Which Greyhawk in D&D 2024

[Snarf Zagyg]

I suppose I should comment on this, given I don't know if/when I will put up a Greyhawk post.

I would go with 576 CY. Mostly because that is keeping with the platonic ideal of Greyhawk as a "loosely sketched, you fill it in" campaign setting that each table was expected to make their own.

In saying that, I recognize that there was additional lore created afterwards, and while some of it was questionable, there are real fans of various aspects of it. And I certainly don't want to de-value their love or experiences. But in terms of the setting as a teaching experience for DMs to make their own, I would definitely think that the classic setting is the best, because that is, effectively, what it was.

Those who loved the additional lore can make it their own by adding the lore- which keeps with the "Greyhawk is your own setting" vibe.

To me, one of the major distinctions between GH and FR has always been that GH is relatively unencumbered by too much additional canonical lore, and I'd like to keep it that way. Every table can have their own GH, and each exists and is valid in their own way.

 

[Chaltab]

I mean what I would do is move it a ahead as much as they moved Forgotten Realms, so place the current year in the early 700s CY.

What they're likely do is reset it to 576 or 591, just like how when they did Spelljammer they completely reset the Rock of Bral to where it was in 2E.

 

[haakon1]

The map looks like 576 CY, with name changes.

 

[Starfox]

I think my game is now in the 1680s. The Greyhawk Wars are history, Nyrond is an emerging superpower, the north part of the old Great Kingdom is a puritanical Pholtus-dominated republic of Andorian borrowed from Pathfinder and northern Furyondy might be moving into Fairy soonish. Everyone ought to be fearing Iuz's return after having been banished for 100 years and a day by the crook of Rao, but most people forgot, and likely Iuz will have problems with the modern armies of the restored crusader nations Shield Lands and The Horned Society. Of course satanists too can crusade against demons!

 

[Starfox]

I think my game is now in the 1680s. [...]

To be honest, I'm not super-happy for Greyhawk to be given the "official setting" treatment. I was pretty happy with it as abandonware I could do what I want with and not risk having it superseded later.

 

[haakon1]

I think my game is now in the 1680s. The Greyhawk Wars are history, Nyrond is an emerging superpower, the north part of the old Great Kingdom is a puritanical Pholtus-dominated republic of Andorian borrowed from Pathfinder and northern Furyondy might be moving into Fairy soonish. Everyone ought to be fearing Iuz's return after having been banished for 100 years and a day by the crook of Rao, but most people forgot, and likely Iuz will have problems with the modern armies of the restored crusader nations Shield Lands and The Horned Society. Of course satanists too can crusade against demons!

680 or 1680? 104 years after the folio or 1104?

 

[Starfox]

680. And checking my numbers, its actually more like 650. Posting just before bed has its dangers.

 

[Fortunate Son]

The map looks like 576 CY, with name changes.

Pretty much this. The name changes aren't even new names for the most part (other than Arn), they just changed the region names to what the inhabitants call themselves.

 

[Orius]

Honestly, both Greyhawk and the Realms both have similar ideal starting points, either classic 1e or early 3e. For the Realms that's Grey Box or FRCS.

Greyhawk isn't any different, really. The two best starting points would be either the Folio or the Box, or the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. The 1e material is fine if one doesn't want to mess with the Greyhawk Wars, however if a group hasn't played in Greyhawk before the Wars shouldn't be a serious issue. The biggest problem with the Wars is that it trashed large chunks of the setting. If you weren't playing around the City of Greyhawk itself and the Wild Coast, the Wars probably chewed up your corner of the Flanaess. No wonder the old fans weren't happy, even at best the post Wars Greyhawk would have still had serious issues with the aftermath and new material would have been harder to adapt.

I like the late 2e reboot myself. I've never run Greyhawk so the Wars aren't a problem. The worst elements were dialed back, leaving some decent adventure hooks in place, and there's potential there for the setting to enter a new age of growth and prosperity. However, even the LGG should be supplemented by the Folio just for the excellent Darlene map. If one wants to do a darker take on the setting, the From the Ashes box might be suitable as a start instead.

 

[howandwhy99]

I worry most that this will be mistakenly taken as a world building encyclopedia for shared storytelling as opposed to the backbone of a strategy game with mechanical backing for every component included.

If it is the former, then I assuredly want the original setting to remain untouched. An entirely new reboot of the setting could work. But if it is the latter, and this is the recreation of the game as originally conceived, then I think we should do Gary's published version.