Spring's D&D Release Will Be Ship-Themed

So they talked about it a little bit on today's Fireside Chat. They mentioned that the full reveal are coming at a later date, but it will be a ship based product. It's almost done, but cover and title are not yet finalized.

Not much else was mentioned except some joke titles!

Not too surprising, given the UA, the upcoming seafaring comic book, the ship mini set, etc.

 

[Elderbrain]

I'm thinking this would be a good book to bring back some of the missing aquatic creatures such as the Locanthah, Aquatic Elves (I know MTOF provides PC rules, but give us NPCs and a little detail on culture, etc), the Hippocampus, and maybe even the Demon Lord Dagon... be nice if they included a chart specifying which are fresh-water and which are salt-water, as well as what happens if a critter from one kind of water enters the other (as was the case in the 3.5 supplement Stormwracked, I believe). Also effects on spells underwater and all that good stuff. More rules for shipboard weapons such as cannons/gunpowder?

 

[pukunui]

- As to the "other cultures" products (Nathan was definitely plural) in 2020, they have had several outside consultants come in to work with them on getting it right (which they failed to do with Tomb of Annihilation)

In what way did they fail with Tomb of Annihilation?

 

[Parmandur]

In what way did they fail with Tomb of Annihilation?

To talk to anyone of African descent about the setting, let alone a real expert in the field: it was a good book, and the controversy was pretty minor, but I doubt they would do a Kara-Tur book without bringing in some Asian persepctive, or Al-Quadim without getting a Middle Eastern take.

 

[pukunui]

To talk to anyone of African descent about the setting, let alone a real expert in the field: it was a good book, and the controversy was pretty minor, but I doubt they would do a Kara-Tur book without bringing in some Asian persepctive, or Al-Quadim without getting a Middle Eastern take.

OK, so the failure in this context was a failure to consult with people representing the real world culture(s) on which the fictional Chultan culture was loosely based?

 

[Henry]

Why is it weird? Mercer regularly works with a variety of WoTC initiatives and likely has inside knowledge on the product line.

Also, not to sound too repetitive, but in response to the suggestions that D&D doesn’t work with Pirate themed settings, it seems to be working quite well in a Critical Role campaign right now, involving piracy, sea adventures, ship crews, and sea monsters and ancient curses. Even Glass Cannon podcast for Pathfinder had a series of riverboat water-based adventures about three years ago that still captured the spirit of D&D quite well.

 

[Parmandur]

OK, so the failure in this context was a failure to consult with people representing the real world culture(s) on which the fictional Chultan culture was loosely based?

Yes, it was called out as such at the time, and Mearls and Perkins both said on social media that they felt it was a major error on their part and that they would change how they approach a non-European cultural setting in the future. Which is what Stewart seems to indicate.

 

[pukunui]

Yes, it was called out as such at the time, and Mearls and Perkins both said on social media that they felt it was a major error on their part and that they would change how they approach a non-European cultural setting in the future. Which is what Stewart seems to indicate.

Huh. I must have missed all that. I enjoyed it for what it was, and I was under the impression that it had been well-received.

 

[DQDesign]

Yes, it was called out as such at the time, and Mearls and Perkins both said on social media that they felt it was a major error on their part and that they would change how they approach a non-European cultural setting in the future. Which is what Stewart seems to indicate.

So do they think to be sufficiently ok in dealing with European culture or do they involve a consultant when dealing with it?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Yes, it was called out as such at the time, and Mearls and Perkins both said on social media that they felt it was a major error on their part and that they would change how they approach a non-European cultural setting in the future. Which is what Stewart seems to indicate.

I felt that ToA was told very much from the perspective of the colonial powers, rather than native cultures, which where barely fleshed out. Personally, I didn't have a problem with that, but I can see why some might.

 

[Jhaelen]

I like 'Boats & '.