D&D (2024) 5e Aasimar are in the Players Handbook − what should the flavor be?

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

For the Lawful and Chaotic Planetouched they were covered in 3e MM2, MM3 and an issue Dragon back when they were Paizo was publishing the magazines for WotC.

I certainly have my own ideas for what they should be like under some unified theory and streamlining of the types. I'd feel that Mechantrix is probably visually the strongest one for the Lawful Planetouched over Zenythri and Axani, as they're effectively cyborgs. I'd lean on them being more Modron-like cyborgs, but not necessarily have all Lawful Planetouched as cyborgs, some could be things like batches of clones, or partially insect people or the strangely just purple people the Zenythri were.

For Chaotic Planetouched I much preferred the Cansin over the Chaond. The Cansin sort of had more of a vibe of Delerium of the Endless (a Sandman character who might show up in the 2nd season of the Netflix adaptation), while the Chaond were definitely connected to Slaadi in appearance. They're Chaotic Planetouched and I think it should cover failed-Slaadi mutants, whimsical beings and unintentional minor shapeshifters (as in things like body type, appearance and gender change randomly after every long rest). I'd throw in some possible Far Realms influence as things to cover the more mutated ones.

I'm rather fond of what Pathfinder did with their Aphorite (LN) and Ganzi (CN) planetouched, myself.

My personal version of the Great Wheel imports a lot from their Great Beyond cosmology.

 

[Mind of tempest]

I think you underestimate the power of furries.

If they reprint Giant Horse Mommy again, they will sell gangbusters.

they lack the whole-looking celestial they should be different from mortal furries in the way and angle are different from us.
they could be better designed and feel more CG than NG in structure.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

I'm rather fond of what Pathfinder did with their Aphorite (LN) and Ganzi (CN) planetouched, myself.

My personal version of the Great Wheel imports a lot from their Great Beyond cosmology.

I love what pathfinder has done with versatile lineages, and if there is ever a 6e, I hope that DnD does the same.

Planetouched, damphir, a construct species, and half dragons are all potential lineages which it makes sense to be able to mix with any species.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

they lack the whole-looking celestial they should be different from mortal furries in the way and angle are different from us.
they could be better designed and feel more CG than NG in structure.

None of the CG celestials in D&D's history has ever been overtly furry in the way Guardinals or certain Archons have been. Eladrin were the main CG celestials and they were almost all Elemental-themed Fey. The bit of furriness for Lillendi (snakes & birds), Asuras (birds) and Valkyries (goats & birds, the ones in the Tome of Battle) the animal parts were mostly on their lower bodies with bird wings, and not their heads.

 

[Mind of tempest]

None of the CG celestials in D&D's history has ever been overtly furry in the way Guardinals or certain Archons have been. Eladrin were the main CG celestials and they were almost all Elemental-themed Fey. The bit of furriness for Lillendi (snakes & birds), Asuras (birds) and Valkyries (goats & birds, the ones in the Tome of Battle) the animal parts were mostly on their lower bodies with bird wings, and not their heads.

we do not need diet fey we need the real fey done better

 

[Vaalingrade]

they lack the whole-looking celestial they should be different from mortal furries in the way and angle are different from us.

Which leads to the question of how does one look celestial without being boring? All D&D celestial is is gold white in inexplicably green.

they could be better designed and feel more CG than NG in structure.

And in D&D, 'Chaotic' means 'frog'.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Which leads to the question of how does one look celestial without being boring? All D&D celestial is is gold white in inexplicably green.


And in D&D, 'Chaotic' means 'frog'.

fair point on the top the outer planer beings tend to be half-baked lookswise we can barely tell demons from devils.


demons seem to be also more hellish animal monsters on average maybe chaotic and beast-like are one and the same?

 

[Vaalingrade]

demons seem to be also more hellish animal monsters on average maybe chaotic and beast-like are one and the same?

That would fit the terrible way D&D often approaches chaos. Don't follow the rules? You're no better than an animal. Because of some books that have nothing to do with D&D used 'chaos' to mean 'evil'.

 

[Mind of tempest]

That would fit the terrible way D&D often approaches chaos. Don't follow the rules? You're no better than an animal. Because of some books that have nothing to do with D&D used 'chaos' to mean 'evil'.

I was considering making law utterly rigid with devils looking like cheaply make mass manufactured beings with little individuality, armies of face horned monsters make in a factory in dis

 

[Yaarel]

Furries can be any alignment. Think of the animalistic angels of the Bible, and certain deities of the Egyptians that are strongly Lawful. Beastland could easily be True Neutral. It is fine as Good by Chaotic Good (GCG) (Good with Chaotic tendencies), but its humanimals might in any plane.


The "True" planes are: True Good Elysium, True Neutral Outlands, and True Evil Hades. The True planes are where Lawful and Chaotic balance as a kind of dao of the Astral planes.

I feel True Good, Elysium, needs to be humanocentric, a place that emphasizes different kinds of utopian civilizations. These civilizations optimize between group and individual, and have governments that enforce protections for individualism, freedoms, and rights of minorities within the majority. They are utopian in other senses too, such as arts, technologies, ecologically sustainable use of resources that integrate nature and architecture seemlessly with wild farming and gorgeous city parks, and so on.

(GLG Bitopia is gnomecentric, and emphasizes the joy of hard work, with resources and utilization. GCG Beastlands is the joy of vacationing, like a safari.)

The Outlands are also called the Concordant Opposition, 5e Planescape details it.

For the True Evil plane, the name "Hades" should discontinue, since Shadowfell and Hades are synonymous. Likewise, the term "Chthonic" means "soil", and is a modernism to refer to the "underworld", again synonymous with Shadowfell. The alternate terms, the Gray Waste or the Wastes are more appropriate, and the adjective "Wasting", the sense of Evil laying waste to anything. This plane is pure Evil, optimizing between predatory group behavior and predatory individual behavior, whichever achieves the most selfish benefit at the expense of other groups or other individuals. The Wastes have a psychopathic vibe.

I feel the True Evil Wastes and the Far Realms are the same thing. Then the Aberration is a kind of Fiend. The "Loth" is a kind of Aberration. The Aberrations are popular, and as part of the Lower Planes, make all the Lower Planes more flavorful, and help disambiguate the Shadowfell which is something separate.


The LLG Arcadia has a strong shopping, mercantilism, consumerism, economy vibe. What if heaven is a shopping mall?

The CCG Ysgard is mildly offensive, as if reallife Scandinavians would be lawless. Overall, Ásgarðr is True Neutral, with Óðinn balancing and self-preserving the current world order. His son Thórr is Lawful (maybe with Good tendencies) and his blood brother Loki is Chaotic (maybe with Evil tendencies). For the Norse, oaths are sacred and individually binding. All of the Norse stuff should be Feywild, namely the Fey Border overlapping the Material Plane and emphasizing animistic themes.

The Greek Olympus belong in the Astral Plane as a spiritual ideal, in a Platonic dichotomy of spirit versus matter, but makes less sense as CG. Zeus personifies the world order, including law and patriarchy. He would be Lawful Neutral. Since the Greek Olympian gods are each others rivals, there is a strong Chaotic influence, and together may be True Neutral over all. It might make more sense if the Spire of the Outlands would be Mount Olympus itself.

Generally speaking, assigning an entire reallife ethnicity, such as Norse or Greek, to a specific alignment, is highly problematic.

Regarding the Elves. The Norse Elves seem True Good, or maybe True Neutral with Good tendencies, in the sense of being beneficial fates. They are Good but in the sense of karma can be vicious. Oppositely, the Norse Dwarves tend to be the unsuccessful fates, but can be helpful, whence True Evil, or maybe True Neutral with Evil tendencies.

The D&D Elves are awkward, where Elves are Fey who are inherently any alignment, and yet the heavenly realm is Arvandor in specifically Chaotic Good Arborea. It might be that the parent Corellon is themself personally CG. But still, awkward.

Chaotic Good achieves Good in strictly voluntary ways, without coercion, while encouraging individuals to become the best version of oneself. CG individuals are loyal and keep promises to personal friends, but societal obligations and expectations are anathema.

Mount Celestia with its seven heavens as Lawful Good is sensical enough. I find it confusing to refer to all the Upper Planes as "Celestial" which should be Lawful Good Mount Celestia only.

Maybe Angels (Solar, Planetar, etcetera) should be any Good alignment, appearing in plane, thus the Upper Planes be "Angelic". Then LG Mount Celestia specifically is "Celestial". In the meantime I refer to LG as Celestine. It makes sense to contrast Angels and Fiends.


Any Upper Plane can inspire an Aasimar character concept.