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

[James Gasik]

The Mystara Gazeteers were a really cool thing, I remember reading them cover to cover (even if Mystara's geography and cultures were...interestingly placed). While it wasn't exactly a supplement, "The Voyage of the Princess Ark" was one of the best ways to convey a setting I've ever encountered.

 

[Staffan]

At the very least, I'm sure that WotC closed any loopholes when they bought D&D.

My understanding is that after buying TSR, Wizards made overtures to at least some of the old guard in order to mend fences. Just as an example, you'll note that the 3e core books say "Dungeons & Dragons" and not "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons", and that one of them is the "Monster Manual", not the "Monstrous Manual". That's because they made some kind of deal with Dave Arneson, probably along the lines of "Hey, the current situation is not ideal for either of us. We can't/won't use the D&D name because of royalties, and you're not getting any royalties because we can't/won't use it. How about we buy you out instead so you get a bunch of money up front, credit as co-creator of the original game, and we get free title to stuff?"

They likely did similar things with other creators where ownership was wonky one way or the other.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

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.

I understand that people LOVE gazetteers, and it is very similar to a format used in previous editions that folks are fond for... but my (controversial) opinion is that I think it a complete waste of space.

I can't stand how Wildemount goes out of it's way to detail every settlement. Especially the nuances of population breakdown... and I hate it. Leaves so little space for me to make up my own setting material within a place.

And I know why Wildemount has all this and other 5E settings don't... Matt Mercer literally wrote all this down, thinking it's important know-how when his PCs may get to that place. And he converted those notes into this text.

But I'm not Matt Mercer, and I'm not running Critical Role. I don't have those players, I don't want to run his game. So it's very stifling to have all of this irritating detail that makes me feel obliged to use. It doesn't feel like a sandbox, it feels like a LEGO set... and someone already built the thing.

 

[Parmandur]

I understand that people LOVE gazetteers, and it is very similar to a format used in previous editions that folks are fond for... but my (controversial) opinion is that I think it a complete waste of space.

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I can't stand how Wildemount goes out of it's way to detail every settlement. Especially the nuances of population breakdown... and I hate it. Leaves so little space for me to make up my own setting material within a place.

And I know why Wildemount has all this and other 5E settings don't... Matt Mercer literally wrote all this down, thinking it's important know-how when his PCs may get to that place. And he converted those notes into this text.

But I'm not Matt Mercer, and I'm not running Critical Role. I don't have those players, I don't want to run his game. So it's very stifling to have all of this irritating detail that makes me feel obliged to use. It doesn't feel like a sandbox, it feels like a LEGO set... and someone already built the thing.

Yes, and Mercer being an old school 2E/3E DM, he likes those details.

 

[James Gasik]

I understand that people LOVE gazetteers, and it is very similar to a format used in previous editions that folks are fond for... but my (controversial) opinion is that I think it a complete waste of space.

View attachment 250192

I can't stand how Wildemount goes out of it's way to detail every settlement. Especially the nuances of population breakdown... and I hate it. Leaves so little space for me to make up my own setting material within a place.

And I know why Wildemount has all this and other 5E settings don't... Matt Mercer literally wrote all this down, thinking it's important know-how when his PCs may get to that place. And he converted those notes into this text.

But I'm not Matt Mercer, and I'm not running Critical Role. I don't have those players, I don't want to run his game. So it's very stifling to have all of this irritating detail that makes me feel obliged to use. It doesn't feel like a sandbox, it feels like a LEGO set... and someone already built the thing.

I don't see how it prevents you from doing what you want. I mean, you just do what you would do if you didn't have the book. You make it up. You're allowed to change anything, think of that as an example or starting point.

If Forgotten Realms Adventures tells me that a town is protected by a standing army of Cormyrian soldiers, with multiple 7th level War Wizards, you better believe I'll dial those levels down if the PC's are adventuring there.

OTOH, if I don't have the time to make an NPC (or even better, there's a potentially entertaining one already there, like a CG Halfling Priestess of Tymora, of all things, running a saloon), the fact that one is stated to be present is just a nice option.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

I don't see how it prevents you from doing what you want. I mean, you just do what you would do if you didn't have the book. You make it up. You're allowed to change anything, think of that as an example or starting point.

If Forgotten Realms Adventures tells me that a town is protected by a standing army of Cormyrian soldiers, with multiple 7th level War Wizards, you better believe I'll dial those levels down if the PC's are adventuring there.

OTOH, if I don't have the time to make an NPC (or even better, there's a potentially entertaining one already there, like a CG Halfling Priestess of Tymora, of all things, running a saloon), the fact that one is stated to be present is just a nice option.

I'll tell you why... if I change those details, there is always the risk a Wildemount fan will tell me I'm "running the game" wrong. If I want to create my own NPC for the mayor of this small town, I have to use this specific halfling or else I'm playing "contrary to the author's intent."

Bah. Now I know that mature players won't care, but these threads have taught me that I lot of people do care if you run something contrary to their expectations. Better if those expectations are set with something vague.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

I don't see how it prevents you from doing what you want. I mean, you just do what you would do if you didn't have the book. You make it up. You're allowed to change anything, think of that as an example or starting point.

If Forgotten Realms Adventures tells me that a town is protected by a standing army of Cormyrian soldiers, with multiple 7th level War Wizards, you better believe I'll dial those levels down if the PC's are adventuring there.

OTOH, if I don't have the time to make an NPC (or even better, there's a potentially entertaining one already there, like a CG Halfling Priestess of Tymora, of all things, running a saloon), the fact that one is stated to be present is just a nice option.

Here's a far better explanation on my own opinion on setting design;

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Here's a far better explanation on my own opinion on setting design;


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Since I am stealing Mr. Rise Up Comus' great quote, I shall also plug their upcoming book, His Majesty The Worm;

 

[deganawida]

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.

Um, DC did. That was the stipulation for publishing Wonder Woman, that they had to publish her comic every month. Not sure if it’s still in effect, but was still active in 2000 IIRC.

 

[Synthil]

I understand and agree that it can be stifling when too many details are included. But in those cases you could just make a settlement next to the one described. It's not like every single town or village is described.