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

[Parmandur]

I hadn't noticed this previously, but this seems relevant to future timing:

 

[darjr]

Spelljammer confirmed!

edit: to add it’s a joke!

 

[Eyes of Nine]

But there was nothing special about Greyhawk that meant it had to be set there.

There isn't anything special about Greyhawk now, period.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

I hadn't noticed this previously, but this seems relevant to future timing:

We know that they develop books up to 2 years in advance, so I suppose that means both of these books are coming before the end of 2022?

Also pretty cool that they're possibly looking at others for long-range plans.

 

[Mercurius]

I hadn't noticed this previously, but this seems relevant to future timing:

That confirms what I said earlier in this thread (I think) that two more planned classic settings doesn't mean only two more ever. It means, as he put it, in active development.

I would guess it is two of Dark Sun, the Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, and Planescape. My thoughts on each, in order of likelihood (imo).

TOP CANDIDATES:
Planescape: I think the planes are inevitable, a core element of the D&D universe that has been almost strangely avoided during 5E's seven years (we're now in the eighth year and no real treatment of the planes! Yet). Meaning, it is past due, so this would be my top choice for one of the two slots - maybe not next, but soon (before the end of 2022). Verdict: Very likely.

Forgotten Realms: Like the planes, a full setting book seems past due - I mean, it is the default setting for most of the adventures. But I can also see a scenario where because it is the default setting they might want to just keep using it for adventures on a "need-to-know" basis. Still, I think there's a good chance we get a true setting book. Verdict: Possible to Likely.

Dark Sun: Very popular among long-time fans, but I'm not sure how it would play in today's context. But it would add something relatively new to the 5E line and works well in the "one-off" approach of settings that they've done with Theros, Ravnica, and Eberron. Verdict: Possible to Likely.

Dragonlance: I'm 50-50 on this. On one hand, the new novels; on the other, it would be hard to fit a true DL campaign into one book as it plays much better as a campaign than a setting. Meaning, with the Realms they can just do a single big setting book and keep on publishing adventures; with DL, you need setting, adventure(s), and rules - I think you can fit two but not all three in one book. I'm not sure they would want to dedicate more than a single book, at least not until they see how the novels sell. Verdict: Possible.

After that, I think the order would be:

UNLIKELY BUT POSSIBLE:
Spelljammer: I actually think it is very likely to be incorporated into a planes product, but unlikely as its own product, which is why I'm placing it here.
Greyhawk: The classic setting. I could see a 50th anniversary box set being possible, although probably still unlikely.
Forgotten Realms - Beyond Faerun: Maybe, but only after a Faerun book. This may or may not included some version of Al-Qadim, Kara-Tur, Maztica, Anchorome, etc.

VERY UNLIKELY:
Council of Wyrms: I could see something like this as more possible, but very unlikely to see a new version of the same product/world.
Birthright: It would offer something to the 5E line, but not sure this is where the game is at right now.
Mystara: I just don't see it, as I said up-thread. In terms of theme and material, it doesn't offer much that isn't the Realms, Eberron, or Greyhawk.
Nentir Vale world: Like some others, I've always wanted to see a full treatment of the world, but don't think it will happen.
Blackmoor: The only reason I place it here rather than "no chance" is that it could be part of a 50th anniversary product, but I don't think there's a chance of a standalone.

NO CHANCE:
Ghostwalk: A cool idea, but I don't see them reviving it.
Jakandor: Yeah, I don't see it.

Those are classic settings only. I could insert more Magic settings as basically definite; more Exandria as probable; and something new or previously unpublished (e.g. Iomandra) as possible.

 

[darjr]

These settings were listed on that AL survey.

id go make your voice heard, and yes I had to write in planescape. Oh and I did go on to pick almost everything on the list, I couldn’t help myself.

 

[hopeless]

Was there one in the other editions that could be converted into 5e?

 

[Ruin Explorer]

These settings were listed on that AL survey.

id go make your voice heard, and yes I had to write in planescape. Oh and I did go on to pick almost everything on the list, I couldn’t help myself.

View attachment 134253

Ironically, the fact that you had to do a write-in Planescape is probably pretty good evidence that Planescape is on the way. It's one of the more popular settings, certainly vastly more so than Birthright or Mystara, and by listing them and not it, they may have tipped their hand. Definitely now seeing PS or something very like it as the most likely next setting.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

That confirms what I said earlier in this thread (I think) that two more planned classic settings doesn't mean only two more ever. It means, as he put it, in active development.

I would guess it is two of Dark Sun, the Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, and Planescape. My thoughts on each, in order of likelihood (imo).

TOP CANDIDATES:
Planescape: I think the planes are inevitable, a core element of the D&D universe that has been almost strangely avoided during 5E's seven years (we're now in the eighth year and no real treatment of the planes! Yet). Meaning, it is past due, so this would be my top choice for one of the two slots - maybe not next, but soon (before the end of 2022). Verdict: Very likely.

Forgotten Realms: Like the planes, a full setting book seems past due - I mean, it is the default setting for most of the adventures. But I can also see a scenario where because it is the default setting they might want to just keep using it for adventures on a "need-to-know" basis. Still, I think there's a good chance we get a true setting book. Verdict: Possible to Likely.

Dark Sun: Very popular among long-time fans, but I'm not sure how it would play in today's context. But it would add something relatively new to the 5E line and works well in the "one-off" approach of settings that they've done with Theros, Ravnica, and Eberron. Verdict: Possible to Likely.

Dragonlance: I'm 50-50 on this. On one hand, the new novels; on the other, it would be hard to fit a true DL campaign into one book as it plays much better as a campaign than a setting. Meaning, with the Realms they can just do a single big setting book and keep on publishing adventures; with DL, you need setting, adventure(s), and rules - I think you can fit two but not all three in one book. I'm not sure they would want to dedicate more than a single book, at least not until they see how the novels sell. Verdict: Possible.

After that, I think the order would be:

UNLIKELY BUT POSSIBLE:
Spelljammer: I actually think it is very likely to be incorporated into a planes product, but unlikely as its own product, which is why I'm placing it here.
Greyhawk: The classic setting. I could see a 50th anniversary box set being possible, although probably still unlikely.
Forgotten Realms - Beyond Faerun: Maybe, but only after a Faerun book. This may or may not included some version of Al-Qadim, Kara-Tur, Maztica, Anchorome, etc.

VERY UNLIKELY:
Council of Wyrms: I could see something like this as more possible, but very unlikely to see a new version of the same product/world.
Birthright: It would offer something to the 5E line, but not sure this is where the game is at right now.
Mystara: I just don't see it, as I said up-thread. In terms of theme and material, it doesn't offer much that isn't the Realms, Eberron, or Greyhawk.
Nentir Vale world: Like some others, I've always wanted to see a full treatment of the world, but don't think it will happen.
Blackmoor: The only reason I place it here rather than "no chance" is that it could be part of a 50th anniversary product, but I don't think there's a chance of a standalone.

NO CHANCE:
Ghostwalk: A cool idea, but I don't see them reviving it.
Jakandor: Yeah, I don't see it.

Those are classic settings only. I could insert more Magic settings as basically definite; more Exandria as probable; and something new or previously unpublished (e.g. Iomandra) as possible.

I think this is a good assessment, though I think DL is a lot less likely than you do. If it was 2015 I'd say DL was about as likely as you say, but the idea that they're going to do a white people-centric (with all non-white cultures as "barbarians" no less!) setting in 2021 (part inspired by a religion which has its struggles with race, even!) after all their public commitments and work on diversity seems... unlikely. As I've noted before, Taladas might work, it's a vastly more diverse setting, but Dragonlance it ain't.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Point of order: there already is a 5e Forgotten Realms setting book*. It may be not very good and limited in scope, but so far as WotC are concerned they have done that, and wouldn't count it as a "classic setting" - a current setting is not a "classic" setting, just as a 2016 Ford Focus is not a classic car.

*Two actually, Acquisitions Inc is technically a Forgotten Realms setting book.