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Wizards of the Coast: 2010-2011 Preview (Part 2)

Wizards of the Coast shared some highlights of their upcoming release schedule through the next year. We already covered D&D Essentials in our 2010-2011 Preview (Part 1). This installment is for the experienced gamers who want more materials for their existing campaign and characters. We’ll also share the limited details provided about D&D Gamma World. You may want to bookmark these articles and keep coming back throughout the next year to find out what Wizards is releasing next.

 

Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set
a.k.a The Red Box

As the title implies, it’s a beginner’s guide to D&D. It provides everything someone new to the hobby needs to know to begin play. It comes with a solo adventure and it comes with dice. Although the packaging is not the same as the rest of the D&D Essentials line, this is considered one of the core 10 products that all game stores should keep stocked.

Coming in September 2010.

 

D&D Miniatures: Lords of Madness

This is the only new line of D&D minis announced. It looks like they’re going back to the original format where all the minis are hidden. No more preview of at least one huge or large mini when you buy.

Coming in September 2010.

 

D&D Miniatures: Beholder Collector’s Set

If you thought it was tough to get your hands on an Orcus mini, these beholders are going to be just as rare. You get four beholders in one set. The top panel of the box opens to display all four minis.

Coming in November 2010.

 

Dungeons & Dragons Wrath of Ashardalon Board Game

In the same format and style as the Ravenloft board game, comes Wrath of Ashardalon. In this game you get to fight red dragons. The two board games will be compatible and Wizards plans to release information on their website on how to combine the two games into one massive adventure.

It’s for for 1 to 5 players, so yes it is possible to play it by yourself.

Coming in November 2010.

 

Gazetteer: The Nentir Vale

This is the campaign setting described in the D&D Essentials line so Wizards thought it might be a good idea to give us more information about it. The book will include a 6 x 9 gate-fold map.

Coming in 2011, First Quarter.

 

Players Option: Heroes of Shadow

Introducing the shadow power source. Of course, DDI subscribers have already had a taste of the shadow power source with the Assassin and the Revenant. Wizards confirmed that Heroes of Shadow will support the previously released materials but that the content exclusive to DDI will remain exclusive to DDI. So new feats and paragon paths for the Assassin, but not a full description of the basic class.

This book will contain more about the flavour and background of playing PCs with the shadow power source.

Coming in 2011, First Quarter.

 

Deluxe Dungeon Master’s Screen

All the information a DM needs at his fingertips. The tables have been rearranged based on which ones are used most often. Anything that was updated since the original DM’s screen, like the DCs for skill challenges, was updated for this release.

Coming in 2011, First Quarter.

 

Deluxe Dungeon Master’s Screen

Full mural spanning all four panels.

 

Mordenkainen’s Magnificent Emporium

Call it what you want but this is Adventurer’s Vault 3. It will introduce some game-changing rules for magic items in 4e D&D. All items will be categorized as common, uncommon or rare. PCs cannot create or purchase uncommon or rare items. It’s unlikely that any PC will ever have more than one rare item. All existing magic items in 4e D&D are going to be retroactively categorized. Almost everything that’s already in print will become uncommon or rare.

This change is intended to fix power creep and will put the control of magic items firmly back into the hands of the DM. I suspect that a lot of gamers will opt not to follow these new guidelines. Unless I hear something compelling, I intend to ignore this new mechanic and keep things as they are now in my home camping.

Coming in 2011, Second Quarter.

 

The Shadowfell: Gloomwrought and Beyond

This one is a boxed set and features the Shadowfell. If you’re going to release a shadow power book I guess it only makes sense to put out a supplement that provides locations to set adventures for the new shadow PCs.

Coming in 2011, Second Quarter.

 

Monster Vault: Threats to the Nentir Vale

Another boxed set. This time it’s full of monsters. Included are tokens, maps and encounters featuring the new monsters.

Coming in 2011, Second Quarter.

 

Conquests of Nerath Board Game

This board game is a strategy war game. They likened it to Risk and Axis & Allies. A world map is included as part of the game and this will be the first look at the entire setting map for the D&D Essentials world.

Coming in 2011, Second Quarter.

 

Players Handbook: Champions of the Heroic Tier

With so many new players joining D&D in 2011 thanks to the D&D Essentials line, there is a heavy focus on heroic play. This supplement, although not part of D&D Essentials, incorporates some of the new materials from those books. It will include character themes, like those we’ll see in the upcoming Dark Sun materials. It will also provide new options to flesh out your character’s background. It sounded a lot like the non-weapon proficiency system from AD&D.

Coming in 2011, Third Quarter.

 

Neverwinter Campaign Guide

Set in the Forgotten Realms, this is intended to provide plot options for DMs who want to adventure in Neverwinter. It will also feature a new class called the Bladesinger. This is a full treatment which includes powers for level 1-30, new feats and paragon paths.

Coming in 2011, Third Quarter.

 

Hero Builder’s Handbook

If you’re looking to customize or optimize your character to the Nth degree then this is your book. It contains guidelines and details for making the very specific character you’ve envisioned.

Coming in 2011, Third Quarter.

 

The Madness of Gardmore Abbey

This is the 2011 super adventure. The main plot of the adventure is to recover the Deck of Many Things. The cards have been scattered throughout the Abbey and it’s up to the PCs to collect them. It’s also likely that the PCs will find opportunity to use some of the cards in the process so beware.

Coming in 2011, Third Quarter.

 

Ravenloft Roleplaying Game

Ravenloft is back and it’s part of the Shadowfell. Use it as a setting in and of itself or add it to any existing campaign setting. There will be rules for playing the vampires and werewolves as PCs. So for all of you teenage girls out there who wanted to create Jacob and Edward as D&D heroes, this book makes that possible.

Coming in 2011, Third Quarter.

Although Dungeon’s Master is exclusively a 4e D&D website, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the upcoming D&D Gamma World setting. I’m not sure how closely aligned it will be with “real” D&D but I’m sure there are some folks who are interested in finding out. I remember the old Gamma Word RPG from the 80s and I just don’t see how they can call it D&D. However, I reserve judgement until I’ve had a chance to see the materials.

 

D&D Gamma World Roleplaying Game

Add laser guns and spaceships to your D&D campaign.

Coming in September 2010.

 

D&D Gamma World Booster Packs

These cards will add an element of randomness to every Gamma World adventure. They are not intended or designed to be a collectible card set. You don’t buy them all and pick the ones you want to use. You buy a pack and then take whatever is in there and use them as appropriate.

Coming in September 2010.

 

D&D Gamma World: Famine in Far-Go

This expansion set has more Gamma World goodies to keep your game from getting stale. More monsters and more adventures.

Coming in December 2010.

There is also a lot going on throughout the upcoming year in the D&D novel line. I’ve decided to save that for another post. There was also a Q&A at the end of the seminar covering anything and everything that those in attendance wanted to know. The details will be included in our 2010-2011 Preview (Part 3) later this week.

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7 replies on “Wizards of the Coast: 2010-2011 Preview (Part 2)”

I’d be interested in hearing more about the item in Players Handbook: Champions of the Heroic Tier that sounds like the Non-Weapon Profeciencies. A new skill system?

A lot of these products are cool and such, but have you heard anything about DDI Adventure Tools and such.

@ Alton
I asked that very question during the Q&A period of the seminar. The official answer is there is no answer. WotC have learned not to announce anything to early when it comes to digital products in case their is a snag and they can’t deliver. In other words they’ve been burned once before and aren’t going to let it happen again. Having said that I got the distinct impression that there will be some type of an announcement regarding new tools for DDI subscribers soon.

Also, expect Atari to make a D&D related annoucnement about a new game near the end of September.

@DarkTouch
The example they used was that you can give your PC a background like a blacksmith and there are going to be rules mechanics to make that possible. Sounds like non-weapon proficiencies to me. It didn’t sound like a new skill system, but they didn’t really provide a lot of detail. I guess we’ll just have to wait.

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