D&D (2024) Greyhawk Confirmed. Tell Me Why.

[Blue Orange]

My suspicion is they owned the IP, hadn't done anything with it lately (it was the baseline setting for 3e but hasn't seen much action since then), and saw an opportunity to produce some new material so people would buy the new books.

Much as I love nostalgia (look, I have a complete-for-now collection of D&D classic monsters minis) I doubt this has much to do with it as far as marketing strategy goes. I agree the 80s are in now, but they were much more Dragonlance; Greyhawk was big in the 70s when the D&D fanbase was smaller than it is now.

 

[Hex08]

Greyhawk is a world inspired by Gygax's love of sword and sorcery pulp fantasy and hard coded medievalism. I just don't understand how that is going to appeal to generations raised on Avatar, Harry Potter and Steven Universe.

Well, I wasn't raised on them (too old) but am old enough that I have enough disposable income to spend on stuff I find interesting, as is the majority of my gaming group, even if I don't use it. I don't play 5E but I would buy a new Greyhawk setting just to read it because I have fond memories of it from my early days playing D&D.

Also, because maybe people have broader tastes than you assume?

 

[Azzy]

This version of Greyhawk is probavly going to have a healthy dose of 3E Greyhawk, in terms of "Everything D&D Goes".

That was 1e Greyhawk, too.

 

[MadFergy]

This version of Greyhawk is probavly going to have a healthy dose of 3E Greyhawk, in terms of "Everything D&D Goes".

Yeah, they will destroy that great original setting by making it WOKE. I really wish they would not have used the Greyhawk setting. From the looks around here, so many whiners and crybabies about it.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Maybe the DMs Guild can open up Oerth for unofficial content. There probably needs to be a reminder about how to deal with any problematic aspects of legacy content, such as the occasional sexist, homophobic, transphobic, and racist depictions, when creating new products for the DMs Guild.

I'm pretty sure that's the policy there already. Certainly a fair amount of stuff has been zapped from DTRPG for being needlessly unpleasant.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Yeah, they will destroy that great original setting by making it WOKE.

I hear they're not even going to have level limits on demi-humans! Appalling!

 

[Yaarel]

I'm pretty sure that's the policy there already. Certainly a fair amount of stuff has been zapped from DTRPG for being needlessly unpleasant.

Heh. The tricky part is, officially selling the legacy D&D content that includes the occasional misspeak, while simultaneously banning indy products that quote it.

The policy would need to be clear and practicable.

 

[Yaarel]

I hear they're not even going to have level limits on demi-humans! Appalling!

I can see both happening.

In some Dwarf cultures on Oerth, Arcane magic is a taboo. In other Dwarf cultures, it is an ideal.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Yeah, they will destroy that great original setting by making it WOKE. I really wish they would not have used the Greyhawk setting. From the looks around here, so many whiners and crybabies about it.

Mod Note:

First post; first violation of the rules. Familiarize yourself with ENWorld’s rules- which you agreed to abide by when you created your account- or your time on this site will be very short.

 

[MNblockhead]

How did they justify it then? I am just curious. Greyhawk never grabbed my attention enough to read more than a few Dragon articles.

As Gary himself wrote, The World of Greyhawk is "almost certainly an incomplete copy." That is part of the charm. It leave much for the GM to fill in.

"The WORLD OF GREYHAWK Fantasy Setting in yours now, to do with as you wish. You can mold new states from old, or inflame old rivalries into open warfare, as you tailor the world to suit the needs of your players. The time has come for new legends to be created, new battles to be fought, new songs to be sung. It is your world--welcome to it!"

You can fit Dragonborn in along with the Qullans, Norkers, Xvarts, Gibberlings, and Ogrillons.