A new Dungeons & Dragons sourcebook is being released in March, and it has already reached the #1 spot on Amazon's best sellers list.
On March 17th, Wizard’s of the Coast is releasing a new Dungeons & Dragons sourcebook, Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount, which introduces players to the world of Exandria. It is written by Matthew Mercer, voice actor and longtime DM for the web series Critical Role, where the setting originates.
The book rocketed to #3 on Amazon's best sellers list, then, according to Wizards of the Coast’s Greg Tito, reached the #1 spot by Monday afternoon. Through pre-orders alone, Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount has become the best-selling book on Amazon, outpacing New York Times best sellers and all other books.
It isn’t surprising that the sourcebook would be so popular. Not only is it the first new setting for D&D since 2018’s adaptation of the Magic: the Gathering setting of Ravnica, it also contains plenty of new mechanics and features. In a previous statement, Mercer said that he wants the book to be for all D&D fans, not just fans of Critical Role.
The book itself will include not only lore, pantheons, and descriptions of the continent of Wildemount, but also many new features and mechanics as well. Most notable are new subclasses, new magic items called the Vestiges of Divergence, and a new school of magic known as Dunamancy, which controls the threads of fate and time. The book will also include new monsters native to Wildemount, new spells, and some introductory campaigns and plot hooks. There’s even a section that helps players come up with engaging backstories for their characters.
Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount has since dropped back to #3 on the Amazon best seller list, but this is still very impressive for a book that has not yet been released. There may also be a sales bump in March. Currently, it can be pre-ordered at book sellers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble, as well as online roleplaying game retailers, such as D&D Beyond and Fantasy Grounds.