WotC Jeremy Crawford interview: they read your feedback. An exclusive interview by Christian Hoffer at GenCon.

[Scribe]

So, in other words, you got five, six years of material specifically catering to you, but, now, since they've spent three years not targeting you, it's no longer a big tent?

I wouldnt even go that far, I dont think there is even 1 book 'specifically catering' to me and the folks like me who want something closer to BG3. Though maybe Decent is the best attempt.

I'd have to go back over the back catalogue.

I'm still waiting for my Conan style sword and sorcery style book, complete with the associated art.

I'm specifically saying it is a big tent. So hurry up with the Conan style.

 

[Hussar]

So I heard after the fact, same as Witchlight and Candlekeep apparently.

After what fact? The fact that you didn't bother to actually read any of the material before passing judgement?

I mean, sure, Radiant had lots of pretty twee imagery. By Candlekeep sure didn't. I mean, there's a bunch of reviews out there that talk about this stuff. It's not like it was a secret.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Me.

Just like how witchlight apparently was dark, and had kids for dinner, if it's marketing puts a very G rated spin and the art is this whimsical joy ride, well I wonder bother to buy it.

Wizards is telling me, I how they present these books 'you aren't interested'.

Meanwhile, in BG3, I am still interested in D&D actually. I do still love FR. Over the top kitchen sink and Spelljammer and Underdark?? Yes please.

So yeah, I care, why else ask?

I cannot fathom thinking it’s reasonable to say that wizards has to actively advertise to your preference in order to not be excluding you from the big tent. Like…astonishing.

Fair enough. I got "you dont have to involve combat!" "here are some old call backs from when you were kids!" and "look at the whimsy!"

Which IS FINE. Great, no problem, but its not going to get me to even crack a cover to look at it, let alone 'buy it to find out' about the more traditional grim fairy tale stuff.

Same as Candlekeep, same as Strixhaven, same as Radiant.

Which again is 100% fine, 'its a big tent'.

So give me Minsc, breaking out of a Mimic in all his glory, oh and Jaheira is cool too.

So I heard after the fact, same as Witchlight and Candlekeep apparently.

So because you missed some of the promotions and didn’t ask anyone about it or do any looking into it, it doesn’t count? That’s on Wizards, somehow?

"BLOOD AND BOOBS, the D&D supplment" seems a one way trip to rpghorrorstories if you ask me

Yeeeeup.

If we want mature, I want more. Y'know. Writen mature. "Here's two factions. There is no Good or Evil. There are good people on both sides. There are evil people on both sides. They are going to fight due to long and pointless reasons and you're left to pick up the shattered pieces of what comes after. No planer monsters digging into it, just the balanity of war and the actions of the few ruining many" is more a mature take on anything than Vile Darkness or Exalted Deeds ever came up with

But also like. That's a bit hard to play as an RPG storyline especially when D&D's Thing at the moment tends towards lighter given all popular examples of it

That sounds…tedious? Like, probably tedious. More likely to be so than to be engaging and compelling.

Put some Rakshasas manipulating people and/or a conspiracy on both sides, etc, and maybe. Like it’s a fantasy adventure, why on earth would I want to play a whole campaign that might as well be historical fiction?

And then we gotta imagine the average DM trying to run it, and do it well. Lol seems unlikely.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

After what fact? The fact that you didn't bother to actually read any of the material before passing judgement?

I mean, sure, Radiant had lots of pretty twee imagery. By Candlekeep sure didn't. I mean, there's a bunch of reviews out there that talk about this stuff. It's not like it was a secret.

(Re bolded text) It did!?

Do..you consider “a picture depicting someone that isn’t miserable and dirty” to be twee?

If Radiant Citadel is full of “twee” imagery, I’m not sure the word “twee” even has any usable meaning anymore.

 

[Scribe]

After what fact? The fact that you didn't bother to actually read any of the material before passing judgement?

After the marketing push? After I read a few reviews and articles?

Again, if Wizards job to convince me to buy the material. If their sales pitch doesnt interest me, why would I buy it to read it?

So because you missed some of the promotions and didn’t ask anyone about it or do any looking into it, it doesn’t count? That’s on Wizards, somehow?

I mean...yeah? If they are failing to get the message across to me, and I know I'm not alone, then maybe they need to reassess how they communicate the contents of their books?

I cannot fathom thinking it’s reasonable to say that wizards has to actively advertise to your preference in order to not be excluding you from the big tent. Like…astonishing.

We dont need to jump to hyperbole, its not really productive and I'm not doing the same. I they want to continue to produce content, marketing material, and content, that is not geared to my preferences and interests its not on me to buy it anyway to find out that 'oh maybe its not all whimsy and bright colours and glitter hope solarpunk'.

I'll just shrug, ask when I get my Conan book, and go back to a different medium or company.

 

[Hussar]

I'm still waiting for my Conan style sword and sorcery style book, complete with the associated art.

Ahh, now, that's fair. That's not going to happen from WotC. Given that it's never happened from WotC, I don't think that's a big shocker there. I mean, A. the art just isn't going to happen. I'm sorry, I'm a huge Vajello and Royo fan too, but, let's be honest here, that's never going to happen. B. 5e does not do sword and sorcery worth a damn. It's just the wrong system for it. 5e is far, far too caster heavy to do S&S very well. And, it's not really a gritty system either.

I honestly get what you're saying and there is a big part of me that would love to see it too. But, we do have to be somewhat realistic here. A properly S&S setting, like Primeval Thule (for example), just doesn't really work with 5e. It's hard to do S&S when everyone is a caster and casters are just so much better than everyone else.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

After the marketing push? After I read a few reviews and articles?

Again, if Wizards job to convince me to buy the material. If their sales pitch doesnt interest me, why would I buy it to read it?

Well, no. It’s their job to make products folks will buy, broadly. But also, why do you keep acting like the only way to find out any of this stuff is to buy the book?

I mean...yeah? If they are failing to get the message across to me, and I know I'm not alone, then maybe they need to reassess how they communicate the contents of their books?

To accommodate a tiny minority that could just…read a review?

It’s a ridiculous expectation.

We dont need to jump to hyperbole, it’s not really productive and I'm not doing the same. I they want to continue to produce content, marketing material, and content, that is not geared to my preferences and interests its not on me to buy it anyway to find out that 'oh maybe its not all whimsy and bright colours and glitter hope solarpunk'.

But you aren’t using hyperbole, right? LOL

Literally no one has told you that you need to buy anything. That idea exists only in your strawman arguments against what you’re presenting as what folks are saying.

You literally can just ask anyone who has the book, or who has been closely following the book’s se development, or read reviews, or check it out online, etc

I'll just shrug, ask when I get my Conan book, and go back to a different medium or company.

What hyperbole!? You literally said that if they aren’t promoting it to your interests they are excluding you!

 

[Hussar]

(Re bolded text) It did!?

Do..you consider “a picture depicting someone that isn’t miserable and dirty” to be twee?

If Radiant Citadel is full of “twee” imagery, I’m not sure the word “twee” even has any usable meaning anymore.

Considering the post you quoted had a flying carriage with butterfly wings - I'd call that fairly twee.

Note, I don't think twee is all that bad anyway. DI Terlizzi is twee and considered one of the greats of the genre, so, calling something twee isn't meant as a big insult.

The point I was badly making though is that Radiant Citadel had a pretty strong art theme - which is great to be honest. Again, considering the real world right now, a bit of twee isn't a bad thing at all.

Years of pretty grim AP's with art that matches, having a couple of AP's that are filled with bright colors is a refreshing change.

SIgh, I'm saying this all wrong. :/

 

[Scribe]

Ahh, now, that's fair. That's not going to happen from WotC. Given that it's never happened from WotC, I don't think that's a big shocker there. I mean, A. the art just isn't going to happen. I'm sorry, I'm a huge Vajello and Royo fan too, but, let's be honest here, that's never going to happen. B. 5e does not do sword and sorcery worth a damn. It's just the wrong system for it. 5e is far, far too caster heavy to do S&S very well. And, it's not really a gritty system either.

I honestly get what you're saying and there is a big part of me that would love to see it too. But, we do have to be somewhat realistic here. A properly S&S setting, like Primeval Thule (for example), just doesn't really work with 5e. It's hard to do S&S when everyone is a caster and casters are just so much better than everyone else.

Fair, and yeah I get it too.

 

[Scribe]

Sorry, perhaps I'm old but what is twee? Cute?