D&D 5E Mike Schley hints at something bigger than Phandelver, The Book of Many Things, and even Planescape!

[Stormonu]

Perhaps a map of the First World? Or at least shards of it?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

A campaign setting with a big continent-level map or a series of linked adventures, which would be more ambitious than what WotC has done in 5E so far.

 

[Demetrios1453]

The new DMG comes with a giant fold out poster map of whatever example Setting they are using. Mike Schley is the big gun for cartography, so I'm going with Schley doing a map of the Flannaes for the DMG.

I'm not denying that might be the case, but his emphasis on something bigger sounds like a book with lots of his maps, and not just one, no matter how big it may be.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Our new totally original setting "Bright Moon". A utopia where every adventure is a 4 hour shopping trip session (as seen on popular show Critical Role!)

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Could be the rumored completely new setting?

I have a horrible feeling both "completely new" settings, the one which was definitely going ahead and the one was being considered, perished when Ray Winninger was fired, because they were something he seemed keen on.

Whereas the super-corporate Microsoft guy now in charge of D&D I suspect is only interested in settings as far as there is "cross-marketing synergy", so existing settings or MtG ones or the like. Obviously I'd be very happy to be wrong.

Hopefully this particular thing means a big FR book. As pointed out, the FR got tremendous pop-culture coverage this year, including literally the best-reviewed PC game in history (!!!) which seems to be selling insane copies. More likely though it is just something we neither expect nor care about.

 

[Scribe]

I have a horrible feeling both "completely new" settings, the one which was definitely going ahead and the one was being considered, perished when Ray Winninger was fired, because they were something he seemed keen on.

I also think it may have died and thats why we got the 'classic settings are not one shots' because they need those classic settings with all the packed in nostalgia (and lore they dont want to fully throw away) to lean on.

Ref: The 'totally not Torment' supposed planescape adventure.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I also think it may have died and thats why we got the 'classic settings are not one shots' because they need those classic settings with all the packed in nostalgia (and lore they dont want to fully throw away) to lean on.

Ref: The 'totally not Torment' supposed planescape adventure.

Yeah we already see PS:T fan-favourite characters like Mort are appearing in the updated setting - which is fine - but when it's all stuff like this and no new settings ever, it speaks volumes as to where you, Corporate Decision Maker, Signer-Off Of D&D Projects, see D&D going over the next few years.

 

[DarkCrisis]

I also think it may have died and thats why we got the 'classic settings are not one shots' because they need those classic settings with all the packed in nostalgia (and lore they dont want to fully throw away) to lean on.

Ref: The 'totally not Torment' supposed planescape adventure.

I think WotC is ready to move on from Faerun etc. Newer players don't care about old settings, it seems to me. Might as well make something fresh without a lot of baggage.

Older players can of course keep playing in the old settings...

 

[Scribe]

I think WotC is ready to move on from Faerun etc. Newer players don't care about old settings, it seems to me. Might as well make something fresh without a lot of baggage.

Older players can of course keep playing in the old settings...

After BG3? I think moving on would be a huge mistake.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Newer players don't care about old settings, it seems to me.

I'm not trying to difficult, right, but what basis do you have for saying that?

If the basis is podcasting, let me just say, I don't think that's a good basis, because if I was launching a D&D podcast, I 100% guarantee I would make up my own setting, on the slim off-chance that it became popular, because they I would be able to sell merchandise, books, etc. without risking causing copyright issues with WotC.

If it's something else I'm genuinely interested to hear what.

 

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

I think WotC is ready to move on from Faerun etc. Newer players don't care about old settings, it seems to me. Might as well make something fresh without a lot of baggage.

If they didn't feel that newer players might have an interest in older settings, I doubt they'd be bringing so many of them back.

Say what you will about the quality of the products themselves or the specific updates and changes they make to the settings, but 5e Ravenloft, Spelljammer, Dragonlance, and Planescape don't happen without a belief that there's an audience for them.

I'm by no means a big Forgotten Realms fan, but I certainly wouldn't dismiss the possibility of an FR setting guide being somewhere in the pipeline, especially in the wake of HAT and BGIII, and with a Red Wizard/Thay centric module on the schedule for 2025.

 

[Demetrios1453]

After BG3? I think moving on would be a huge mistake.

A good number of posts on the BG3 subreddit ask about further lore on the setting. So there's definitely a market out there now.

Plus, they've stated before that we should expect a revisit to a setting in 2024, for which a new FR campaign setting book would be a good fit - with the caveat of course that plans can get changed over time...

 

[Parmandur]

I'm not denying that might be the case, but his emphasis on something bigger sounds like a book with lots of his maps, and not just one, no matter how big it may be.

"Bigger" is an ambiguous word, and he may mean it a number of ways.

If this is DMG related, more copies will be sold than the 3 products which he does mention, which would make it a "bigger" deal.

If it is a larger area than he has done recently, then it would be a "bigger" map.

If there are a bunch of maps for one product, then it would be a "bigger" amount.

But let's dwell on the DMG possibility a bit more.

We know that the DMG will have an example Campaign Setting and a poster map.

We also know that there is a template for Advebture design with a sample Adventure. What helps with Adventures?

Maps.

We also know there is an example Campaign to demonstrate a template for linking Adventures. What can help with Campaign planning?

Maps.

Mayne Schley has a "big" commission in the DMG, in size and scope.

 

[mamba]

A campaign setting with a big continent-level map or a series of linked adventures, which would be more ambitious than what WotC has done in 5E so far.

so… Vecna jumping between worlds?

 

[DarkCrisis]

I'm not trying to difficult, right, but what basis do you have for saying that?

If the basis is podcasting, let me just say, I don't think that's a good basis, because if I was launching a D&D podcast, I 100% guarantee I would make up my own setting, on the slim off-chance that it became popular, because they I would be able to sell merchandise, books, etc. without risking causing copyright issues with WotC.

If it's something else I'm genuinely interested to hear what.

Chatter I see here and on Twitter and other social media.

Most seem to enjoy homebrew. Not to mention the adventures are all fairly generic and "can be played anywhere".

Heck I see how chatter from Critters about Mercer's world than I do Faerun, and I don't really even follow Crit Role.

I am well aware Faerun is still a popular setting but it's mostly Drizzt and Baldurs Gate keeping that stuff alive. The "Yutes" mostly don't seem to care. I'm sure the Olds like me will keep the old settings alive for as long as possible.

Not to mention that WotC already does the bare minimum for any setting. And they've already had to bend over backwards to try to get rid of a lot of troublesome baggage in EVERY setting. Male Solomnic Knights in DL don't even have mustaches.

I'm honestly surprised WotC hasn't pulled a 4th ed and just kicked Faerun ahead another hundred years or more to get a more clean slate. I have some DC comics level "wiping the slate clean" start over event.

At some point the baggage and bending over backwards stuff will outweight the need to just start with something fresh. No bothersome lore. No bothersome baggage. No bothersome out dated fantasy tropes. Just a fresh canvas devoid of anything people might find "worrisome".

I think they really missed an opportunity to buy Mercer's world (with him lead designer etc) and run that as THE flagship setting. But that ship has long since sailed.

And they can fit their new amazing world "Generica" into the planerverse they are creating so hey Krynn and Faerun and Greyhawk etc are right over there one Starjammer away but they would no longer be the focus and at most get a footnote in the PHB.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Chatter I see here and on Twitter and other social media.

Most seem to enjoy homebrew.

You'd have got the same impression from any AD&D-centric site in the 1990s, honestly, if you just idly went through posts, I'd suggest. So it doesn't sound like anything much has changed apart from CR coming on to the scene.

Heck I see how chatter from Critters about Mercer's world than I do Faerun, and I don't really even follow Crit Role.

Oh for sure, but most of those people aren't D&D players.

I'm kind of skeptical that most kids aged say 12-18 or even people aged 18-30 are making up their own full campaign settings. I suspect more of them are playing without a specific setting than was common in the 1990s, using just whatever setting is implied by the adventure they're running, though.

 

[Azzy]

A good number of posts on the BG3 subreddit ask about further lore on the setting. So there's definitely a market out there now.

Plus, they've stated before that we should expect a revisit to a setting in 2024, for which a new FR campaign setting book would be a good fit - with the caveat of course that plans can get changed over time...

Long ago, when the talk of WotC revisiting a setting was new, I prognosticated that it would be the FR. I still hold to that, too. I'm not the biggest FR fan, but I wouldn't mind seeing the FR get a real setting book (along the lines of Eberron: RftLW).

 

[DarkCrisis]

You'd have got the same impression from any AD&D-centric site in the 1990s, honestly, if you just idly went through posts, I'd suggest. So it doesn't sound like anything much has changed apart from CR coming on to the scene.

Oh for sure, but most of those people aren't D&D players.

I'm kind of skeptical that most kids aged say 12-18 or even people aged 18-30 are making up their own full campaign settings. I suspect more of them are playing without a specific setting than was common in the 1990s, using just whatever setting is implied by the adventure they're running, though.

Speaking of trying to clean up old baggage from old settings, Shadowrun is a prime example. 6th Ed lore like : “Magic was back and then the Great Ghost Dance happens for reasons. And here we are today!”

 

[Scribe]

I am well aware Faerun is still a popular setting but it's mostly Drizzt and Baldurs Gate keeping that stuff alive. The "Yutes" mostly don't seem to care. I'm sure the Olds like me will keep the old settings alive for as long as possible.

BG3 has sold millions, and will have even more with the console releases. Its Twitch Stats where very based on a quick look, though they are decreasing. It is a huge success.

Unless Wizards massively fails, they have a MOUNTAIN of content they could leverage with minimal investment, in terms of FR.

It would be insanity to me, for them to abandon it now. Before the movie, before the game? Yeah sure, it wasnt long ago I was saying Wizards should start over.

Now? No way does it make sense.

 

[Lidgar]

Castle Greyhawk confirmed!