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.

 

[Demetrios1453]

OK, I listened to the Dragon Talk Sage Advice video about underwater combat. It was a pretty straightforward review of the DMG and PHB rules that were relevant, however...they dropped a fee interesting bits. After discussing Aquaman, Tito said that it was great fuel for campaign ideas alongside the rules they had just discussed and "ummmm...upcoming products..." In addition, they teased that there might be some product discussion at PAX South this coming weekend, and while going through upcoming third party products Tito cracked that he had no idea why a to-scale sailing ship would be useful, and made Crawford break down laughing, and then talk about how weird it is to talk about anything at this time of the year before they have made any announcements.

Well, I'm a bit confused. Tito says that it's not what people are guessing, and then goes and drops hints like these that seem to confirm that it's what people are guessing (ship and underwater adventuring rules)! Unless, perhaps, he's referring to all the Spelljammer speculation? Otherwise, I'm thinking there's some sort of twist that we haven't seen yet, where, yes, we're getting ship and underwater stuff, but something related outside that...

 

[Parmandur]

Well, I'm a bit confused. Tito says that it's not what people are guessing, and then goes and drops hints like these that seem to confirm that it's what people are guessing (ship and underwater adventuring rules)! Unless, perhaps, he's referring to all the Spelljammer speculation? Otherwise, I'm thinking there's some sort of twist that we haven't seen yet, where, yes, we're getting ship and underwater stuff, but something related outside that...

He made that comment after sharing an article that was speculating specifically about the ship UA from the other month, and he didn't say nobody was on track, just that the main thrust of people's focus was off. Based on the Sage Advice conversation, I think Aquaman might be more in line with what we'll be seeing from Kate's book than Pirates of the Carribean...

 

[Parmandur]

It strikes me that, along with Sea Elves getting scanty information, Triton's having only a vague bit in Volo's, the lack of Piscoloths in MToF, that one of the most odd things missing from Guildmasters Guide to Ravnica was...Merfolk. Maybe they were saving that for another book?

 

[pukunui]

Neither seemed all that off in prior reads, what in particular (other than the art still reflecting a non-armored Paladin)?

I don't particularly want to derail another thread, so suffice it to say that I thought both got hit a little too hard with the nerf-bat. The arcane archer's magic arrows went from OP to weak-sauce, while the redemption paladin feels like it's missing something (which it essentially is, since they cut out one feature and didn't replace it with anything).

It strikes me that, along with Sea Elves getting scanty information, Triton's having only a vague bit in Volo's, the lack of Piscoloths in MToF, that one of the most odd things missing from Guildmasters Guide to Ravnica was...Merfolk. Maybe they were saving that for another book?

Why save merfolk for another book but not sea elves? Besides, we've had deep gnomes three times, so they're clearly not opposed to republishing content. They could have put merfolk in the Ravnica book *and* the undersea book. That's probably what they'll do with the sea elves. I'm afraid your line of thinking just doesn't hold water ...

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I haven't had a chance to watch this yet, but it is advertised that Jeremy Crawford is talking about underwater combat at: https://www.sageadvice.eu/2019/01/14/sage-advice-on-underwater-combat-dragon-talk/.

 

[Parmandur]

I don't particularly want to derail another thread, so suffice it to say that I thought both got hit a little too hard with the nerf-bat. The arcane archer's magic arrows went from OP to weak-sauce, while the redemption paladin feels like it's missing something (which it essentially is, since they cut out one feature and didn't replace it with anything).

Based on listening to the Happy Fun Hour, alternate AC calculations like the Monk and Barbarian have, and was proposed for the Redemption Paladin, are considered mechanics-neutral ribbons, for flavor and RP as much as anything. The Barbarian can get equivalent AC from wearing Medium Armor and using a shield, outside of double 18 scenarios. While I do think it leaves the redemption Paladin a little flat narratively speaking, mechanically I don't see that it makes a big difference to lose a ribbon. Haven't looks too closely at the Arcane Archer UA vs. final product, but the final subclass has been fairly attractive to me looking through it.

Why save merfolk for another book but not sea elves? Besides, we've had deep gnomes three times, so they're clearly not opposed to republishing content. They could have put merfolk in the Ravnica book *and* the undersea book. That's probably what they'll do with the sea elves. I'm afraid your line of thinking just doesn't hold water ...

Fair enough; one difference for Ravnica might have been space, as it is very possible they had to shave for space to fit it in the page coutn as is.

 

[Parmandur]

I haven't had a chance to watch this yet, but it is advertised that Jeremy Crawford is talking about underwater combat at: https://www.sageadvice.eu/2019/01/14/sage-advice-on-underwater-combat-dragon-talk/.

Ayup; as mentioned above, it is primarily a review of the underwater rules from the DMG and PHB, with a conversation about Aquaman and dancing around saying anything definitive about the upcoming product.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

[*]In 2020, there will be a couple of products that will touch on cultures that don't usually get exposure in their products — “I will say that in 2019 I don’t think that we’re going to get much more culturally diverse with the content that’s in there, but in 2020 we’re going to go…really…lots of different diverse stuff that brings in some different cultures and some different influences. We’re bringing in a lot of consultants this year to kind of vet the product…make this stuff… You won’t see much of it in 2019, but 2020 products I think will have a couple major products that have a lot of influence from cultures that we have not really touched on before that I think are pretty prevalent. I don’t want to give away too much, but I’m proud of the influences and the work that they’re doing, and how they’re doing it.”

My late guess, Persia and South Asia could be rich sources.

 

[vecna00]

So Kate Welch tweeted this out a few hours ago. Could be nothing, could be something.

https://twitter.com/katewelchhhh/status/1086089803714547713

 

[CapnZapp]

Literally no such thing as too much playtesting.

When it comes to the new, glacial, WotC publishing schedule, that is no longer true.