Keith Baker asks about walking away from Eberron.

[eyeheartawk]

And not those little, itchy, red, rashy things, I mean I erupt in a network of vast, open pustules that are host to a buzzing colony of furious vespids.

Hail Grandfather Nurgle!

 

[Hellcow]

Hi everyone! I wanted to drop by to say that I really appreciate both the support and those raising legitimate. This is not a decision Im going to make quickly and I want to clarify a few things.

I have no intention of completely abandoning Eberron. I’ve been supporting it for twenty years and I’m not going to stop now. Whatever path I take going forward, I will continue to answer questions on my Patreon and as time permits, post articles as I have been for years; I may have less time for it, but I won’t stop. Likewise, If I do take Frontiers in a different direction, I’ve already written material that is directly tied to Eberron — such as statistics for the daelkyr Orlassk—that I would release in some form.

The question is more long term. At the moment, the only path for Eberron content is the DM’s Guild, which has a steep royalty and prevents any other use of the IP (such as novels or supporting products). Beyond this, I don’t know if the arrangement allowing Eberron material to be produced on the DMsG will continue into One D&D. If I create something new, I will surely lose a huge chunk of my audience who don’t have time or interest in trying that new thing (as shown by Phoenix) but I will also have full freedom to develop it however I want and no fear of having it taken away without warning.

It’s not an easy decision to make. But again, rest assured that whatever I decide to do with Frontiers I am not ABANDONING Eberron. And I’m no longer the only source of Eberron material; there are many community members developing interesting Eberron content for the DMs Guild.

So—thanks to everyone who has shared their thoughts, whether here or on my Patreon. I’m not rushing into this; the poll on Patreon runs for a month, because I want people to have time to think about it and discuss it. And again, I very much understand and sympathize with people saying “Best of luck, but realistically I’m not going to try your new thing if you do it.” It’s important for me to know that, to be able to realistically consider the cost of change.

Finally: I don’t really want to discuss where I’d take Frontiers if I move away from Eberron, because it’s too early for that. But I will say that it won’t just be “Frontiers without Eberron.” People who know me know that I’m interested in the industrial impact of everything from magic to monsters, that I love exploring dreams and faerie tales, and that I like using traditional things in untraditional ways. A new frontier will allow me to do all of those things again, just exploring different paths from what I did with Eberron. It won’t just be “Fantasy Western” any more than Eberron is just halflings on dinosaurs. But also, part of my intent would be to create something interesting that could be integrated into other worlds—whether that’s back into Eberron, Golarion, or your homebrew world.

Thanks to all of you who’ve played in Eberron or supported me in the past—I truly appreciate it, and whatever I choose to do, this isn’t the end of Eberron.

 

[Zaukrie]

I haven't read the whole thread ...

I hope he builds a new world. I love eberron, but I hope he writes something he owns. Something that can be converted to DnD or a new system or whatever.

 

[ChaosOS]

I haven't read the whole thread ...

I hope he builds a new world. I love eberron, but I hope he writes something he owns. Something that can be converted to DnD or a new system or whatever.

You might want to check the post right before yours

 

[Zaukrie]

You might want to check the post right before yours

Funny! Thanks. I'd have gotten there eventually.

 

[Staffan]

A second robust Pathfinder setting would be a gift. A bit off topic, but one of the things I enjoy most about PF2 as a player is how it codifies in rules things for which dungeon masters have been relying on fiat for decades. It's neat to see every niggling character design choice carry mechanical weight.

One of the things about Pathfinder: Yes, it is complex. But complexity is a currency used to buy depth, and Pathfinder 2 gets a better exchange rate on that than most games.

 

[cbwjm]

Never really been a fan of Eberron, it just never clicked for me, but it is a great setting that he created and I'm sure he'd be able to do it again. I think he should branch out.

 

[Miyagiyoda]

Fly and remember that you can now use "Compatible with Dungeons & Dragons" if you need a perch.

 

[wingsandsword]

He talked about how he was itching at creating something new and not owned by WotC, but certainly didn’t regret the decision to give his IP to them (we would have all done the same if given the opportunity)

I remember quite well the contest two decades ago to create a new campaign setting, the competition that lead to Eberron.

I remember most DM's I knew who built homebrew worlds submitted to that.

I definitely agree we're pretty much all take the deal he was given. In that sense, I don't really feel sorry for him. He walked into that deal with eyes open and should have fully expected this.

That being said, I can imagine some regret at the thing you're most famous for is something you have no rights to or control over. I think that's fairly common in the entertainment field though.

 

[Scribe]

One of the things about Pathfinder: Yes, it is complex. But complexity is a currency used to buy depth, and Pathfinder 2 gets a better exchange rate on that than most games.

I like that phrase. Put that in the bank.