Guildmasters Guide to Ravnica (Dungeons Dragons, 5th Edition) by James Wyatt

Guildmasters Guide to Ravnica (Dungeons Dragons, 5th Edition) Reviews

• 
  Kaitlyn

  So they stopped doing the trilogies of block novels.
  
  Then they discontinued the single block novel.
  
  They tried the planeswalker's guides books....for exactly one block.
  
  Then they did eBooks of web content, but stopped aggregating them.
  
  Which brings us here, to a D&D module/guidebook for a Ravnica campaign for D&D.
  
  And while I'm sad that we're probably never going back to the days of Rath and insane meandering plotlines with characters whose names aren't Jace or Bolas in, this book was very much my jam. I'd be fine with the spirit of the novels living on in this fashion. Well-organized, clear, flavorful. I don't know if I learned anything about the setting that I didn't know already, but it provided so many story ideas and plot hooks that felt perfect for the format - I particularly liked the bit about how Azorious will occasionally bind felidars to prisoners rather than arrestors, because then the felidar can track the prisoner in the event of an escape, setting up a great race against the clock to find the prisoner before the Azorious do.
  
  I came away inspired for a Ravnica-themed campaign. I have no better praise to give than that.
• 
  Jasmine

  Really well done source book, and the use of guilds has sparked some interesting thoughts about factions. I'm not sure I'd want to run a campaign here, but still really enjoyed the mechanical tweaks (ESPECIALLY the allies and adversaries within your guilds!).
  
  My one woe is I really wish we had bigger maps of the headquarters of the guilds that are mentioned, those sound fantastic.
• 
  Jeff M

  Surprisingly good. There has been some angst in the community having Magic: the Gathering entering into the D&D metaverse but I enjoyed this read.
  
  The factions are for the most part all quite interesting and varied. Some nice personalities and motives within the different guilds.
  
  It's a nice setting and while the example adventure is rather typical, it's a nice introduction.
  
  Overall I think it works. James Wyatt is the correct guy to bridge this gap, I think, and he and the team do a good job.
  
• 
  Michael

  While this does offer a good place to start for having an adventure take place in Ravnica, I feel like there should have been two parts to this, with this guide covering the events prior to War of the Spark and a second guide covering the War itself and the aftermath, as there are numerous changes which take place in the plane of Ravnica after War of the Spark, namely the death of certain characters, the changing of leadership in certain guilds, as Jarad is no longer in charge of the Golgari as of the publication of this book in MTG Lore, it would have helped as campaigns can be shoehorned into "Pre-War of the Spark" events if you don't homebrew around them.
  As a counterpoint, I love the items and ancillary that is presented in this book. The character options are good, despite having some flaws in certain classes like the Circle of Spores Druid, the items are fantastic and can even be applied to other modules and such with slight name changes or alterations to backstory, such as signets being assigned by different kingdoms but retaining their spells, and the creatures offered here give a much needed variety to certain types of monsters, such as Mind-drinking vampires as well as lower leveled vampires for other campaigns like Curse of Strahd.
  Overall, this is certainly a book to include and could allow someone invested in Magic the Gathering to get involved in Dungeons and Dragons, as I have used it, but unless you have resources available to alter some of the encounters or hierarchy of Ravnica, you'll be forced into events prior to the current MTG Lore, which may only target the older players who look fondly on Return to Ravnica as their first experience of the plane and want to build their story from there. Certainly a good resource, but even better if you are more seasoned as a DM.
• 
  Benjamin

  Here's a really interesting case: after Wizards bought TSR (and thus D&D), as far as I can recall, there wasn't a lot of overlap between their core games until recently. So Magic the Gathering stuff was over there, in the cards; and over there, in the D&D books, was the Forgotten Realms and other D&D-specific material.
  
  But in the last 5-6 years, there's a been a few crossovers in both directions: they released a Forgotten Realms card set for Magic; and they've imported a few Magic planes into D&D. And the first of those was Ravnica, released as a Magic set in 2005 and as a D&D campaign world in 2018.
  
  Now I haven't played Magic in years and years, and I always had a slight grudge against the game as a drain on the nerd economy--the more people bought and played Magic, the less they bought and played D&D. So with that caveat, here's what I remember of the game: you play cards from your hand, some of those cards have no cost and give you energy (mana) of different colors, which you can then use to play other cards from your hand, mostly monsters and spells to attack the other player. So there's a lot of strategy around which cards are best, and from that, which "colors" of mana are best, and from that, what the best deck to build is. Each set of Magic cards adds some new cards, but as far as I know, the rules are the same, pretty much.
  
  So when Ravnica has a lot of lore about how this world is a whole city, with ten guilds that control certain aspects of life, and a real uneasy peace between them, that's all nice lore, but it doesn't affect the game. (Again, I think.) Put another way, each guild has some combination of colors, but choosing a guild is just choosing what color you want to play with, which is about how you like to play, just as if you were playing with a non-Ravnica deck. (Like: traditionally, red mana is used in direct attacks, whereas blue mana is... I don't know, about transformation and dodging? Point is, you can win with any card deck, more or less, as long as you play to the strengths of those cards.)
  
  (Some cards have snippets of in-world text, but a lot of the lore comes from the novels and ancillary materials outside the cards--though let's not totally discard the cards themselves. The art for Magic is often a very big vector for lore.)
  
  OK, preamble over: so what is this book? This book takes all the lore of Ravnica and tries to make it a playable and interesting world for D&D. Which is to say, that it takes all the lore and jettisons everything about Magic as a game. Which is interesting to me purely from a formal standpoint; it would be like taking the opera Don Giovanni and saying "yes, well, could we ditch the music?" Yes, sure, and you still have the plot and lore of a philanderer dragged to hell, which isn't nothing.
  
  OK, fine, again, this might be interesting, but I'm sure there's stuff I'm missing since I don't know the original. (Again: like someone who doesn't know the opera commenting on this nifty Don Giovanni comic book.) What we do have here is a strange and new (and also familiar) fantasy world: it's a big city, run by a bunch of factions, in an uneasy peace. Which means--and maybe this is just because I'm reading Planescape right now--that it feels a lot like a less interesting version of Sigil. What's less interesting, to me, is that rather than the philosophical strife that rules in Sigil, the guilds here are organized less around ideas and more around either "what does a city need" or "cool stuff."
  
  Developer: "Hey, someone needs to be in charge of the army."
  Developer: "Yes, and also, goblins playing with lightning cannons would be cool--let's make a research university guild."
  Developer: "Oh, and since this world has sort of an Eastern European feel, let's make a bank/church combo."
  Developer: "Oh, and human-animal hybrids! Let's make another research guild but focused on that instead."
  Developer: "Oh, and some barbarian clans to take care of... uh, well, we just want people who like barbarians to have an option."
  
  Which is all... fine. Not heady and philosophical, but fine for developing a world-wide city fantasy setting: there's powerful guilds you can belong to, and which are either allied or enemies of other guilds; there's new character options and new toys.
  
  But what do you do with this? I raised this question with some college RPG friends of mine and I put it in the form of a question a dramaturgical friend liked to ask: what makes an adventure in Ravnica different than an adventure elsewhere? The guilds are one thing; the fact that the whole world is a city build on other cities (as is the way with cities) is another.
  
  But let's just take those two ideas: you could write an adventure where one guild hires you to steal something from another guild -- but swap those guilds out with any other powerful patron or organization, and you have an adventure outline you could run in any world. Or you could write an adventure where the party had to dive into the ruined undercity to get or research a magical artifact, but that's, like, half of what D&D is.
  
  That's kind of a problem for this book and the 10 guilds: there's so much in here, but I think there's not a lot of tone or theme, so it's really up to the DM and players to set that. And there is some discussion about how to make villains from any guild, and I appreciate that sandbox nature is addressed in that and similar ways.
  
  Anyway, after talking with those friends, here's what we kind of hit on: what's interesting about this world isn't necessarily the guilds per se, but the uneasy peace that holds; and the fact that there's no where to go in the city away from that. So, let's say you play human-animal hybrids from that one guild but you're on the run: in another game world, you might be hunted by the guild that made you and you would keep running. But here, there's nowhere to run--anywhere you turn is going to be some guild who wants to use you in some way in relation to your creators.
  
  Or take the world-city built on ruins ideas: maybe there's something from the old days that wants to return, but how can these guilds work together to stop this rising force when they can't entirely trust each other?
  
  And let's lean into the lack of philosophy behind the guilds: there's not a clash of ideas, but a clash of egos, both between and internally to the guilds. So what if the PCs were embroiled in a succession fight inside a guild while trying to maintain the guild's standing and operations? Again, what makes this interesting to me is that there's nowhere else to go, really to get away from the guilds.
  
  (Of course, that leads to my final pitch: all the PCs play guildless people trying to carve out a community away from the guilds' power and struggles.)
• 
  Aja: The Narcoleptic Ninja

  So a Magic and DnD cross-over is something people have been waiting for, and it's finally here. The book has a LOT of information on Ravnica, the guilds, the places, etc. and it's a great source of information.
  
  However, I did want more from this book than what I got. There aren't really any story hooks, which leads to the problem of actually running the campaign because the ten guilds don't really cooperate all that much. There's a companion book being released with more maps, but I kind of feel like those should have just been included here.
  
  Overall, I really enjoyed the content, but I definitely do not feel ready to run a Ravnica campaign based on this book.
• 
  Mike Bertrand

  They should of called this the Guide to the Guilds of Ravnica. This book is amazing when it comes down to the various factions or guilds of the setting, but as for information pertaining to the world its self, well its a bit lacking. As a book expanding on faction rules excellent. As a book on a world setting it left me wanting more.
• 
  Nathan Albright

  What would a fantasy world be like if it was one giant city filled with quarreling factions?  Aside from not seeming all that different from our contemporary world, it would be quite a lot like this book.  As far as a book that seeks to present a potential alternate world for one's gaming, this was an enjoyable one to read.  It is not exactly the only book I would want about this particular world, as it would appear that the quests offered in this book are either sketchy or very limited, and would require a GM who was able and willing to create a great deal of the scenario for oneself.  This is certainly the sort of task that can be trusted to an experienced Gamemaster, but not most I would suspect.  Then again, I imagine that few people would consider a world like this unless they were fairly polished players and figures and were looking for an adventure that offered a great deal new after one had done a lot of the standard quests that are far more common.  And for polished players looking to add a layer to their gameplay experience, this book should be welcome.
  
  This book is about 250 pages long and it is divided into six chapters with a lot of sidebars that give additional details about the world the book is attempting to construct.  The book begins with an index of stat blocks and an introduction that discusses Ravinca as a global city of guilds with different goals and a precarious peace between them along with a currency and languages.  After that the author discusses character creation and the importance of choosing not only a race and class but also a guild and also contains some new options for clerics and druids (1).  After that there is a lengthy chapter on the guilds of Ravnica, including their character types and backgrounds and guild spells (2), which give a lot of interesting suggestions as to how campaigns could be run with very specific parties of a faction, some of which are notably imbalanced (missing clerics frequently, for example).  After that there is a chapter on the tenth district, which is where the adventures tend to take place, it would appear, and its six precincts and life under the streets as well as above it (3).  After that there is a look at the guilds and how they can be used to create adventures by the GM (4).  After that there is a discussion about treasures (5) as well as about friends and foes in one's adventures (6).
  
  One of the most notable aspects of a book like this one is the way in which it can help us to better understand the divide in our own world.  A great many people have motivations which are complex and those complex motivations give them a great deal of conflict with others.  It is telling the way that the authors of this book view the search for power within government as being a neutral activity (essentially selfish if lawful), while viewing conflict between those seeking after justice and those seeking to preserve environmental balance, and between those engaged in espionage, those involved in technological advancements, those seeking to recycle and deal with the dead, a corrupt religion with heavy mafia elements that seems cribbed from the Roman Catholic Church, and contemporary bioengineers with an unholy perspective on blending life forms together in genetic engineering efforts.  This book manages to speak about our times in a subtle but deeply interesting way that demonstrates some of the reasons why we are so divided and so hostile to each other.  If this book does not provide any obvious ways forward, it at least does a good job at showing the cleavages that made civilized order difficult to maintain.
• 
  Brian

  I purchased this because I am a completionist but since I am not into Magic: The Gathering any longer, the universe this is set in didn't resonate like a standard D&D world would have. I appreciate the new races, especially the elephantine Loxodons. Centaurs and Minotaurs are also introduced here but are duplicated in the second M:TG setting book, Mythic Odysseys of Theros.
  
  While I don't see myself playing a campaign in Ravnica, the book is an inspiration on how to incorporate guilds or other competing entities. Some of the specific guilds were run of the mill: the government, the police, the anarchists. Others were more creative and can easily be plugged in to any setting: the religion that is an organized crime syndicate and the traveling demon circus. The supporting cast in the new bestiary is also worth the price of admission. The guild masters would make excellent final bosses and campaign driving arch nemeses.
  
  While there was nothing inherently wrong with the material, this product wasn't designed for someone like me. With a third book just announced for M:TG, Wizards must feel the cross-pollination between the first CCG and the first RPG i making them money. I would prefer to see the old world settings updated for 5th edition. Dark Sun and DragonLance were the ones that called to me on those comic book shelves decades before I finally got into the RPG world. I'd like to experience those before hitting worlds that don't appeal to me.
• 
  Pádraic

  Knew nothing about the MtG background going in here, but this is a very good setting book, bursting with possible factions and connections and NPCs and conflicts and adventure hooks, all of it packed into a worldwide city that, despite being worldwide, feels like a tight powder keg ready to go off. Literally any random one guild here is more interesting than the factions usually presented in the Forgotten Realms modules (am I going to have to read the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide? ugh); but more importantly the book gives great tools to make that guild, any of the ten guilds, a significant part of play.
  
  Plus there's a guild for every playstyle. Want to sneak about and get caught in webs of intrigue? House Dimir is for you. Want to hold the line against the forces of chaos? Join the Boros Legion. Want to set stuff on fire while cackling maniacally? Sign up for the Cult of Rakdos. It's all there. Not to mention that the more or less infinite nature of the world-city means you could basically make up any sort of urban environment that you wanted, throw a few guilds in, set the pot to boil, and see what happens. All around pretty great stuff.
• 
  Dylan

  Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica by James Wyatt is a great supplement for those DMs who either want a pre-built world, or some mechanics and extra personality to add to their own homebrew. The Magic: the Gathering setting is quite layered with a deep history but for many, myself included, the world isn't quite what we want for our campaign. Thankfully, this book also brings a myriad of awesome mechanics and ideas that can be easily translated into any homebrew. It helps to define the layers of guilds and factions, allies and adversaries, which can add a ton of intrigue to the subplots throughout one's world.
  
  TL;DR: Great Magic: the Gathering world setting for those that want it. Even better to help lay the foundation for guild and faction creation for those wanting to homebrew their own political and cultural landscapes.
• 
  Andries van Wyk

  I have been waiting for this! And it is so good. Merging of two of the greatest universes and my favorite MTG cycle. It is set much later than the original Ravnica cycle, but very good detail is given.
  I was hoping they would give a little more of the classical magic cards as creature stat blocks, as well as the legendary creatures and prominent figures such as Teysa and Agrus–Kos. Also I was hoping they would at least give a little detail on the ten districts.
  None the less, a brilliant book. Well written and such a great setting. However, as with Star WRs, you will need very specific players to enjoy this setting fully. Otherwise it is going to be a lot of work and frustration for the GM.
• 
  Richard

  Wizards of the Coast has done a wonderful job showing off how to build an intrigue setting. The first requirement has two parts: 1) multiple competing factions, several at near-parity, and 2) compelling reasons they won't go to war...at least not yet.
  
  Ravnica is an interesting enough setting that I would consider playing in it. The book is also full enough of ideas that strip-mining it for ideas will produce months of useful stuff (Bits of Ravnica and Eberron should get a would-be DM close to producing an Iron Kingdoms setting for 5e).
  
  A very useful book, and lovely to boot.
• 
  Mikael

  I always liked Ravnica but wouldn't a book about Sigil be better? Since Ravnica is a worldspanning city wouldn't a reprint of the urban rules of 3.5 have been appropriate?
  This is certainly a campaign book and contains few new rules that are not elsewhere but it is a beautiful and information packed book.
• 
  Scott Johnson

  What can you say about this. It's interesting to translate a setting I know well from Magic into the world of D&D. I actually think this would make a great introductory campaign for me in any role, in that I know the characters and world so well already.
• 
  Timothy Pitkin

  Interesting to see a crossover between Magic the Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons as it does mean there could be a lot more opportunities for future crossovers. Cool idea and it is nice it does give a lot of background knowledge for Ravnica to let players explore this realm.
• 
  Ryan S

  Love the new character creation options! The background on the guilds is super fun due to recently getting back in the MTG (thanks Arena!).
• 
  Taylor Rogers

  Great new content. Excited to start using it.
• 
  Parker Yardley

  I am looking forward to running my group through this world.
• 
  James

  Reminds me a lot of Eberron but with technology and strange and unfamiliar creatures, races and classes. I'm not really a fan. It just doesn't feel like D&D.
• 
  Tim

  A great sourcebook for fans of both D&D and Magic: The Gathering
• 
  Petteri

  A highly interesting fantasy setting to delve into. The art is beautiful as well.
• 
  Brian

  This tome is what issued forth from the molten scar beneath the ash and rubble created by the clashing of the two great behemoths known as Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. Seriously though, two worlds collided into the most anticipated crossover of my middle-aged-gamer life. Oh my gods! I can actually roleplay as a Simic merfolk rogue on a mission to distract the infamous Experiment Kraj from destroying half of Ravnica!
  
  Some of my fellow Magic players and I build themed decks containing fully-fleshed Creature characters with backstories, and events that influence their lives contained within the confines of the 2-dimensional playmat universe. My eyes have now bore witness to our beloved characters, alive and well, and having real-life discussions beyond the confines of sleeves and deck boxes. We are They, and They are Us!
  
  I'd like to use a bonus action to hop up onto my soap box:
  There's a beef that me and a lot of the D&D/MTG community have with the atrocities WotC are attempting to sneak into their new Open Gaming License which. if implemented, would kick many small business owners and hobbiests who are creating fantastic role-playing content based on the D&D ruleset to the curb. We will not roll over to let the bloated corporate gelatinous cube assimilate the worlds we love!
  Please do the gaming community a favor and buy this book at your local game store and NOT directly from WotC.