D&D 5E The Bible Is A New 5E Setting

The Adventurer’s Guide to the Bible is a 5E setting and adventure set in the first century AD.

The 350-page book, created by Bible enthusiasts, included four new lineages, a range of subclasses, and an adventure for character levels 1-10, along with a full first-century AD setting with locations like the Library of Alexandria and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, NPCs, and monsters such as giants, seraph serpents, angels, and demons. The adventure itself involves a search for three missing Magi.

It's $25 for a PDF, or $39 for a hardcover.

The Adventurer's Guide to the Bible for 5E

A fifth edition campaign setting with new rule options for players and GMs, and a full adventure for characters of levels 1 - 10.

www.kickstarter.com

Cleopatra is dead. Rome and Parthia struggle for control of the Fertile Crescent in a bid for world domination, while local politics in the Middle Kingdoms become increasingly divisive. The prophecies of the so-called “Messiah” have long been forgotten, and an ancient Evil lurks in the shadows, corrupting the hearts of humankind. Three of the wisest mystics known as the “Magi” travelled to Bethlehem following a star they believed to be a sign. They never returned. Hope grows dim as the world descends into darkness. What we need are answers... and those brave enough to seek them.

This isn’t the first biblical era setting for D&D, although it might be for 5E. Green Ronin released Testament: Roleplaying in the Biblical Era for 3E over a decade ago.

 

[Yaarel]

Baruch A. Levine and Jean-Michel de Tarragon, “Dead Kings and Rephaim: The Patrons of the Ugaritic Dynasty,” Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 104, No. 4, Oct-Dec 1984, pp. 649-659, published by the American Oriental Society.



Basically, the Rfaim are an aboriginal ethnicity in Canaan, who were feared because the ghosts of their ancestors were perceived to be a magically powerful influence in the Land.

To confuse a historical ethnicity with Greek stories about "gigantes" actually makes the players misunderstand the Bible.



In principle, a Christian setting for a D&D game should work fine.

I think each D&D setting should have its own cosmology, that is tailored for the particular setting.

For example, I enjoy playing a D&D game that has a mythologically accurate (animistic) Norse setting. I would love to play in a mythologically accurate setting for several cultures. Each setting needs its own peculiar cosmology.

I dislike how 5e assumes the Wheel for everything, regardless of the setting.



For a mythologically accurate Christian setting, I would probably prefer there to be more archeological accuracy, and be entirely human, ... and be less like Chronicles of Narnia.

Alternatively, a romp thru Christian theology could be fun too. (The movie, Dogma, with Matt Damon was sorta like this.) But then there is no pretense to be realistic.



In my own campaigns, I have the various monotheistic cultures perceive the Plane of Positive Energy (healing, wellbeing, resurrection, etcetera), as a manifestation of the Divine Presence. All the D&D 5e rules work normally.

Generally, for monotheism, God doesnt intervene to fix everything and win every fight, because God wants humans to figure out how to make the world a better place. Every evil situation − hunger, sickness, poverty − is an opportunity to do good.

 

[Erdric Dragin]

If this was written to be the fantasy setting it truly is (and not just Biblical but really could use the Torah version of this setting for it to be pretty wild) then it'd be pretty cool. After all, Greek and Norse settings are also fantasy settings based on religions, one of which is still practiced today.

If it's written to be religious propaganda, no. Hard pass.

 

[J-H]

I can't wait for the forum arguments about whether this is redundant or not.

That's the first thing my wife said. They're definitely playing with some definition and time scales rather than being strictly historical with some elements... but it's D&D. Someone holding bat guano and wiggling their fingers makes fireballs, but only twice per day. Realism is a sometimes thing, not an always thing.

 

[Seramus]

He'll only have 3 bloody nails, peasant's robes, and a carpenter's cup. Probably offer an eternal supply of water to wine if you let him live.

Just don't try to drown him. He's got permanent water walking.

DC 21 save or the water in your body turns into wine. Recharges on a 6.

 

[Yaarel]

(really could use the Torah version of this setting for it to be pretty wild) then it'd be pretty cool.

For Tora, I would love a kabala setting! Specifically the Zohar, the five worlds, reincarnation, gaining energy to do miracles by doing good deeds. And so on. It would be difficult to design well, but awesome to play if got right.

 

[Amrûnril]

I'm a bit puzzled by the notion this is intended for Christians belonging to theological traditions that would otherwise frown on D&D. I would think that a setting with Jesus and other key figures as characters would have more potential to end up being sacriligeous than one set explicitely in a fantasy universe.

Also - one thing that stood out for me was in the art samples on the kickstarter page, the only two who were not very distinctly dark-skinned were the Spartan subclass illustration (understandable - Greek skin tones and Palestinian skin tones are different) and the illustration for the Giant lineage.

Which to me is another indication that these guys are taking a history-first rather than a whitewashed modern-political-religion-first approach to the book.

Historically realistic skin tones seem like a good sign. On the other hand, basically everything about the description of Sparta...
(see for comparison This. Isn't. Sparta.)

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

This is a cool project, but I think they is lots of missed opportunities in the character options.

Lineages!

• Nephilim could be the same as the giantkin.
• There could be a Reborn lineage: people tend to not stay dead in the original material.
• A divinely touched lineage for the various prophet visited by an Angel could be pertinent, something like a refluffed Aasimar.
• Strangely, I'd make Magi a lineage, kinda like a high elf setting equivalent. Wisefolk from a unknown land shrouded in mystery.

Magic!
- Diving head first into the early Christianism mysticism should give them a bunch of cool spells, rituals and magic items.

Archetypes!

• Pilgrim ranger
• Theurgist wizard
• Exorcist cleric
• Binder warlock
• Warlord fighter
• Revelation Sorcerer
• Judge bard
• Slinger monk?
• Their barbarian archetype looks cool.

I really cant see what they could do with the druid, given that the name itself kinda implies another faith, and the whole shape shifthing into a beast (IIRC) was never presented as a good thing in the book.

Paladins would seem to be a shoe-in but I'm afraid they are the ones who need the most carefulness. The whole ''I smite evil because I'm a warrior of faith'' in a near-historical real life setting is risky. Its ok if you smite fiends and undead, but if your oath allows you to smite non-believers and people of other faith that is too far.

Items!
- I'm pretty sure the whole equipment sections need a rewrite...

 

[Jfdlsjfd]

I'm a bit puzzled by the notion this is intended for Christians belonging to theological traditions that would otherwise frown on D&D. I would think that a setting with Jesus and other key figures as characters would have more potential to end up being sacriligeous than one set explicitely in a fantasy universe.

On the other hand, the campaign seems to be about finding the missing Wise Men. Most of the action (but I haven't seen it obviously) should be before Jesus becomes active. It might end with a "happy ending" when the 3WM can reach Betheem and find Jesus, but notable characters could be in the background.

 

[J-H]

I'm a bit puzzled by the notion this is intended for Christians belonging to theological traditions that would otherwise frown on D&D. I would think that a setting with Jesus and other key figures as characters would have more potential to end up being sacriligeous than one set explicitely in a fantasy universe.



Historically realistic skin tones seem like a good sign. On the other hand, basically everything about the description of Sparta...
(see for comparison This. Isn't. Sparta.)

Sometimes D&D just needs to run off of pop culture history vs. real history. "300" is easier to adapt to a FUN D&D game than "traumatized child soldiers." I get it

They are pretty specific about setting this before Jesus' public ministry. There's a discussion in the comments about whether or not to include a statblock for him, and a suggestion of "My time has not yet come" simply allowing him to slip away through the crowd or otherwise be untouchable until the time is right. Once the game is rolling, details of what happen will be up to the individual DM.

The approach to magic of "some magic is good and some is bad" is out of tune with the Bible, but again, it's D&D 5e. Something like 70% of class/subclass combos have magic, so there has to be some give to fit it into the ruleset.

On the other hand, the campaign seems to be about finding the missing Wise Men. Most of the action (but I haven't seen it obviously) should be before Jesus becomes active. It might end with a "happy ending" when the 3WM can reach Betheem and find Jesus, but notable characters could be in the background.

This would be set after the 3WM visited Jesus, but maybe they didn't make it home to the east.

 

[HawaiiSteveO]