D&D (2024) Stone Goliath, Fire Goliath, Frost Goliath, Hill Goliath, Cloud Goliath, and Storm Goliath Lore

[Marandahir]

Dollars to donuts we do see them in Planescape.

I'll be greatly surprised and very very happy if so.

I wouldn't be surprised if they had 3 alternate plans each for Goliaths and Ardlings in December 2022:

1. If over 70% of respondents like the species as part of the PHB, include in 2024 PHB.
2. If over 70% of respondents like the species, but not as part of the PHB, include in respective 2023 splatbooks (Planescape for Ardling; Glory of the Giants for Goliaths).
3. If under 70% of respondents like the species as presented at all, reject and go back to the drawing board.

For Goliaths, there's a bit less of a concern because option 3 means we just are stuck with Stone Goliaths from Monsters of the Multiverse, and that's perfectly okay, if a bit sad because I like elemental Goliaths and had already homebrewed my own version of them that I've replaced with the UA version (though I also have a Fomorian-derived version that I've tinkered with since to balance properly; my homebrew variants had been mostly additive and instead of getting a supernatural gift or bonus background/species feat, derived from a time when backgrounds didn't grant feats).

For Ardlings, I'm very concerned that if option 2 does not pan out this fall, Option 3 is what we're getting.

And I LOVED Ardlings (though not as a thematic replacement in the PHB for Aasimar who should be the opposite of Tieflings imho!). I love the idea of Ardlings as animal-headed humanoid god-people a la Egyptian and Mayan mythologies, as the Tiefling/Aasimar/Genasi equivalent for Guardinals and Hound Archons and Bauriar and Coatls (but not for Angels and Celadrin/Celestial Eladrin and Titans (esp. Empyreans) and non-Hound Archons, that would be Aasimar). I'm not so much in love with the idea of Ardlings replacing Tabaxi and Tortles and Satyrs and Centaurs and Minotaurs and Loxodons and Yuan-ti and Aarakocra and Owlins and Kenku and Locathah and Grungs and Tritons and especially Shifters -- I feel like Shifters represent the purest example of generic "animal-person but not a specific animal with specific traits necessarily." I want Ardlings in my game. I just REALLY want them in Planescape… I'd gladly give up all the donuts and dollars if you're right, Parmandur!

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Dollars to donuts we do see them in Planescape.

Yeah besides the Glitchling, they really haven't playtested much for Planescape, its needs the tested, reasonable well rated race of Ardling I think to give it some kind of player options, because it doesn't seem to have much.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I'll be greatly surprised and very very happy if so.

I wouldn't be surprised if they had 3 alternate plans each for Goliaths and Ardlings in December 2022:

1. If over 70% of respondents like the species as part of the PHB, include in 2024 PHB.
2. If over 70% of respondents like the species, but not as part of the PHB, include in respective 2023 splatbooks (Planescape for Ardling; Glory of the Giants for Goliaths).
3. If under 70% of respondents like the species as presented at all, reject and go back to the drawing board.

For Goliaths, there's a bit less of a concern because option 3 means we just are stuck with Stone Goliaths from Monsters of the Multiverse, and that's perfectly okay, if a bit sad because I like elemental Goliaths and had already homebrewed my own version of them that I've replaced with the UA version (though I also have a Fomorian-derived version that I've tinkered with since to balance properly; my homebrew variants had been mostly additive and instead of getting a supernatural gift or bonus background/species feat, derived from a time when backgrounds didn't grant feats).

For Ardlings, I'm very concerned that if option 2 does not pan out this fall, Option 3 is what we're getting.

And I LOVED Ardlings (though not as a thematic replacement in the PHB for Aasimar who should be the opposite of Tieflings imho!). I love the idea of Ardlings as animal-headed humanoid god-people a la Egyptian and Mayan mythologies, as the Tiefling/Aasimar/Genasi equivalent for Guardinals and Hound Archons and Bauriar and Coatls (but not for Angels and Celadrin/Celestial Eladrin and Titans (esp. Empyreans) and non-Hound Archons, that would be Aasimar). I'm not so much in love with the idea of Ardlings replacing Tabaxi and Tortles and Satyrs and Centaurs and Minotaurs and Loxodons and Yuan-ti and Aarakocra and Owlins and Kenku and Locathah and Grungs and Tritons and especially Shifters -- I feel like Shifters represent the purest example of generic "animal-person but not a specific animal with specific traits necessarily." I want Ardlings in my game. I just REALLY want them in Planescape… I'd gladly give up all the donuts and dollars if you're right, Parmandur!

I see no reason for option 2 not to plan out for the Ardling, was in the 70+ range, it just wasn't right as far folks were concerned for the PHB. No point in wasting such a well rated race thst fits perfectly for another product.

 

[Marandahir]

I see no reason for option 2 not to plan out for the Ardling, was in the 70+ range, it just wasn't right as far folks were concerned for the PHB. No point in wasting such a well rated race thst fits perfectly for another product.

The main reason I see 2 not panning out is that Planescape is a few months away now, and they may not have made the decision in time for the book to get it. There should have been enough time, but the way they talk about it in that video from a few months ago, it sounds like the Ardling if anything would come later than the PHB ‘24, not earlier. But I sure hope we get it here!

 

[Parmandur]

The main reason I see 2 not panning out is that Planescape is a few months away now, and they may not have made the decision in time for the book to get it. There should have been enough time, but the way they talk about it in that video from a few months ago, it sounds like the Ardling if anything would come later than the PHB ‘24, not earlier. But I sure hope we get it here!

The book should be going to print in the next month, that gave them about 6 months from cutting the Ardling from the new PHB for lack of a story reason. Planescape and the Outlands seem like a sufficient story context to bring them back...and they may have been putting them in Planescape all along as a 2024 preview if they thought they would make the cut.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Too bad they didn't have subtypes for death giants.

 

[Parmandur]

Too bad they didn't have subtypes for death giants.

Play a Storm Goliath, as either a Necromancer Wizard or Undead Warlock.

 

[Marandahir]

Too bad they didn't have subtypes for death giants.

I wish, and for Fomorians too, but neither of those are classical members of the Ordning. They got upgraded to MM1-level status in 4e due to synergy with the Shadowfell and Feywild, respectively.

It's relatively easy to homebrew those variants, though!

 

[Gorck]

Are there Verbeegs in 5e? I don't recall seeing them in any of the various monster books.

 

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

Are there Verbeegs in 5e? I don't recall seeing them in any of the various monster books.

They're in Rime of the Frostmaiden, I believe.