D&D 5E Unearthed Arcana: Travelers of the Multiverse

New free content from WotC - the latest 4-page Unearthed Arcana introduces six new races: astral elf, autognome, giff, hadozee, plasmoid, and thri-kreen.

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dnd.wizards.com

Looks like Spelljammer and/or Planescape is back on the menu!

 

[Demetrios1453]

How about this idea:

It isn't Spelljammer or Planescape or Dark Sun...but all three and more, within the revisioned, broader context of the "Multiverse meta-setting."

D&D now has three modalities of planar travel to work with: the planes ala PS, spelljamming, and planeswalking. Plus, they have a bunch of different cosmologies.

Rather than cover one or more settings discreetly, I see them going forward with "D&D 2.0: The Multiverse." A meta-setting concept that includes any and all settings, worlds, planes, and cosmologies.

So rather than a Manual of the Planes, we might get Manual of the Multiverse, and then books/products that detail specific settings.

In other words, not "Planescape" and/or "Spelljammer," but the Multiverse, with planar travel, Sigil, spelljamming on the Astra Sea, etc.

If they were mixing Planescape in, then we would also be seeing rogue modron and briaur races as well. As they haven't, and all the other races fit Spelljammer perfectly...

 

[Parmandur]

Hadozee is pretty cool. Not much to say about it. It feels like it should have a climb speed.

Perhaps re-read their speed entry. and the Giff, for that matter: nice Hippo speed flavor.

I think you are right about the "stealth" tests for D&D Nexter.

 

[Demetrios1453]

The "Astral Elf" might represent the Elves that are part of the Elven Imperial Navy, though I was mostly under the impression they were just High Elves.

Maybe they should have gone with more differentiation and made them not Elves by having a Reigar PC race instead.

That seems to be exactly what they are.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

The "Astral Elf" might represent the Elves that are part of the Elven Imperial Navy, though I was mostly under the impression they were just High Elves.

It's like I don't care about nothing man...
Roll another blunt...
Ooohh
La da da da la da da la la da da
I was gonna be part of the Elven Navy until I got high
I was gonna put on my silver plate mail but then I got high
I can't even fly my spelljammer and I know why (why man?)
'Cause I got high
Because I got high
Because I got high

 

[Charlaquin]

Perhaps re-read their speed entry. and the Giff, for that matter: nice Hippo speed flavor.

Huh. I swear I double-checked for that before posting. Guess I should have triple-checked.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

I think Giff should have proficiency in firearms, even if it's a sidebar like the Artificer proficiency in firearms.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

How about this idea:

It isn't Spelljammer or Planescape or Dark Sun...but all three and more, within the revisioned, broader context of the "Multiverse meta-setting."

D&D now has three modalities of planar travel to work with: the planes ala PS, spelljamming, and planeswalking. Plus, they have a bunch of different cosmologies.

Rather than cover one or more settings discreetly, I see them going forward with "D&D 2.0: The Multiverse." A meta-setting concept that includes any and all settings, worlds, planes, and cosmologies.

So rather than a Manual of the Planes, we might get Manual of the Multiverse, and then books/products that detail specific settings.

In other words, not "Planescape" and/or "Spelljammer," but the Multiverse, with planar travel, Sigil, spelljamming on the Astra Sea, etc.

I have not read the whole UA, but I can fairly say it is not this. This UA's races are pretty firmly Spelljammer/Star Frontiers related. I wouldn't say any of the races here are related to Planescape, and some would feel out-of-place in Sigil.

Definitely seems specific to Spelljammer, despite the "Multiverse" name used here (though I'm sure it's just used to avoid spoiling Spelljammer before it's actually announced).

So the question really is, this for an adventure, or a new setting book?

I'm leaning adventure, or at least a hybrid like Strixhaven sort-of is. Definitely makes sense for that alternative Boo cover.

 

[Charlaquin]

The "Astral Elf" might represent the Elves that are part of the Elven Imperial Navy, though I was mostly under the impression they were just High Elves.

Maybe they should have gone with more differentiation and made them not Elves by having a Reigar PC race instead.

If I’m right that this is also testing the waters for potential Anniversary Edition changes to ancestries, they could very well be high elves.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

And a nod to Star Frontiers with the Plasmoids and Hadozee (and maybe Thri-Kreen as Vrusk stand ins)

Hadozee

Hadozee, also known as "deck apes" or "winged deck apes", were simian humanoids with distinctive patagia who were known for being master mariners and famed for their sailing skills and love of their ships and the sea. So far we've charted a new island in the Spice Archipelago, fished for dragon...

forgottenrealms.fandom.com

Hadozee are not unknown to Spelljammer or the Forgotten Realms.

Anyways this screams Spelljammer, except Thrikreen which screams Darksun, Autognomes which scream Magic the Gathering, and Astral Elves which scream damn hippies

 

[Demetrios1453]

I have not read the whole UA, but I can fairly say it is not this. This UA's races are pretty firmly Spelljammer/Star Frontiers related. I wouldn't say any of the races here are related to Planescape, and some would feel out-of-place in Sigil.

Definitely seems specific to Spelljammer, despite the "Multiverse" name used here (though I'm sure it's just used to avoid spoiling Spelljammer before it's actually announced).

So the question really is, this for an adventure, or a new setting book?

I'm leaning adventure, or at least a hybrid like Strixhaven sort-of is. Definitely makes sense for that alternative Boo cover.

Something like what Saltmarsh did, but with more of a page count for the crunch. That's seems a very likely possibility...