If you were head of WotC what would you do?

[dead]

Hmm . . . I would:

d20
Create "d20 Core". This book would be the central d20 reference. It would be at the *top of the tree* and all d20 works (including D&D) would stem from it. However, this reference work would not be the "be all and end all" of d20. It would be a "tool-box", of sorts. For example, the Class chapter would show examples on how to make a Class for your own games and also present a Classless system. The book would be as *generic* as possible. It would present Weapon Proficiency (Martial) alongside Weapon Proficiency (firearms), etc. The book would be no bigger than the GURPS Basic Set book which, essentially, achieves the same thing.

D&D 3E
Release D&D *4E* so that it references d20 Core (see above). Of course, D&D 4E will need to tweak, and add to, the rules of d20 Core to create the "D&D" feel. A *fifth edition* will be released only when d20 Core is updated.

GREYHAWK
Give all rights to GREYHAWK back to Gary Gygax.

FORGOTTEN REALMS
Make FR the "default" D&D setting.

Oriental Adventures
Re-release OA for 4E with Kara-Tur as the default setting. Remove all reference to Rokugun. Release the Kara-Tur Campaign Setting as a hardcover book. (AEG can continue to produce suplements for Lot5R.)

Arabian Adventures
Release 4E Arabian Adventures with Zakara as the default setting. Release the Zakara Campaign Setting as a hardcover book (the title Al-Qadim will no longer be used).

PLANESCAPE
Re-instate the Great Wheel cosmology as FR's cosmology. The default Prime Material world for Planescape will now be FR's Toril. (True, the Great Wheel was "shoe-horned" into FR but then a lot of stuff was shoe-horned into FR.) Now that GREYHAWK has been sold to Gary, FR can now have an Outer Planes that is unique to the setting.

SPELLJAMMER
Re-release Spelljammer but make it a bit more *serious*. Realmspace of FR will be the default Crystal Sphere for this setting.

RAVENLOFT
Sell to the highest bidder.

MYSTARA
Sell to the highest bidder.

BIRTHRIGHT
Sell to the highest bidder.

DARKSUN
Sell to the highest bidder.

DRAGONLANCE
Continue deal with Sovereign Stone.

ALTERNATY
Allow another publisher to release Stardrive and/or DarkMatter using d20 if they so wish.

GAMMA WORLD
Continue deal with White Wolf S&S.

AMAZING ENGINE
Sell to highest bidder.

METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA
Hand back rights to James Ward.

BLACKMOOR
Hand back rights to Dave Arneson.

BOOTHILL
Sell to highest bidder.

STAR FRONTIERS
Allow another publisher to produce a d20 version if they so wish.

Have I left anything out?

What would you do?

[My suggestions are not really serious. They make very little financial sense. Oh . . . and I'm not an FR player! If anything, I'm a Greyhawk fan.]

 

[Crothian]

I'd aquire the rightes and then create the Thieves World RPG.

Someone needs to do this!!

 

[Nightfall]

I'd sell my stock to White Wolf, have them get a hold of all the good stuff and then just watch Scarred Lands take off!

 

[Teflon Billy]

Hmm . . . I would:

d20
Create "d20 Core". This book would be the central d20 reference. It would be at the *top of the tree* and all d20 works (including D&D) would stem from it. However, this reference work would not be the "be all and end all" of d20. It would be a "tool-box", of sorts. For example, the Class chapter would show examples on how to make a Class for your own games and also present a Classless system. The book would be as *generic* as possible. It would present Weapon Proficiency (Martial) alongside Weapon Proficiency (firearms), etc. The book would be no bigger than the GURPS Basic Set book which, essentially, achieves the same thing.

You and Bejamin Durbin seem to have the same idea --->GRIM TALES

 

[PJ-Mason]

I'd aquire the rightes and then create the Thieves World RPG.

Someone needs to do this!!

Damn you. You stole MY idea!

 

[dead]

Oh, I forgot . . .

d20 Modern
The new "d20 Core" would probably absorb most of this, but the default setting for d20 Modern (Urbana Arcana?) could certainly be released as a campaign setting on its own.

d20 Future
See above.

 

[caudor]

I would bring back the boxed set.

Greyhawk would remain default campaign, but I would create more gritty adventures and sourcebooks that don't impact the campaign in big ways (for homebrewers). Speaking of Greyhawk, I'd find a way to make Mr. Gygax real happy--the man deserves it.

I would allow older 1e/2e adventures to be updated to 3.5 in .pdf format. Perhaps there even profit potential from this huge base of IP.

More adventures! Not profitable? I'd make them cool enough to be profitable again.

I'd have an adventure series creation contest, much like they did with Ebberon. The best *three* would get published.

I would ensure d20 remains supported and keeps going strong.

I would get serious about electronic products that assist roleplaying. I would create what eTools should have been. Electronic product updates would be released with new paper products (probably at a cost or maybe a web enhancement).

Oh well, it is probably a good thing I'm not in charge; I'd probably bankrupt them

 

[Alzrius]

Hmm, I'd be conflicted between what I wanted to do, and what I knew I should do.

For example, I know that boxed sets are bad financially, as are adventures, and that multiple campaigns divide the very market I want unified under my company. This despite the fact that I want adventures, boxed sets, and all the old campaigns restored.

The first thing I'd do is have everyone sit down, and put together a much, much larger and more expanded version of the 3.5E Update Accessory Booklet. One that would literally cover everything WotC released between August of 2000 and July of 2003 (with the exception of the magazines). That would finally eliminate all of this craziness with the latest books reprinting older material. I'd release this product for a small fee, probably for download, since it'd be quite long (I could be talked into doing it for free if that was really necessary).

That done, I'd clean up the WotC forums, with a stricter, clearer policy on what's allowed and whats moderated, and bring back things like the novels section.

Although public opinion seems against this, I'd take steps to reintegrate a holistic cosmology. While I'd prefer to have every world use one planar structure, I suppose I could be talked into multiple linked cosmologies, but I'd play up the linking a bit...maybe throwing a few cross-world stuff in here and there as easter eggs. Such as a short story where a Manshoon clone comes to Greyhawk, and Khelben the Younger (who lives there) and Mordenkainen show up to blast the hell out of him.

I'd add more material to the SRD, particularly from other monster supplements, and put back in things like tanar'ri, baatezu, yugoloth, beholder, illithid, etc.

I'd put more people in charge of quickly delivering errata for new products that come out. I'd also try and see to it that Skip Williams's Sage Advice didn't conflict with the errata multiple times.

I'd do a second print run of d20 Modern, incorporating the massive load of errata it needs, as well as updating it to 3.5E rules (since all of its other supplements have done this, like eliminate the Beast type, etc).

I'd try to find some way to keep Polyhedron running, and maybe even bring Dungeon and Dragon back into the fold.

I'd attempt (probably with a web article) to blend the ELH and D&Dg, so that greater gods won't be bitch-slapped by anyone who can use epic spells.

I'd have Dragon make the old campaign worlds an annual theme.

 

[pogre]

Are we trying to make $?

If so, I would immediately begin cranking on 4E. I would release it around GenCon 2005 and announce it as being completely compatible with 3.5. I would throw in some new cool spells and rearrange some of the classes and adjust a race or two. I would rework monsters a bit, maybe adding a thing or two to the stat block. The DMG would get a massive overhaul with lots of new charts and advice on world building. The PHB would have character generator cds attached.

I would make it enough different that most folks would want it, but we could claim those who do not can still play with the 3.5 rules. Further, I would claim the new rules set in no way require older stuff to be refitted. That would dampen a lot of the anger about a new system I would promise not to do it again for a long time - and then I would do it again - 5E in 2009 at the latest.

I would crank out a basic boxed set - (yes, I know they are doing this) and I would follow it up with two boxed adventures with card buildings/dungeon pieces and miniatures. Enough to take characters right up to third or fourth level.

 

[Paladin]

If I were in charge of WotC...

Things I would've done:

I would've put more than 5 dragons in the Dragoneye minis set, as well as the Human Dragonslayer mini (not in Archfiends, like it inexplicably was...). Actually, I would've put out full sets of dragons by color and with all 12 age categories represented for Dragoneye. One box = 12 dragons, release them one box a month for 12 months. IMHO, most folks aren't really using these minis for the Miniatures Game, DMs are using them in their games. Give DMs minis they can use. YMMV. Also, I'd use the monster "slots" much more judiciously. Case in point: there's a fiendish T-Rex in Giants of Legend - WTF?! They couldn't have thrown a huge [anything else] in there?! How about a green dragon? No, wait, that's inexplicably in Aberrations... I can't think of how many dozen times I've wished I had a fiendish T-Rex mini...

I would've released the beholder, an iconic D&D monster, in Harbinger, not in Aberrations (at least I'm hoping it'll be there!) No, the Gauth doesn't count!

I would've made FR the default setting. And if I didn't, being that's it's the most popular setting, I'd make sure that every single "core" product made appropriate cross-references to it (which is finally happening now, granted) whenever appropriate.

Things I wouldn't have done:

I wouldn't have shot the outside playtest program in the head, unceremoniusly. Not to mention that I wouldn't have forgotten a legion of playtesters who deserved credit. ***cough, Epic Level Handbook, cough, Ghostwalk*** I would've thanked the authors for remembering them on the web though...

I wouldn't have editors who can't edit simple spelling errors, much less anything else. Complete Divine anyone? I mean, c'mon, who else spots at least 5 errors while browsing through the book during checkout?