WotC Why WotC SHOULD Make A New Setting

[Reynard]

Here's the thing: WotC could do Urban Fantasy without doing a new Setting, just revive Urban Arcana.

Sure. They "could." But that would also mean reviving d20 Modern (or make a 5E Modern or whatever). That all sounds much less likely than even the high unliklihood of them doing a Urban Fantasy setting at all.

I only brought it up because someone asked what fantasy subgenres were not covered by the existing settings.

 

[Scribe]

But the budgets don't matter as much as the quality of the material and, as a customer of lots of RPG products, I'm seeing lots of fantastic sourcebooks from lots of publishers. Dolmenwood, Aethereal Expanse, Broken Weave, and many others.

Right, we agree, but that's not the point.

 

[Reynard]

I wasn’t aware that urban fantasy was primarily dictated by a narrow band of city based fantasy that required the setting to be based in the real world. When books like Perdido Street Station and Mortal Engines can’t qualify as urban fantasy because they don’t tick very specific boxes, I doubt the value of using categories in such a way.

The genre terms are well established. That doesn't mean there aren't fuzzy line or corner cases, but you having an internal, personal definition based on your understanding of the words does not have any impact on the existence or viability of the genre terminology.

Frankly, I think that speaks to Mike’s point - what you envision as new is not what others consider to be new.

I have no idea what you mean by this.

 

[Reynard]

Right, we agree, but that's not the point.

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.

 

[Tigris]

I wasn’t aware that urban fantasy was primarily dictated by a narrow band of city based fantasy that required the setting to be based in the real world. When books like Perdido Street Station and Mortal Engines can’t qualify as urban fantasy because they don’t tick very specific boxes, I doubt the value of using categories in such a way.

Frankly, I think that speaks to Mike’s point - what you envision as new is not what others consider to be new.

I think the use of the category Urban Fantasy is really useful. Because this "veil" between the normal and abnormal brings a lot of differentiation with it and is also well liked because its nor an uncommon cliche and popular in tv like with stranger things etc.


And it does not need to be based on the teal world. Its fine if it plays in a world with different technology.


But as I said I dont expect everyone to know every name of subgenre. (But I would expect a content creator which makes content about settings in rpgs to know this, when vampire the masqerade is such a well known setting).

 

[Tigris]

Sure. They "could." But that would also mean reviving d20 Modern (or make a 5E Modern or whatever). That all sounds much less likely than even the high unliklihood of them doing a Urban Fantasy setting at all.

I only brought it up because someone asked what fantasy subgenres were not covered by the existing settings.

Well given that 5e was made popular by stranger things among othets, I think it would absolutely make sense to make an Urban Fantasy Setting.

Recreating Stranger Things itself completely with it might be hard, but one could still go for the same atmosphere etc.

 

[Desdichado]

I like new settings quite a bit. That said, I probably wouldn't buy one from WotC, nor would I expect it to be up my alley at all. I've gotten more picky about what I want and am less interested in someone else's vision unless it closely aligns with where I'm at right now or or surprises and delights me with a cool idea I hadn't thought of.

 

[Parmandur]

Sure. They "could." But that would also mean reviving d20 Modern (or make a 5E Modern or whatever). That all sounds much less likely than even the high unliklihood of them doing a Urban Fantasy setting at all.

I only brought it up because someone asked what fantasy subgenres were not covered by the existing settings.

A 5E Urban Arcana would seem to be the place to put modern tech level stuff, yes.

 

[Artamo]

In literature, this is what Urban Fantasy refers to, it is a popular and diverse sub-genre of its own.

I still feel like the point is being missed. My fantasy city full of magic is New Crobuzon, yours is a fantasy version of Underground London like Neverwhere. Both exclusively use an urban setting as a backdrop. They typically explore the same themes of dystopia, urban blight, classism, etc.

I don’t understand what possible point can be made for saying Ptolus, a magical setting that is entirely based in a massive city is not urban fantasy versus a fantasy version of New York or London.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Before WotC puts out a Harry Potter setting, they'd be better off taking another crack at fleshing out Strixhaven and making it more of a full setting, rather than an adventure with some setting bits glued onto it. They already own the property and there aren't all of the problematic elements attached to it, beyond the first book being of C+ quality.