D&D General Joe Manganiello: Compares Early 5E to BG 3 . How Important is Lore?

[Remathilis]

Official does matter, depending on what you are most invested in and value the most. You think official shouldn't matter, but that preference only matters to you. I do sympathize with you caring about Legends; I loved Shadows if the Empire, for example. But was never as high level continuity as the films were; they didn't even pretend it was. Since we don't share the same values, and you don't seem to even understand how someone can feel the way I feel, we are at an impasse.

You're mistaking my opinion. While there are things I loved about Legends, there was as much stuff I didn't like (yuuzhan vong hello). Same with the new continuity. Thing is, I don't deny the new continuity has its place. There are things I do like (Mandolorean) and I don't feel aggrieved that it has changed. I realize things changed, and things have to change and I won't always like what the changes are, but that's how things are. If I spent every intereaction bemoaning how angry I am that they changed the lore of my favorite fandoms (be it D&D, Star Wars, Doctor Who, or Marvel) I'd never have a pleasant interaction with that which I "love" again. That doesn't mean I can't (and won't) be critical, but that I don't feel any of those companies owe me anything but an honest attempt at a good product.

 

[Micah Sweet]

You seem to be against making things your own and adapting them if you don't like them. Instead what you are advocating for is throwing things out entirely rather than taking the good parts and using them as a basis to make something you consider better.

I am for making things your own at your table. Holders of the IP should be consistent with its use.

 

[JEB]

I think WotC has been coy about this though and it would be nice if they just came out with "different editions and DM versions of a world are different realities".

Well, they did basically say that in 2021, after Van Richten's was released: https://dnd.wizards.com/news/dnd-canon

How much they've lived up to this policy, of course, is YMMV.

 

[Remathilis]

Well, they did basically say that in 2021, after Van Richten's was released: https://dnd.wizards.com/news/dnd-canon

How much they've lived up to this policy, of course, is YMMV.

Which was kinda what I was getting at, in a way. They've not done much with it (so far) except to point out "ze game is not ze same"

 

[JEB]

Maybe not, but I see no evidence in VRG that they were appreciative of anything done by previous Ravenloft designers.

IDK about indications in Van Richten's, but there are examples going both ways from creator interviews. On the one hand, the designer of the new Valachan explicitly stated that it was intended it as a continuation and not a reboot. On the other hand, the Dragon Talk on Dementlieu showed some serious skepticism towards the original.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I dare to say Hasbro really worries about the value of Ravenloft as IP, because this is the easiest option to be adapted into an action-live production.

Practically the 5e Ravenloft is a reboot, but I would rather to think it is a continuation and the changes were caused by Azalin who tried to escape (as if the troubles by the "grand conjution" weren't enough). My solution is the demiplane of the dread has got two layers. One of them is the 5e version of "broken into pieces" and a second layer what is like the core of the older edition, but bigger, where the influence of dark lords are lower, but there are more supernatural factions, to play a gothic horror version of "Game of Thrones". Some times the dark powers allow somebody to escape, but this goes to Innistrad, like a wicked and cruel joke.

Ravenloft has been rewritten to allow more space for ideas by the players themself, and I believe this is a right step.

WotC is more focused to sell "crunch" but Hasbro would rather to bet for the lore to making money with D&D as a multimedia franchise.

* I miss Dark Sun but that setting is too limited for the new options of crunch (classes and PC species) from later editions.

 

[Ir'revrykal]

Also I just was reminded, there's a reference to Iron and Blood in VRGtR

Y'know. Iron and Blood: Warriors of Ravenloft, the awful fighting game for the PS1? You don't include a reference that absolutely niche without caring a lot for something

Hell, if anything you could easily argue simply due to including it, VRGtR is more respectful than any of the Ravenloft books that White Wolf published. None of them had Iron and Blood references (please don't actually make this argument, Iron and Blood is an awful game)

What's the reference to Iron and Blood in Van Richten's?

 

[Mistwell]

Joe Manganiello Compares Baldur's Gate 3 to Early Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition

Joe Manganiello sees Baldur's Gate 3 as being more in line with the spirit of Dungeons & Dragons [...]

comicbook.com

So in other thread people have talked about how WotC has butchered Spelljammer, Dragonlance and Ravenloft with their reimaginings.

Seems like sales are down as well from the bookscan sata.

This is the Player's Handbook which 10 years in and close to the release of it's replacement book is still ranking in the top 300 of all books on Amazon?

 

[Zardnaar]

This is the Player's Handbook which 10 years in and close to the release of it's replacement book is still ranking in the top 300 of all books on Amazon?

Strawman it's not about sales it's his opinion.

I agree with about half of what he's saying.

 

[Mecheon]

What's the reference to Iron and Blood in Van Richten's?

The guy running the fighting tournament in Kartakass is Nym Pymplee, one of the fighters from the game