D&D General What is your favorite D&D cosmology?

[Urriak Uruk]

Planescape.

Though, where is the Spelljammer one from? (And I’ve never considered Spelljamming as a cosmology, TBH)

Yeah, Spelljammer's isn't a cosmology; it's fully compatible with the Great Wheel.

 

[Minigiant]

4e World Axis is the easiest to teach that is still flavorful.

"God stuff here. Element stuff there. Fey stuff and Shadowstuff here.

 

[cbwjm]

So glad you had an answer for me: All or most of them are great in different ways - I can't choose!

I love the planescape version of the great wheel (I don't really know how it differs from the classic great wheel other than the inclusion of Sigil and planar cant) with all of the weirdness of it, thing is, I can also run planescape using the world axis which was a great simplification of the planes. Mystara is interesting in that I love the setting but don't really know much about the planar configuration, other than that there are plenty of planes with more or less influence by the spheres of power. I don't think they are really spelled out. The FR cosmology I pretty much just consider a subset of the great wheel, I never really considered it separate.

I know next to nothing about Eberron or Spelljammer. Dark Sun isn't all that interesting as a planar configuration but then that's a setting where plane hopping isn't really something you aim for.

Other cosmologies I like that aren't DnD specific are the 9 worlds of Norse myths, seems like that would make for a simple planar configuration for a DnD game. My current game I've created a unique cosmology, kind of similar to the world axis but with plenty of differences. Even when I know it isn't likely to come up much, I do enjoy setting up the planar configuration of a setting.

 

[Stormonu]

The big difference between the 1E cosmology and Planescape is the depiction of the Plane of Concordant Opposition vs. the Outlands and the latter’ s philosophical factions and the colonization of the planes by non-ascended/god-like beings.

In 1E, there weren’t mortal inhabitants of the outer planes - they were the homes of spirits (those who’d moved on to the afterlife), demons, devils and angels. Mortal beings could hardly be found on the outer planes, and if they were they were mighty beings indeed and were “just visitors” who had little to no affect on the plane itself.

Planescape changed the planes so that they had indigenous mortal inhabitants and communities, with their own cultures and mores. The planes became cosmopolitan metropolises to the prime plane’s rural backwaters.

 

[overgeeked]

4E's World Axis, by far. It took the utter mess of the Great Wheel and made boring, nonsense places like the plane of fire or plane of water into actually gameable places where character won't either instantly die or have basically nothing to do.

As mentioned, Spelljammer didn't really have a cosmology in the sense you're describing here.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I'll point out you left out 5e's cosmology, which is different from planescapes.

I've decided my favourite cosmology is the current one, blended with MtGs

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

4e Would Axis is the easiest to teach that is still flavorful.

"God stuff here. Element stuff there. Fey stuff and Shadowstuff here.

Exactly this.

For the first time in history, my players actually cared about the cosmology of their setting.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

4E's World Axis, by far. It took the utter mess of the Great Wheel and made boring, nonsense places like the plane of fire or plane of water into actually gameable places where character won't either instantly die or have basically nothing to do.

As mentioned, Spelljammer didn't really have a cosmology in the sense you're describing here.

5e took the best parts of 4e and Great Wheel cosmology and merged them, creating something great then either.

 

[Undrave]

4e's World Axis. It has a rich backstory with tons of interesting conflicts with fluid sides (good gods teaming up with evil gods to battle Primordials and then getting into conflict with one another) , the Astral Sea is a fascinating place, and all the other planes can be settings for adventures. and i generally does a good job of tieing in with the different powers mortals can obtain (though not QUITE enough because 'Arcane' is just an refined clusterfuck of whatever...). It also includes the Far Realm.

 

[Minigiant]

Exactly this.

For the first time in history, my players actually cared about the cosmology of their setting.

Same here.

Whereas the World Tree and Great Wheel are great for books and other media, the World Axis do you emphasize a lot of the areas that aren't very irrelevant to adventurers. Especially at the levels that D&D at most optimally run that or can be adventurered in at all.