Giant Freaking Robot says that Netflix is in talks to bring Baldur’s Gate 3 to the screen. They don’t know if it would be a movie or a series yet, but the series makes more sense considering the amount of content in the video game.
There’s also a long simmering rumor that once Joe Manganiello gets done with he and his brother’s D&D documentary he’ll resume pitching his long-sought Dragonlance series. Manganiello is helping push the previous efforts at the doc over the line, there will be archival footage of many of the early particulars plus modern interviews with those in the current culture.
Yes, Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast let a lot of people go this week. The weakness of their position may be why Giant Freaking Robot has the exclusive about the deal. It’s a way to get funds for the struggling company fast.
Additionally, on Plex and Freevee there are three recently new D&D shows. On D&D Adventures you can watch a Heroes Feast (D&D cooking), Faster Purple Worm! Kill! Kill! (D&D comedy where everyone dies) and Encounter Party (an edited actual play). The Free Ad-Supported Television channel also has the original D&D cartoon, DesiQuest and Rivals of Waterdeep.
First appearing to the mass market fanbase within 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons in Eberron: Rising from the Last War and now in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, the Artificer is a kind of techno-wizard. For someone without previous connections to Eberron, the setting that exploded on the scene in 3rd edition, the Artificer confused me.
The fiction upon which it is based seemingly is all self-referring, or modern fantastical. There’s a subclass that essentially reads as if it is Iron Man ported back into D&D for example. Whereas most D&D classes stretch into the myths and legends that predate the game itself, the Artificer does not seem to have that convention.
Oddly enough, it was a Christmas movie that reminded me of Artificers within our lore. There are magical techno-wizards within holiday tales. From Christmas elves of tradition, to the inventors of Jingle Jangle, you can find your inspiration for your next Artificer.
These creators take the mundane and imbue it with magic. They create automatons, magically tinker, infuse items, and all the other things you expect from the description of an Artificer.
Masters of invention, artificers use ingenuity and magic to unlock extraordinary capabilities in objects. They see magic as a complex system waiting to be decoded and then harnessed in their spells and inventions. You can find everything you need to play one of these inventors in the next few sections.
Artificers use a variety of tools to channel their arcane power. To cast a spell, an artificer might use alchemist’s supplies to create a potent elixir, calligrapher’s supplies to inscribe a sigil of power, or tinker’s tools to craft a temporary charm. The magic of artificers is tied to their tools and their talents, and few other characters can produce the right tool for a job as well as an artificer.
Opening up a vision of an Artificer to include these amazing gift-gives also helps change how you approach D&D. A character of kindness and generosity, or that thieving Gustafson, expands the stories you can tell. When you visit the village you can brighten the spirits of the community via your infusions and spells.
It may be a Hallmark/Lifetime/FreeForm/UPTv cliche, but there is magic in the holiday season. Incorporating the magic of elves, toys, inventors, Santa, and others into your D&D characters and stories means adding more joy to a game that so often centers violence.
Generosity and joy exist in D&D (even in Barovia). Your Artificer has the power to amplify those feelings (while also being an effective combatant, but there are many places that talk about optimizing in those ways). There are 1,000 times a thousand stories available at any table and any session. Adding a little Christmas to your Artificer is a way to discover more of them.
Be Jeronicus, Jessica, Journey, or even Gustafson. Be Alabaster Snowball, Bushy Evergreen, Pepper Minstix, Shinny Upatree, Sugarplum Mary, or Wunorse Openslae. Roll dice and tell stories about the power of Artifice.
Overshadowed in the product reveals and release schedule, which has now be reduced to “coming soon,” was an immense amount of new art for the 2024 version of 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons. Every class will have full page art.
Every subclass with have art. Every background will have art. If a picture says a thousand words, then there will be more story revealed in the upcoming Player’s Handbook (at one point coming in late May next year) than ever before. This, and the increased font size, and the increased number of subclasses, and the additional spells and more feats, is why it will be the biggest PHB ever.
The amount of art is amazing. Look at this potential spread for Backgrounds (it should be noted that nothing shared at PAX U is considered final).
That’s quite evocative.
It’s the details where I get sad. 5e has transitioned away from having racial/species modifiers to attributes. From Tasha’s forward the encouraged option was to have these as floating selections that power players to create a wider variety of story.
Two alt-5e variants have followed suit. Tales of the Valiant from Kobold Press no longer has stat increases. They just grant more points for point buy or larger numbers for the standard array. Level Up and Advanced 5e from EN Publishing has a +1 from Backgrounds and a floating +1.
It seems, based on the image shared by Jeremy Crawford during the PAX U panel that Wizards of the Coast will be backing away from floating bonuses and instead assigning all bonuses to backgrounds. Since 2024 5e D&D is also removing Traits, Ideals, Bonds and Flaws from backgrounds we are losing another way to tell story via one of 5th editions best additions to the game.
In 2024 backgrounds will have ability score improvements (ASI) and a lower-powered feat, two potent mechanical advantages at lower levels. In D&D both of these will be heavily tied towards combat mechanics. It is less likely that stories of the Acolyte who became a Fighter are seen at tables because why would you want to damage your ability of a Fighter to do fighter-y things?
And this continues. The Soldier will have a Feat that makes sense for a soldier, as well as ASIs related to soldiering. This makes sense for specific stories, but only narrow tropey ones.
Since Wizards is removing personality and background features (five items very tied to social and exploration pillars) the game will be even heavier into combat — by rule.
There’s still time to fix this. Reduce the ASIs associated with Backgrounds to maybe a +1, recognizing that every background is tied to some sort of stat. Then have the other two +1s float where the player wants them. That way story-driven players and those seeking maximization will both be able to find angles for their tales.
Additionally, if the TIBF were too much, narrow these options. Use keywords rather than sentences. Have a bold, brash soldier. Maybe the aristocrat is well-kempt and haughty. Still empower DMs and the rest of the table to reward social roleplay by granting Inspiration.
Every single step of 5th edition’s living development has expanded story.
Wizards of the Coast should not step back from the expansion of story in the 2024 evolution of the game (floating ASIs in Tasha’s, species with less racism, not tying species/backgrounds to specific classes, new subclasses that capture the zeitgeist and more). Instead they should find ways to continue to expand the tales we tell via this game of dice and friends. Releasing most of the ASIs associated with Backgrounds is a way to do that. As is returning some of the traits and flaws that define our characters both in play and mechanically.
While chatting about Wish, Chris Pine suggested that Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves 2 is possibly/maybe going to happen. It wasn’t a strong statement, but it’s also the strongest since the co-writer/director duo were talking before the writers and actors strikes.
“I’ve heard some rumors about it,” he tells us of a potential follow-up. “But I don’t know anything yet. But I feel pretty confident that it may happen.” When we ask if he’d be happy to return, Pine responds: “Absolutely.”
Because a large part of that falling short was due to the compacted nature of releases that have meant a majority of films missed their targets this year. Releases are stacked up next to each other due to how the covid-19 pandemic reduced available theater openings for two years.
Because the TV shows ordered, TV in development (Kolstad) and the documentary would be boosted by the greater attention that major films still get over prestige television. There would be synchronicity, and unlike Marvel, Star Wars there isn’t yet danger of being overwhelmed with barely connected interoperable plots.
Because if they act quickly the main cast are available (a small benefit of the pauses due to the strikes). Pine has only 1 project (he’s said Star Trek IV v2 is dead). Rodriguez has 1 project, Regé-Jean Page has 1 project, Justice Smith has 4 projects. Sophia Lillis has 1 project. Chloe Coleman has 1 project. The cast that advocated for school D&D and grandparents D&D and just playing D&D in general is available now. That won’t be true for long.
That last point may be the most important. Long tails are rare in the current media environment. Many studios give up on “failures” rather than wait. The path to cancellation is quick. But Paramount and Hasbro haven’t given up on Dungeons & Dragons. It sits there on Paramount+ getting attention as one of the best found family films ever, a highly rated fantasy and it continues to help earn renewals at Paramount+ globally.
So yes, I agree with Gizmodo on this point — released D&D 2, you cowards.
Sweat dripping from my brow, I head back towards home. Dinodas bounds towards me, shifting to walk on the customary left side as we stroll. My hand reaches up to scratch that comfortable spot behind his ear. It’s an instinctive move now, for both of us.
We’re kin for many years now, this massive hound and little me, a halfling from Kirtin, just off Slope.
On certain days in the field he’s closer to me than others. On rising full Glibbon he knows I’m going to cut wood and brush. The physical exertion helps me focus, or unfocus — whatever. Those things that happened down Slope, and the years after, normally sit back in my head, but since the Hornjaws started visiting on full moons I’m unable to avoid the thoughts.
Don’t know how they got me to open up — probably something to do with how well they treat Dinodas. He likes them, so I like them. It’s typical for a bond. Meeting Belni and Terdu was good for him, probably good for me too.
I don’t like thinking about those times. I don’t want to remember the decision I made.
So that’s why when a moon rises full I cut brush and start a burn pile. Because this evening I’m going to share some stories. Daytime cannot be about Down Slope and regrets. That’s what moons rise is for.
I think back to the week-moon Feylf’s rise in Autumn. Belni was at the door. I didn’t have the rituals then, no stories. Just a drink from second mug. First mug is for caf in morning; second mug is ale in evenings. I lost third mug a while ago, that’s the one that Serg’nt gave me with the bottle. The fire was blazing, a bit too hot for this time of the year. Din’s at my feet when the knock comes.
Out here in Cold Creek things are pretty spread out. Down by Iron Road they be more city types. Here we’re alone at night, and that’s why I live by Creek.
“Ho. Door’s open.”
I set second mug down. Looking towards the door, one eye on the dusty sword that hangs to its right. Dinodas lifts one ear, one eye. The old hound is apathetic.
“Sir, ‘s Belni. I been looking for Terdu. He late from bonds-day.”
I helped the older Hornjaw look for his younger brother. They human, Belni with a solid herding dog. Good size to his bond, smaller than Din.
We searched for a few hours, the light of Feylf helped, and a few hours after sunset the month-moon Glibbon rose too. That made things easier. We found Terdu crying in a briar. He was embarrassed. His bond were two little sheep — two little fluffy wool sheep.
So I talked and talked and talked. I told tale to Terdu of all the kin and their bonds I met Down Slope. Many dogs, horses too. But when you’re on the northern front you see a bit of everything. Cold Creek doesn’t have a lot of people. Most of their bonds are herding dogs, we’re a herding community and then Iron Road nearsby has the ford. Still mostall the bonds have purpose.
Telling Terdu and Belni about the bigger world helped. Terdu was willing to go home. Belni, his dog, the two floof-sheep and the now prideful Terdu waved away. On that first night I didn’t know they’d come back. They’ve been back five Glibbons now.
Winter on the Slope and Rise gets cold, so the fire rages and the Hornjaws started to bring their friends.
There’s a first-timer tonight. Someone from Iron Road? Not from Creek, that’s certain.
He’s with a pony, carrying a lance and shield. Oh, and the helm of a new conscript. Older than the Hornjaws. Hmmm.
Feylf and Glibbon are both rising now, full. Kin is three-quarters too. It’s a bright night, but bitter cold. The Dragon is tucked behind a cloud and years from being full.
“Terdu, is this everyone you invited?”
“Yessi.. I mean, yes.” They’d stopped calling me sir. I’m just a man, and a dog, and a past that interests them.
There’s three girls, not the same families, as one is a goliath. She’s got a flutter of sparrows round her, several braiding her beard while she sits and waits.
“Belni, serve the cider. Tonight I’m going to talk about Fer and his bull. Fer came from out east. Getting to know Fer was probably the best thing about serving Down Slope. Warm soul who knew warm songs, and would always smile.”
The new one is clearly disinterested.
“It was Fer who taught me talking-drum. I never picked it up the speed he could do, but didn’t matter. He made me practice. Made me good in the head. Hitting that little drum meant not thinking about the lines across the river with the people of Az and Sel, their mastiffs, their rage…”
New kid stops muttering to himself and just interrupts.
“How was he at fighting?!” He shouts.
“Fer would sing too. Not a deep voice, not falsetto — just that type of voice that is confident in itself and willing to share…”
“His fighting! Was he a master at the sword, or bow, or an axeman?” Another interuption.
It’s going to be one of those nights. This isn’t the first time a near-child has wanted the focus to be on the violence in the front. It most certainly won’t be the last.
“Others may tell you those stories. My tales are of the friendships made, the acquaintances held close, and the connections lost. I no longer swing a sword or throw my spear. But I still think warmly about the women and men with whom I serve.
“They are what I miss. They are my regrets. The people and their bonds are the only thing worth my time, for any other thought is sorrow and pain.
“Maybe you’ll find another to tell you your tales. Here, at my fire, under the full moons, my stories are of them, because these are the stories I have.”
Chided, the man-child laughs and storms off. No one joins him.
“Another custom Fer taught me…” I continue with my tale of my friend, the story I have.
