D&D 5E WotC Announces An Impending Announcement: New Setting, Storyline

Early this week, WotC announced on Twitter that today there would be some kind of announcement on their Twitch channel. Those who heard that announcement and tuned in were treated to an announcement that the new storyline will be announced at a live event in June.

The press release announcing the impending announcement also mentions a new setting, as well as the storyline, so it sounds like it might not be set in the Forgotten Realms (or maybe is in a new region - to 5E - of the Realms, such as Icewind Dale). The adventure and the setting might be the same thing, or they might be completely different things. Recently, WotC has released a bunch of settings: Eberron, Ravnica, Wildemount, and the upcoming Theros.

Fans of D&D will learn all about the new setting and storyline

The new storyline specifically will be revealed at 12pm PST (8pm GMT) on Thursday, June 18th.

The June event will raise money for Comic Relief, and will feature celebrities including Brandon Routh (Superman), and will preview the brand new storyline. It takes place June 18th-20th. Other names involved include Felicia Day, Deborah Ann Woll, Amy Acker, David Harbour, Matthew Lillard, and more.

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 PRESS RELEASE

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RENTON, WA – May 21, 2020 – People all over the world continue to stay safe by staying home, but that doesn’t mean the adventuring has to stop. Dungeons & Dragons is more popular than ever because it allows people to weave compelling stories together even when they’re physically apart through online videoconferencing. Now, Wizards of the Coast brings the stars to this virtual table with D&D Live 2020: Roll w/ Advantage. An amazing cast of characters led by expert storytellers preview the latest D&D storyline with live gaming sessions, all while raising money for Red Nose Day to help the most vulnerable children across the US and around the world, who have been so affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.The adventure begins 10:00am PT on June 18, 2020 and will run through June 20, 2020 at dungeonsanddragons.com.

D&D Live 2020: Roll w/ Advantage features big personalities playing elves, wizards and fighters to accomplish quests using their imaginations. Funny people like Brian Posehn, Kevin Sussman and Thomas Middleditch will work together to solve problems or, more likely, cause some hilarious new ones. WWE ® Superstars Xavier Woods ®, Tyler Breeze ®, Ember Moon ®, Alexa Bliss ® and Dio Maddin ® will contend with beefcake destroyer Jeremy Crawford, a.k.a. Principal Rules Designer for D&D. Deborah Ann Woll will lead a group of actors in improvising a way to help people in a fantasy world not that different from ours. And principal D&D writer Chris Perkins takes players

Fans of D&D will learn all about the new setting and storyline as well as accompanying new products plus tons of unique gameplay available on June 18, 2020. D&D Adventurers League has four new short adventures everyone can enjoy. By donating a small amount to Red Nose Day, fans will have access to sign up for D&D sessions with players around the world! During #DnDLive2020, fans will also be able to choose the character best suited to help the region through Reality RP, a mashup of fantasy storytelling, community engagement, and reality television.

 

[Sunsword]

My money is on Icewind Dale.

 

[Sunsword]

I don't see an OA book. But doing a continent that "looks like Mesoamerica" and a "continent that looks like Medieval Japan" in a new setting? Sure.

And this is the strength of Magic settings in D&D. Kamigawa and Ixalan could fit those bills.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

I'd skip if it's Icewind Dale, I'm sure others will be excited about it, but I'm looking for things that are new-ish: such as more MtG settings or an old campaign setting that hasn't got the 5e treatment yet.

 

[Lem23]

I'd skip if it's Icewind Dale, I'm sure others will be excited about it, but I'm looking for things that are new-ish: such as more MtG settings or an old campaign setting that hasn't got the 5e treatment yet.

If Icewind Dale, I'll probably end up getting it, depending on what subclasses, backgrounds, etc are in there. I'll skip any MtG ones, like the Ravnica one or the other setting pdfs. It depends on which old setting to me. I might pick up a Greyhawk one, again for subclasses and the like mostly. No interest in Dark Sun or Planejammer for me. Mystara would be a Greyhawk maybe too. Dragonlance would be a firm no too. Birthright isn't my thing, so I'd skip that too. I'd probably buy a Nentir Vale one though.

What I'd prefer to see would be a new setting entirely though, and one that didn't try to cram in all the current PHB races and classes just because. I'm well aware that's the most unlikeliest of the above options though.

 

[Minigiant]

And this is the strength of Magic settings in D&D. Kamigawa and Ixalan could fit those bills.

Yeah but those settings are too one-tone to sell on their own.
Ravnica was called for as an official setting since the first Ravnica block. It also is a whole "new" style of fantasy for D&D, a full on city plane with the internals thought out. "One Culture Setting" ned more then that one culture to sell.

That's more a expansion thing. That's why it works for CCGs and MMOs.

 

[Parmandur]

If Icewind Dale, I'll probably end up getting it, depending on what subclasses, backgrounds, etc are in there. I'll skip any MtG ones, like the Ravnica one or the other setting pdfs. It depends on which old setting to me. I might pick up a Greyhawk one, again for subclasses and the like mostly. No interest in Dark Sun or Planejammer for me. Mystara would be a Greyhawk maybe too. Dragonlance would be a firm no too. Birthright isn't my thing, so I'd skip that too. I'd probably buy a Nentir Vale one though.

What I'd prefer to see would be a new setting entirely though, and one that didn't try to cram in all the current PHB races and classes just because. I'm well aware that's the most unlikeliest of the above options though.

To be clear, Icewind Dale is probably the location of the next Adventure storyline, based on recent hints. Not a Setting book.

 

[darjr]

Old things can come with new things, or be totally new in their own way.

 

[Lem23]

To be clear, Icewind Dale is probably the location of the next Adventure storyline, based on recent hints. Not a Setting book.

Probably, yes, but as others have pointed out, it's more likely to be something from the past that's being redone / repackaged than something actually new, and so ID would fit there.

 

[Burnside]

Mind you, the book was supposed to be out by now. It's only delayed because of the impending end of all things, so really it's not that unrealistic that they made an adventure tie-in, except for the fact that they didn't make an accompanying hardcover adventure for Ravnica and there's little reason to do it for Theros because MTG has already moved on from it story and product-wise.

The book was not "supposed to be out by now". It was originally scheduled for release on June 2 (and still will be, on DNDBeyond, Roll20, and Fantasy Grounds).

 

[Mercurius]

I also went looking, and someone compiled a mini-setting bible on UA Reddit: Iomandra.

Yep, that's what I also love about it. The archipelago or ocean serves as your sandbox. You would not necessarily even need to homebrew a starting island. Provide a sample set of starter islands, perhaps showcasing the island-generator. Let the DM pick which one, and then unleash the PCs upon the seas.

Thanks for the link. This is exactly the type of setting that I think WotC should publish: a new twist that doesn't feel too too gimmicky. Plus, gotta love the obvious Earthsea inspiration.