D&D 5E Why are Mercane, Kandori, & Reigar's celestials?

[Henadic Theologian]

Why are Kindori, Mercane, and Reigar Celestials?

I get why Starlancers (made from a God) and Starlight Apparitions (Petitioner projecting outwards) are, I see no goodly God or Upper Plane connection to Kindori, Mercane, and Reigar.


"5e SRD >Gamemastering >Monsters & Foes >Monsters By Type >

Celestials​

Celestials are creatures native to the Upper Planes. Many of them are the servants of deities, employed as messengers or agents in the mortal realm and throughout the planes. Celestials are good by nature, so the exceptional celestial who strays from a good alignment is a horrifying rarity"

How do Mercane, Reigar, and Kindori fit that definition or relate to that at all?

 

[jmartkdr2]

IIRC, Mercanes were introduced as the/a lawful equivalent of angels. Powerful, intelligent, and embodiments of lawful behavior - since everyone knows they will obey a contract, they're actually quite reliable business partners, so they end up doing business a lot.

I don't remember what the other ones are all about.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

IIRC, Mercanes were introduced as the/a lawful equivalent of angels. Powerful, intelligent, and embodiments of lawful behavior - since everyone knows they will obey a contract, they're actually quite reliable business partners, so they end up doing business a lot.

I don't remember what the other ones are all about.

Mechanus is not an upper plane though.

 

[jmartkdr2]

Mechanus is not an upper plane though.

Mercanes aren't from Mechanicus, just one of the lawful planes. Arcadia I think, which is sort-of and upper plane.

But mostly I think they didn't want to add a new category for lawful nonevil outsiders when celestial is close enough.

 

[Umbran]

Why are Kindori, Mercane, and Reigar Celestials?

In (the print version of) Boo's Astral Menagerie, mercane are Giants, not Celestials.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

In (the print version of) Boo's Astral Menagerie, mercane are Giants, not Celestials.

That is weird, which is right, Beyond or Print?

 

[Umbran]

That is weird, which is right, Beyond or Print?

The print errata for Boo's does not change the creature type.

Define "right" in this context, and why being "right" matters.

 

[Parmandur]

The print errata for Boo's does not change the creature type.

Define "right" in this context, and why being "right" matters.

Actually, the latest Errata from November did change the Creature Type for Mercane from Giant to Celestial, and provided new fluff on them being the creation of gods of Commerce, and some new fluff for Reigar coming from Ysgard

Leveling Up Our Creative Process: Learnings From Spelljammer

In this blog post, I'll talk about how we in the D&D Studio are changing our review process following the problematic content that appeared in Spell...

www.dndbeyond.com

Hope that clears it up, @Henadic Theologian

 

[Umbran]

Actually, the latest Errata from November did change the Creature Type for Mercane from Giant to Celestial, and provided new fluff on them being the creation of gods of Commerce, and some new fluff for Reigar coming from Ysgard

Leveling Up Our Creative Process: Learnings From Spelljammer

In this blog post, I'll talk about how we in the D&D Studio are changing our review process following the problematic content that appeared in Spell...

www.dndbeyond.com

Hope that clears it up, @Henadic Theologian

I stand corrected. I only found the previous errata, I guess. My apologies.

 

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

Broadly speaking, I think this is just symptomatic of the way 5e does creature type categories.

Can't speak to the Reigar and Kindori (not a Spelljammer expert), but Arcane/Mercane were categorized as extraplanar "outsiders" in previous editions. 5e doesn't have a general "outsider" bucket anymore, just the more specific celestials, fiends, fey, aberrations, etc., so they went for the one that "fit" most for the Mercane, even if it doesn't fit perfectly.