D&D 5E Greyhawk: Why We Need Mo' Oerth by 2024

Maxperson

Morkus from Orkus
Looking back to 1E or 2E, most of the Forgotten Realms support was in region books, which provided similar coverage to what Descent to Avernus or Icewind Dale provide now. FR has one general book, and 7 meaty regional supplements (Princes of the Apocalypse, Out of the Abyss, Storm King's Thunder, Tomb of Annihilation, Waterdeep, Baldur's Gate, and Icewind Dale). Those 7 books each provide a heavy dosage of Setting material, each enough to fuel years of play.
Not exactly. They were region books that provided more setting content than 5e adventures and didn't have wasted adventure space that I wouldn't use. I wasn't paying for a book that I wouldn't be using 80-90% of.
 

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Maxperson

Morkus from Orkus
Something to consider:

You can still get just about ALL the macro setting stuff (which is barely edition dependent) for Greyhawk and Forgotten Realms on DMs guild (generally $10 or less) so unless it's truly fresh take, why would they bother with the Macro setting stuff? You'll note the new settings (Tal Dore, Ravnica) did get setting books.
A lot of DMs guild stuff isn't physical or the same quality as what I get from a 5e hardcover.
 

James Gasik

Pandion Knight
Supporter
And while it only covered a few major cities outside of the Heartlands, Forgotten Realms Adventures is an excellent resource for playing in the Realms, to this day one of my all time favorite books.

It's cool that big adventures give details about regions, but an overview of a setting would be really nice. Or even something like the grey box, which not only provided that overview in great detail, but also had adventures!

I'm with Maxperson here, I want more of a setting than "here's one coast of a continent, and if you want more, well, buy these adventures!".

Some people want adventures and can make up their own setting info.

Other people want setting info and can make up their own adventures.

I don't see why WotC can't support both types of DM's.
 

Mort

Legend
Supporter
A lot of DMs guild stuff isn't physical or the same quality as what I get from a 5e hardcover.

Yes, a definite consideration.

I'm biased on that front because 1) I HAVE most of the early stuff (certainly if it's Greyhawk) and 2) I'm running out of physical display space so tend to get the electronic versions of supplements unless I REALLY like the artwork etc.
 


Yes, a definite consideration.

I'm biased on that front because 1) I HAVE most of the early stuff (certainly if it's Greyhawk) and 2) I'm running out of physical display space so tend to get the electronic versions of supplements unless I REALLY like the artwork etc.
Are you me?
I bought every single PDF of GH exactly because of that. I have just about everything (even Fate if Istus...) So having the PDF for me was very important as I do not want to wear down my physical copies of books I can't find anymore.
 

Mort

Legend
Supporter
Are you me?
I bought every single PDF of GH exactly because of that. I have just about everything (even Fate if Istus...) So having the PDF for me was very important as I do not want to wear down my physical copies of books I can't find anymore.

Yeah, I loaded up on the old digital supplements for that reason AND really loaded up when the pandemic hit since we moved to Zoom/Roll20.
 

Maxperson

Morkus from Orkus
Yes, a definite consideration.

I'm biased on that front because 1) I HAVE most of the early stuff (certainly if it's Greyhawk) and 2) I'm running out of physical display space so tend to get the electronic versions of supplements unless I REALLY like the artwork etc.
I hate PDFs except when I'm prepping. For game play I use the physical copies that I have. If a product doesn't have a hard copy, I almost never buy it.
 

Looking back to 1E or 2E, most of the Forgotten Realms support was in region books, which provided similar coverage to what Descent to Avernus or Icewind Dale provide now. FR has one general book, and 7 meaty regional supplements (Princes of the Apocalypse, Out of the Abyss, Storm King's Thunder, Tomb of Annihilation, Waterdeep, Baldur's Gate, and Icewind Dale). Those 7 books each provide a heavy dosage of Setting material, each enough to fuel years of play.
They weren't similar in extent to 5e products - 2e regional books would cover a much wider area, with more pages being solely dedicated to setting info. The only ones that were similar were the Waterdeep books, as both 2e and 5e cover a single city, and Chult.

The main thing is that it would be nice to break free from the northwesternmost eighth of the setting and see other regions. That's only been done with Chult so far, and it would be nice to see popular regions like Cormyr and the Dalelands start getting coverage too...
 


I hate PDFs except when I'm prepping. For game play I use the physical copies that I have. If a product doesn't have a hard copy, I almost never buy it.
Hey! Just print the pages you need! I have a portable comp a projector and a tablet just to use the PDF and I still print the pages. I bought cardboard to make the cover and print either the whole book or exactly what I need. Just put what you printed with your physical copy and you can reuse your print out ad nauseam!
 

Mort

Legend
Supporter
Hey! Just print the pages you need! I have a portable comp a projector and a tablet just to use the PDF and I still print the pages. I bought cardboard to make the cover and print either the whole book or exactly what I need. Just put what you printed with your physical copy and you can reuse your print out ad nauseam!

Yet, again - EXACTLY what I do. My son laughs at me because I print out the pages instead of using the tablet right next to me when I DM. But it just works for me that much better.
 


Parmandur

Book-Friend
They weren't similar in extent to 5e products - 2e regional books would cover a much wider area, with more pages being solely dedicated to setting info. The only ones that were similar were the Waterdeep books, as both 2e and 5e cover a single city, and Chult.

The main thing is that it would be nice to break free from the northwesternmost eighth of the setting and see other regions. That's only been done with Chult so far, and it would be nice to see popular regions like Cormyr and the Dalelands start getting coverage too...
I think we have entered a post-Realms phase, instead, under Winninger. It seems that Icewind Dale in 2020 was the last FR regional sandbox adventure. In the two years since, all we have is the Candlekeep secof Candlekeep Mysteries.
 

Urriak Uruk

Gaming is fun, and fun is for everyone
I think we have entered a post-Realms phase, instead, under Winninger. It seems that Icewind Dale in 2020 was the last FR regional sandbox adventure. In the two years since, all we have is the Candlekeep secof Candlekeep Mysteries.

Seems like a confirmation that the secret "Ed Greenwood sold the Realms to WotC under the promise they must print an FR book every year to the end of time," was complete boompf.

And of course it is, no company, even an incompetent one, would be crazy enough to sign a contract like that.
 

Levistus's_Leviathan

5e Freelancer
I would like a setting book that at least suggests various adventure ideas for various regions.

If we are talking about the lands of Iuz even bullet point ideas about problems or challenges would be great and empowering for people less familiar with the setting in question.
Explorer's Guide to Wildemount (in my opinion, probably the single best written/designed D&D 5e setting book) has a giant gazetteer for Wildemount in it. Every single town and settlement that it details gets at least one adventure hook for the party if they visit it. Many of them can be the basis for a full campaign.

In my opinion, every D&D 5e setting book should do this in their gazetteer section.
 

Mort

Legend
Supporter
Explorer's Guide to Wildemount (in my opinion, probably the single best written/designed D&D 5e setting book) has a giant gazetteer for Wildemount in it. Every single town and settlement that it details gets at least one adventure hook for the party if they visit it. Many of them can be the basis for a full campaign.

In my opinion, every D&D 5e setting book should do this in their gazetteer section.
This is how the (circa 3e) Greyhawk Gazetteer was written as well. Every area had multiple adventure hooks.
 

Mercurius

Legend
I haven't kept up with the thread, so am not sure if anyone has suggested this, but one way I could see them approaching Greyhawk is in a more limited manner: A book not unlike Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, with a bunch of info on the city of Greyhawk, and then a Castle Greyhawk dungeon-delve.

Doing this would both check off the box of doing honor to Greyhawk, but also not open up the can of worms that a full setting treatment might lead to (too classic vs. too contemporary).
 

Parmandur

Book-Friend
Seems like a confirmation that the secret "Ed Greenwood sold the Realms to WotC under the promise they must print an FR book every year to the end of time," was complete boompf.

And of course it is, no company, even an incompetent one, would be crazy enough to sign a contract like that.
At the very least, I'm sure that WotC closed any loopholes when they bought D&D.
 

Parmandur

Book-Friend
Explorer's Guide to Wildemount (in my opinion, probably the single best written/designed D&D 5e setting book) has a giant gazetteer for Wildemount in it. Every single town and settlement that it details gets at least one adventure hook for the party if they visit it. Many of them can be the basis for a full campaign.

In my opinion, every D&D 5e setting book should do this in their gazetteer section.
That's actually closer to how, say, the Greyhawk Folio was written back in the day.
 

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