Future Setting Specific Books

 

Personally, I don't want WotC to make a new setting.  They have Forgotten Realms and Greyhawk for the medieval fantasy, Eberron for the arcane pulp noir, Ravenloft for horror, Dark Sun (eventually) for the apocalypse world.  They have the MTG settings, Ravnica and Strixhaven.  They have the cultural appropriation settings they hesitate to touch like Kara-Tur, Al Qadim and Maztica (though technically FR).  They even have the redheaded stepchild, Mystara.

What I really want is more deep dives into existing settings.  A Dalelands book, a eastern Sea of Fallen Stars book (Thay, Mulhorand, Thesk Algarond), a Xend'rik book or a Mournlands book.  We just got a Domains of Dread book for Ravenloft.  Update the lore of these places deeper than a whole setting overview.

 

 Honestly I'd love more Eberron stuff exploring the main continent of Khorvaire in more detail or exploring the other continents that got short changed in Rising From The Last War. However I'm very aware that the lesson taken from the TSR era and 3e was that if you release loads of books for each setting you end up dividing your market into "players of Forgotten Realms", "players of Greyhawk", "players of Eberron" etc and people stop buying the books outside their chosen setting so not sure if we'll see that.

As for an old setting I'd like to see updated I'm going to go obscure and ask for Ghost Walk. Only ever got one book during 3e but was set in a city in the after life surrounded by monsters where heroes go when they die. It was different enough from everything else to catch my interest and has the added advantage if you accidentally TPK your party you just shift to there for the rest of the campaign   

Quote from Perringaiden >>

Quote from Lia_Black >>

I would love something Japanese themed, but honestly anything that moves away from a European design would be nice.

 Honestly, I think publishers focusing on that sort of culture specific thing should be "Not North Americans" to give it a real honest delivery.  Which is why if you want that sort of thing, there's 3rd party settings like Obijimas already on D&D Beyond.

On the topic: 

Personally, I don't want WotC to make a new setting.  They have Forgotten Realms and Greyhawk for the medieval fantasy, Eberron for the arcane pulp noir, Ravenloft for horror, Dark Sun (eventually) for the apocalypse world.  They have the MTG settings, Ravnica and Strixhaven.  They have the cultural appropriation settings they hesitate to touch like Kara-Tur, Al Qadim and Maztica (though technically FR).  They even have the redheaded stepchild, Mystara.

What I really want is more deep dives into existing settings.  A Dalelands book, a eastern Sea of Fallen Stars book (Thay, Mulhorand, Thesk Algarond), a Xend'rik book or a Mournlands book.  We just got a Domains of Dread book for Ravenloft.  Update the lore of these places deeper than a whole setting overview.

And the other thing is more setting-agnostic stuff.  Like a Martial book that's focused on more martial subclasses, feats, equipment and magical items.  I'm hoping we'll get something like that for the Arcane season and the Champions season.

And the final thing I really want to see is a "Homebrew Bible".  A guide to how to build monsters, how to build magic, how to build subclasses or feats.  Though I expect that if they're building that, it won't be out until after the Game Engine Rebuild has settled, and they've had time to build up the Homebrew tools on the site to support it.

 
Not trying to throw shade, but examine the premise of your argument for a moment. 
"These Culture specific settings were done poorly by a previous company 30 years ago, so a company set on the same continent can't try again at all." 

It is a poor argument, but I don't think you are stupid for making it or anything. (Cause I know someone might think that is what I am saying.)
I get you where you are coming from in not wanting stereotypes perpetuated and cultures bowdlerized into something offensive and that is a good impulse (one I strongly share) but also consider that those previous attempts were done without cultural consultation or without people of those cultures involved, and in a time where the internet was not as good of a research tool. 

WoTC could easily hire consultants, do research, hire Asian-American creatives or even hire writers from those regions to E-correspond with, and contract.
We have members of every ethnic group that TSR flubbed doing in North America, so it is very reasonable for WoTC to produce content for those players of those ethnicities as long as they are included in the process.
It can be done without getting... well "a tome full of yikes Bro" is the best way to put it without profanity. 
Also lets face it, the 3PP stuff that would fill those gaps would also have lots of North-American publishers trying and the same arguments for WoTC being able to do it apply to them.

So, a flipside of this, and why I am trying to gently rebut this is.... I had a young player (13 I think) cry because he felt left out lore wise. His words were "Why do you get to have your gods in the books but I have to put mine in myself?"
(That wasn't the only reason he was upset, it was just the pin that burst the balloon. He thought I was a Norse Pagan like the DM was, thus the 'your gods' comment.)

interesting topic there are several settings i want to see to return

• Birthreight
• Council of Wyrms
• Dark Sun
• Dragonlance
• Dragonlance: Time of the Dragon
• Forgotten Realms: Al-Qadim
• Forgotten Realms: Arcane Age
• Forgotten Realms: The Horde
• Forgotten Realms: Kara-Tur
• Forgotten Realms: Malatra: The Living Jungle
• Forgotten Realms: Mazitca
• Ghostwalk
• Jakandor
• Mahasarpa
• Mystara
• Mystara: Hollow World
• Mystara: Red Steel / Savage Coast
• Mystara: Thunder Rift
• Nentir Vale
• Pelinore
• Planescape
• Radiant Citadel
• Ravenloft: Masque of the Red Death
• Spelljammer

Also I would like to see a return of the Blackmoor setting that needs a partnership with The Arneson Estate

Quote from Davyd >>

However, it's also possible we get a planar-themed Tasha's style book where the options are taken from various planes and that's as much Dark Sun as we get.

Yeah, I'm still somewhat skeptical that they'll try to thread the needle on "remove the problematic elements/tone down the survival mechanics that are a very awkward fit for 5.5" and "have it be enough like Dark Sun to actually satisfy those asking for it" in a full book

I would love a Domains of Delight book, and a book fleshing out some Radiant Citadel settings.

I'd really like to see something genuinely new rather than just rehashes of existing material. That said, The Radiant Citadel was possibly my favorite 5e book, so I certainly wouldn't mind seeing a similar expansion on those worlds and cultures if they were done in that spirit.

Unfortunately, from what I'm seeing, it looks like we're getting a lot of 2024 rebooting for classic settings instead. It's particularly frustrating that the settings which were covered poorly, namely Planescape and Spelljammer, aren't getting the full revised treatment. The focus seems to be on revisiting places we've already seen multiple times and that were arguably handled well enough already.

Quote from Gnomarchy >>

Unfortunately, from what I'm seeing, it looks like we're getting a lot of 2024 rebooting for classic settings instead. It's particularly frustrating that the settings which were covered poorly, namely Planescape and Spelljammer, aren't getting the full revised treatment. The focus seems to be on revisiting places we've already seen multiple times and that were arguably handled well enough already.

 I think that's the sad irony of Spelljammer and Planescape; they did a not great job of them, released them in an experimental format that cost more than a regular book, both of which contributed to them not selling well which sends the message it's not worth doing a decent regular priced book 

Quote from Gnomarchy >>

I'd really like to see something genuinely new rather than just rehashes of existing material. That said, The Radiant Citadel was possibly my favorite 5e book, so I certainly wouldn't mind seeing a similar expansion on those worlds and cultures if they were done in that spirit.

Unfortunately, from what I'm seeing, it looks like we're getting a lot of 2024 rebooting for classic settings instead. It's particularly frustrating that the settings which were covered poorly, namely Planescape and Spelljammer, aren't getting the full revised treatment. The focus seems to be on revisiting places we've already seen multiple times and that were arguably handled well enough already.

 
I do as well. But a new world with new lore that is professionally put together and compelling takes time.
I know, because I do it a lot. Homebrew worlds of mine have taken years to come together, and i am only trying to please a small group of players whose tastes i know.

Now imagine trying to make a new world that is fresh and compelling to everyone. That is hard, and will take them time, and even should one be in the works, we ain't going to hear anything till it is pretty much finalized. 
It might be coming down the pipe but we will won't know until all the old worlds people have been asking for are updated. 

Quote from Caerwyn_Glyndwr >>

Quote from Perringaiden >>

Quote from Lia_Black >>

I would love something Japanese themed, but honestly anything that moves away from a European design would be nice.

 Honestly, I think publishers focusing on that sort of culture specific thing should be "Not North Americans" to give it a real honest delivery.  Which is why if you want that sort of thing, there's 3rd party settings like Obijimas already on D&D Beyond.

 

 
I have to strongly disagree with this on a few points.

For the first point, there appears to be a bit of an unfair, unintentional implication that WotC staff, as North Americans, cannot produce an “honest delivery.”  This discounts the fact that Wizards has fostered a more diverse team, and implies that folks like first and second generation immigrants cannot create an authentic delivery of the cultures that they grew up in.

Additionally, Wizards has shown a lot of willingness recently to subcontract in third party developers from other cultures to work on books of this nature.  One of my favorite parts of Radiant Cotadel’s marketing push was getting to read blurbs from non-Wizards developers talking about how they adapted and modified their cultures for D&D and fantasy.  And it turned out great - that book was fantastic, won a bunch of awards, and a number of the multicultural third party authors now work for Wizards.

Second, I think what a lot of people here want is non-European content.  There is a lot of “North American” content that would fit that description.  Newly hired Erin Roberts made Godsbreath, which was used in Radiant Citadel.  That setting explored her Southern African American culture, drawing on cultural history in places like New Orleans or her ancestors’ enslavement on plantations.  There are a whole bunch of Native American cultures that have their own fascinating lore and stories to explore - something Wizards has, unfortunately, been reluctant to touch on either in D&D or Magic.  Mexico also has a rich, diverse, and ancient culture that we saw some hints of in Radiant Citadel, but which would be neat to flesh out further. 

Finally, and most importantly, visibility in official content matters.  When “official” is nearly synonymous with “European”, that gives a false impression that European D&D is the “right” way to play the game. It also feeds into the perceptions of a very certain type of player that D&D is for them, not for everyone. 

I am all for third party content picking up gaps in what Wizards provides, and I am glad Wizards is willing to platform creators on Beyond (though I will note they have nearly exclusively platforms European content).  But official content has more gravitas and sets what the core game looks like.  As things presently stand, the core game says “if you are of a different culture and want to explore that culture, you can still play, you just can’t find anything within our content that speaks to you” and that is a failing on Wizards’ part.

Simply describing something as European (or African or Asian) tends to be a very American attitude. Pre-Christian cultures in Europe were very diverse. If someone thinks there's too much Tolkien-style fantasy, that's fine, but Tolkien is hardly synonymous with European.

Anyways, I wouldn't want any D&D setting to be more than very loosely based on real world cultures.

Quote from CunningSmile >>

Quote from Gnomarchy >>

Unfortunately, from what I'm seeing, it looks like we're getting a lot of 2024 rebooting for classic settings instead. It's particularly frustrating that the settings which were covered poorly, namely Planescape and Spelljammer, aren't getting the full revised treatment. The focus seems to be on revisiting places we've already seen multiple times and that were arguably handled well enough already.

 I think that's the sad irony of Spelljammer and Planescape; they did a not great job of them, released them in an experimental format that cost more than a regular book, both of which contributed to them not selling well which sends the message it's not worth doing a decent regular priced book 

 Which is a shame, because if they redid Spelljammer and then actually supported it with adventures, I could be persuaded to run them. Instead, I'm not headed to 3rd party.

Which leads me to my response to the main question: I don't know which ones are next...but I hope they slow down and consolidate, rather than ever expanding the settings. Some of these settings are massive, yet barely touched. I could run the adventures of each setting...but then we don't get the depth and continuity of having connected adventures. I have Spelljammer...but it's unplayed right now because it's just one adventure, and a short one at that. If they concentrated on developing the settings they already have, several options for adventure modules in each, then I think that would go better than a setting for every taste and one adventure each (and if it happens to be a bad one or one that takes a different slant to what you like...too bad!).

Quote from GnollitAll78450 >>

Quote from Gnomarchy >>

I'd really like to see something genuinely new rather than just rehashes of existing material. That said, The Radiant Citadel was possibly my favorite 5e book, so I certainly wouldn't mind seeing a similar expansion on those worlds and cultures if they were done in that spirit.

Unfortunately, from what I'm seeing, it looks like we're getting a lot of 2024 rebooting for classic settings instead. It's particularly frustrating that the settings which were covered poorly, namely Planescape and Spelljammer, aren't getting the full revised treatment. The focus seems to be on revisiting places we've already seen multiple times and that were arguably handled well enough already.

 
I do as well. But a new world with new lore that is professionally put together and compelling takes time.
I know, because I do it a lot. Homebrew worlds of mine have taken years to come together, and i am only trying to please a small group of players whose tastes i know.

Now imagine trying to make a new world that is fresh and compelling to everyone. That is hard, and will take them time, and even should one be in the works, we ain't going to hear anything till it is pretty much finalized. 
It might be coming down the pipe but we will won't know until all the old worlds people have been asking for are updated. 

 
Fingers crossed. It would be a shame if D&D mirrored Hollywood's reliance on endless sequels, prequels, reboots, and spinoffs. We need bold moonshots to spark imagination, even when some fall short. I believe the developers can do great work--if they're given the space to take risks.

I'd love it if they did an updated version of d20 Modern. Years ago there was a UA about it that never went anywhere, but I'd love to see them try again! 

Quote from Perringaiden >>

And the final thing I really want to see is a "Homebrew Bible".  A guide to how to build monsters, how to build magic, how to build subclasses or feats.  Though I expect that if they're building that, it won't be out until after the Game Engine Rebuild has settled, and they've had time to build up the Homebrew tools on the site to support it.

 Yeah they cut a lot of stuff from the Dungeon Master's Guide, like the homebrew instructions and creating maps. Hopefully they can squeeze that into their first 5.5e Everything book along with the player options.

Quote from Caerwyn_Glyndwr >>

Quote from gothicshark >>

 

 
They have all but confirmed we are getting a Dark Sun book later this year.  

No they have tested the waters for Dark Sun subclasses, Feats, and Species. The Setting was blacklisted early in 5th edition, and they explained why it was not going to be used fully ever again. Have they changed their minds, maybe, I would like to think they have. But there are several issues to running Dark Sun in 5.5e, you can't have all the classes in that setting due to specific lore reasons. Athas is cut off from the Weave and all the outerplanes, it is also without any gods. This means the setting can have only Martials and Psionics unless you are one of the two exceptions, Despoilers and their servants, or a Preserver which is similar to a Wizard-Druid. 

The long list of Setting Specific Tabboos which are all a part of how the world works, make it really hard for Hasbro to allow it as it would have to be rated over 18.  As many of the setting key words are banned words on most forums. What is more likely is the upcomming Arcane books will include a chapter establishing only the major points of the setting, and maybe a map. Allowing DMs to homebrew games set in the setting, and preserving the Copyrights and Trademarks of Dark Sun. Which at one point were in contention (early 2ks as it was not specified in the TSR transfer of ownership, and the origanal author of the setting contested it. It was resolved quickly and out of court, but in 2002 there was an issue. The Original Author had some rights to it aftwards, and even tried to make an MMO for it. The website for that was up until about 10 years ago, 

Basically, setting is 18+, but they have to publish material for it every now and again or they could loose control of it. (ie the "Fantastic 4" issue) 

A full book is doubtful, unless they commision a third party to publish it, which is possible as Paizo is now working with WotC again, and they wrote a lot of the 3.5 material. 

Quote from The_Ace_of_Rogues >>

 

Honestly, I'd prefer they don't try to draw from IRL cultures themselves so much as some the narrative forms from those cultures/regions. Writing a setting based on something like Wuxia tropes and conventions would probably serve as a better starting point than trying to work from a more grounded historical frame of reference.

Then you must hate all but Spelljammer. As all Settings in D&D are based on Real world loctions, and cultures. It's kind of impossible to make a fantasy not based on real world cultures as well that is what we as humans already know. 

As for the Forgotten Realms the world and Setting is intentionally an alternate version of our Earth, and the humans of that world are Humans from Earth who fell into that world or were stolen from Earth to work for free for Reptile overlords thousands of years ago. The reaons the fasion of the Sword Coast looks like a weird mismash of European fashion is because humans from Earth brought those fashions to Faerûn. The same is true for the other regions of the world of Toril. The only issues in the past was White Americans writing tropes of those regions based on TV and Sterotypes of those regions. If they have people who grew up in those cultures write their own mythology for the other regions of the Forgotten Realms it would be great. Also I'm sick and tired of Everything has to look like North West Europe in 1600 but with magic and no gun powder fantasy. I want other things, and gun powder. Everyone forgets at one point in Torils history the Planet had several Type 1 civilizations, with advanced technology driven by adavnced arcane use. Also the majority of Humans from Toril are not decended from Europeans, but from North Africans and Persians, the whole reptiles wanting free labour took from Babalyon and Egypt. 

Quote from gothicshark >>

Quote from Caerwyn_Glyndwr >>

Quote from gothicshark >>

 

 
They have all but confirmed we are getting a Dark Sun book later this year.  

 

No they have tested the waters for Dark Sun subclasses, Feats, and Species. The Setting was blacklisted early in 5th edition, and they explained why it was not going to be used fully ever again. Have they changed their minds, maybe, I would like to think they have. But there are several issues to running Dark Sun in 5.5e, you can't have all the classes in that setting due to specific lore reasons. Athas is cut off from the Weave and all the outerplanes, it is also without any gods. This means the setting can have only Martials and Psionics unless you are one of the two exceptions, Despoilers and their servants, or a Preserver which is similar to a Wizard-Druid. 

The long list of Setting Specific Tabboos which are all a part of how the world works, make it really hard for Hasbro to allow it as it would have to be rated over 18.  As many of the setting key words are banned words on most forums. What is more likely is the upcomming Arcane books will include a chapter establishing only the major points of the setting, and maybe a map. Allowing DMs to homebrew games set in the setting, and preserving the Copyrights and Trademarks of Dark Sun. Which at one point were in contention (early 2ks as it was not specified in the TSR transfer of ownership, and the origanal author of the setting contested it. It was resolved quickly and out of court, but in 2002 there was an issue. The Original Author had some rights to it aftwards, and even tried to make an MMO for it. The website for that was up until about 10 years ago, 

Basically, setting is 18+, but they have to publish material for it every now and again or they could loose control of it. (ie the "Fantastic 4" issue) 

A full book is doubtful, unless they commision a third party to publish it, which is possible as Paizo is now working with WotC again, and they wrote a lot of the 3.5 material. 

 UA generally tracks release schedules.  Next up in the chain is Arcane Subclasses - which maps to the Arcane book we already know will be published next.  The next sets of UA are the Psion playtests and Apocalyptic playtest - which includes Defilers, Sorcerer-King patrons, and Preservation Druid… all terms that are explicitly Dark Sun.

Which gets us to the part of my post you ignored - and probably the greatest hint we have seen so far.  Under the new seasons model, that UA would track to the unannounced Q4 book in the “Seasons of Champions.”   Champions is yet another Dark Sun specific piece of terminology.

So, we have a Q4 book… set in a season named with Dark Sun terminology… with subclasses named after Dark Sun lore… and a class that is named for Dark Sun… and three playtests so far dedicated to the book…. All real evidence points to this book being Dark Sun.  I also doubt it is subpart of a bigger book - they typically do not multiple playtests about a singular subject if it would just be a fraction of a whole.

Your counterpoints are also without real merit.  We have a new D&D Beyond team, so what the prior leadership said is not really relevant - the prior team was (I think to the detriment of the game) very risk adverse, while many of the new hires come from third party creators who would touch on more complex themes akin to Dark Sun.  Many of these developers have a history making books that are aimed at 18+ crowds, and several have a history of addressing dark themes found in Dark Sun (like slavery) in a way that does not feel like it is supporting the practice. 

“It would be hard and people who are not with the company anymore didn’t want to do it” is not a particularly compelling argument when faced with “all signs point to Dark Sun” and “the current team likes taking on hard subjects.”

Quote from CharlesThePlant >>

I'd love it if they did an updated version of d20 Modern. Years ago there was a UA about it that never went anywhere, but I'd love to see them try again! 

 A 3PP, evil genius games, made one a few years ago. But then they ran into some troubles, enworld had a pretty in depth look at it a couple years ago. I’m not sure if it’s still available.

Evil Genius Games published a new sourcebook of "Everyday Heroes" set in "the return of the living deads".

Hasbro could be interested into a d20 Modern 2.0. for licences of sci-fi or modern-day IPs (videogames, movies, novels..) but if your classes or subclasses aren't so useful when there are firearms in the game then it is not D&D.

WotC can't publish a d20 Modern 2.0. as a reskin of "Everyday Heroes". My suggestion is an optional rule about a second leveling-up pillar. Let's imagine a new edition of Gamma World. One PC is a barbarian (do you remember the Goliath warband from Games Workshop' Necromunda?). His main class is barbarian, but he also has a second pillar like a talent tree, in this case about to be a mechanic who fix and repair vehicles and machines. The second PC is a monk with a background like a "street fighter" style "Double Dragon" videogame, the manga "Fist of the North Star" or the movie "the Warriors". She has a secret identity like a street vigilante (like DC Batman or Marvel's Daredevil) but her cover is a trafficker of cybernetic grafts. She is from a zone where the stealth was the best strategy against the hordes of zombies.

---

My theory is we will see a generic sourcebook about post-apocaliptic fantasy with crunch or player options to can play Dark Sun but without lore. Later we could see some "Traveler's Guide of the region of Tyr" with a chapter about the zone, other about PC species and the rest about monsters. 

If there is an update of Birthright there is some possibilities of retcon, even changes in the geography because the campaign of the future videogame asked it.

I don't imagine Planescape 5.5 without PC species and I advice the return of the "sects" as subfactions.

Eldraine from Magic: the Gathering could be added to the D&D settings.

* How would be Dragonlance as a "chuanshu" story? Let's imagine a group from "the real life", for example Jem and the Holograms, who transmigrate within Krynn world, like the stereotipical isekai manga, and accidentally alter the plot, even the events of the summer of chaos and the begining of the age of mortals.

I don't understand how or why people are still trying to deny that WorC is actively working on an updated Dark Sun.