D&D 5E Revising Classic Settings

[overgeeked]

Yeah, that tweet certainly gets the wheels turning on speculation. I suspect they will be tackling the most popular classic settings first (Planescape, Dark Sun, Dragonlance), but I'm curious how they will reference or explore other settings even if they aren't the focus of the entirety of their own book.

I'd be surprised if it what's left of the three active settings isn't Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms. I hope we see Al-Qadim, Dark Sun, Mystara, Nentir Vale, and Spelljammer. Which means it will likely be none of them.

I'm still holding out for a Spelljammer book, especially after Perkins made a "Space Clowns" tweet and the D&D twitter made a "Spelljammer confirmed" joke replying. But alas, I am likely to be disappointed.

Yeah. Spelljammer is a damned fun setting. I doubt they'll ever do a Spelljammer setting. It's a shame, really.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

I'd be surprised if it what's left of the three active settings isn't Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms. I hope we see Al-Qadim, Dark Sun, Mystara, Nentir Vale, and Spelljammer. Which means it will likely be none of them.

I believe that WotC thinks because FR is essentially "5E's Default Setting," that they think it is too big a world to try and contain within one setting book. They've already done the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide (which is a setting book, though not a particularly interesting one), and their recent adventures contain gazetteers or setting material for different regions of FR.

I'm thinking it's more likely they will continue their pattern of picking a spot in Toril and setting their annual adventure there, with some setting material for that spot. Much like how Rime of the Frostmaiden went very deep into Icewind Dale.

 

[Faolyn]

I really, really hope they don't combine Spelljammer and Planescape. They have such very different tones .Even if you ignore the silliness in Spelljammer, it's still gonzo space opera, which is very different from Planescape's more somber and philosophical tone.

 

[overgeeked]

I really, really hope they don't combine Spelljammer and Planescape. They have such very different tones .Even if you ignore the silliness in Spelljammer, it's still gonzo space opera, which is very different from Planescape's more somber and philosophical tone.

I agree about them combining the two. But if they do Spelljammer, I want them to embrace the silly and the goofy and the gonzo. It’s just not Spelljammer without it.

 

[Faolyn]

I agree about them combining the two. But if the do Spelljammer, I want them to embrace the silly and the goofy and the gonzo. It’s just not Spelljammer without it.

Bring on the Giant Space Hamsters and the Mud Women!

 

[grimslade]

Dark Sun was a great setting. It is very much a product of the 90's, warts and all. It could stand to be updated, not watered down, but updated to be as groundbreaking as the original. Muls, like 1E half-orcs, need a rework. In a world of ecological apocalypse and magical tampering of evolution, why would Muls necessarily be 'bred' for slavery? Muls are just another way, like psionic ability, the natural world is making stronger candidates for survival.
Chattel Slavery doesn't need to be ever present. The Sorcerer Kings are in complete control. The templars, merchants, and nobles owe their position to them. The rest of the population is similar servitude without the need for echoes of history. Food, water, and safety are all limited resources. Control is easy for those with power. Slavery takes many forms after all.

I'd do a complete reboot. Not just a calendar advance. Set 5E Dark Sun after the appearance of the first Avangion. The Veiled Alliance becomes a crusade of preservers, a scourge to Freed City-States and those under the yoke of Sorcerer Kings. The Dragon still exists. How will the party navigate this chaotic land?

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I'd do a complete reboot. Not just a calendar advance. Set 5E Dark Sun after the appearance of the first Avangion. The Veiled Alliance becomes a crusade of preservers, a scourge to Freed City-States and those under the yoke of Sorcerer Kings. The Dragon still exists. How will the party navigate this chaotic land?

{raises hand in the back row}

DM: Yes, Chad?

Chad: Um ... I was thinking .... killing things and taking their stuff?

DM: sigh So, the usual.

 

[TwoSix]

{raises hand in the back row}

DM: Yes, Chad?

Chad: Um ... I was thinking .... killing things and taking their stuff?

DM: sigh So, the usual.

This is Chad.

Chad understands what D&D is all about.

Be like Chad.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

This is Chad.

Chad understands what D&D is all about.

Be like Chad.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

If my memory doesn't fail in the 4th Ed almost-reboot the muls could breed. Maybe they need some special trick, or sorcerer-kings discovered any way to "polymorph" "cheap humans" into "expensive and valious mul slaves". Even this could be a reward for loyal minions because they enjoy longer lives.

We can't forget sorcerer-kings as psionic-masters, and the have learnt how to use psionic hypnosis for mind-controll, but also they are enough smart to notice if you behave as a toxic boss then betray is more possible, altough it was only for vengeance helping an enemy.

DS also should tell about slavery caused by the debts, or by adictions.

Spelljammer as the rest of the setting is like a building toy, after you buy the box you can different things. Maybe some players bought Spelljammer not to play this setting but their own mash-up adaptation of their favorite franchise. I warn the impact of Starfinder by Paizo could be potential great even most of people didn't notice. Maybe in the reboot there are space for mash-up version of other Hasbro's franchises, for example Rom the Space Knight, Visionaries or Inhumanoids. Maybe even a future crossover Spelljammer/DC. (Not the original characters, but a mash-up adaptation, something like the league of Justice within RWBY universe).

Nentir Vale could become a second Sigil, and the Astral Sea be used to mix Spelljammer, planar travels, pirates and (under)sea fantasy. It was designed with the goal to become the ultimate sandbox, allowing all future new elements could be added later, for example classes and PC races.

 

[akr71]

DragonLance:
... They'd also have to include all the PH races like the half-orcs and tieflings. And Dragonlance people like Minotaurs and Irda. They'd also have to include sorcerers, warlocks, and bards into the world.

Why? Why would they have to? They didn't include all the PHB races in the Mythic Odyssey of Theros book. Which playable races are present for a campaign setting is key to its character and flavour.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Why? Why would they have to? They didn't include all the PHB races in the Mythic Odyssey of Theros book. Which playable races are present for a campaign setting is key to its character and flavour.

Theros didn't categorically ban any races. It just ruled that they have to originate from another world. And the same would apply to a 5e Dragonlance - no native orcs, tieflings or halfings, but they can come from another world.

And WotC will certainly never remove any classes.

 

[akr71]

Theros didn't categorically ban any races. It just ruled that they have to originate from another world. And the same would apply to a 5e Dragonlance - no native orcs, tieflings or halfings, but they can come from another world.

And WotC will certainly never remove any classes.

I never advocated for removal of classes. Regardless, races and classes are always subject to the DM's discretion, so the fact that they state that other races come from 'another world' amounts to the same thing. If your DM says yes to a plane hopping tiefling on Krynn, then fill yer boots.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

We have to remember the potential cultural impact of the divine spellcasters from other spheres in the Krynnsphere in the age between the cataclysm and the return of the dragons, the war of the lance. Not only sorcerers and warlocks practically the psionic manifester classes aren't wellcome in Krynn, and we don't know the new classes with own game mechanics from 3.5 Ed and later, for example the crusader or the (incarnum soulmelder) Totemist Shaman.

* My fear is players from new generations using Dark Sun as a rip-off of Gor.

 

[amethal]

What’s interesting is that WOTC hasn’t actually created any settings for D&D.

They held a contest for other people to create a setting, then picked one and published Eberron.

At least they held a competition. TSR picked the Forgotten Realms from a shortlist of 1.

Even if we accept that "holding a competition and picking the winner" isn't a creative process, WotC had a massive impact on the development of Eberron, right from the start.

 

[overgeeked]

We have to remember the potential cultural impact of the divine spellcasters from other spheres in the Krynnsphere in the age between the cataclysm and the return of the dragons, the war of the lance. Not only sorcerers and warlocks practically the psionic manifester classes aren't wellcome in Krynn, and we don't know the new classes with own game mechanics from 3.5 Ed and later, for example the crusader or the (incarnum soulmelder) Totemist Shaman.

* My fear is players from new generations using Dark Sun as a rip-off of Gor.

Thankfully it‘s an old and mostly forgotten series of terrible books.

 

[overgeeked]

At least they held a competition. TSR picked the Forgotten Realms from a shortlist of 1.

Even if we accept that "holding a competition and picking the winner" isn't a creative process, WotC had a massive impact on the development of Eberron, right from the start.

Sorry my comment made you salty. But you do realize every other D&D setting talked about here was created by TSR, right? So their list of created settings is way more than one.

 

[dave2008]

Sorry my comment made you salty. But you do realize every other D&D setting talked about here was created by TSR, right? So their list of created settings is way more than one.

Hmm I didn't think they were salty, but whatever. Of course you could also argue that WotC has made all of the MtG settings and they are bringing those to D&D.

To be clear, I don't care who created what settings. I mean most RPGs have 1 setting. It is not like having multiple settings gets you a prize or anything. And for all of the settings of TSR and WotC I have used 0 of them over 30 yrs of playing D&D.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Thankfully it‘s an old and mostly forgotten series of terrible books.

I hope you were right, but we have to remember those books were published because somebody bought it and read them, and they would willing to read something like that, and today you don't need to use a printer machine when the readers can enjoy the webnovels.

* Dragonlance will return because those characters are very popular and this helps to sell merchandicing. And the idea of alternate timelines offers new options.

* Spelljammer is perfect for the fans of the "Guardians of the Galaxy" and other sci-fi franchises. What about to add a little raypunk touch? For example the aliens from d20 Future as "guest artists". Always there is fandom searching something exotic and original. My question is about the level of cultural impact of the trade between the different crystal spheres.

* Greyhawk can't be forgotten, because it's like the first girlfriend. It is not only the first D&D setting, but the first all RPGs setting. It is a window to see the past fantasy.

 

[Rikka66]

I hope you were right, but we have to remember those books were published because somebody bought it and read them, and they would willing to read something like that, and today you don't need to use a printer machine when the readers can enjoy the webnovels.

You can take solace in the fact you are the only human on the planet worried about the younger generation getting hooked on the Gor novels.