D&D 5E Next (3rd book of the year) endless speculation thread

[Mercurius]

The real reason for this thread is to see how many pages it can get to before the third book is announced (presumably months from now, or at least sometime around or after Ravenloft comes out in May). The secondary (OK, real) purpose is to speculate (baselessly, mostly) on what that third book might be.

Feywild. How much weight do we put into the latest UA? From there are several branches: A sylvan based adventure/setting; a feywild/planar book; a Magic fey-adjacent setting.

Dragons. They're always lurking. This could mean Draconomicon and/or a monster book (it has been a few years). Dragonlance.

Planes. The Big Kahuna of major domains of D&D Land left mostly untouched, but perhaps also one of the riskiest. Still, it's got to happen at some point. Right?

"Three classic settings." Ravenloft is announced, which leaves us two. But will they do two in one year? Seems unlikely. Further, there's no certainty that they actually publish three setting books; "support" could come in different ways. And I think we should be hesitant to solidify the number "three" - it could be less, it could be more.

We know that there are new Dragonlance novels, possibly/probably starting later this year. That means that there's a good chance of a Dragonlance adventure and/or setting book (box set?).

And then there's speculation possible based upon product type: So far this year we have one adventure collection and one setting book. That would likely mean that we'll get at least one full adventure path, a splat of some kind (probably DM-focused, ala monsters), and another setting book.

Anything else?

I won't speculate as to when, but my guess is that over the next almost two years (2021-22) we'll see:
*A Dragonlance product or two of some kind (probably needs two: adventure and setting/sourcebook)
*An adventure path or two (one possibly being DL)
*A monster book (possibly focusing on dragons)
*A sylvan/fey-based book
*A planes book
*A classic setting book (DL or another)
*A Magic setting book

p.s. A note about the D&D movie. I imagine they'll come out with some kind of supporting product, but given that the movie isn't coming out until late 2022 at the earliest, and a lot can happen between now and then to push it back, and they'll likely want to assess how well it is received, I'm guessing we won't see something until 2023).

 

[overgeeked]

We know the second setting is Dragonlance. The real question is what’s the third and when will these last two be released. My guess is we will get Dragonlance before the year is out. The third will probably be next year.

The Fey lineages are quite suggestive of a Feywild book, though the generic nature of the names used suggests they’re doing something more specific but don’t want to reveal it yet.

I’m hopeful for Spelljammer, Dark Sun, Nentir Vale, and Mystara. Planescape is also quite popular, so it’s likely. A Planescape AP and separate setting book are possible. But you could say the same for any setting, really. CoS and VRGtR, as an example.

We haven’t had a dedicated monster book in awhile and as editions and power creep progress, monster design is refined, so we’re honestly overdue for more beasties. Especially if they want to cement their stated goal of being more inclusive, showing that with a big book of fleshed out and not filled with racist tropes monsters is the way to go.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

A compilation of modules/adventures, maybe Dragonlance or about the planes. But this sounds as a return throught a back door.

A monster compedium as Draconomicon or Libris Mortis is possible, but not Fiend Folio this year 2021.

 

[jgsugden]

We know the second setting is Dragonlance. ...

Was this confirmed, or is it still speculation? Not too long ago the novels were canceled.

 

[Scribe]

Annoyingly, this latest UA not only confirms a game path I don't like, but considering the short turn around between the Gothic UA and Ravenloft books, I would imagine it's a Fey book next.

Add the de emphasis on alignment and Planescape is looking either further away, or changed in a way I won't like anyways.

 

[hopeless]

What kind of Fey Book if at all?
A book of mysteries and a remake of the domains of dread has so far been announced so either a setting book or another Tasha/Xanathar's Guide?

2020
Tasha's Cauldron of Everything (November)
Explorer's Guide to Wildemount (March)
Mythic Odysseys of Theros (June)
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden (September)
DM Screen Wilderness Screen (November)
Return to Glory (May) apparently to do with the Red Nose day charity didn't know about this!

This Year so far
Candelkeep Mysteries (March)

 

[darjr]

Was this confirmed, or is it still speculation? Not too long ago the novels were canceled.

Speculation, but based on good evidence.
And the novels are back on! Dragonlance anyway.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The real reason for this thread is to see how many pages it can get to before the third book is announced (presumably months from now, or at least sometime around or after Ravenloft comes out in May). The secondary (OK, real) purpose is to speculate (baselessly, mostly) on what that third book might be.

Feywild. How much weight do we put into the latest UA? From there are several branches: A sylvan based adventure/setting; a feywild/planar book; a Magic fey-adjacent setting.

Dragons. They're always lurking. This could mean Draconomicon and/or a monster book (it has been a few years). Dragonlance.

Planes. The Big Kahuna of major domains of D&D Land left mostly untouched, but perhaps also one of the riskiest. Still, it's got to happen at some point. Right?

"Three classic settings." Ravenloft is announced, which leaves us two. But will they do two in one year? Seems unlikely. Further, there's no certainty that they actually publish three setting books; "support" could come in different ways. And I think we should be hesitant to solidify the number "three" - it could be less, it could be more.

We know that there are new Dragonlance novels, possibly/probably starting later this year. That means that there's a good chance of a Dragonlance adventure and/or setting book (box set?).

And then there's speculation possible based upon product type: So far this year we have one adventure collection and one setting book. That would likely mean that we'll get at least one full adventure path, a splat of some kind (probably DM-focused, ala monsters), and another setting book.

Anything else?

I won't speculate as to when, but my guess is that over the next almost two years (2021-22) we'll see:
*A Dragonlance product or two of some kind (probably needs two: adventure and setting/sourcebook)
*An adventure path or two (one possibly being DL)
*A monster book (possibly focusing on dragons)
*A sylvan/fey-based book
*A planes book
*A classic setting book (DL or another)
*A Magic setting book

p.s. A note about the D&D movie. I imagine they'll come out with some kind of supporting product, but given that the movie isn't coming out until late 2022 at the earliest, and a lot can happen between now and then to push it back, and they'll likely want to assess how well it is received, I'm guessing we won't see something until 2023).

Dragons + Fey could add up to Throne of Eldraine. If we had gotten another draconic UA, I would have said we're looking at a Draconomicon, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards as of mid-March 2021.

I do think a planar sourcebook seems likely. Or, barring that, this year's big adventure book could be a plane-hopping gith-focused one that includes a de facto planar gazetteer and include spelljamming rules. It's also possible for them to double-dip and do a sourcebook and adventure centered around the same idea in a year, but I don't recall them doing that in the past, beyond freebie products like the Elemental Players Companion. Add a stop in Sigil, and you've got one of your three classic settings checked off.

I don't think we will see Dark Sun or Dragonlance as the big adventure of 2021, since those adventures are meant to be slotted into existing campaigns with little work, and that's not easily possible with either of those. (I do think a Ghosts of Saltmarsh style Dragonlance Chronicles book has a good shot at being an upcoming springtime adventure compilation in 2022 or beyond.) Given how Krynn is so centered around the War of the Lance, I don't think it's likely they would release a product that isn't an adventure campaign. This would also check off the third classic setting box.

The owlfolk in the new UA match up with one key piece of art for Strixhaven, so we could get a Tome of Magic-style book in the fall with a small gazetteer of the school of wizardry, player-facing arcane content, and a bunch of magical monsters and maybe rules for things that 5E has largely glided over, like the creation of magic items, potions and spells.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

We know the second setting is Dragonlance.

Do we?

I’m hopeful for Spelljammer, Dark Sun, Nentir Vale, and Mystara.

I love Mystara, but I have trouble seeing how it fits into WotC's line-up in 2021.

 

[Demetrios1453]

Unless there's a mid-summer release, the 3rd book would be in September, and that's been reserved for the major adventure book for the last few years.