D&D General the elemental planes are trash

[MonsterEnvy]

But there's no reason for there to be only one. If the plane is truly infinite it's basically impossible. Whether or not the planes are truly infinite we have things labeled the infinite staircase and infinite layers of the Abyss.

But if it doesn't bother you then it doesn't. I think it's illogical and unnecessary so I don't use it. Same as planes dedicated to elements.

It’s not infinite in that way was my point. A lot of the way the planes work is more metaphorical than literal.

 

[Oofta]

It’s not infinite in that way was my point. A lot of the way the planes work is more metaphorical than literal.

Then why call them infinite? But do whatever works for you. I know I do, I choose to not use them.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Then why call them infinite? But do whatever works for you. I know I do, I choose to not use them.

Cause they have infinite space in many of them. Many of the Abyss Layers has infinite space in them. But past certain points there is nothing there in many of them, just empty wasteland.

There are also things like Mount Celestia which is infinitely tall, but you can reach the top. Cause getting to the next tier of the mountain requires you just to put in a enough effort and reaching the proper mentality as decided by the plane.

 

[Tonguez]

Then why call them infinite? But do whatever works for you. I know I do, I choose to not use them.

Humans tend to exaggerate when describing big things - why would the planar denizens be different?

 

[Incenjucar]

What is the value in measuring the planes?

 

[Yaarel]

I prefer the Elemental Planes are the same thing as the overlapping Ethereal Plane, plus demiplanes within it.

Where the Ethereal Plane overlaps the ocean, there are Water Elementals within it. The upper atmosphere, Ethereal Air Elementals within it. Sun and Moon are overlapping Ethereal regions of Fire and Earth.

Additionally, there are demiplanes. Where the ether overlaps a mountain, at certain location can be the entrance into a demiplane, where an Earth Elemental (or Dwarf or Gnome or Giant) makes their home. It is a separate space with earthy themes. Often this demiplane resembles a Mordenkainen Magnificent Mansion. A person can be "taken into the mountain", into the separate extradimensional space there.

All Elemental Planes are local, corresponding to locations in the Material Plane.

 

[Yaarel]

For overlaps maybe:

AIR (radiant) FIRE (acid) EARTH (cold) WATER (lightning-thunder) AIR

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I guess the right word is elemental planes aren't enough adventurer-friendly.

Maybe the genies and other powers created elemental-touched domains for no-elemental visitors, mainly for trade but also because efreetis need a zone where mortal slaves can work. Then I imagine a softer way of the fire plane where it is hot, but not more than the sand from the dessert or the cup of tea you are drink. There is also "fire-touched plants" but they aren't really burning in the classic way but they show a "warm aura" because they don't carry out photosintesis like the rest but they use "dark energy" and the result is "heat" (and to a lesser extent they also produce oxygen).

Other fire domains would be ruled by cults of hearth deities, for example Vesta. Then it would be like a convent in a hot summer day (and I mean summer in Mediterranean weather) but for worshipper petitioners it wouldn't be a bother at all. And what mortal would go there? Mainly pilgrims.

Other times the fire deities need more worshippers and then their domains would work as communes. And there the birth of elemental genasi from human families is possible, but there is like a sign of divine blessing. Other times paragenasis are created by reincarnation spells in those zones, but most once this was relatively intentional.

In my worlds some times the spirits of sentient creatures become elementals instead undead or outsiders(celestiar or infernal).

* There is an article about plants from elemental planes in Dragon Magazine #357

 

[Epic Meepo]

I've always had an issue with the "infinite" part of the planes lore as well because people don't really think of the consequences. If you have an infinite hell plane filled with infinite fiends than just by random chance you're going to have copies. So somewhere out there is a devil just like Asmodeus. Not just one, but an infinite number. It just gets weird.

Having an infinite amount of something doesn't guarantee there will be copies of anything. There are an infinite number of whole numbers, for example, but only one of them is 1. You can keep randomly selecting whole numbers until the end of time, but every time you pick the number 1, it's the same number 1 you picked last time. There will never be some other, identical number 1 somewhere else on the number line.

 

[Staffan]

Maybe elementals are native inhabitants of the Material Plane and their domains can be found just by exploring in a volcanic crater or a vast desert or a storm swept coastline?

That's how it is in World of Warcraft. Elementals are natives to the world, but were imprisoned in the elemental plane/planes (it's a bit uncertain if it's one segregated plane or four different planes) by the Titans in the ancient past.