D&D 5E (2024) WotC Should Make 5.5E Specific Setting

[billd91]

okay, but that's not because it doesn't make sense for them not to have them, that's just on you and everyone else who neglects their NPCs lifestyles.

It's not that people are neglecting the NPCs' lifestyles - it's rather that, as NPCs, they're largely still in the background lives that PCs have left behind. Thus, no separate background is actually needed to flesh them out for play.

 

[Remathilis]

Ok. I didn’t see that sentiment being expressed, but I haven’t really been following the thread super closely.

I don't think anyone argued that, and that certainly isn't the subject of the thread.

I was responding to Scribe's comment about older settings not being changed or retconned. Which I find to be both impossible (if they are supposed to be aligned with the current rules) and futile.

To that point, a "5.5" setting would most likely suffer a similar fate when the next edition comes. Something will change that will invalidate the compatibility between lore and mechanics in the core books and we'll be back to determining if updating to 6e is retconning the lore or not.

As I said, I think D&D is already spread too thin over eight legacy, three MTG and one newer setting (Exandria) so adding another just further weakens how much support the rest are getting. But if we do add an all new setting, I want it to be because there is an interesting hook first and compatibility to the new rules second because, IMHO, ALL settings should be compatible with the new rules and if there is a conflict, the current rules take priority over the old lore.

So the idea of a "5.5" designed setting is pointless, they should all be "5.5 settings".

 

[CreamCloud0]

It's not that people are neglecting the NPCs' lifestyles - it's rather that, as NPCs, they're largely still in the background lives that PCs have left behind. Thus, no separate background is actually needed to flesh them out for play.

i don't see why still being in that 'background lifestyle' would thus mean they shouldn't have the mechanical features of said background, if anything it makes more sense to me that they should have them.

 

[Azzy]

What would a specifically 5.24 setting need to cover? The things that I can think of that are new are (based on being default in the PHB):

Firearms. Those muskets and pistols in the equipment section have to be taken into account.
Psionics. There are a few psionic subclasses.
Aasimar. While having a history in the game previously, they are now default choices in the PHB.
Goliaths. Like Aasimar, Goliaths have appeared in earlier editions but are now a default option.

Am I missing anything?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

okay, but that's not because it doesn't make sense for them not to have them, that's just on you and everyone else who neglects their NPCs lifestyles.

NPCs are walk on characters in someone else’s story. They are the inn keeper, or the blacksmith, or a farmer. They are lucky to get a name, and their “background” is that their parent did the same job. They only have the skills required to do their job, and they certainly don’t have any feats.

 

[Remathilis]

What would a specifically 5.24 setting need to cover? The things that I can think of that are new are (based on being default in the PHB):

Firearms. Those muskets and pistols in the equipment section have to be taken into account.
Psionics. There are a few psionic subclasses.
Aasimar. While having a history in the game previously, they are now default choices in the PHB.
Goliaths. Like Aasimar, Goliaths have appeared in earlier editions but are now a default option.

Am I missing anything?

I think the following:

• Orcs as PC species rather than antagonist monsters
• Lore changes to monsters who has their types changed (goblinoids, etc)
• Artificers as a core class outside of Eberron.
• The lack of "half-races"
• Some "legacy" issues carrying from 4e and 5.14: Dragonborn, tieflings, feywild, etc. potentially, even ideas that never were explored deeply since 3e (a dwarf magocracy or halfling paladin order).

 

[Scribe]

Firearms. Those muskets and pistols in the equipment section have to be taken into account.
Psionics. There are a few psionic subclasses.
Aasimar. While having a history in the game previously, they are now default choices in the PHB.
Goliaths. Like Aasimar, Goliaths have appeared in earlier editions but are now a default option.

• Orcs as PC species rather than antagonist monsters
• Lore changes to monsters who has their types changed (goblinoids, etc)
• Artificers as a core class outside of Eberron.
• The lack of "half-races"
• Some "legacy" issues carrying from 4e and 5.14: Dragonborn, tieflings, feywild, etc. potentially, even ideas that never were explored deeply since 3e (a dwarf magocracy or halfling paladin order).

And if this isnt enough to differentiate from the various settings that were pre-existing, I dont know what could be.

I mean depending on how much we want to nerd out over things, some of those are very fundamental and have no business either being changed, or existing in the older settings.

 

[Reynard]

So the idea of a "5.5" designed setting is pointless, they should all be "5.5 settings".

I appreciate this perspective. I am generally ambivalent about changes to settings to accommodate new edition rules and vibes. I don't regard the settings to be sacrosanct.

But I still think a setting built for a particular ruleset or edition is preferable.

 

[mamba]

I’ve never given a background to a 5e commoner or classless NPC either.

because they were irrelevant or because they explicitly do not have them?

 

[Yaarel]

No backgrounds in 1st edition.

There were no 1e Greyhawk "backrounds", but there was much cultural lore. Like Grey often raised Griffons and Hippogriffons, High made mithril armor, Drow had a Lolth faction of female Clerics, Grugach celebrate Strength and athleticism, Wood had a faction of Druids as leaders, and so on.

In 2024, these and much else translate into local-culture background player options.

For 2024, I can consider the "elven chainmail" to actually be the Arcane Armor spell that traditionally appears as if mithril metal. But if High culture also made magic items with this benefit, they could share this magic with noncasters. There can be an origin background that involves Arcane Armor, perhaps as a Fighting Style feat.