Critical Role The New D&D Book Is 'The Explorer's Guide to [Critical Role's] Wildemount!' By Matt Mercer

It looks like Amazon has leaked the title and description of the new D&D book a day early (unless it's all a fake-out by WotC) -- and it's a new D&D setting book called The Explorer's Guide to Wildemount; it's the Critical Role campaign setting, penned by Matt Mercer!

image from Critical Role wiki​

There's no cover image yet, so we're stuck with the "Coming Soon" image.

This book appeared without a title on Amazon last week, and a 'reveal' date of January 9th, which was then later delayed until January 13th. Amazon appears to have jumped the gun a day early.

Here's some information about Wildemount, which is a continent in the same world as Critical Role's other setting, Tal'Dorei. It is described by the official wiki has having "real-world Eastern European influence.... The Dwendalian Empire takes inspiration from 15th century Russia as well as Germanic nations in Central Europe (e.g., Prussia). Xhorhas has a more 13th-century Romanian flair. Outside of Wynandir, on the edges of the Dwendalian Empire, the cultures and peoples of those regions display a distinctly 14th-century Spanish flavor."

HOW DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS?

A war brews on a continent that has withstood more than its fair share of conflict. The Dwendalian Empire and the Kryn Dynasty are carving up the lands around them, and only the greatest heroes would dare stand between them. Somewhere in the far corners of this war-torn landscape are secrets that could end this conflict and usher in a new age of peace—or burn the world to a cinder.

Create a band of heroes and embark on a journey across the continent of Wildemount, the setting for Campaign 2 of the hit Dungeons & Dragons series Critical Role. Within this book, you’ll find new character options, a heroic chronicle to help you craft your character’s backstory, four different starting adventures, and everything a Dungeon Master needs to breathe life into a Wildemount-based D&D campaign…

• Delve through the first Dungeons & Dragons book to let players experience the game as played within the world of Critical Role, the world’s most popular livestreaming D&D show.
• Uncover a trove of options usable in any D&D game, featuring subclasses, spells, magic items, monsters, and more, rooted in the adventures of Exandria—such as Vestiges of Divergence and the possibility manipulating magic of Dunamancy.
• Start a Dungeons & Dragons campaign in any of Wildemount’s regions using a variety of introductory adventures, dozens of regional plot seeds, and the heroic chronicle system—a way to create character backstories rooted in Wildemount.

Explore every corner of Wildemount and discover mysteries revealed for the first time by Critical Role Dungeon Master, Matthew Mercer.

Critical Role's other setting, Tal'Dorei, was published a couple of years ago by Green Ronin. This brings the list of settings in official D&D books to five: Forgotten Realms, Ravnica, Ravenloft, Eberron, and Wildemount.

UPDATE! Barnes & Noble has the cover (but not the title or description).

 

[SkidAce]

Damn right! Using Unearthed Arcana is questionable, Wilderness and Dungeoneer's Survivav Guides are right out!

Heathen! Wilderness Survival Guide is legendary...the first steps out of the dungeon....

 

[SkidAce]

I'm not usually into posting masturbation/self quoting but something came to mind

The magic items Matt speaks about, and one of the new magic types draws heavily on past ages- The artifacts were the weapons/items of ancients of great power. One of the magic systems allows you to draw upon the power of these ancient heroes. It's kind of Exalted in a way (the game by White Wolf). He also talks about the history of the setting-the gods, a divergence, a calamity (big realm shaking event), etc and how the magic/artifacts relate, etc.

Frankly all the stuff that he talks about from the past sounds FAR more interesting than what is going on in the present. I was enjoying him talking about the world's history. But when he started talking about the actual adventures and what is going on in the setting right now When more effort goes into a backstory, and not into "what is good to use at my table, tonight" in a setting/adventure- I completely tune out as a DM.

I'm hoping Wizards puts up some previews-I'm interested in the book after watching the vids, but I'll take more convincing of utility in order to purchase.

Well its a catch-22.

Of course you want interesting backstory and "legendary" events in your world's backdrop.
It fits the mythic trope.

And when your characters encounter that stuff in the present day campaign, its immersive.

And when they eventually overcome challenges etc, they become legendary.

And when they become mythic and save the world(*), its full circle!


* worlds may or may not be saved, see your pantheon if you experience Armageddon or premature world ending.

 

[Matchstick]

 

[Count_Zero]

Well, virtually all of those Forgotten Realms novels are now out of print unless they are Dragonlance or written by R.A. Salvatore. So, yep they don't count as easily accessible sources of lore. There are some good FR wikis though and plenty of FR info generally online.

Physical copies yes, digital copies and audiobooks less so.

 

[Chaosmancer]

I'm not usually into posting masturbation/self quoting but something came to mind

The magic items Matt speaks about, and one of the new magic types draws heavily on past ages- The artifacts were the weapons/items of ancients of great power. One of the magic systems allows you to draw upon the power of these ancient heroes. It's kind of Exalted in a way (the game by White Wolf). He also talks about the history of the setting-the gods, a divergence, a calamity (big realm shaking event), etc and how the magic/artifacts relate, etc.

Frankly all the stuff that he talks about from the past sounds FAR more interesting than what is going on in the present. I was enjoying him talking about the world's history. But when he started talking about the actual adventures and what is going on in the setting right now When more effort goes into a backstory, and not into "what is good to use at my table, tonight" in a setting/adventure- I completely tune out as a DM.

I'm hoping Wizards puts up some previews-I'm interested in the book after watching the vids, but I'll take more convincing of utility in order to purchase.

I get that, but I also think that there are inherent problems with what I think you are suggesting.

For example, I know one of the big events was a war between the Gods. And that is incredibly interesting. It is also nearly impossible for level 1-4 characters to be involved in. Heck, local heroes who have reached level 8 may have a hard time in a multi-planar conflict where armies of devil led by Pit Fiend generals are marching, their supply lines being attacked on a spiritual level by Celestials taking directions from seers who are peering into the future.

And I think that is why the events brewing are much less epic than the events of the past. Because if it is going to be a hook for a game just starting, it can't be too big. I mean, shaping the fate of nations by participating in political intrigue and a war between two opposing sides is stuff legends are made of IRL. But, it also has place for low level mercs and scoundrels to start working. A tundra filled with ancient wrecks is perfect for a team of treasure hunters just getting started.

The Gods going to war and cracking the earth open to forge weapons the size of mountains to destroy armies that blot out the sun... less friendly to level 3 characters, and so overshadowing that nothing else is really going to be happening in that world.

 

[JeffB]

Well its a catch-22.

Of course you want interesting backstory and "legendary" events in your world's backdrop.
It fits the mythic trope.

If that's the most interesting bit though, that's more of same type of thing TSR did with a mass of product in the '90's- wannabe novelists writing gaming products that sat on shelves (at the store, and home)

It's entirely possible to write up a setting with minimal backstory and have a more interesting present to play in. Scarred Lands Gaz (the 48 pager) & Nentir Vale (as presented in the 4E DMG or Essentials books) for more "recent' D&D settings. I don't run Eberron- but Secret's of Xen'Drix has given me tons of mileage- Great backstory AND interesting things happening right now for the PC' s- useful gaming material for next week, or even tonite if I'm pressed for a quick one-shot.

I have a couple thousand dollars worth of "nice reads" on my shelf. I want and need to get a good amount use out of a book at the game table.

@Chaosmancer- please see above. I am not looking for Epic save the world adventure.

 

[Haffrung]

It's entirely possible to write up a setting with minimal backstory and have a more interesting present to play in. Scarred Lands Gaz (the 48 pager) & Nentir Vale (as presented in the 4E DMG or Essentials books) for more "recent' D&D settings. I don't run Eberron- but Secret's of Xen'Drix has given me tons of mileage- Great backstory AND interesting things happening right now for the PC' s- useful gaming material for next week, or even tonite if I'm pressed for a quick one-shot.

I have a couple thousand dollars worth of "nice reads" on my shelf. I want and need to get a good amount use out of a book at the game table.

Couldn't agree more. Most campaign books I've come across are about 60 per cent background which the PCs will never know about, 20 per cent anodyne filler, and 20 per cent actual content that the players will interact with. It's not clear to me if the issue is RPG book authors who really want to write fiction, or publishers deliberately tailoring books to readers rather than gamers.

You see the same thing in advice to GMs in core books and elsewhere: pages and pages on cosmology, religion, currency, ancient lore going back 30,000 years, strategic alliances, etc. How about advice on creating an interesting and fun community and surrounding locales? The local geography, legends, factions, and lairs? Because that's the scale the PCs will engage with, not the lineage of the ruling family going back 15 generations, or the founding myth of the sky god.

 

[Chaosmancer]

If that's the most interesting bit though, that's more of same type of thing TSR did with a mass of product in the '90's- wannabe novelists writing gaming products that sat on shelves (at the store, and home)

It's entirely possible to write up a setting with minimal backstory and have a more interesting present to play in. Scarred Lands Gaz (the 48 pager) & Nentir Vale (as presented in the 4E DMG or Essentials books) for more "recent' D&D settings. I don't run Eberron- but Secret's of Xen'Drix has given me tons of mileage- Great backstory AND interesting things happening right now for the PC' s- useful gaming material for next week, or even tonite if I'm pressed for a quick one-shot.

I have a couple thousand dollars worth of "nice reads" on my shelf. I want and need to get a good amount use out of a book at the game table.

@Chaosmancer- please see above. I am not looking for Epic save the world adventure.

Pardon my confusion then, but what about the mythic past of the setting do you find more interesting than the present? You spoke about the artifacts, the gods, and the Divergence, which is exactly what I was referencing in a generic sense. That part of his setting was interesting but a region filled with crashed sky cities isn't? A war brewing between two powerful nations, neither one stereotypically evil and therefore players could join either side isn't?

It might make more sense if I had had time to watch the videos, but I don't see how that stuff can be boring, the mythic stuff interesting, but you don't want a campaign focusing on the truly epic scale conflicts and realm-shaking events.

What do you feel is missing?

 

[JeffB]

Pardon my confusion then, but what about the mythic past of the setting do you find more interesting than the present? You spoke about the artifacts, the gods, and the Divergence, which is exactly what I was referencing in a generic sense. That part of his setting was interesting but a region filled with crashed sky cities isn't? A war brewing between two powerful nations, neither one stereotypically evil and therefore players could join either side isn't?

It might make more sense if I had had time to watch the videos, but I don't see how that stuff can be boring, the mythic stuff interesting, but you don't want a campaign focusing on the truly epic scale conflicts and realm-shaking events.

What do you feel is missing?

I have not read the book-so I cannot say for certain what is in there however in the present day-

Nations at War/bordering on a war with lots of grey area- Post Gygax GH, BM, FR, Mystara and Eberron.

Crashed flying cities - FR, Golarion, You can even get crashed spaceships in GH, BM, and Golarion too.

Intrigue and politics and roguish deception in the big city- City of GH, Sharn, Any big city in FR. Golarion. Mystara

Piratey/Seafaring adventures-I don't think I need to continue.

The CR setting seems to have some interesting takes on the backstory tied into the crunch, but is yielding the same D&D pablum for the present day/age. If the only thing interesting and fresh is the backstory that leads to the new magic crunch, it's not a very useful setting book (to me)

 

[Reynard]

I have not read the book-so I cannot say for certain what is in there however in the present day-

Nations at War/bordering on a war with lots of grey area- Post Gygax GH, BM, FR, Mystara and Eberron.

Crashed flying cities - FR, Golarion, You can even get crashed spaceships in GH, BM, and Golarion too.

Intrigue and politics and roguish deception in the big city- City of GH, Sharn, Any big city in FR. Golarion. Mystara

Piratey/Seafaring adventures-I don't think I need to continue.

The CR setting seems to have some interesting takes on the backstory tied into the crunch, but is yielding the same D&D pablum for the present day/age. If the only thing interesting and fresh is the backstory that leads to the new magic crunch, it's not a very useful setting book (to me)

What makes you think that's it? I mean it's explicitly stated that this is a content caught in a struggle between two great powers on the verge of war. That itself covers most of your concerns.