D&D (2024) Deborah Ann Woll and Matt Mercer consulted on the 2024 DMG.

WotC consulted with celebrities including True Blood's Deborah Ann Woll and Critical Role's Matt Mercer when revising the upcoming 2024 edition of the Dungeon Master's Guide. Apparently another (unnamed) consultant provided advice on running game for kids.

That's it; that's the news.

 

[michaeljpastor]

Not familiar with Deborah Ann Woll's TTRPG work. But Matt's videos on running D&D, his world building, his rule books, and his outsized influence on the D&D fan base makes him an ideal outside consultant. The fact that Deborah Ann Woll is being given an equally high profile call out for her role as an outside consultant makes me want to check out her work. I only know her from True Blood.

Do yourself a big favor and watch Daredevil, and not just for her (but definitely at least for her). Another reason? Hallway fight scenes! They made me totally reimagine corridor fights in RPGs.

 

[michaeljpastor]

Also, in addition to her TTRPG work, check out Daredevil . . . it originally was a Netflix show, but is now on Disney+ . . . and we're getting a new season with Woll returning!!

I was so afraid the the supporting cast wasn't going to be included, and was so relieved to hear otherwise. Now my hope is that they'll cast Janel Moloney (Donna Moss from West Wing) as a sister or other relations, or retcon/recast her as her mother. They're practically twins!

 

[michaeljpastor]

Facebook might have been instrumental in connecting D&D communities together, do you want Meta consulting on the DMG? I wouldn't.

Facebook in particular? No. Someone with a background in social networking/Web 2.0? Hell, yeah, especially for things such as Adventurer's League, for which it is a necessity if it is to survive into today's world.

 

[michaeljpastor]

My initial reaction was that politics might be improved by more DMs in politics. I am sure that people will shortly inform me of the downsides to this.

The ideological divide of Rulings vs. Rules would tear this country apart, but be humorous to watch.

 

[Thomas Shey]

It’s a case of what do you mean by “ploy”. The word is not necessarily derogatory. One person’s cheep trick is another person’s cunning plan.

"Ploy" is one of those words that is not semantically neutral; its to be noted that a lot of the synonyms associated with it are things like "ruse" "contrivance" and "subterfuge". There are somewhat more neutral usages, but its not a word I'd use if I wanted what I said to be taken as a neutral assessment.

 

[SteveC]

I think this is some great news. I think Mercer and Woll are both great GMs who I'd listen to about what they think on gaming issues. I'm going to be honest, though, and say that I have no idea who the people writing the core DMG even are in 2024. Back when the last books came out, I did at least know who the consultants were. And I'm thinking of the Captain Jack Sparrow joke that even though they were controversial to say the least, I did know who they were. And that knowing who was involved with the game stretches back through 4E and really back to the very first book.

I'm sure lots of Enworlders know who's involved with the new books but this is literally the first time since Gary and Dave wrote the books that I have no idea who's involved.

So for me, seeing Mercer and Woll's name says "oh, some people who have interesting things to say and I've heard of. Cool beans."

 

[Zardnaar]

I think this is some great news. I think Mercer and Woll are both great GMs who I'd listen to about what they think on gaming issues. I'm going to be honest, though, and say that I have no idea who the people writing the core DMG even are in 2024. Back when the last books came out, I did at least know who the consultants were. And I'm thinking of the Captain Jack Sparrow joke that even though they were controversial to say the least, I did know who they were. And that knowing who was involved with the game stretches back through 4E and really back to the very first book.

I'm sure lots of Enworlders know who's involved with the new books but this is literally the first time since Gary and Dave wrote the books that I have no idea who's involved.

So for me, seeing Mercer and Woll's name says "oh, some people who have interesting things to say and I've heard of. Cool beans."

Yup at least I've heard of them.

 

[nyvinter]

Posted this in the wrong thread first so here it is again...

For people interested in Deborah Ann Woll and how she sees DMing and all that without watching an actual play, there's this from Dropout where she talks with Brennan Lee Mulligan. (TL;DW, she loves making puzzles for players and goes "right! what next?" rather than long in-character talks at the campfire.)

 

[Gus L]

I feel like I said a bit more than "."? I suspect the quote was an accident ... but ...

While I wasn't remotely talking about whatever's next for WotC ... I suppose the point that RPGs and specifically D&D fandom has always held a wide variety of groups with distinct goals is worthwhile. A lot of the conflicts one sees now over where the rules (or any specific set of rules) should go and how they should be played do feel like a repetition of the Lake Geneva v. Cal Tech arguments back in the mid-1970's...

Personally, I don't know much about Critical Roll or Matt Mercer but I think WotC is likely right to ask him for help on their new rules given that he's very much one of the pioneers in the "Play as Performance" or "Streaming Play" style that is really popular. If WotC wants to emphisize that kind of play - great, nice to see them trying to pick a coherent play style and move towards it. The question of if WotC CAN create a rule system that makes it fun and easy to play in that style from D&D is different ... D&D is so loaded down with legacy mechanics and expectations that I doubt it can change much.

The ghosts of editions past will haunt whatever WotC puts out.

 

[Queer Venger]

WotC consulted with celebrities including True Blood's Deborah Ann Woll and Critical Role's Matt Mercer when revising the upcoming 2024 edition of the Dungeon Master's Guide. Apparently another (unnamed) consultant provided advice on running game for kids.

That's it; that's the news.

What? No Manga-niello?!?!?
Keep the humor thread going here folks.