D&D (2024) Check Out The New Map Of D&D's Planes!

Snapped from the Barbarian video.

 

[Orius]

It's the same map that's been around for 30 years with older roots, but a different art style. Sure it looks bland and doesn't really capture the flavor of some of the planes, but I can just pull out my Planescape box and drool over that map whenever I want.

 

[Scribe]

One is that it's based on alignment, and alignment is bad.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

For me, this will always be the perfect representation for DnD ecology and mythos:

View attachment 368546

IMO, the nicest thing about D&D is that they can both exist at once. I imagine that they are simply illustrations that mortals who have studied the planes have created to try to make sense of something that is nonsensical. Heck, it would be fun to have two camps of planes-experts and their followers who argue over which is "real" - when, obviously, neither are.

 

[Parmandur]

My issue with the not-so-Great Wheel is twofold. One is that it's based on alignment, and alignment is bad. The other is that it's too systematic. The structure was decided before the contents. Someone (Gygax) decided you needed one plane per alignment as well as intermediate planes where those met, as well as one plane per primary element plus an assortment of para- and quasi-elemental planes between those, and then that structure had to be filled in and someone had to figure out what the difference between Bytopia, Elysium, and the Beastlands are.

Yes, it's absurd. That's why it works for D&D.

Neither Alignment nor the cosmology are going anywhere at this point, they are part of The Brand.

 

[Cadence]

I'm ok with the great wheel (even if it is only for providing homes to outsiders)... but wow do I loathe that image.

Edit: It looks kind of like plastic board game pieces to me as opposed to either anything real or a map anyone in the game world would make.

 

[W'rkncacnter]

I'm ok with the great wheel (even if it is only for providing homes to outsiders)... but wow do I loathe that image.

 

[BookTenTiger]

So just to be clear, this is from a "blink and you'll miss it" screen grab from the video about barbarians, right? So we don't really know how it's being used, whether it's a tiny little icon, if there's a larger, more detailed map, etc etc etc. I'm reading a lot of hot takes based on very little info.

For me, this is a fine little piece of art. It's colorful, and seems to be trying to be more "iconic" than representative.

 

[Scribe]

For me, this is a fine little piece of art.

How is it fine, at all? Thats my issue here.

We have had many examples of the planes, the Great Wheel, whatever, over the literal decades.

Even if this was thumbnail art, these generic blobs of retro art are...nothing? Its actively worse than not creating it.

I have generated pictures for my own view on the Great Wheel with AI that smokes this, someone was paid for this, and I dont know who I'm disappointed in more.

 

[BookTenTiger]

How is it fine, at all? Thats my issue here.

We have had many examples of the planes, the Great Wheel, whatever, over the literal decades.

Even if this was thumbnail art, these generic blobs of retro art are...nothing? Its actively worse than not creating it.

I have generated pictures for my own view on the Great Wheel with AI that smokes this, someone was paid for this, and I dont know who I'm disappointed in more.

It's fine because it's colorful and pleasing to the eye. When I first saw it my reaction was "Oh neat." I don't have any context of how it's being used, so I can't really judge it for not being a detailed map. If this is the only map they're using for the Planes then, yes, it's too barebones and minimalistic. But we don't know if it's concept art, a finished piece, a part of a larger chart, etc etc etc

 

[Scribe]

It's fine because it's colorful and pleasing to the eye. When I first saw it my reaction was "Oh neat." I don't have any context of how it's being used, so I can't really judge it for not being a detailed map. If this is the only map they're using for the Planes then, yes, it's too barebones and minimalistic. But we don't know if it's concept art, a finished piece, a part of a larger chart, etc etc etc

What does that image convey, from NE, to CN/CE around the quarter clock.