WotC Why WotC SHOULD Make A New Setting

[Paul Farquhar]

I, too, once upon a time took it as any urban setting with fantasy elements. So, if it has to be contemporary, what do you call fantasy settings in urban environments?

I would argue that most D&D cities, from Baldur’s Gate to Sharn to Sigil to the Rock of Brall, are far more contemporary than they are medieval.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I would argue that most D&D cities, from Baldur’s Gate to Sharn to Sigil to the Rock of Brall, are far more contemporary than they are medieval.

The Ankh-Morpork Effect. Sure, it's "fantasy," but it's also a way to comment or riff on contemporary ideas.

 

[mamba]

It is so strange that some folks want to fight against the simplest reason: it is fun to be excited for official D&D things.

are you more excited for a new D&D setting than for another new product? Was Journeys through the Radiant Citadel so much better than Keys from the Golden Vault or the new FR book(s)?

I get being excited for something new, I am just not sure a new setting ranks much higher or that it being from WotC vs a 3pp does. Looking back over the last years WotC did not manage to excite me much, others did

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Urban fantasy is a literary genre that is typically modern(ish) setting with magical creatures. eg Buffy, VtM, Anita Blake books, etc etc etc

ETA: I'll toss in Erin Morgenstern's books The Night Circus and The Starless Sea just because I want to give them a shout out, but they probably fit.

They definitely fit, as do the works of Neil G., but I won't be suggesting people read those any more.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Honestly, it's a little dispiriting how little difference there are between them. They have the freedom to stretch their wings further than they choose to, whether that's with content or format and choose not to.

People have certain expectations about fantasy settings. If they don’t tick all the appropriate tropes they don’t like it and kick off.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

are you more excited for a new D&D setting than for another new product? Was Journeys through the Radiant Citadel so much better the Keys from the Golden Vault or the new FR book(s)?

I've been running a Radiant Citadel campaign for about a year (alternating with my Shadowdark campaign).

The new settings have been a big part of the appeal for everyone and explicitly why several people joined the campaign. Once I let our extended friend group know the campaign was finally headed to San Citlan, we had our biggest-ever live 5E game.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

People have certain expectations about fantasy settings. If they don’t tick all the appropriate tropes they don’t like it and kick off.

I would just love it if their books were organized and presented better than 5E's "it worked fine in 1993, it'll work fine now" approach to things.

 

[Marc17]

They definitely fit, as do the works of Neil G., but I won't be suggesting people read those any more.

I thought it would be good to thrown them in as they don't have the usual fixation on fairies, vampires, and werewolves that most Urban Fantasy seems to have.

 

[Artamo]

People have certain expectations about fantasy settings. If they don’t tick all the appropriate tropes they don’t like it and kick off.

This isn’t cozy isekai dystopian litrpg enough for me.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I thought it would be good to thrown them in as they don't have the usual fixation on fairies, vampires, and werewolves that most Urban Fantasy seems to have.

I've only read the Starless Sea, but it definitely veers off into some super-cool, but super-strange directions. The big reveal of what the sea is isn't something I would ever have on my bingo card.