D&D 5E What would be your ideal 5E yearly product output?

[Jester David]

As I learned, what you do with the content is not important, only what is produced. For sake of argument, lets define major as being over 100 pages, printed in book form, and pertains to the RPG game directly. Everything else is minor. (UA, EEPG, accessories, etc).

Would a campaign setting with less crunch than the EEPG count as a major release or not?

I'd like to imagine that too, but there appears to be no evidence of that. In fact, there is some belief that all future Forgotten Realms campaign info will be buried within the setting info sections of the various APs, like how Red Larch is expanded in Princes. I'd like to believe such a book in the works, I don't honestly know these days.

Except that the storylines are super generic and barely tie into the Realms, dealing with non-Realms threats (Tiamat, elemental princes, and demons). I'll believe that we're getting world updates via storylines when they go to Thay or the actual setting lore becomes relevant.

Really, there's no evidence of anything. We have two RPG writers left and no editors plus people in charge of licencing and planning storylines. Two adventure arcs each year with side non-RPG products (like the board games) might be all we get.

 

[Yaarel]

When 5e goes OGL, Paizo and other indys will supply adventures.

In 3e, when going OGL, WotC focused on the (more profitable) rules options books. Two rules products a year seems appealing.

Probably both WotC and indys will write settings, with WotC focusing on intellectual property (Eberron, Dark Sun, Gamma World, as well as Forgotten Realms, Planescape, Ravenloft, Greyhawk, Mystara, Dragonlance, and so on.)

 

[Yaarel]

In my eyes, Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, Mystara, Dragonlance, and Planescape are all more-or-less the same setting. They seem like different spins on Greyhawk. They resemble a genre of music whose songs sound the same to the uninitiated, and only fans find meaningful distinctions. The different eras within a single setting can be more different, than the difference between settings.

 

[Remathilis]

Would a campaign setting with less crunch than the EEPG count as a major release or not?

Probably. It doesn't have to be crunch; a book like the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer would certainly count, despite having little or no crunch.

Except that the storylines are super generic and barely tie into the Realms, dealing with non-Realms threats (Tiamat, elemental princes, and demons). I'll believe that we're getting world updates via storylines when they go to Thay or the actual setting lore becomes relevant.

Really, there's no evidence of anything. We have two RPG writers left and no editors plus people in charge of licencing and planning storylines. Two adventure arcs each year with side non-RPG products (like the board games) might be all we get.

Its kinda my worse-case scenario, but I'm hoping the recent survey, and Mearls latest tweets indicate new stuff will be coming.

 

[Mercurius]

I guess you should have. I never suggested your poll was confusing, I stated its not accurate. If you don't want feedback, might be wise not to elicit it without condesencion

Huh? Just because I don't want to get in a spat over your nit-picking means I'm being condescending? Whatever, dude.

 

[delericho]

When 5e goes OGL, Paizo and other indys will supply adventures.

I'll be extremely surprised if Paizo do any 5e material. They have their own thing going on. And following the existential threats they faced when the Dragon license ended and when the 4e license was late, they're unlikely to want to tie their company's fate to someone else's product again.

And, of course, that assumes 5e does eventually go OGL.

 

[Queer Venger]

Huh? Just because I don't want to get in a spat over your nit-picking means I'm being condescending? Whatever, dude.

When posting a poll, try to be accurate, as much as possible factual, and most of all clear. This is a big community and we all care about D&D and D&D 5e most of all.

 

[Mercurius]

When posting a poll, try to be accurate, as much as possible factual, and most of all clear. This is a big community and we all care about D&D and D&D 5e most of all.

Oh, I see, you're the one being condescending - thanks for clarifying that. Now, buh-bye.

 

[Mercule]

Two(ish) APs per year is fine, on that front. At least one must by setting agnostic.

One other book, per year. This could be a setting book (FR and Eberron should be supported ASAP). It could also be something like a Complete Psionics, MM2, or a Spell/Magic Item Compendium. At about year five, an Unearthed Arcana compilation might be appropriate, but shouldn't be assumed.

Setting information should be put in setting books. There might be minor information (in Eberron, wood and high elves live in the same communities and the difference has no more social impact than hair color in humans) where it makes sense in rule books. No significant data (faction motivations, "named" NPC stats, edition updates, etc.) should be found in books that aren't setting specific -- reiterate that at least one setting-agnostic AP should be released each year.

 

[Jester David]

When 5e goes OGL, Paizo and other indys will supply adventures.

The catch is, this is already happening with Necromancer Games Frog God Games, ENworld, and others. But 3rd Party Products - even good ones - are not official enough.

After all, the 3PP Fifth Edition Foes was developed and converted by Steve Winter, an ex-WotC employee who was with D&D since 1st Edition and was working for the brand as late as 2013 and co-wrote the two Tyranny of Dragons adventures. It's pretty darn close to "official" mechanics-wise.

I'll be extremely surprised if Paizo do any 5e material. They have their own thing going on. And following the existential threats they faced when the Dragon license ended and when the 4e license was late, they're unlikely to want to tie their company's fate to someone else's product again.

They probably won't want to go all-in for 5e, but as a side product line it might be easy money.
A monster book for their campaign specific monsters, and conversion guide for their setting. Maybe some setting specific subclasses and spells. That's all fairly easy to do, could be handled mostly by freelancers, and the art can be recycled from existing products.