Melf's Guide to Greyhawk Cover by Jeff Easley Revealed at Gary Con

Luke Gygax revealed the cover to his upcoming collaboration with Wizards of the Coast at Gary Con over the weekend. During an annual auction at the convention, Gygax revealed a painting by Jeff Easley featuring his famed character Melf. According to GamingTrend, which posted the news on Saturday, the painting will be used as a cover for the upcoming Greyhawk compendium being developed by Gygax and Wizards of the Coast, which was unofficially called Melf's Guide to Greyhawk. The painting was won by actor Vince Vaughn, who paid $5,000. You can check out an image of the cover below, courtesy of GamingTrend. More photos of the artwork can be found on that site.

Gygax and D&D Head of Franchise Dan Ayoub announced their collaboration earlier at Gary Con, with Ayoub emphasizing a desire to "mend the rift" between the Gygax family and Dungeons & Dragons. No specifics have been revealed for what the book will entail, other than that it will be set within Greyhawk. Greyhawk is also featured in the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide, although at the time Wizards had no plans to further flesh out the setting beyond that book.

Wizards of the Coast also announced at Gary Gon that Gen Con would serve as an announcement hub for upcoming books starting this year, and that modules would be returning in some format tied to the new Seasons approach to promoting material.

 

[bedir than]

I agree, I am not expecting much more than tweaks to short / long rests, which obviously has its limits, which was my point

maybe counting cantrip castings
Hit dice recovering going back to 1/2 per long or even fewer

 

[Reynard]

I mean, just put it out for Shadowdark.

 

[Parmandur]

The only thing I can think of is Ernie getting attached to some douchey grifter whose name I can't remember in the NuTSR affair. Are you thinking of something else?

Oh, no, I the contrary I am saying there probably isn't some smoking gun controversy: but let's say as a for example that Luke Gygax's main point of contact at WotC was Greg Tito...wo left nearly two years ago...then if nobody has his phone or email and keeps in touch, drift happens. Maybe WotC wasn't blackballing Gary on, but if Corporate Finance saya they can provide a budget for four big Conventions a year...and GaryCon is six in their priority list...drift happens.

Ayoub seems to be taking a "touch base widely and don't let drift happen" approach. Which is nice.

 

[Parmandur]

I mean, just put it out for Shadowdark.

The point here seems to be for WotC to bring that side oft he game back on board. They kept talking about "One Party" during the panel, seems to be their next big tent marketing push.

And for Gygax, this allows him to use his father's actual IP rather than wink and nod towards it.

Win/win.

 

[Remathilis]

I mean, just put it out for Shadowdark.

I'm sure WotC can't WAIT to release a brand new product for their oldest setting helmed by the a celebrated creator for an obscure retro clone practically nobody has heard of instead for the largest and best selling RPG they own.

 

[nyvinter]

Maybe WotC wasn't blackballing Gary on, but if Corporate Finance saya they can provide a budget for four big Conventions a year...and GaryCon is six in their priority list...drift happens.

I don't see how that can be a slight against Gary when GaryCon started a year after his death. I also think this was also during 4th edition. If people at a con is aggressively uninterested in your game, why are you spending money to be there?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'm sure WotC can't WAIT to release a brand new product for their oldest setting helmed by the a celebrated creator for an obscure retro clone practically nobody has heard of instead for the largest and best selling RPG they own.

You don't have to like Shadowdark, but "obscure retro clone practically nobody has heard of" is some ridiculous hyperbole.

 

[Reynard]

The point here seems to be for WotC to bring that side oft he game back on board.

No they are not. There is no world in which that happens.

 

[Reynard]

I'm sure WotC can't WAIT to release a brand new product for their oldest setting helmed by the a celebrated creator for an obscure retro clone practically nobody has heard of instead for the largest and best selling RPG they own.

I was specifically responding to the idea that they are going to somehow magically be able to give 5E an old school difficulty feel. Doing so would be to turn it into Shadowdark.

But your disdain is noted.

 

[Remathilis]

You don't have to like Shadowdark, but "obscure retro clone practically nobody has heard of" is some ridiculous hyperbole.

In the grand river of D&D inspired gaming, it is. It's no where near Pathfinder, Tales of the Valiant or even Daggerheart in terms of headspace, let alone shelf space. I'm not saying it's a bad game (I have loved many a game with a niche audience) but I was responding to what I thought was a suggestion that this product was better suited for a game with a fraction of D&D's reach.