D&D (2024) New Celestials | 2024 Monster Manual | D&D

[Hatmatter]

Right, I’m 100% onboard with sapient animals not being classified as beasts. I’m just not sold on celestial being the right alternative. Again, the Giant type exists, and I think would be a better home for these sapient animals, since all of them are, in fact, giant.

It is likely a matter of personal preference, but to me a giant form of a naturally-occurring creature seems like it would be beast if it has beast-level intelligence. However, if a giant form of a creature that is a beast is highly intelligent, that seems to suggest some magical origin. Given that giants are not necessarily smarter than humanoids simply because they are larger (hill giant, ogre), the giant category would not have been my first pick. But, as I said, it's likely one's preference that will be the determining factor.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I didn't realize you had the thread made when I made mine! My bad!

No big deal.

 

[Scribe]

I am not sure what you mean by this, can you clarify.

The Solar is jacked. The idealized form, the beauty of the human form. I'm not sure what you need clarified. I'm not looking for art of 'realistic' bodies. I'm looking for art of something to aspire to, to inspire.

 

[Charlaquin]

It is likely a matter of personal preference, but to me a giant form of a naturally-occurring creature seems like it would be beast if it has beast-level intelligence. However, if a giant form of a creature that is a beast is highly intelligent, that seems to suggest some magical origin.

Yes. I agree. I just think the Giant creature type is the most appropriate one to express that magical origin.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I like that specific restoration abilities (for celestials and fiends) listed in stat blocks. Not sure about generic ones, will have to see how that works.

Empyreans should have gotten this feature too given that the OG Empyrean lore literally had it in the text.

 

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

I get that, but the Giant category also exists and is not the Beast category.

I think there's a distinction to be made between giant as a general descriptor and Giant as a creature category.

Putting something into the Giant category implies a connection to frost/fire/cloud/storm/etc. giants, Annam and the giant pantheon, and quite possibly the deep, ancient lore of the early multiverse.

Are those connections they want to draw, or is their choice of the use of the word "giant" merely to say "Dang, that's a BIG bird!"?

 

[Sacrosanct]

That is the snootiest pegasus I have ever seen.

If John Belushii was a pegasus. That's who I was reminded of when seeing that lol

 

[Henadic Theologian]

There is no other cosmology. Even Eberron has been subsumed into it.

One Cosmology to rule them all, One cosmology to combined, One Cosmology to bring them all, and in the 5e Great Wheel bind them.

 

[Charlaquin]

I think there's a distinction to be made between giant as a general descriptor and Giant as a creature category.

Putting something into the Giant category implies a connection to frost/fire/cloud/storm/etc. giants, Annam and the giant pantheon, and quite possibly the deep, ancient lore of the early multiverse.

Are those connections they want to draw, or is their choice of the use of the word "giant" merely to say "Dang, that's a BIG bird!"?

Obviously it doesn’t just mean that’s a big bird, because a big bird wouldn’t be able to talk.

 

[Hexmage-EN]

One Cosmology to rule them all, One cosmology to combined, One Cosmology to bring them all, and in the 5e Great Wheel bind them.

The new DMG still refers to it as a model, so I'm just going to pretend that the existence of the Outlands has led to it becoming the most dominant one (but still not the definite truth).

Anyways, if we're going to keep the Great Wheel as the default I'm glad they're actually starting to populate them with native creatures like animal lords and intelligent animals.