D&D 5E March's D&D Book To Be Announced On January 9th

A mysterious entry has appeared on Amazon! With a product title of "Dungeons & Dragons March Release Book (Title announced January 9th)" and a release date of March 17th, 2020, this $49.95 hardcover release will be revealed in under a week!

The description reads "Your first look at the next D&D title comes on January 9th! Keep an eye on wherever you get your D&D news for a preview of the book."

Could there be a clue in the dice being released on the same day? Laeral Silverhand's Explorer's Kit is described as "Dice and miscellany for the world's greatest roleplaying game" for $29.99. We'll find out on Thursday!

Who's Laeral Silverhand? She's a prolific creator of magic items from Waterdeep, and one of the most powerful wizards in the Forgotten Realms. She's one of the Seven Sisters, introduced in 1987's Forgotten Realms boxed set, although Laeral herself wasn't described in that product. Ed Greenwood'sThe Seven Sisters supplement fully detailed them in 1995. Laeral and Khlben 'Blackstaff' Arunsun led a group called the Moonstars. In 5th edition, she appears in Waterdeep: Dragon Heist.

 

[gyor]

Eberron rising from the last war is by shipping weight 2.1 pounds and Forgotten Realms: Laeral Silverhands Explorer's Kit (or guide whatever) is 2.25 pounds shipping weight according to Amazon.com. the MM is 2.56 pounds, so this new book isn't as big as the MM.

The is new book .15 pounds heavier then E: RftLW which means a bigger book.

E: RFtLW is 320 pages and the MM is 356 pages, so logically FR: LSEK is most likely from 330 pages to 345 pages long. This will make it the biggest book except for the MM.

 

[gyor]

I think I've actually just worked it out! What is Laeral Siverhand best known for? Faction Politics! She is associated with two (Lords of Waterdeap, The Harpers), and I'm sure keeps tabs on all the others.

"Silverhand's Guide to the Factions of the Realms" could adapt the stuff on group patrons from ERFTLW and guilds from GGTR to the FR setting. That would lead organically to player run strongholds and guilds for higher level play.


It might also be worth noting that she serves as patron in the Warriors of Waterdeep mobile game.

The Group Patron mechanic could make a reappearance, but it likely won't be all of the book.

 

[gyor]

I'll add that this does align with some hints of future content looking at non-European inspired fantasy continents.

So I expect this book to be written much like Mordenkainen's/Volo's where it is from the POV of Laeral Silverhand, but giving background on areas like Kara-Tur and Al-Qadim.

Also expecting new monster statblocks, player options, all sorts of neat stuff. Probably no adventure unless very short as an intro.

I agree with pretty much all of that. Plus I don't think their will be a City of Sharn like section in the book, as BG: DiA and WD: DH covers that very well indeed.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The Group Patron mechanic could make a reappearance, but it likely won't be all of the book.

It obviously couldn't be the whole book, but it could be the theme of the book, just as MToF uses planar conflicts as it's theme.

 

[lordstimpy]

Seeing Tales of the Yawning Portal and Ghost of Saltmarsh were announced in January, guessing a bunch of adventures set in the FR centered around Silverhand. Maybe a series of Force Gray missions

 

[dave2008]

I hope it's some of the finalized options from that huge UA with character options, making them official

Unfortunately I think it is too soon for that content to appear. I think we might see that in the fall release.

 

[NaturalZero]

I want setting neutral material or a stuff for a setting new to 5e. I'm not hyped to see Forgotten Realms pimped so prominently. I hope that there's a lot of content that can used anywhere, regardless.

 

[dave2008]

I want setting neutral material or a stuff for a setting new to 5e. I'm not hyped to see Forgotten Realms pimped so prominently. I hope that there's a lot of content that can used anywhere, regardless.

There always is. I don't use published settings at all, but two of my favorite books in 5e have been the Ravnica and Eberron books. There is so much interesting content and the most I need to do to add it to my campaign is change a name or two. I generally don't even do that!

 

[gyor]

Seeing Tales of the Yawning Portal and Ghost of Saltmarsh were announced in January, guessing a bunch of adventures set in the FR centered around Silverhand. Maybe a series of Force Gray missions

Wasn't MTOFs also reveal in January?

I think it's just the custom now for spring releases no matter the type of book.

And looking at the title as revealed by its complimentary dice, it's structured like Eberron: Rising From The Last War, so it's likely the FR version, more or less.

In the very unlikely event you are right I will be devastated.

 

[Rhineglade]

If I were a betting man, I'd put my stake on Dark Sun.