawk, many keyed to the map in Greyhawk box set. That will be a nice aid to help DMs build a campaign in Greyhawk.

 

[MNblockhead]

Yeah, being concise is a selling point. And I really suspect this version of Greyhawk is going to be quietly updated to be a bit more cosmopolitan, a bit less 70's style dirty hovels and fantasy racism. I doubt it will be hard.

They'll almost certainly tone down or completely change a lot of the language regarding racial groups and gender.

 

[MNblockhead]

What justification is needed? Greyhawk was pretty much everything D&D when it first came out. I don't see why that would have to change. Some assumptions would change because the game has evolved, but that's about it. Everything else can pretty much fit if you want it to.

Yeah, dragonborn are not in Greyhawk because they were not in the DMG. The Greyhawk books in the boxed set just direct the DM to the DMG to determine which demi-humans are encountered in the random tables. I expect that the 2024 DMG will take a similar approach and reference the standard species in the 2024 books--and rightly so.

"Demi-humans: This category covers only those anthropomorphic creatures such as elves, dwarves, halflings, and gnomes, who are normally not hostile to humans."

"Humanoids: This category covers anthropomorphic creatures like ores, goblins, hobgoblins, kobolds, and others at odds with humanity."

"If an encounter is with unspecified humanoids, demi-humans, or giants, refer to the standard humanoid, demihuman, or giant subtables on page 185 of the Dungeon Master's Guide."

 

[Demetrios1453]

One of the fun things in early D&D is watching the level limits go up and up for demi-humans.

For those of us who just didn't ignore them outright anyway. Weirdly, though, we still played with demihuman class limitations.

 

[Demetrios1453]

They'll almost certainly tone down or completely change a lot of the language regarding racial groups and gender.

It will be very interesting to see how the Pomarj is depicted.

 

[MerricB]

It will be very interesting to see how the Pomarj is depicted.

My betting is that... not very much. I think they'll concentrate on a few core areas. I'm not really expecting a gazetteer of every area. Instead, a few highlights - and then the full map.

But if they add it to the approved settings of the DMs Guild, we'll then have a lot of fun!

Cheers,
Merric

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The "gazetteer" approach to setting books is past. And it will be "Greyhawk the generic fantasy core rules setting" not "Greyhawk the 1970s retro setting".

 

[Yaarel]

Will there be a map of all of planet Oerth, or just the continent of Flanaess?

The planet map got mixed revues from Greyhawk fans. Probably the main complaint is the extraordinarily vast continents. But the regions here and there can be interesting.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Will there be a map of all of planet Oerth, or just the continent of Flanaess?

The planet map got mixed revues from Greyhawk fans. Probably the main complaint is the extraordinarily vast continents. But the regions here and there can be interesting.

They never did a global map for Toril in 5e, I doubt we will see one for Oerth. Of course, they might choose to focus on a continent other than Flannaess.

Huge continents is what happens when you let Americans design your settings! What D&D really lacks is an islands/archipelago setting.