D&D 5E Strixhaven: Orientation

WotC has released an overview of the upcoming Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos, as adventurers of levels 1-10 uncover a plot against the university. Teased are activities like tavern games, a magical frog race, an improv festival, and other social encounters. You can also take exams to improve your skills, join clubs, or get jobs.

Also included is a bestiary of over 40 new creatures.

The Bibloplex contains most of the information in the multiverse. Plenty of other locations fill the book, such as Captain Dapplewing's Manor, a mansion built for the university professors. One adventure has the PCs breaking into the manor. Another adventure involves the main Strixhaven student sport, Mage Tower.

 

[Vince_Snetterton]

The only way this stuff makes it into my game is if a Tarrasque has laid waste to the place and the party shows up after the fact, or an army of Gnolls has attacked, and done what Gnolls do, and the players are on the trail of the Gnoll army to rescue the soon to be food.

The concept of real life university students taking time off from studying for real exams to pretend they are university students studying for make-believe exams is beyond farcical.

 

[Faolyn]

It is wild that 95% of Quidittch is irrelevant when you get like 100 points and end the game by getting the flying golden egg. I think there was like one match in the series where Harry couldn't catch it, because his team was losing so bad they would have lost if he caught the snitch and ended the game.

Reminds me of a line from the fanfic Harry Potter and the Natural 20: "It has everything. Magic, danger, and rules blatantly skewed for the PCs to shine."

 

[Urriak Uruk]

**Also political - implies a united independent Ireland.

I mean, I wouldn't say that, Ireland has a lot of sports teams, and none of them are called "Southern Ireland." Ireland having its own team is normal, even if Northern Ireland exists as is. Then again I can't remember what year Harry Potter is even set in, so it might be different then.

 

[darjr]

I’ve never wanted to play a necromancer so bad in all my life!

 

[bedir than]

I’ve never wanted to play a necromancer so bad in all my life!

Could also be a fun Swarmkeeper Ranger concept

 

[Stefano Rinaldelli]

But as I said, I highly doubt WotC is going to go entirely in on any single direction. More likely they'll put out a diversity of product, and maybe gradually hone in and emphasize those product themes that sell more books,.

I really hope you are right but after having seen the art of ravenloft I believe there is no way to see nothing more than truly children compatible material.
Maybe Fria Ligan has different customers or want different customers. It is worth also saying that the whole sensitivity issue is far less considered a priority in Europe compared to US. I strongly prefer Fria Ligan art, both for the style but also for the absolute quality. Many wotc art are not only young adult but simply and plainly cheap and awful.
(yes i know it is a subjective opinion and yes i know i can buy something else than dnd, thanks)

 

[Older Beholder]

Strixhaven has at least given those that would be complaining about it being a MtG setting a chance to add some variety to their whinging by allowing them to complain about it being too much like Harry Potter instead.

 

[Mercurius]

I really hope you are right but after having seen the art of ravenloft I believe there is no way to see nothing more than truly children compatible material.
Maybe Fria Ligan has different customers or want different customers. It is worth also saying that the whole sensitivity issue is far less considered a priority in Europe compared to US. I strongly prefer Fria Ligan art, both for the style but also for the absolute quality. Many wotc art are not only young adult but simply and plainly cheap and awful.
(yes i know it is a subjective opinion and yes i know i can buy something else than dnd, thanks)

While I agree with you about Fria Ligan art, the two companies exist on a different scale of popularity and widespread appeal. It is sort of like the difference between Starbucks and a small coffee roastery, or a chain restaurant and a local bistro. Now I tend to be a bit snobbish about such things, but WotC has to think in terms of wide appeal.

This doesn't account for the uneven quality of WotC art, as you'd think there'd be fewer duds when they have more money to spend on art, but it does account for the tonal elements. Fria Ligan is, for lack of a better term, more high-brow, and thus also with less widespread appeal. I mean, there's a reason why billions watch MCU films and only a tiny fraction of that watch Terrence Malick films.

I'd also argue that there's a place for both. Not to mention that if Fria Ligan became the dominant RPG company and industry leader, we'd see a new "high-brow, cutting edge" emerge that differed from it.

 

[Parmandur]

There is a lot of politics between the lines of Harry Potter.

I've suspected as much, but it's a bit subtle for people outside of the British boarding school to Oxbridge scene.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I've suspected as much, but it's a bit subtle for people outside of the British boarding school to Oxbridge scene.

Of course, it doesn't really travel - which is not really a bad thing. Whatever your own opinions, noticing things like that tends to take you out of the story.

It's not just boarding schools, but English education in general (Scotland has it's own system) is a prime target. Rowling was a supply teacher before the writing took off - something I have experience of myself. It makes you both an insider and an outsider in the schools you visit - well placed to be an observer.

If you are interested in learning more about "the Oxbridge scene" - perhaps for Stryxhaven ideas - I can recommend a couple of entertaining novels: Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers, and Porterhouse Blue, by Tom Sharpe. Both have been adapted for TV, but not recently.