New Dungeons & Dragons Core Rule Books Revive the Game's Oldest Setting

Dungeons and Dragons is going back to Greyhawk in the new Dungeon Master’s Guide releasing later this year. After five years without a whisper about the original Dungeons and Dragons setting, Greyhawk's Oerth is getting the spotlight in the revised 5th Edition core rulebooks.

Over the years, Dungeons and Dragons has explored many different settings, from Critical Role’s Exandria to the Forgotten Realms, the world where Baldur’s Gate 3, the Drizzt books, and Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves take place. Among all of these places, Oerth, the world of Greyhawk, is the oldest, as it was the original setting made by D&D creator Gary Gygax. Despite this, Dungeons and Dragons hasn’t given much attention to Greyhawk in recent years, with only scant mention of locations and deities from the setting, and a few adventure paths that remake old modules set in the realm.

This is changing in the revised 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons core rulebooks. According to Game Informer, and reported by D&D fan and reporter Christian Hoffer, Greyhawk “takes center stage” in the new Dungeon Master's Guide coming out later this year. Complete with maps, detailed information, and instructions on how to personalize the setting – or even create a world of their own – Greyhawk is seemingly replacing the Forgotten Realms as the default setting in these core Dungeons and Dragons books.

The Greyhawk Setting in Dungeons and Dragons

• Greyhawk is the original setting of Dungeons and Dragons, invented by Gary Gygax himself.
• Vecna, the iconic Dungeons and Dragons villain coming to Dead by Daylight, plus legendary mages like Tasha and Mordenkainen who have iconic spells named after them, come from Oerth.
• In 4th Edition, the Forgotten Realms replaced Greyhawk as the default setting of D&D, with only The Village of Hommlet adventure being set in the realm.
• The original 5th Edition books from 2014 made reference to Greyhawk deities and characters, with some appearing in other adventure paths over the years.
• Tales from the Yawning Portal in 2017 and Ghosts of Saltmarsh in 2019 adapted several old Greyhawk adventures to 5th Edition.

Many old school players are excited to return to Greyhawk. Though 4th and 5th Edition revamped some old adventures, there hasn’t been any truly new Greyhawk content in about 16 years. Fans of the classic setting are excited to see the realm finally get some attention in the Dungeon Master's Guide, as well as the new Vecna: Eve of Ruin D&D adventure.

That said, some fans are perplexed by Wizards of the Coast’s timing on this Greyhawk revival. After all, the award-winning Baldur’s Gate 3 recently introduced many players to the Forgotten Realms, and many find it strange not to capitalize on its success. This new focus on Greyhawk probably won’t lead Dungeons and Dragons to forget about the Forgotten Realms, however, so fans will have to see when and how Wizards of the Coast returns to Faerun and beyond.