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Message: <blockquote data-quote="dm4hire" data-source="post: 4411078" data-attributes="member: 14848">My understanding, having read the various articles over the last 12 months on WotC's site, is that the reason for the time jump is to separate the novels from the game.  Throughout it's history just about every book written was viewed as cannon and therefore had an impact on the game.  The problem was that a lot of DMs and Players didn't like the way that NPCs dominated the world so they didn't play it.  The time jump allows WotC to continue novels without impacting the world as they will (and have already started) write the novels to fill in the time gap while allowing DMs and players to play within the world and not feel obligated to follow cannon since it no longer applies.There is nothing stopping player groups from using the older material with the new rules or for that matter accepting WotC's explanation for what happened.  The new Realms is meant to be totally the realm of the players.  Even in the new RPGA Living Realms project everything will be determined by the players and not WotC for that given campaign.WotC has also announced that there will only be three books for each campaign (whether they uphold it is another story) which will include the campaign guide, player's guide, and a module that will take you through several levels.  This book template is suppose to be the same for all campaigns in the future, including Eberron.The various changes to the Realms, such as changes in deities is meant to give the game a more universal feel as well as further simplifying the game.  I personally disagree since they are supposedly only doing three books for each campaign; why should it matter if the gods are the same or not?  Another reason for the changes is to allow for anything new to D&D to be allowed within the campaign without having to change anything or leaving it to the DM to figure out.  Again they should have left that up to the DM and players instead of forcing it, but they have to look at overall sales and future players who might not be savvy to adjusting a campaign.So as it stands right now the biggest changes to the world per your request is that the deities have changed, the world has changed physically as well as the moon, and a new race has been allowed as stated above.  A lot of the changes can be found in the Countdown to the Realms articles on WotC's website as well as a small time line and some history explaining the Spellplague mentioned.  Just check the archives for the articles.As a DM who always adjusted the Realms to my own designs I'm looking forward to seeing the changes.  I may alter WotC's explanations or even expand them to some extent, regardless it will be my final decision as pertaining to my home campaign.  Since your group and you have never played within the Realms I recommend taking a look at the new edition and if anything you might find something you could use from it in your own campaign.  If you're after the new races and classes I'd just wait for the PHB II and pass on it as they are being reprinted within that book.</blockquote>

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