D&D 5E WotC's Nathan Stewart Teases New D&D Setting Book in 2019

No real details, other than denying that it will be Spelljammer, but in the latest Spoilers & Swag episode Stewart stated straight up that another hardcover setting book is coming in 2019:

"Nathan Stewart, the senior director of Dungeons & Dragons and Avalon Hill, made the announcement on his monthly "Spoilers & Swag" Twitchcast yesterday. 'Next year for our annual releases I can confirm there will be a setting book,' he said. 'A new setting book. A book that we have not created that is for a D&D setting.'"

I'd speculate, given the Settings mentioned in the recent marketing survey and what is listed in the DMsGuild, that the likely options are from the following, given we got Magic this year and Stewart has previously said they are not working on a new setting right now:

- Dark Sun
- Dragonlance
- Eberron
- Greyhawk
- Planescape
- Ravenloft

https://comicbook.com/gaming/2018/11/03/dungeons-and-dragons-new-campaign-setting-book-2019/

 

[doctorbadwolf]

You know, I wouldn’t have used that word to describe Greyhawk, but it kind-of fits. Considering it was born in the heart of the adversarial game style, it makes sense. I mean, just look at the canonical story of Fraz-Urb’luu, who tricked heroes (the PCs) into releasing him.

Dragonlance is definitely driven by romance and tragedy. The Tanis-Laurana-Kitiara triangle, the burning of Solace. Heck, Lord Soth’s backstory is pretty much just romance and tragedy.

The burning of Solace doesn't exist. Why would you speak of such terrible lies?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

This "Dragonlance = romance and tragedy" idea makes me long for a Chronicles re-write by Guy Gavriel Kay.

<Ugly cries in Tigana>

Seriously, though, I just reread Tigana and the Tapestry, and...yeah, that would brutal. Just imagine his writing on the events like the Death of Sturm Brightblade. Ugh.

That said, Weiss and Hickman have grown immensely since then, and she at least wants to do a rewrite of the Chronicles.

I’d fancast him as Verminaard in a Dragonlance movie. I think he’s too old for Caramon, who was 22 at the start of the War of the Lance, and if you cast him as another Hero of the Lance, then you’ve got to cast someone even bigger as Caramon.

Jason Momoa is probably a smidge too old, sadly. That, and Caramon isn't likeable enough.

 

[Jester David]

Mearls in a Q&A on his Happy Fun Hour recently laid out what would be needed for Dark Sun.

He was very specific and detailed, in a way that suggested he had not just thought about it briefly, but outlined it extensively.

I imagine they have done meetings and thought about every setting at least once or twice...

 

[Parmandur]

I imagine they have done meetings and thought about every setting at least once or twice...

He name-dropped particular subclasses like they already existed somewhere (specifically limiting the Wizard to the Defiler and Preserver Traditions, for example).

Mearls also had the Big Show playing a Half-Giant in the Stream of Many Eyes.

Who knows when it might see fruition, but it seems they have done the initial design work for Dark Sun, if not moved over to some level of playtesting.

 

[bedir than]

He name-dropped particular subclasses like they already existed somewhere (specifically limiting the Wizard to the Defiler and Preserver Traditions, for example).

Mearls also had the Big Show playing a Half-Giant in the Stream of Many Eyes.

Who knows when it might see fruition, but it seems they have done the initial design work for Dark Sun, if not moved over to some level of playtesting.

I have no doubt that Mearls and staff have pages upon pages of notes regarding non-Realms settings.

I'm a DM for ~8 people who are only 75ish sessions in after 3ish years. I spend hours every day thinking about the campaign and setting. It's not my job. It's just what I do as a DM.

 

[jayoungr]

The bottle it comes in is just one of the aesthetic changes I make to differentiate potions by creator. For instance, the dwarves in my setting hold alcohol in high regard, taking the old Latin saying "in vino vertias" to heart with the belief that the loss of inhibition as you drink reveals who you truly are. Consequently, dwarf potions are generally alcoholic.

I don't see the problem. Why can't a healing potion be red and glittery and alcoholic?

Anyway, I'm pretty sure the style guide only applies to the Forgotten Realms.

 

[MechaPilot]

I don't see the problem. Why can't a healing potion be red and glittery and alcoholic?

Anyway, I'm pretty sure the style guide only applies to the Forgotten Realms.

Alcoholic was only an example of changes beyond the container, and the container itself was also only an example.

Let me be more direct: my game world doesn't use video game logic. Healing potions aren't always red (though some are), potions that restore spell points aren't always blue (though some are), and potions aren't always glittery (though some are).

Let me also be thorough: when the players encounter a potion whose appearance I haven't predetermined, I use the tables I shared here.

Does it now become clear?


Edit: Yes, the style guide applies to the Forgotten Realms. Yet another thing to make that setting unappealing to me. It's a shame simplicity rules over mystery and wonder, over the excitement of discovery, and over rewarding players who recall the qualities of potions they previously encountered.

 

[vecna00]

Mearls in a Q&A on his Happy Fun Hour recently laid out what would be needed for Dark Sun.

He was very specific and detailed, in a way that suggested he had not just thought about it briefly, but outlined it extensively.

Do you happen to know which episode? I think I missed this one!

 

[Parmandur]

Do you happen to know which episode? I think I missed this one!

It was part of a Q&A a few weeks ago: I want to say one of the most recent Psionics, or maybe the Paladin?

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

As a kid, Caramon was my favorite, but re-reading as an adult, he does not come across that well at all. Codependent and blind to his brother's awfulness to a fault.

I could see them doing some CGI wonkery to have the same actor play Caramon and Raistlin. But I could also see that going horribly uncanny valley wrong.

Jason Momoa is probably a smidge too old, sadly. That, and Caramon isn't likeable enough.