WotC Why WotC SHOULD Make A New Setting

[Artamo]

If you reject the terminology, there really is not anything to talk about, is there?

I guess not. It definitely didn’t help in convincing me of your point, that’s for sure.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

It means other people are satisfied that WotC has done new settings. You aren’t because your definition is very exacting. WotC is unlikely to satisfy everyone. I think Ptolus is very much an urban fantasy but you do not. I think WotC has done urban fantasy with Ravnica. I’m guessing you don’t.

You are both using the phrase in different ways.

Ptolus -- which I've been running since 2006 -- is an urban fantasy setting. It's a setting for D&D adventures in and around (and over and under) a megalopolis.

Urban fantasy is a term for a genre of fantasy fiction that is about modern (or near-modern) Earth with magic. So Laurel K. Hamilton, Anita Blake (a lot of urban fantasy is about strong mortal women having sex with vampires and werewolves). Also see the Rivers of London, Harry Dresden, Neverwhere, etc.

They are different things.

 

[Reynard]

I guess not. It definitely didn’t help in convincing me of your point, that’s for sure.

What can I say? You are being obtuse.

 

[Artamo]

You are being overly literal about a standard term of convenience: "Urban Fantasy" is less of a mouthful than "non-secondary world fantasy set in a contemporary context familiar to readers except with magic".

I’m just disagreeing that the term is as exclusionary as people want to make it. It’s also a distraction. New city based fantasy settings exist. Why do they have to clear that specific bar at all?

 

[Artamo]

You are both using the phrase in different ways.

Ptolus -- which I've been running since 2006 -- is an urban fantasy setting. It's a setting for D&D adventures in and around (and over and under) a megalopolis.

Urban fantasy is a term for a genre of fantasy fiction that is about modern (or near-modern) Earth with magic. So Laurel K. Hamilton, Anita Blake (a lot of urban fantasy is about strong mortal women having sex with vampires and werewolves). Also see the Rivers of London, Harry Dresden, Neverwhere, etc.

They are different things.

And that’s fine. I ultimately don’t know what that has to do with the point about there are no new settings.

 

[Argyle King]

But 5e is already kind of a mishmash of past D&Ds.

How would you adapt a setting to 5e mechanics?

I wouldn't. I would build a new setting that was built with how 5.5 works in mind.

For example, 5.5 tends to assume commonplace magic and color-coded giants and Goliath as a common PC lineage. Build a setting that acknowledges those things from the ground up rather than trying to push those assumptions into settings that were built with different ideas.

Edit: Corrected some grammar

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

And that’s fine. I ultimately don’t know what that has to do with the point about there are no new settings.

I think he's saying he'd like to have a setting that filled the urban fantasy -- as in the fiction genre, not just "here's a city" -- sense.

Urban fantasy is not the same thing as "fantasy set in a city." It's a big and popular genre. There is nothing currently in print from WotC that lets you play a Harry Dresden or Rivers of London style game.

 

[payn]

Because a key defining feature of "Urban Fantasy" the genre is that it is set in the contemporary world (or a second world very, very close to it). I don't quite understand what the confusion is.

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?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I wouldn't. I would build a new setting that was built with how 5.5 works in mind.

For example, 5.5 tends to assume commonplace magic and color-coded giants and Goliath as a common PC lineage. Build a setting that acknowledges those things from the ground up rather than trying to push those assumptions into settings that were build with different ideas.

That approach worked great for Eberron and Ptolus. I would love to see a similar effort done today, especially one reflecting contemporary fantasy tastes.

 

[Reynard]

I think he's saying he'd like to have a setting that filled the urban fantasy -- as in the fiction genre, not just "here's a city" -- sense.

Urban fantasy is not the same thing as "fantasy set in a city." It's a big and popular genre. There is nothing currently in print from WotC that lets you play a Harry Dresden or Rivers of London style game.

Right. Someone asked what I thought was missing, that's all.