D&D 5E restart or rewrite or new?

[Minigiant]

I will profess ignorance, but isn't that what the Wildemount setting is supposed to be?

Wildemount is WOTC buying someone else's campaign to me.

Plus I think Mercer started designing and running Exandria before 5th edition was released.

 

[delericho]

It depends very much on the setting:

Obviously, the boat has sailed on Ravenloft. I'm not a fan of what they did, but do acknowledge that changes needed to be made. Conversely, I think they did the right thing with Eberron, in leaving it as it was.

For Spelljammer, I would basically have republished as-is. I don't like what I've seen so far, and so won't be buying in. Conversely, they've done the same as I would have done with Dragonlance, by taking it back to the War of the Lance but de-emphasising the Heroes of the Lance. (But I won't be buying that, either - my interest in Dragonlance ended quite some time ago.)

Forgotten Realms I'd continue from the last published position.

Dark Sun I'd basically repeat the 4e books, though they'd probably need a bit of a clean up of some lingering problematic material.

Planescape I'd take back to before the Faction War, but otherwise publish as-is.

Greyhawk is an odd one. For that, I'd reset to the last published position while Gygax was still with TSR (so before things like Greyhawk Wars). I'd also be tempted to really lean in to the Appendix N origins of the setting, including any problematic material that is in print - make it clear up-front what is being done and why, but go with it. (Or, since WotC simply won't do such a thing, I'd probably leave the setting in the past.)

Birthright I'd go for a full-on reimagining, in the mould of "Game of Thrones".

Mystara I'd pillage for ideas, but otherwise leave out of print - the real-world analogues just mean the setting has too many problematic areas. Likewise things like Maztica, the Horde, and so on.

Oh, and I'll be happy to see whole new worlds to - it will be interesting to see what they come up with.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Wildemount is WOTC buying someone else's campaign to me.

Plus I think Mercer started designing and running Exandria before 5th edition was released.

not to be too much a rules lawyer, but isn't that what they did with Ed and FR?

 

[DEFCON 1]

Concurring with the others who have said this... there is absolutely no point in reprinting the old settings the exact same way as they were. It is a waste of time, money, and energy. If you want the old settings exactly as they are... just buy the old stuff-- if you don't already own the material which you probably already do. Just use it. Having WotC just rewrite the books exactly as they were with only mechanical changes to follow 5E guidelines is completely pointless.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Birthright I'd go for a full-on reimagining, in the mould of "Game of Thrones".

I might later start a whole thread but yeah I want a Birthright like setting but it doesn't need to be Cerilia exactly... and yes modern game of thrones type story telling would be great. However I DON'T want it to be human centric

 

[Minigiant]

not to be too much a rules lawyer, but isn't that what they did with Ed and FR?

I didn't like it then either.

It messed up things as FR novel characters didn't end up matching up to their classes and races exactly.

If you design an edition with 9 races and 12 classes in a race/class based game, you should have a setting where each of the races and classes are fully entwined mechanically and lorewise in it.

Make dragonborn empires, ranger conclaves, paladin orders, gnomish cities, and name the old gods for the GOO warlock.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I didn't like it then either.
It messed up things as FR novel characters didn't end up matching up to their classes and races exactly.

If you design an edition with 9 races and 12 classes in a race/class based game, you should have a setting where each of the races and classes are fully entwined mechanically and lorewise in it.

I can see that. Part of why I would want FR restarted is to rebuild it with modern thoughts classes and races. (Artificers, Warlords and Sorcerers from ground up)

 

[Umbran]

I honestly don't care if or how republished settings match up with their previous versions. If I choose to use one now, it is because what it is now matches what I want to do now. How that relates to the past is not material to my current use.

 

[Guest 7034872]

All of the above.

That's exactly where I am. I don't much care which it is between new/re-make/retread/picking up from "When we last saw our heroes..." If it's done well I'll be happy with it, and if it isn't I won't.

 

[Composer99]

Personally, I would rather that old settings be re-released with updates, if that's what it takes for that setting to be enjoyed by new generations of gamers.

Plus, if you like the old settings with their original "coat of paint and engine under the hood", so to speak, it wouldn't surprise me if the buzz about a re-release drives up interest in the setting as it existed historically - and, conveniently, PDFs are often available for sale for those who want to experience the settings as they once were.

Edit to add: I would also like to see new settings. So I do rather wish that the poll allowed you to pick multiple options.