I have been yearning for lore/mechanics on the other planes within 5e's canon for years*. I was stoked we saw some Avernus, then some Mists (arguably Shadowfell), recently some Feywild and now finally some Far Realm. Being a long time Lovecraft fan but having only joined the game with 5e, Im most excited to see what a WotC official Far Realm looks like (for homebrew worldbuilding fuel of course). The fact that its Critical Role affiliated is just gravy for me.
*Im aware of the sections in PHB and DMG, just they're meagre triflings for this lore-aholic.
It should be noted this is Matt Mercer's own take on the Far Realm, hence why it's referred to as the Netherdeep. It's described as 'Far Realm meets the depths of the ocean'.
I have been yearning for lore/mechanics on the other planes within 5e's canon for years*. I was stoked we saw some Avernus, then some Mists (arguably Shadowfell), recently some Feywild and now finally some Far Realm. Being a long time Lovecraft fan but having only joined the game with 5e, Im most excited to see what a WotC official Far Realm looks like (for homebrew worldbuilding fuel of course). The fact that its Critical Role affiliated is just gravy for me.
*Im aware of the sections in PHB and DMG, just they're meagre triflings for this lore-aholic.
Seconded. What I'd really like to see are detailed, fully flavored treatments to the level of talking about how specific spells do or don't work on the specific plane. This is something 1E did to a small extent. I love the idea of characters discovering that their favorite spell doesn't work as expected (or doesn't work at all) and have to solve encounters or challenges in different ways than usual.
I understand that's a heavy lift, given the number of canon spells - but I hate that the main differences between planes seem to be monsters and description. Avernus shouldn't just feel like a hot desert with devils; it should be significantly different from the characters' home plane (assuming it's FR, Exandria, or something like those).
I have been yearning for lore/mechanics on the other planes within 5e's canon for years*. I was stoked we saw some Avernus, then some Mists (arguably Shadowfell), recently some Feywild and now finally some Far Realm. Being a long time Lovecraft fan but having only joined the game with 5e, Im most excited to see what a WotC official Far Realm looks like (for homebrew worldbuilding fuel of course). The fact that its Critical Role affiliated is just gravy for me.
*Im aware of the sections in PHB and DMG, just they're meagre triflings for this lore-aholic.
It should be noted this is Matt Mercer's own take on the Far Realm, hence why it's referred to as the Netherdeep. It's described as 'Far Realm meets the depths of the ocean'.
Yep, very good, but at this stage its all the Far Realm we've got. So 5e's Far Realm more in depth rule set/description basis, here we come. :)
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Hjalmar Gunderson, Vuman Alchemist Plague Doctor in a HB Campaign, Post Netherese Invasion Cormyr (lvl20 retired) Godfrey, Autognome Butler in Ghosts of Saltmarsh into Spelljammer Grímr Skeggisson, Goliath Rune Knight in Rime of the Frostmaiden DM of two HB campaigns set in the same world.
I have been yearning for lore/mechanics on the other planes within 5e's canon for years*. I was stoked we saw some Avernus, then some Mists (arguably Shadowfell), recently some Feywild and now finally some Far Realm. Being a long time Lovecraft fan but having only joined the game with 5e, Im most excited to see what a WotC official Far Realm looks like (for homebrew worldbuilding fuel of course). The fact that its Critical Role affiliated is just gravy for me.
*Im aware of the sections in PHB and DMG, just they're meagre triflings for this lore-aholic.
Seconded. What I'd really like to see are detailed, fully flavored treatments to the level of talking about how specific spells do or don't work on the specific plane. This is something 1E did to a small extent. I love the idea of characters discovering that their favorite spell doesn't work as expected (or doesn't work at all) and have to solve encounters or challenges in different ways than usual.
I understand that's a heavy lift, given the number of canon spells - but I hate that the main differences between planes seem to be monsters and description. Avernus shouldn't just feel like a hot desert with devils; it should be significantly different from the characters' home plane (assuming it's FR, Exandria, or something like those).
I mean, DitA does give DMs some guidance on some slight changes in spells (and I think a big change in what happens when characters use magic associated with telepathy). But I also hear you, some sort of planar guide to a plane's impact on spells would be sweet. I don't think it's the sort of thing we'd see in print as a mainline WotC product, it's just too "tedious" for the average player. I could see a third party press play with this (though using the multiverse in third party works may not be cool). Definitely I could see DMsGuild product doing this sort of catalog.
MCDM's magazine Arcadia has an article on a similar theme where pretty much every SRD monster is described in terms of what can be harvested from it and what magic variations of SRD spells you have if you swap out these exotic components for traditional ones. It's a pretty extensive article but the writer has a good rep for doing these sorts of comprehensive dives (they did the DMsGuild books which is a fairly comprehensive homebrew guide to custom lineages "An Orc and an Elf Have a Baby").
As for the Netherdeep, the BBEG at the end of season 2, I feel, is very Far Realm adjacent too. As said, this is a pretty different cosmology from the regular D&D cosmology, and really the linkage between deep ocean and Far Realm not only appears in sort of original source lore (Lovecraft and his circle) but if you look at a lot of the aberations in the MM, as well as recognize some creatures like the Kuo-toa, it's pretty much there, a DM just has to draw themself a map.
I guess in this context another boon to the book would be as well as possible providing coaching "from Matt Mercer himself" on maybe how to emulate "Critical Role style" experiences, with (as I feel) Exandria being a much more mainstream D&D adjacent world than say Eberon or Ravinica, Theros, etc., there may be more "mind of Matt Mercer" sidebars that may explain how "well basically I'm mashing up Far REalm and deep ocean lore into Netherdeep ... AND YOU CAN DO" world building coaching. I don't know how much WotC will take advantage of that sorta meta or behind the scenes of a game inspiration many folks find in him, but I think the opportunity is cool and hopefully something they recognize.
Agreed that anything tackling spell/magic changes in different planes would be too detailed for the average player (or even DM) - and that a DMsguild product is the most likely chance for getting one.
I'm not a fan of the cover for Netherdeep either. It strikes me as uninspired and boring; I don't want floating NPC heads, I want dynamic and eye-popping scenes and colors.
Look at this preview page from Critical Role's website and tell me this wouldn't make you pause and go "wait, what is this?" if you saw it on the shelf at your FLGS.
Also I dare you to tell me that if your character looked up and the sky looked like this, you wouldn't immediately start searching for a cave and praying to whichever god cared to listen that the SuperMegaUltracane doesn't start murdering you until you find shelter :P
I'm not a fan of the cover for Netherdeep either. It strikes me as uninspired and boring; I don't want floating NPC heads, I want dynamic and eye-popping scenes and colors.
Look at this preview page from Critical Role's website and tell me this wouldn't make you pause and go "wait, what is this?" if you saw it on the shelf at your FLGS.
Also I dare you to tell me that if your character looked up and the sky looked like this, you wouldn't immediately start searching for a cave and praying to whichever god cared to listen that the SuperMegaUltracane doesn't start murdering you until you find shelter :P
Thats not the cover.
You should re read the post you are responding to. They never once said that was the cover.
Agreed that anything tackling spell/magic changes in different planes would be too detailed for the average player (or even DM) - and that a DMsguild product is the most likely chance for getting one.
They had rules for that in previous editions. They were not terribly popular.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I'm not a fan of the cover for Netherdeep either. It strikes me as uninspired and boring; I don't want floating NPC heads, I want dynamic and eye-popping scenes and colors.
Look at this preview page from Critical Role's website and tell me this wouldn't make you pause and go "wait, what is this?" if you saw it on the shelf at your FLGS.
Also I dare you to tell me that if your character looked up and the sky looked like this, you wouldn't immediately start searching for a cave and praying to whichever god cared to listen that the SuperMegaUltracane doesn't start murdering you until you find shelter :P
Wonder if there's any chance us DMs who preordered this will get a preview of some sort? Since the adventure covers levels 3-12, I'd love to start brewing up a foundation to carry characters from levels 1-3, sorting out backstories and party dynamics while heavily foreshadowing and leading into the start of Netherdeep.
Wonder if there's any chance us DMs who preordered this will get a preview of some sort? Since the adventure covers levels 3-12, I'd love to start brewing up a foundation to carry characters from levels 1-3, sorting out backstories and party dynamics while heavily foreshadowing and leading into the start of Netherdeep.
They will give out some reviews much much later. The adventures to go from levels 1-3 were actually kinda included in the Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, as hinted by Matthew Mercer himself.
I kinda thought it was sorta a chocolate and peanut butter sort of thing. CR & 5e brought each others flavors to new levels. :D.
Maybe the future will be "CRD&D 5e 2024 RED" we just need a AAA video game flop that seemed so promising in the build up to cement this.
We need one set of rules for this D&D 2024 RED how do I add Warforged parts to my High Elf character, and how anti social do they become from that procedure?
I kinda thought it was sorta a chocolate and peanut butter sort of thing. CR & 5e brought each others flavors to new levels. :D.
Maybe the future will be "CRD&D 5e 2024 RED" we just need a AAA video game flop that seemed so promising in the build up to cement this.
We need one set of rules for this D&D 2024 RED how do I add Warforged parts to my High Elf character, and how anti social do they become from that procedure?
Well, you start with a prosthetic limb, the way my tiffle artificer did. 'Course, she didn't get anti-social from the procedure because she built her own artisan-grade arm and turned the production of high-grade, decorative prostheses into a side business, but I imagine she was a little withdrawn for a while after losing the original to assassin magic super acid when she was eight.
But that aside, after that you just start convincing your DM to let your fancy new warforged arm absorb upgrades! Finbd a pair of magic gloves? Ask the DM if you can feed them to your arm, instead! Cyberarms in Red have three option slots for extra 'ware, that sounds like a good number to me. You'd have to restore the original attunement requirement for the prosthetic limb, though. Or at least my DM has informed me of this while I slowly work him around to the idea of upgrades to Star's arm. But between armblades, wand sheathes, and various glove/gauntlet effects, there's plenty of easy homebrew basis for your very own magic Solo!
Or, y'know...basically just play in Eberron and you're golden.
I kinda thought it was sorta a chocolate and peanut butter sort of thing. CR & 5e brought each others flavors to new levels. :D.
Maybe the future will be "CRD&D 5e 2024 RED" we just need a AAA video game flop that seemed so promising in the build up to cement this.
We need one set of rules for this D&D 2024 RED how do I add Warforged parts to my High Elf character, and how anti social do they become from that procedure?
Well, you start with a prosthetic limb, the way my tiffle artificer did. 'Course, she didn't get anti-social from the procedure because she built her own artisan-grade arm and turned the production of high-grade, decorative prostheses into a side business, but I imagine she was a little withdrawn for a while after losing the original to assassin magic super acid when she was eight.
But that aside, after that you just start convincing your DM to let your fancy new warforged arm absorb upgrades! Finbd a pair of magic gloves? Ask the DM if you can feed them to your arm, instead! Cyberarms in Red have three option slots for extra 'ware, that sounds like a good number to me. You'd have to restore the original attunement requirement for the prosthetic limb, though. Or at least my DM has informed me of this while I slowly work him around to the idea of upgrades to Star's arm. But between armblades, wand sheathes, and various glove/gauntlet effects, there's plenty of easy homebrew basis for your very own magic Solo!
Or, y'know...basically just play in Eberron and you're golden.
I like it awesome reply, thank you
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It should be noted this is Matt Mercer's own take on the Far Realm, hence why it's referred to as the Netherdeep. It's described as 'Far Realm meets the depths of the ocean'.
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Seconded. What I'd really like to see are detailed, fully flavored treatments to the level of talking about how specific spells do or don't work on the specific plane. This is something 1E did to a small extent. I love the idea of characters discovering that their favorite spell doesn't work as expected (or doesn't work at all) and have to solve encounters or challenges in different ways than usual.
I understand that's a heavy lift, given the number of canon spells - but I hate that the main differences between planes seem to be monsters and description. Avernus shouldn't just feel like a hot desert with devils; it should be significantly different from the characters' home plane (assuming it's FR, Exandria, or something like those).
Yep, very good, but at this stage its all the Far Realm we've got. So 5e's Far Realm more in depth rule set/description basis, here we come. :)
Hjalmar Gunderson, Vuman Alchemist Plague Doctor in a HB Campaign, Post Netherese Invasion Cormyr (lvl20 retired)
Godfrey, Autognome Butler in Ghosts of Saltmarsh into Spelljammer
Grímr Skeggisson, Goliath Rune Knight in Rime of the Frostmaiden
DM of two HB campaigns set in the same world.
I mean, DitA does give DMs some guidance on some slight changes in spells (and I think a big change in what happens when characters use magic associated with telepathy). But I also hear you, some sort of planar guide to a plane's impact on spells would be sweet. I don't think it's the sort of thing we'd see in print as a mainline WotC product, it's just too "tedious" for the average player. I could see a third party press play with this (though using the multiverse in third party works may not be cool). Definitely I could see DMsGuild product doing this sort of catalog.
MCDM's magazine Arcadia has an article on a similar theme where pretty much every SRD monster is described in terms of what can be harvested from it and what magic variations of SRD spells you have if you swap out these exotic components for traditional ones. It's a pretty extensive article but the writer has a good rep for doing these sorts of comprehensive dives (they did the DMsGuild books which is a fairly comprehensive homebrew guide to custom lineages "An Orc and an Elf Have a Baby").
As for the Netherdeep, the BBEG at the end of season 2, I feel, is very Far Realm adjacent too. As said, this is a pretty different cosmology from the regular D&D cosmology, and really the linkage between deep ocean and Far Realm not only appears in sort of original source lore (Lovecraft and his circle) but if you look at a lot of the aberations in the MM, as well as recognize some creatures like the Kuo-toa, it's pretty much there, a DM just has to draw themself a map.
I guess in this context another boon to the book would be as well as possible providing coaching "from Matt Mercer himself" on maybe how to emulate "Critical Role style" experiences, with (as I feel) Exandria being a much more mainstream D&D adjacent world than say Eberon or Ravinica, Theros, etc., there may be more "mind of Matt Mercer" sidebars that may explain how "well basically I'm mashing up Far REalm and deep ocean lore into Netherdeep ... AND YOU CAN DO" world building coaching. I don't know how much WotC will take advantage of that sorta meta or behind the scenes of a game inspiration many folks find in him, but I think the opportunity is cool and hopefully something they recognize.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Agreed that anything tackling spell/magic changes in different planes would be too detailed for the average player (or even DM) - and that a DMsguild product is the most likely chance for getting one.
Thats not the cover.
You should re read the post you are responding to. They never once said that was the cover.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
They had rules for that in previous editions. They were not terribly popular.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
This art is stunning. Who is the artist?
All things Lich - DM tips, tricks, and other creative shenanigans
Kent Davis.
Birgit | Shifter | Sorcerer | Dragonlords
Shayone | Hobgoblin | Sorcerer | Netherdeep
Wonder if there's any chance us DMs who preordered this will get a preview of some sort? Since the adventure covers levels 3-12, I'd love to start brewing up a foundation to carry characters from levels 1-3, sorting out backstories and party dynamics while heavily foreshadowing and leading into the start of Netherdeep.
They will give out some reviews much much later. The adventures to go from levels 1-3 were actually kinda included in the Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, as hinted by Matthew Mercer himself.
Frequent Eladrin || They/Them, but accept all pronouns
Luz Noceda would like to remind you that you're worth loving!
We need one set of rules for this D&D 2024 RED how do I add Warforged parts to my High Elf character, and how anti social do they become from that procedure?
Well, you start with a prosthetic limb, the way my tiffle artificer did. 'Course, she didn't get anti-social from the procedure because she built her own artisan-grade arm and turned the production of high-grade, decorative prostheses into a side business, but I imagine she was a little withdrawn for a while after losing the original to assassin magic super acid when she was eight.
But that aside, after that you just start convincing your DM to let your fancy new warforged arm absorb upgrades! Finbd a pair of magic gloves? Ask the DM if you can feed them to your arm, instead! Cyberarms in Red have three option slots for extra 'ware, that sounds like a good number to me. You'd have to restore the original attunement requirement for the prosthetic limb, though. Or at least my DM has informed me of this while I slowly work him around to the idea of upgrades to Star's arm. But between armblades, wand sheathes, and various glove/gauntlet effects, there's plenty of easy homebrew basis for your very own magic Solo!
Or, y'know...basically just play in Eberron and you're golden.
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I like it awesome reply, thank you