D&D 5E WotC: 5 D&D Settings In Development?

WotC's Ray Winninger spoke a little about some upcoming D&D settings -- two classic settings are coming in 2022 in formats we haven't seen before, and two brand new (not Magic: the Gathering) settings are also in development, as well as return to a setting they've already covered in 5E. He does note, however, that of the last three, there's a chance of one or more not making it to release, as they develop more than they use.

Two classic settings? What could they be?​

So that's:

• 2 classic settings in 2022 (in a brand new format)
• 2 brand new settings
• 1 returning setting

So the big questions -- what are the two classic settings, and what do they mean by a format we haven't seen before? Winninger has clarified on Twitter that "Each of these products is pursuing a different format you've never seen before. And neither is "digital only;" these are new print formats."

As I've mentioned on a couple of occasions, there are two more products that revive "classic" settings in production right now.

The manuscript for the first, overseen by [Chris Perkins], is nearly complete. Work on the second, led by [F. Wesley Schneider] with an assist from [Ari Levitch], is just ramping up in earnest. Both are targeting 2022 and formats you've never seen before.

In addition to these two titles, we have two brand new [D&D] settings in early development, as well as a return to a setting we've already covered. (No, these are not M:tG worlds.)

As I mentioned in the dev blog, we develop more material than we publish, so it's possible one or more of these last three won't reach production. But as of right now, they're all looking great.

Of course the phrase "two more products that revive 'classic' settings" could be interpreted in different ways. It might not be two individual setting books.

 

[vecna00]

• Tasha's Cauldron of Everything (November, 2020) includes a picture of Guildmaster Rhys (from Planescape) training recruits on page 103.

How in the Nine Hells did I miss that picture!? It even has the faction symbol on their clothing!

Also, I would be completely and amazingly surprised if we got Planescape packed with DiTerlizzi's art. Realistically, I think he's either doing the cover or a full-page spread.

 

[darjr]

@Quickleaf that's good work there.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Maybe these collectively are hints that Planescape could happen in 2022...

• Story beats involving modrons cut off from the Great Modron March have been present in multiple adventures, or at least in Tomb of Annihilation and Out of the Abyss that I know of.
• Planescape: Torment Enhanced Edition came out in 2017. This coincided with a Dragon+ article, from Chris Avellone I believe, updating to 5e some of the PS: Torment monsters: https://media.wizards.com/2017/dnd/dragon/Creatures_PSTEE.pdf
• Diterlizzi has been doing Planescape revisited sketches for a couple years... From 2019: And from 2020:
• March, 2018 Wizkids released a "Nameless One" prepainted mini in Monster Menagerie 3.
• June, 2020 Wizkids released a "Nameless One" (from PS: Torment) unpainted mini for Nolzur's line.
• Diterlizzi collaborated with Wizards in August, 2020 to make some Magic the Gathering art:
• Tasha's Cauldron of Everything (November, 2020) includes a picture of Guildmaster Rhys (from Planescape) training recruits on page 103.
• In May 2021, Diterlizzi shared his playlist of songs that inspired his work on Planescape:
• One of the settings slated for 2022 has a manuscript overseen by Chris Perkins. Though his work is prolific, he has deep ties to Planescape tracing back to some of his Dungeon magazine entries (e.g. Umbra, Nemesis), the Cutters RPG Open Tournament, The Manxome Foe (RPGA and TSR Jam), and Needle in the Eye (RPGA).

Great research work.

 

[dmar]

Has anybody considered that one if the new, original settings could be Barovia's original world, which they seem to have developed extensively for Van Richten's?
They even have a map: "Malitain is to the north of where Barovia usted to be"

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

It is a very intersting idea, a spin-off. But this would mean to have to explain how the possible metaplot was going to continue. Maybe some events in the demiplane for the rebooted Grand Conjuction, Innistrad could affect the homeland of Barovia, for example planar rifts from that world ruled by the vampyrs.

 

[dmar]

In truth, Barovia would be the spin-off.

 

[Demetrios1453]

Has anybody considered that one if the new, original settings could be Barovia's original world, which they seem to have developed extensively for Van Richten's?
They even have a map: "Malitain is to the north of where Barovia usted to be"

Now that is an intriguing idea! It would have a hook ("See where Strahd came from!"), while at the same time being open to being something new and interesting. Maybe a full-on dark fantasy world without Ravenloft's constraints and patchwork nature...

 

[Sithlord]

Not sure a flintlock and gunpowder Planejammer D&D would land well. It’d be cool as hell.

A Spelljammer/Planescape with Red Steel’s ubiquitous belt/horse pistols would be stylish.

Such weapons were in some ravenloft domains

 

[Sithlord]

Maybe that's how Planescape came across at your gaming tables... But not so much at mine.

Most Planescape games I was a part of used Sigil as a base of operations for a group of adventurers that would go through various portals on the Endless Stair to other realms and planes to do a thing, then return. They were -very- episodic and rarely spent too much time with philosophical introspection.

Not that I wouldn't have enjoyed that. I'm a titanic nerd. But the general feeling was basic as hell Nihilism because anything you do is irrelevant on a Cosmic scale so just grab what you can in life and enjoy it.

I played many a game like you describe and I think it was the most common. But there were lots and lots of planescape resourrces. It is possible to pretty much not focus on sigil if you so choose. I played some games that focused more on then 9 hells or city of brass. But that was rare. It can be done if someone wants and sticking with source material.

 

[Sithlord]

As in "an outer planar being or area was pulled in by the Mists?" I'm sure it's been thought of. Hell, I think there was a domain run by demons. That might just be a fever dream though, I'm not as knowledgeable about Ravenloft.

I also may have misunderstood your question, as it is past my bedtime and I work overnights.

Fiends had cool rules in ravenloft where they were pretty much their own domain. The more powerful the fiend they greater the radius around them that acted as their own personal domain to an extent.