I personally think this looks really interesting. It's written entirely by BIPOC writers, inspired by cultures and folklore from their various heritages. One of them is Persian themed, another seems to be New Orleans Bayou themed, and so on. It kind of does seem like "Planescape Lite" but definitely doesn't prevent us from getting a Planescape book in the relatively near future. (After Dragonlance and Spelljammer, though.)
In fact it basically screams "Spelljammer is next!" in big letters, does it not?
I love how it's written by BIPOC writers, but I appreciate more than that the fact one of my players (a barbarian fairy cursed with werewolf lycanthropy who says she doesn't want to be a "chihuahua") is depicted on the cover of the book.
I personally think this looks really interesting. It's written entirely by BIPOC writers, inspired by cultures and folklore from their various heritages. One of them is Persian themed, another seems to be New Orleans Bayou themed, and so on. It kind of does seem like "Planescape Lite" but definitely doesn't prevent us from getting a Planescape book in the relatively near future. (After Dragonlance and Spelljammer, though.)
In fact it basically screams "Spelljammer is next!" in big letters, does it not?
I don't agree. The Radiant Citadel is a transportation hub with room for a DM to plug in his own creations. So why on earth would WotC give us another transportation hub such as Sigil just a book or two away? Especially a transport hub that is built around alignment that WotC works hard to erase? It also makes Spelljammer kind of redundant with the RC giving easy access to other material plane worlds. And with the optimistic, fluffy and brightcolored tone in the latest books, it doesn't seem likely that hunting Illithids in Realmspace is the way WotC intend to cater to their new young customers.
I personally think this looks really interesting. It's written entirely by BIPOC writers, inspired by cultures and folklore from their various heritages. One of them is Persian themed, another seems to be New Orleans Bayou themed, and so on. It kind of does seem like "Planescape Lite" but definitely doesn't prevent us from getting a Planescape book in the relatively near future. (After Dragonlance and Spelljammer, though.)
In fact it basically screams "Spelljammer is next!" in big letters, does it not?
I don't agree. The Radiant Citadel is a transportation hub with room for a DM to plug in his own creations. So why on earth would WotC give us another transportation hub such as Sigil just a book or two away? Especially a transport hub that is built around alignment that WotC works hard to erase? It also makes Spelljammer kind of redundant with the RC giving easy access to other material plane worlds. And with the optimistic, fluffy and brightcolored tone in the latest books, it doesn't seem likely that hunting Illithids in Realmspace is the way WotC intend to cater to their new young customers.
And with the optimistic, fluffy and brightcolored tone in the latest books, it doesn't seem likely that hunting Illithids in Realmspace is the way WotC intend to cater to their new young customers.
Van Richten's is less than a year old
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
And with the optimistic, fluffy and brightcolored tone in the latest books, it doesn't seem likely that hunting Illithids in Realmspace is the way WotC intend to cater to their new young customers.
Van Richten's is less than a year old
I loved Van Richten’s, but I also liked some of the more brightly toned books as well (Witchlight and Strixhaven come to mind). I think they make a great contrast and really show the depth and complexity of the D&D multiverse (though now that I think about it Witchlight does tie into Ravenloft).
And with the optimistic, fluffy and brightcolored tone in the latest books, it doesn't seem likely that hunting Illithids in Realmspace is the way WotC intend to cater to their new young customers.
Van Richten's is less than a year old
Also isn't the lead designer for Van Richten's also the lead designer for this one? I think people might be reading too much into the art, as he's stated that some of the adventures had light tones sure, but also some had dark tones, and that a mix would be represented in the book.
I had hoped for a setting, but we got an adventure book. It has good points, but at the moment I don't need this. And as others have mentioned, it does make Spelljammer or Planescape an improbable release in the near future. It still is possible, but I fear we won't get those now. It's a PnP gateway to the Ethereal plane and through there to other worlds. A budget Sigil if you want. And I really, really had my hopes up for Spelljammer. If only to annoy the player at my table who remembers it from 2nd.
I personally think this looks really interesting. It's written entirely by BIPOC writers, inspired by cultures and folklore from their various heritages. One of them is Persian themed, another seems to be New Orleans Bayou themed, and so on. It kind of does seem like "Planescape Lite" but definitely doesn't prevent us from getting a Planescape book in the relatively near future. (After Dragonlance and Spelljammer, though.)
In fact it basically screams "Spelljammer is next!" in big letters, does it not?
I don't agree. The Radiant Citadel is a transportation hub with room for a DM to plug in his own creations. So why on earth would WotC give us another transportation hub such as Sigil just a book or two away? Especially a transport hub that is built around alignment that WotC works hard to erase? It also makes Spelljammer kind of redundant with the RC giving easy access to other material plane worlds. And with the optimistic, fluffy and brightcolored tone in the latest books, it doesn't seem likely that hunting Illithids in Realmspace is the way WotC intend to cater to their new young customers.
But who knows.
I agree this makes things look bad for planescape, but Spelljammer could allow going from one world to another without using the hub, so it actually works kind of nicely. Both acknowledge a multiverse, and with both, there would be options for how to navigate it.
Also in planescape, there are infinite doors, not just 27. There’s portals to outer planes and elemental planes, not just material planes, so there is still a place for it in the cosmology. If anything, Sigil would make RC seem like the budget version — why go to the place with 27 options if you can go to the place with all of the options. Realistically, no campaign would need to go to more than 27, but people like the idea of choices.
I am still hopeful for a Spelljammer Campaign setting with the Traveler's of the Multiverse UA races. This might work for a hub for an adventure anthology, but is pretty boring as a setting for a full campaign, at least in my opinion.
I personally think this looks really interesting. It's written entirely by BIPOC writers, inspired by cultures and folklore from their various heritages. One of them is Persian themed, another seems to be New Orleans Bayou themed, and so on. It kind of does seem like "Planescape Lite" but definitely doesn't prevent us from getting a Planescape book in the relatively near future. (After Dragonlance and Spelljammer, though.)
In fact it basically screams "Spelljammer is next!" in big letters, does it not?
I don't agree. The Radiant Citadel is a transportation hub with room for a DM to plug in his own creations. So why on earth would WotC give us another transportation hub such as Sigil just a book or two away? Especially a transport hub that is built around alignment that WotC works hard to erase? It also makes Spelljammer kind of redundant with the RC giving easy access to other material plane worlds. And with the optimistic, fluffy and brightcolored tone in the latest books, it doesn't seem likely that hunting Illithids in Realmspace is the way WotC intend to cater to their new young customers.
But who knows.
I agree this makes things look bad for planescape, but Spelljammer could allow going from one world to another without using the hub, so it actually works kind of nicely. Both acknowledge a multiverse, and with both, there would be options for how to navigate it.
Also in planescape, there are infinite doors, not just 27. There’s portals to outer planes and elemental planes, not just material planes, so there is still a place for it in the cosmology. If anything, Sigil would make RC seem like the budget version — why go to the place with 27 options if you can go to the place with all of the options. Realistically, no campaign would need to go to more than 27, but people like the idea of choices.
Well, yes, that's what I said. This is a budget City of Doors. Easy for the DM and even easier for WoTC to develop.
"... writing to their own histories, their backgrounds, their cultures." So around 80% of the writers are Americans - 2 have Mexican roots, 1 comes from the Phillipines, 1 has Iranian roots, 1 is from India (and 1 from Japan ...), but nearly all of them seem to live/work in the US, and given their apparent ages from what I've seen they must have been there for DECADES at this point; either they have been born there or they migrated with their families at a very young age. So - are they writing about American culture?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IC0AbjlIJM after watching this, I'm even more sure we won't be seeing Planescape or Spelljammer any time soon. It looks interesting in its own rights, but still not what I was hoping for.
"... writing to their own histories, their backgrounds, their cultures." So around 80% of the writers are Americans - 2 have Mexican roots, 1 comes from the Phillipines, 1 has Iranian roots, 1 is from India (and 1 from Japan ...), but nearly all of them seem to live/work in the US, and given their apparent ages from what I've seen they must have been there for DECADES at this point; either they have been born there or they migrated with their families at a very young age. So - are they writing about American culture?
There is no single American culture. That's what happens when you have a country made up of people from all over the world, all of whom are equally American.
But to really put a fine point on it, if say, an American of Irish ancestry whose family came here more than 100 years ago were to write an adventure that involved Celtic myths, would you still be asking this question? Or are they allowed to be American and Irish, while a person of color needs to choose one or the other?
In fact it basically screams "Spelljammer is next!" in big letters, does it not?
I love how it's written by BIPOC writers, but I appreciate more than that the fact one of my players (a barbarian fairy cursed with werewolf lycanthropy who says she doesn't want to be a "chihuahua") is depicted on the cover of the book.
Frequent Eladrin || They/Them, but accept all pronouns
Luz Noceda would like to remind you that you're worth loving!
I did not know that. Very cool!
Yep! Over 50 BIPOC creators total. This is the first time that an official D&D book has done this, which is an awesome step forward.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
I don't agree. The Radiant Citadel is a transportation hub with room for a DM to plug in his own creations. So why on earth would WotC give us another transportation hub such as Sigil just a book or two away? Especially a transport hub that is built around alignment that WotC works hard to erase? It also makes Spelljammer kind of redundant with the RC giving easy access to other material plane worlds. And with the optimistic, fluffy and brightcolored tone in the latest books, it doesn't seem likely that hunting Illithids in Realmspace is the way WotC intend to cater to their new young customers.
But who knows.
You raise some good points.
Van Richten's is less than a year old
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I loved Van Richten’s, but I also liked some of the more brightly toned books as well (Witchlight and Strixhaven come to mind). I think they make a great contrast and really show the depth and complexity of the D&D multiverse (though now that I think about it Witchlight does tie into Ravenloft).
Also isn't the lead designer for Van Richten's also the lead designer for this one? I think people might be reading too much into the art, as he's stated that some of the adventures had light tones sure, but also some had dark tones, and that a mix would be represented in the book.
I had hoped for a setting, but we got an adventure book. It has good points, but at the moment I don't need this. And as others have mentioned, it does make Spelljammer or Planescape an improbable release in the near future. It still is possible, but I fear we won't get those now. It's a PnP gateway to the Ethereal plane and through there to other worlds. A budget Sigil if you want. And I really, really had my hopes up for Spelljammer. If only to annoy the player at my table who remembers it from 2nd.
I agree this makes things look bad for planescape, but Spelljammer could allow going from one world to another without using the hub, so it actually works kind of nicely. Both acknowledge a multiverse, and with both, there would be options for how to navigate it.
Also in planescape, there are infinite doors, not just 27. There’s portals to outer planes and elemental planes, not just material planes, so there is still a place for it in the cosmology. If anything, Sigil would make RC seem like the budget version — why go to the place with 27 options if you can go to the place with all of the options. Realistically, no campaign would need to go to more than 27, but people like the idea of choices.
I am still hopeful for a Spelljammer Campaign setting with the Traveler's of the Multiverse UA races. This might work for a hub for an adventure anthology, but is pretty boring as a setting for a full campaign, at least in my opinion.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
Well, yes, that's what I said. This is a budget City of Doors. Easy for the DM and even easier for WoTC to develop.
What a novel concept for a book.
#OpenDnD
How many of the Authors are gonna be non-American?
edit: Found a list of the Authors in this book. Time to do some digging.
#OpenDnD
You can find a list of the authors in this tweet from the books co-lead, Ajit George: https://twitter.com/ajitgeorgeSB/status/1506290702170443782
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
Thank you!
#OpenDnD
[REDACTED]
"... writing to their own histories, their backgrounds, their cultures." So around 80% of the writers are Americans - 2 have Mexican roots, 1 comes from the Phillipines, 1 has Iranian roots, 1 is from India (and 1 from Japan ...), but nearly all of them seem to live/work in the US, and given their apparent ages from what I've seen they must have been there for DECADES at this point; either they have been born there or they migrated with their families at a very young age. So - are they writing about American culture?
#OpenDnD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IC0AbjlIJM after watching this, I'm even more sure we won't be seeing Planescape or Spelljammer any time soon. It looks interesting in its own rights, but still not what I was hoping for.
There is no single American culture. That's what happens when you have a country made up of people from all over the world, all of whom are equally American.
But to really put a fine point on it, if say, an American of Irish ancestry whose family came here more than 100 years ago were to write an adventure that involved Celtic myths, would you still be asking this question? Or are they allowed to be American and Irish, while a person of color needs to choose one or the other?
The Spelljammer UA is not for this book. It will still almost definitely get published in its own book later this year.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms