D&D 5E What kind of planar book do you hope for?

[Mercurius]

In one of the multiverse threads I speculated that WotC might take a slightly different approach to the planes, more of an open-ended "planar sourcebook" that provides a variety of cosmological models and approaches--more of a toolbox to build your own cosmology (or pick one or many) than based on a specific model that trumps all. Maybe this is wishful thinking, but it would certainly fit the current ethos, as it is essentially an extrapolation on the Multiverse chapter in the 5E DMG.

So how do you hope WotC covers the planes? What is your preference, of the listed options? I realize that they aren't mutually exclusive, but just try to pick the one closest to your liking--meaning, what do you want the focus to be? A Planescape-focused book would obviously still cover the Great Wheel, but the focus would be on Sigil and its factions, while a MotP would be more focused on the planes themselves, with Sigil as a possible starting point.

Here are the options, as I see it:

Planar Sourcebook: An open-ended guide to the planes that offers support for a variety of cosmologies and styles, including Planescape (Sigil), Spelljammer, the Great Wheel, the World Tree, planeswalking, the Gygaxian multiverse, isolated worlds, unique cosmologies, and more. The emphasis is on "no single cosmology is right" and building/choosing your own model.

Manual of the Planes: "Grubbian Style." Perhaps a bit of the above, but more of a classic MotP book focused on the Great Wheel and/or World Tree, with supplementary material covering Sigil and maybe other options.

Gygaxian multiverse: Focused on alternate realities, all part of a singular Prime Material plane. May include old TSR properties like Gamma World and Boot Hill.

Planescape-focused: Partying like its the mid-90s (although probably updated to 2020s). Focused on Sigil.

Spelljammer-focused: Partying like its 1989, with spelljamming as the default mode of planar/sphere travel.

Planeswalking-focused: Adapting Magic's planeswalking to D&D.

Nothing: No interest/don't care/planes offend me/terrestrial D&D rulez all!

 

[pukunui]

I'm not really too sure about specific setup of the book. I prefer the 4e cosmology to the Great Wheel / World Tree myself. That said, something I would like them to do is take the Wildemount approach and provide some short adventures set in various planes to showcase how to actually use them in a campaign.

 

[Mercurius]

I'm not really too sure about specific setup of the book. I prefer the 4e cosmology to the Great Wheel / World Tree myself. That said, something I would like them to do is take the Wildemount approach and provide some short adventures set in various planes to showcase how to actually use them in a campaign.

The 4E cosmology is the World Tree. But, yeah: I also prefer it to the GW.

 

[pukunui]

The 4E cosmology is the World Tree. But, yeah: I also prefer it to the GW.

The 4e cosmology is the World Axis. If I'm not mistaken, the World Tree was specific to FR during the 3e era.

 

[jgsugden]

I'd like an 'All of the Above' book.

A chapter on each of the planes, with the mechanics for the planes spelled out.
A chapter on Sigil.
A chapter on Spelljamming.
A chapter on Planeswalkers and how they interact with the Great Wheel.
A chapter with new character options for PCs intended to walk the planes.
A chapter with magic items and spell from the planar cosmology.
An appendix with monsters.

 

[Parmandur]

A Planescape Setting book, on the same lines as Ravnica or Eberron.

 

[Mercurius]

The 4e cosmology is the World Axis. If I'm not mistaken, the World Tree was specific to FR during the 3e era.

My bad. I got them confused.

 

[Mercurius]

I'd like an 'All of the Above' book.

A chapter on each of the planes, with the mechanics for the planes spelled out.
A chapter on Sigil.
A chapter on Spelljamming.
A chapter on Planeswalkers and how they interact with the Great Wheel.
A chapter with new character options for PCs intended to walk the planes.
A chapter with magic items and spell from the planar cosmology.
An appendix with monsters.

That would pretty much be either the Planar Sourcebook or MotP. I think the key difference is the former is more of a toolbox to build and/or pick-and choose, and would likely be more comprehensive, while the latter gives more concrete info on specifics, may be less comprehensive but go into greater detail.

 

[pukunui]

My bad. I got them confused.

No worries! Easy to do.

Also, it's helped me understand the different options better, so now I've chosen Manual of the Planes. As above, I'd especially like it if it included adventures (or at the very least single encounters) showcasing the different planes. Although if they were to do an accompanying Great Modron March AP, that could work too ... especially if they continue their current trend and make it so it would be easy to cut and paste bits.

 

[Weird Dave]

I'm a total devotee of the Grubbian planar style. It makes enough sense, while retaining a lot of mystery and nonsensical things that make the planes so wild and wonderful. I started in 2E in the early 90s and while I always gravitated towards Planescape, the attitude of the setting was a major turn off for me. Also, as a DM, the whole "unreliable narrator" theme that seemed to run through the sourcebooks was frustrating to pick out concrete details to make the planes come to life. And regardless of edition, I think focusing the planes as the home of the gods is far less interesting than giving me fantastic adventure sites, interesting organizations and NPCs, and guidelines for making each plane feel distinct at the game table.

Tangent self promotion: My own bias manifests in my series of products on the DMs Guild covering each plane. The Codex of the Infinite Planes series is up to volume 22 with 4 more to go. I just hope whatever planar book gets released doesn't invalidate the content I've released!