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

[Minigiant]

I have no idea what this means

Skub is a minor thing.

ProSkub and AntiSkub is fans promoting something minor to a major aspect then fighting brutally about it

Greyhawk fans emphasize it's unique elements are the highlights of the setting. However if they overemphasize these elements, they create a Greyhawk far out the range of WOTC's current level of commitment to quality. But if they go too much in the other direction Greyhawk becomes a boring Alt-FR.

My argument is that since 5e doesn't have a setting design specifically for it, a new setting designed specifically for it or a more recent setting offers an option that lacks this delicate balance.

 

[Hussar]

Skub is a minor thing.

ProSkub and AntiSkub is fans promoting something minor to a major aspect then fighting brutally about it

Greyhawk fans emphasize it's unique elements are the highlights of the setting. However if they overemphasize these elements, they create a Greyhawk far out the range of WOTC's current level of commitment to quality. But if they go too much in the other direction Greyhawk becomes a boring Alt-FR.

My argument is that since 5e doesn't have a setting design specifically for it, a new setting designed specifically for it or a more recent setting offers an option that lacks this delicate balance.

Meh. And I say this as a HUGE Greyhawk fan, there are far, far worse things in the world for a setting to be than an "Alt-FR".

Let's be honest here. FR is by far the most successful, most famous, and all around number one fantasy setting for D&D. It just is. There's a REASON that most of 5e's adventures have been set in FR. Outside of maybe something like Star Wars, I doubt there is any fictional setting that comes even remotely close to as successful as Forgotten Realms by any reasonable measure.

So, a Greyhawk that is an "alt-FR"? I'm not even sure what that's supposed to mean, other than, "something I don't like". But, if Greyhawk has half the success of FR? I'll be a happy camper.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

But if they remove the heraldry, pages on trees, and climate details, and random weather tables, would it still be Greyhawk? ;-)

Snark aside, I do hope they keep the heraldry in. They don't need a page of it, just put the heraldry image with description of each main Kingdom. I will server to break up up the sections and give some flavor.

Personally, stuff on climate, and local flora and fauna is stuff I would include. Everywhere has weather and wildlife, but only some cultures have heraldry.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Crafting? I'm sure there were rules for it, but I don't remember ever playing a game in the Basic D&D and AD&D in the 80s that involved crafting. Can't remember if the DMG had rules for this.

I don’t remember anything, but possibly there was something related to strongholds? It was 3rd edition that made crafting a significant part of the game.

 

[Minigiant]

Meh. And I say this as a HUGE Greyhawk fan, there are far, far worse things in the world for a setting to be than an "Alt-FR".

Let's be honest here. FR is by far the most successful, most famous, and all around number one fantasy setting for D&D. It just is. There's a REASON that most of 5e's adventures have been set in FR. Outside of maybe something like Star Wars, I doubt there is any fictional setting that comes even remotely close to as successful as Forgotten Realms by any reasonable measure.

So, a Greyhawk that is an "alt-FR"? I'm not even sure what that's supposed to mean, other than, "something I don't like". But, if Greyhawk has half the success of FR? I'll be a happy camper.

Redundant.


Greyhawk as Alt-FR is a redundant setting taking up valuable book space for nostalgia points that pleases almost no one and upsets even more.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I don’t remember anything, but possibly there was something related to strongholds? It was 3rd edition that made crafting a significant part of the game.

Honestly, I just like crafting and prefer that it be a larger part of the game.

 

[Hussar]

Redundant.


Greyhawk as Alt-FR is a redundant setting taking up valuable book space for nostalgia points that pleases almost no one and upsets even more.

Dunno about speaking for other people.

It pleases the heck out of me. And, honestly, that's the only thing that counts as far as I'm concerned.

Perhaps it would be helpful to not try to claim you're speaking for others? If people don't like it, they're perfectly capable of telling others themselves. If you truly believe that it pleases no one nad upsets even more, try polling it. See how many truly dislike the idea. Obviously WotC disagrees with you.

 

[Azzy]

Redundant.


Greyhawk as Alt-FR is a redundant setting taking up valuable book space for nostalgia points that pleases almost no one and upsets even more.

I'm glad that you're (and, well, most people on these boards) not the one making decisions for WotC.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Redundant.


Greyhawk as Alt-FR is a redundant setting taking up valuable book space for nostalgia points that pleases almost no one and upsets even more.

1) It's space in the DMG. Not exactly a loss. what else was realistically going to be there? More Great Wheel? Another terrible Rest variant? Laser cannons no one is going to be allowed to use?

2) Of all the nostalgia bait settings left in the chamber, Greyhawk's the one that's been given the least in the past twenty-five years, so why not throw them a bone?

3) Everyone who it would upset were going to be upset no matter what. It's not there at all, they didn't mention Obscure Characters #174, the PCs are allowed to be interesting in place of a book character, women get included somewhere they weren't before, someone has glasses--there's always something. No reason to pretend to care.

 

[Minigiant]

Dunno about speaking for other people.

It pleases the heck out of me. And, honestly, that's the only thing that counts as far as I'm concerned.

Perhaps it would be helpful to not try to claim you're speaking for others? If people don't like it, they're perfectly capable of telling others themselves. If you truly believe that it pleases no one nad upsets even more, try polling it. See how many truly dislike the idea. Obviously WotC disagrees with you.

1) It's space in the DMG. Not exactly a loss. what else was realistically going to be there? More Great Wheel? Another terrible Rest variant? Laser cannons no one is going to be allowed to use?

2) Of all the nostalgia bait settings left in the chamber, Greyhawk's the one that's been given the least in the past twenty-five years, so why not throw them a bone?

3) Everyone who it would upset were going to be upset no matter what. It's not there at all, they didn't mention Obscure Characters #174, the PCs are allowed to be interesting in place of a book character, women get included somewhere they weren't before, someone has glasses--there's always something. No reason to pretend to care.

Again I'm not saying that a sanitized redundant Greyhawk is a bad setting.

I'm saying putting it in the DMG isn't ideal and is being done to bait old fans and get Greyhawk out the way.

I want a Greyhawk book
Putting Greyhawk in the DMG almost guarantees that there never will be a Greyhawk stay alone book. And it means that the version in the DMG will be either barely fleshed out and too different for new DMs OR morphed into looking like a smaller Forgotten Realms which loses most of its uniqueness. Because it's only getting a chapter in a guidebook.