And then there's 2006!

As many people would know by now, I love knowing about what is coming up. The entire DDM News page came about because I started collecting the tidbits of information that were being posted by the designers, but even before that I was a regular on ENworld and the Wizards boards, looking for news.

2006 is just around the corner (say I, when it's barely half-way through 2005). However, Wizards work so far in advance that knowing six months in advance what is coming up is actually rather late in the day.

The upcoming year will be important for D&D. With the exhaustion of the popular Complete series line, and the release of all three Races books, most of the core topics of D&D have been covered. Although sales of the Player's Handbook should remain strong, there is a possibility that the other offerings from Wizards in the D&D range will not attract enough customers for the game to prosper.

We are armed with very little knowledge about what is coming up: little more than product names and prices. However, as speculation is one of our happiest occupations, let's examine what has been revealed and wonder about its potential popularity and its impact on D&D.

In the upcoming discussion, I will discuss the "tiering" of books. The first tier (A) is that of the core books - those that everyone needs to play the game. The second tier (B) is that of books that need the core books, but no other books. The third tier (C) is that are dependent on a Tier B book.

January 2006
Player's Guide to Eberron - 160 pages - us$29.95 - Tier C
I don't have the Player's Guide to Faerun, but as one of that book's goals was to update the Forgotten Realms to 3.5e, that can't be the same here. Instead, we are likely to see a book that gives players a good introduction to Eberron, as well as providing a lot of Eberron-related game mechanics: feats, prestige classes, spells, etc.

It will be interesting to see whether the new Eberron races are reprinted in this book, along with the Artificer. I'd think that such would be a good move, as it would cut down what the players actually need to have to play in Eberron, and it would also mean they didn't have access to some of the GM-only information in the Campaign Setting.

The only play I am currently doing in Eberron is the RPGA's Mark of Heroes campaign, but I am very interested in this book as I find Eberron a fun setting, as do many of my players.

How successful might this book be? I'd say: moderately. The reports from fans of the Eberron setting have been pretty good for Five Nations, Sharn, and Races of Eberron; I expect a similar level of support for this book. As a Tier C book (though possibly one that moves towards Tier B), it may have the popular support of a Tier B book.

Races of the Dragon - 160 pages - us$29.95 - Tier B
I've enjoyed most of the previous Races books, with the partial exception of Races of Destiny, but why do we need this book? This is probably because Wizards are moving past the traditional fantasy and into the more creative fantasy of the modern era. I see this as a good sign.

One of my friends, Daniel, is also likely to adore this book, because he is currently playing a Kobold Wizard in the Mark of Heroes game. How could RotD not have kobolds? ;-)

The risk for Wizards in producing this book is greater than their previous Races books. Non-traditional fantasy is becoming much more accepted in the gaming world, but it isn't fully accepted. There are gamers who can't see past the original Tolkien-inspired settings.

It is also worth noting that at 160 pages, this will be the shortest of the Races books; although Races of Eberron was also shorter due to an increased font size.

February 2006
The Red Hand of Doom - 128 pages paperback - us$24.95 - Tier B (if generic) or C (if Realms)
A new adventure for D&D! What could be more exciting? The identity of the authors (Rich Baker being one) suggest that this is set in the Forgotten Realms, though there are indications that it might be a generic adventure. I tend towards the former setting at the moment.

It has been a while since any adventure of this length has been produced by Wizards: the Eberron adventures were only 32 pages in length, and the upcoming Sons of Gruumsh is the same length.

There is a general consensus across the RPG industry - correct or not - that adventures don't sell. Thus, the Red Hand of Doom is risky for Wizards; some of that risk is offset by the relatively high cover price. That will not deter me from obtaining it when it comes out, simply because it is an adventure.

However, actually being able to write high-quality adventures is a rare gift. I am not familiar with previous adventures by these authors. It could be very successful, or it could be dreadful. It is more likely to be in-between, but our expectations are so high for adventures that even a slightly good adventure may get very bad reviews.

With the recent quality of Dungeon magazine - the Age of Worms adventure path is well worth investigating - The Red Hand of Doom does at least have something to live up to in the modern era. I look forward to the result.

March 2006
Tome of Magic: Pact, Shadow and True Name Magic - 288 pages - us$39.95 - Tier B

This book is the latest "capstone" system, I would guess. Like Magic of Incarnum, it will provide a new approach to magic that can work with or without the existing system. What makes this very intriguing to me is the possibility of making True Names important to D&D.

Twenty years ago, when I first got involved in a AD&D campaign - rather than the one-shots that had been my main experiences of the game - I had just read Ursula K LeGuin's A Wizard of Earthsea. As a result I wanted to have my character have a True Name, and for it to be important. Thus was born Silverbreeze, whose real name was Meliander Corthan.

His True Name was never important. In later games and in my writings, I've always referred to him by his actual name rather than by his nickname. However, I hope you can see why I'm intrigued by Tome of Magic.

That I've also had a long-running plotline in my campaign related to the Plane of Shadow just makes me more interested in this book. I'm sure I'm not alone in that.

However, this is a very optional work. I expect it will take the game of D&D and move it away from its traditional Vancian magic system and allow the simulation of magic found in other fantasy and mythological sources, just like Magic of Incarnum is likely to. At us$39.95 (yes, it is a lot more in Aussie dollars), it's a big investment. It is a risky book for Wizards to produce.

As someone who enjoyed A Wizard of Earthsea, I hope it is successful.

Power of Faerun - 160 pages - us$29.95 - Tier C

I have absolutely no idea what this book is about. Another book of Forgotten Realms magic? It would seem likely - although perhaps it will take a leaf from Weapons of Legacy. As a Forgotten Realms book, it will likely do good business with FR fans (of whom I am not one. I like the setting, but I don't follow it overmuch). This is probably the least risky of all of the early releases for 2006.

April 2006
Complete Psionic - 160 pages - us$29.95 - Tier C

The Future Releases forum on the Wizards boards has been discussing the possibility of this book for months. I was in the camp that thought it would never get made, precisely because it was a Tier C product, requiring both the core books and the Expanded Psionics Handbook. I guess I was wrong. However, I'm not unhappy about that!

Eberron has made an impact on the acceptability of psionics. We now have a setting where the use of psionics is accepted as a normal part of that world. This is good, and it will delight those players I have who love psionics - especially Adam.

I hope this book addresses the problems faced by the Soulknife, but regardless of that, it is a real boon to lovers of the XPH. Is this book risky for Wizards? You bet it is. The early part of 2006 is really displaying several fringe products. On the other hand, there is a disconnect between those who play D&D with only the Core Books and those that play D&D with most of the supplements. What is the transition like between "Core only" and "everything goes"?

There appears to be no Genre book in these releases, nor a Environment book. I guess we'll see those in the middle of 2006.

Although I am happy with the releases that have been announced, I am cautious about how they will be received by the greater D&D population. This will be a important stage in the development of D&D: can it reach out to those who want more than the old Tolkien-inspired game?