D&D (2024) Potential other "rules expansion" books

[jayoungr]

So soon...? It's been 4 years.

In terms of the pacing of 5E releases, that is soon. In my opinion, at least.

 

[Remathilis]

Sure, but you left the door open to someone answering with what they want rather than what’s plausible. Personally, I don’t think a Ravenloft monster hunting book is particularly likely.

The latest UA says it's a lot more likely than a low magic rewrite book

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The latest UA says it's a lot more likely than a low magic rewrite book

Less unlikely perhaps. But these books are small and eight is a lot of subclasses. I doubt they will have room for much more than just the rules updates.

And why limit it to Ravenloft, when undead are ubiquitous everywhere? I’m pretty sure WotC would rather sell more books than less.

 

[Remathilis]

Less unlikely perhaps. But these books are small and eight is a lot of subclasses. I doubt they will have room for much more than just the rules updates.

And why limit it to Ravenloft, when undead are ubiquitous everywhere? I’m pretty sure WotC would rather sell more books than less.

Ravenloft is an easy way to market horror D&D content. I mean, the Artificer was reprinted in Tasha's and got placed back under Eberron magi-tek setting. I imagine any planar material going to go under the Planescape banner.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Ravenloft is an easy way to market horror D&D content

Ravenloft is extremely divisive, if an undead themed book was advertised as a Ravenloft book there are people who would not buy it, when they would buy “Necromancer Bob’s Guide to the Undead”.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

These seem to be books focusing on rules, not lore, with a particular focus on patching 2014 to 2024 in places were compatibility is lower. I can see them doing a separate line of books that are lore and history of old settings, focused on an older, possibly not playing the current edition, market. I don't think old settings have much commercial value to the majority of current 5e players though.

They've already said they are full, big books. The FRPG isn't just player options (subclassses, spells, Circle Magic, Feats, Backgrounds, Factions), but the general Setting update will be in it as well, so most of the lore outside of the 5 deep dives in the FRAG will be in the FRPG.

So no it's not going to be a cheap Forge of the Artificer style book.

They know FR's primary appeals are the breadth of its settings and the depth of its lore.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Well, we don't know the exact flavor to rules ratio yet...there are three whole seperate chapters outlining different Campaign "models" (Sharn based detectives, Morgrave University backed "researchers" a la Indiana Jones, and Dragonmarked House intrigue) thst seem to be pretty fluffy in nature, even if it is the lighter gamrprep focused style of the 2024 DMG Greyhawk material.

I could see this approach working for lightly introducing a new high-concept Setting without getting into the weeds of Lore (Inner Planes Campaign Guide? Feywild Adventures Guide?).

Ooooo Feywild guide, and a Shadowfell guide, would absolutely make me thrilled.

I’d also go nuts for a bigger book with a few options and a chapter of lore/campaign for several different settings, along with a more in depth guide for world building and campaign building, but the Feywild and Shadowfel IMO merit their own books.

And no, not Ravenloft. The Shadowfell.

 

[Remathilis]

Ravenloft is extremely divisive, if an undead themed book was advertised as a Ravenloft book there are people who would not buy it, when they would buy “Necromancer Bob’s Guide to the Undead”.

Yes, so Divisive that Curse of Strahd isn't the most popular adventure in 5e and spawned a collectors box and a revival of the full setting in 2021.

I'm saving your post so I can come back to it when its aged like milk...

 

[sevenbastard]

Not to sound rude, but this is absolutely anathema to WotC's current design paradigm. First, it's a rules expansion, not a rules replacement. They want you to buy a $50 PHB and then buy $30 expansion packs, not buy a book that replaced the $50 PHB. Second, you'd need a book as large as the PHB if you plan on redoing all the classes, species, and feats in the PHB. They aren't going to do that in a 128-page book unless you cut the options down to next to nothing.

WotC has wisely ceded this ground to 3pp via the 5.2.x SRD. They sell a low-magic 3pp game on D&D Beyond (Middle Earth) and clearly have no interest in competing with it currently.

I mean I started with its never going to happen .

A man can have dreams.

 

[Remathilis]

I mean I started with its never going to happen .

A man can have dreams.

I get it, I just don't think that kind of project is gonna work in a 100 page book. Least, not in a way that would be satisfactory to anyone.