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!

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!

Wildemount%2C_Version_20%2C1.png

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).

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TwoSix

Dirty, realism-hating munchkin powergamer
Yup, Wildemount is the continent to the north-east of Taldorei in the world of Exandria. It has a tiefling/devil worshipping nation, the ruins of the dragonborn empires and its the homeland of the blood hunters and the blood domain clerics. It has a light Witcher + Nentir Vale vibe. Its more Point of Light than Taldorei, which was more a FR analog.
4e may have lost the battle, but it looks like its winning the war. :)
 

martinlochsen

Explorer
I'm all for Wizards publishing new settings, but come on. Let's at least have something interesting. It's been crossbranding bonanza for long enough now. Ravnica, Acquisitions inc, Rick and Morty, and now this. It just don't find any of it interesting.
Guess it really doesn't matter in the end though. I have everything I need to play.
 

Tales and Chronicles

Jewel of the North, formerly know as vincegetorix
Some UA would fit the setting quite well. The Lurker in the Deep is exactly what one of the main character of CR is playing (he's using the Hexblade, but its patron is a tentacle-loving-slumbers-under-the-sea creature), and the Onomancy mechanics would be perfect for the Dunaomancy, which controls possibilities and alternate realities of a person.
 

TwoSix

Dirty, realism-hating munchkin powergamer
Considering this will be WotC's 3rd full setting book in 18 months, I think the pattern is suggesting that WotC has decided that realizing more setting info isn't going to be harmful to the bottom line, as long as they're somewhat staggered and release with a chapter of crunch. Makes me think something like Dark Sun might be lined up for 2021.
 


EthanSental

Legend
Supporter
most players started playing D&D trying to emulate a character concept they were draw too in novels, games, movies, etc. D&D and this setting will allow those new players to do that and 6 months later, keep creating new characters and such...it’s a win short and long term for WoTC and the buyers the book.

I didn’t pick up the GR book but might pick this one up on dndbeyond.
 


Urriak Uruk

Gaming is fun, and fun is for everyone
Considering this will be WotC's 3rd full setting book in 18 months, I think the pattern is suggesting that WotC has decided that realizing more setting info isn't going to be harmful to the bottom line, as long as they're somewhat staggered and release with a chapter of crunch. Makes me think something like Dark Sun might be lined up for 2021.

Those psionic subclasses they released for UA definitely hints they are taking a renewed look at it.
 


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