D&D Cosmology: the old and the new. Where do you stand?

Considering the sheer volume of dialog about the new default cosmology, I'm amazed that no one has actually made a poll to garner some statistics about people's history with the Great Wheel and their stance on the new one.

The first half is meant specifically for DMs, as they are the great decider of a campaign's cosmology.

The second half is meant for everyone's opinion about the new default.

SO, where do you stand? And by all means elaborate below.


[EDIT: I wondered how long it would take until someone selected the two instruction lines as part of the poll... only 7! ]

I have always preferred the BECMI's "Five Spheres" cosmology.

I've always used the Great Wheel as the basis, although I've added additional planes from time to time. Every campaign I've ever DMed or played in has "gone planar" at some point, and often for many levels of adventuring.

I resent the New Coke cosmology.

One problem I have with the Great Wheel is that it assumes that alignment is metaphysical in nature rather than moral. In other words it implies that good, evil, law, and chaos are spiritual qualities embedded in the multiverse rather than personal choices made by individuals. As such it often downplays qualitative differences between good and evil and presents them in a more equal but opposite role. This has had an effect which has produced absurdities such as alignment languages (thankfully gone) and good spells not working very well against evil (DR 10/evil comes to mind). In religion, mythology, and literature good and evil are qualitatively different. Evil curses, controls, and destroys. Good heals, protects, and enlightens. Good and evil are also moral choices too. Even if it is a simple choice such as obey the gods versus disobey the gods, it is ultimately a personal choice.

Hope I wasn't too incoherent.

Howndawg

I've used the Great Wheel and I'm warm towards the new cosmology. I can always discard unwanted stuff - new stuff is always good and fun.

Cheers, LT.

Howndawg said:

This has had an effect which has produced absurdities such as alignment languages (thankfully gone)

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Uhm, Celestial, Demonic and Infernal seem to fit that bill.

Cosmology has not really come into play that often in my games. My players aren't terribly interested in that kind of thing, so I take what I need and ignore the rest. The new stuff looks good, but that doesn't mean I'll ever use it.

frankthedm said:

Uhm, Celestial, Demonic and Infernal seem to fit that bill.

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At least you have to learn those languages. In BD&D and 1e, you knew your alignment language just for being the proper alignment. That was way too silly. But then again, as a former linguistics major, silliness when it comes to language is a pet peeve of mine.

Howndawg

I'm a fan of the Great Wheel (mainly by way of Planescape), but it doesn't bother me at all to see it removed from core.

Actually, the only time I've use the Great Wheel in 3e was when running a Planescape campaign.

Howndawg said:

This has had an effect which has produced absurdities such as alignment languages (thankfully gone) and good spells not working very well against evil (DR 10/evil comes to mind).

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That's not any less absurd than Common---spoken by almost everyone in the entire multiverse.

Still, I really don't like alignment, and about the only time I've used the Great Wheel was when I was specifically doing Planescape. I doubt I'd ever use that new cosmology again, since it's so tied to alignment.