D&D General Let's make the upper planes playable!


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stewing on Bytopia,

I like the idea of my anthropomorphic playing card outsiders as the basis.

However, I need some feedback on proceeding before I start writing up the monster manual entries.

Firstly, a name.

Here are some potential names:

  • Cardinalians
    A name that emphasizes their card-like nature while sounding regal and unique. It reflects their structured society and alignment with ideals.
  • Suitkin
    Highlighting their division into suits and reinforcing their anthropomorphic connection to playing cards.
  • Deckbound
    Suggesting their intrinsic connection to the deck (or the plane), evoking a sense of shared destiny and purpose.
  • Pipsians
    Drawing from the "pips" on playing cards, this playful name captures their whimsical nature and card-like forms.
  • Ludomancers
    A more mystical name implies beings born of the essence of games and play, blending strategy and fate with their anthropomorphic characteristics.

As for aspects, which one works?

(I am going with Cardinalian for now, but I am willing to change)

Cardinalian Traits

Ability Score Increase:

  • Red Suits (Hearts, Diamonds): +2 Charisma, +1 Wisdom
  • Black Suits (Spades, Clubs): +2 Intelligence, +1 Dexterity
Size: Medium. Cardinalians are as tall as humans, though their forms are flat and card-like, with anthropomorphic limbs and features.

Speed: 30 feet.

Damage Resistances: Cold, Lightning
Damage Immunities: Fire, Cold (they embody resilience, balancing extremes)

Innate Magic:
Cardinalians can cast Guidance and Thaumaturgy at will, reflecting their ties to fate and harmony.

  • At 3rd level, they can cast Calm Emotions (Red Suits) or Suggestion (Black Suits) once per long rest.
  • At 5th level, they can cast Plant Growth (Red Suits) or Major Image (Black Suits) once per long rest.
Planar Anchor:
Cardinalians are immune to effects that would forcibly move them between planes unless they consent. They are firmly tied to Bytopia's dual nature.

Unique Power: Accord of Bytopia (Ranked Ability):
The Cardinalians draw strength from the harmonious balance between the two layers of Bytopia. This ability grows stronger with their rank or challenge rating:

  • Effect: As an action, the Cardinalian channels the plane's dual energy to alter the battlefield in their favor. The effect manifests differently depending on the plane layer they align with (Dothion or Shurrock) and their rank.
    • Dothion (Harmony): Allies within a 30-foot radius gain temporary hit points equal to the Cardinalian's rank x 5 and an advantage on saving throws against fear or charm for 1 minute.
    • Shurrock (Competition): Foes within a 30-foot radius must make a DC (10 + rank) Dexterity saving throw or take (rank)d6 lightning damage and be slowed (speed halved) for 1 minute.
  • Recharge: This ability recharges on a long rest.
  • Rank Scaling:
    • Rank 1: Basic effects as above (temporary HP or 1d6 damage).
    • Rank 2: Increased range to 60 feet and damage to 2d6. Temporary HP increased to rank x 8.
    • Rank 3: Both effects can be chosen simultaneously; temporary HP applies to all allies, while damage targets all enemies.
Ethereal Deck:
As a bonus action, the Cardinalian can draw a spectral card from an ethereal deck, gaining insight or altering fate. They can impose a disadvantage on one roll or give an advantage to an allyā€™s roll within 30 feet once per short rest.

Languages: Common, Celestial, and one language of choice.

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does that work for a base design?
 

Really you think all the vikings leaving the mini ice age to get food and money for thier families were evil? Probably not. Also Odin's perspective on what's good and Zeus's perceptions on what's good and your perception on what is good is probably 3 different opinions on the subject. Valhall is on the CG plane but you just have to die in combat for the Valkaries to pick you up, or to get picked up and taken to Frigg's meadow in the after live because she got half the warriors and odin took the other half. And Zeus the CG narcissistic naughty word of all time I bet his standards are loopy as hell.
I think there may be some blending of D&D mythology and Earth mythology that is confusing things. If your "D&D-Zeus" is CG, then that is not the same evil, selfish "Greek-Zeus" who did bad things to people against their will.

Earth mythology and afterlives aren't "Aligned" in the same way as they are in D&D cosmology, so the "Earth" Valhalla isn't likely CG. It is likely far more varied to allow for different alignments in the same afterlife.

In the Outer Planes of D&D/Planescape, Alignment isn't subjective and afterlives are based not on the religion of the worshipper, but of their alignment. A LE worshipper of Tyr isn't going to Tyr's afterlife. If Valhalla exists on a CG plane, then only people aligned with that plane will naturally go there after death. It is one of the challenges with Planescape-style Outer Planes. Diverse ideals and conflict in the afterlives.

I used to have a hard time imagining an actual good "Heaven" that fallen soldiers go to, but is a paradise that doesn't need soldiers. Unless they have to defend their heaven, or crusade into other afterlives, which in truth, is just more adventuring at the next level of existence. I've grown my perspective a lot since then, and my good Outer Planes have opportunities for adventure.
 

I usually move the gods to Arcadia, Bytopia, the Beastlands, and Ysgard, as the "pure" alignment planes are too stuck to be changed by a god (what is the point of being a god if a HOA is looking over your shoulder).

Arcadia: Moradin has lots of elementals (Planar Ally usually gets you a Dao or Effret genie), Iomede has celestial versions of knights and steeds (Planar Ally usually gets you an Archon of the Falling Stars), Bahamet has angel versions of the abashai devils (divine awareness instead of devil's sight), Planar Ally gets you a copper abashai unless you have the noble background (Bahamet is big into the "if the leaders are good, the people will follow them"), in which case you get a bronze abashai.
Bytopia: Yolanda has a bunch of plant looking celestials from Kobald Presss (Planar Ally gets you a Deva), Erastil has a bunch of unicorns and animal-looking celestials (Planar Ally gets you a Ki-rin)
Beastlands: Garl Glittergold is most known for his ursinal guardianals (bear-headed rakshasa that can be S or M [teddy bears] and whose claw curse causes anyone affected to treat everyone they encounter as being under a sanctuary spell), I gave Sarenrae the angels from Ravinca (Planar Ally gets you a firemane angel), Tome of Beasts had a moth demon lord (pretty sure it was Alquam) with a bunch of minions that I repurposed as guardianals who work for Desna (despite that Planar Ally gives you a deva angel with butterfly wings)
Ysgard was the home of the giant gods, most of whom disappeared to seal away a lot of god monsters who were roaming the universe before the rise of the gods (except for a few like Desna and Erastil who transitioned into gods). Giants show up there all the time looking for artifacts from the giant gods (if they are lucky turning into scions). Gods currently living there include: Kord (lots of elementals, Planar Ally gets you a djinn or marid genie), Corellom (mix of celestials [lots of reigar] and fey, Planar Ally gets you a celestial version of a spring eladrin), Cayden Cailean is the god of folk heroes, so he has a motley mix of beings around him [lots of mead archons]; the angels think they can steer him into being a respectable god (he is the most good god on Ysgard), so Planar Ally gets you a Deva. Eliistreaee is most known for celestial versions of autumn eladrin that look like drow.

Mt. Celestia has archons as the lesser aspects, with sphinxes and angels as the greater aspects. Each member of the Hebdomad has a class (or subclass) that interests them: Barachiel-bards, Domiel-avengers (type of rogue like spell thieves but clerics instead of wizards, and sneak attack does radiant or necrotic damage), Erathaol-divination wizards, Pistis Sophia-monks, Raziel-paladins, Sealthiel-clerics, and Zaphkeil-divine magic sorcerers. Bards who take Planar Ally and choose Mt. Celestia can expect a deva angel.

Elysium has guardianals as the lesser aspects, with angels and animal lords as the greater aspects. Bards who take Planar Ally and choose Elysium can expect a lupinal (repurposed gynosphinx, no lair actions).

Arborea has einherjar as the lesser aspects (celestial versions of NPC classes), with animal lords and empyreans as the greater aspects. Since getting glory while doing good is kind of the plane's motto, there are all kinds of dungeons and monsters. Bards who take Planar Ally and choose Arborea can expect a celestial version of a summer eladrin.
 

It does make sense to make the planes that aren't defined the dumping grounds of the gods.
I am still more curious to see how to define planes to make them playable on their own merits.

Honestly, I may repackage my own outsider species for my purposes. The card species and the idea of cooperation with each other and how they are used earnestly appeal to me, and I'm seriously curious to see what it ends up as.
 

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