I'm currently working on creating a homebrew setting with entirely new lore and history. In this setting, I won't be using the traditional DnD Pantheon, and as a result, the classic concept of the Divine and Abyssal/Infernal planes won't be utilized. Although the Aasimar and Tiefling species are popular and part of the core 2024 rules, they don't align with how this setting works. While there are Divine and Abyssal/Infernal forces in this new setting, they don't embody the 'angel' or 'devil' qualities associated with those species.
I'm seeking input on the following:
Should these species be removed altogether?
Should their appearance be altered to fit this setting?
Should I simply ignore the conflict and let it remain as is, without any explanation?
If they don't fit your setting, remove them. Nothing is making you use them.
The wide variety of available species in D&D gives GMs lots of options to customize their worlds. Use what fits. If you wanna ditch humans, you can ditch humans. There's no expectation that everything will exist, even in official settings that aren't the Forgotten Realms.
(You also have the option of keeping the mechanical parts and altering the flavor.)
Do the spells that summon outsiders work? If so, I see no need to remove the offspring of outsiders (or ... descendants).
Now ... no need isn't the same as no reason. If you don't wan'em, don't hav'em.
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
In this setting, I won't be using the traditional DnD Pantheon, and as a result, the classic concept of the Divine and Abyssal/Infernal planes won't be utilized.
If you allow me the pedantry, I will point out that in D&D the divine planes include both the celestial planes and the fiendish planes. The traditional pantheon counts numerous evil gods served by demons, devils or other fiends.
Anyway, for a setting where there is no such division at all, I would remove aasimar and tieflings altogether. Depending on how the afterlife works in your setting, the two might be replaced by a new species of mortals who are descended from, or otherwise connected to, the creatures found in this afterlife.
Maybe tieflings are a result of witchcraft. Maybe aasimar are imbued with the essence of the stars. Maybe tieflings are born when a large group of people feel an especially strong fear. They then turn on the child thinking it is the embodiment of their concerns. Maybe aasimar are born from the tears of the sun. I don't know exactly how your cosmology works but you can probably come up with some way to fit them into your setting if you want them there.
If you allow me the pedantry, I will point out that in D&D the divine planes include both the celestial planes and the fiendish planes. The traditional pantheon counts numerous evil gods served by demons, devils or other fiends.
Anyway, for a setting where there is no such division at all, I would remove aasimar and tieflings altogether. Depending on how the afterlife works in your setting, the two might be replaced by a new species of mortals who are descended from, or otherwise connected to, the creatures found in this afterlife.
In this setting there are celestial and abyssal/infernal planes, they are just not envisioned the way they are in most DnD campaigns. Without getting too long winded about the lore, there is really no afterlife in this setting, instead there is a focus on rebirth or reincarnation. The divine being in this setting was not responsible for creating the mortal races but it was responsible for elevating a small number of them to effectively, demi-god status. These elevated mortals would later turn on each other, resulting in the divisions typically thought of as celestial and infernal. The divine being seeing the damage they could cause in this conflict, banished them to their pocket dimensions (or planes). The influence of these planes could still result in mortals being born Aasimar and Tiefling but their appearance, I assume, would be different. Tieflings specifically look like devils (the horns, tails, etc) because the infernal planes in DnD were created by devils. But infernal planes created by other beings, what would tieflings look like then? Just the stuff I am musing about.
Maybe tieflings are a result of witchcraft. Maybe aasimar are imbued with the essence of the stars. Maybe tieflings are born when a large group of people feel an especially strong fear. They then turn on the child thinking it is the embodiment of their concerns. Maybe aasimar are born from the tears of the sun. I don't know exactly how your cosmology works but you can probably come up with some way to fit them into your setting if you want them there.
These are interesting spins on the ideas but don't align with the flavour of the world. While there are certainly magical and powerful elements, I am still writing from the zero-point of science. As I noted above, the divine being or gods of this setting did not create the mortal races. Species all evolved naturally rather than being snapped into creation. Likewise, the sun is a giant ball of burning gas and would be unable to shed tears (well, aside from solar flares). Thank you for the ideas though.
The influence of these planes could still result in mortals being born Aasimar and Tiefling but their appearance, I assume, would be different. Tieflings specifically look like devils (the horns, tails, etc) because the infernal planes in DnD were created by devils. But infernal planes created by other beings, what would tieflings look like then? Just the stuff I am musing about.
It is also possible that the infernal plane of Baator created the devils. Though the current generation of devils (i.e. modern "baatezu" as opposed to ancient "baatorians") may be the result of the angel Asmodeus conquering the Hells, taking the throne from Zargon and replacing all devils with a version of his own design. Just my favorite out of many contradicting pieces of D&D lore.
Anyway, in older editions, tieflings could be descended from any type of fiend and be any kind of slightly off in appearance. For example, Haer'Dalis from Baldur's Gate 2 was pretty much just an elf with odd lines on his face, though I suppose even those may not have been from birth.
I am not yet up-to-date with the 2024 PH but I think there are now infernal, chthonic and abyssal tieflings? Which should once more allow the species to look like anything, though I don't expect the art to reflect that.
So for your tieflings, I think they could look like a more human version of whatever you put in your infernal planes. If it is just gods, then maybe an appearance specific to each one? It is hard to say more at this point.
I'm currently working on creating a homebrew setting with entirely new lore and history. In this setting, I won't be using the traditional DnD Pantheon, and as a result, the classic concept of the Divine and Abyssal/Infernal planes won't be utilized. Although the Aasimar and Tiefling species are popular and part of the core 2024 rules, they don't align with how this setting works. While there are Divine and Abyssal/Infernal forces in this new setting, they don't embody the 'angel' or 'devil' qualities associated with those species.
I'm seeking input on the following:
If they don't fit your setting, remove them. Nothing is making you use them.
The wide variety of available species in D&D gives GMs lots of options to customize their worlds. Use what fits. If you wanna ditch humans, you can ditch humans. There's no expectation that everything will exist, even in official settings that aren't the Forgotten Realms.
(You also have the option of keeping the mechanical parts and altering the flavor.)
People's DnD time is limited, it is a shame to prevent them from exploring a character concept if it can be helped.
Do the spells that summon outsiders work? If so, I see no need to remove the offspring of outsiders (or ... descendants).
Now ... no need isn't the same as no reason. If you don't wan'em, don't hav'em.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
If you allow me the pedantry, I will point out that in D&D the divine planes include both the celestial planes and the fiendish planes. The traditional pantheon counts numerous evil gods served by demons, devils or other fiends.
Anyway, for a setting where there is no such division at all, I would remove aasimar and tieflings altogether. Depending on how the afterlife works in your setting, the two might be replaced by a new species of mortals who are descended from, or otherwise connected to, the creatures found in this afterlife.
Expanded 5e Spelljammer Cosmology
Maybe tieflings are a result of witchcraft. Maybe aasimar are imbued with the essence of the stars. Maybe tieflings are born when a large group of people feel an especially strong fear. They then turn on the child thinking it is the embodiment of their concerns. Maybe aasimar are born from the tears of the sun. I don't know exactly how your cosmology works but you can probably come up with some way to fit them into your setting if you want them there.
In this setting there are celestial and abyssal/infernal planes, they are just not envisioned the way they are in most DnD campaigns. Without getting too long winded about the lore, there is really no afterlife in this setting, instead there is a focus on rebirth or reincarnation. The divine being in this setting was not responsible for creating the mortal races but it was responsible for elevating a small number of them to effectively, demi-god status. These elevated mortals would later turn on each other, resulting in the divisions typically thought of as celestial and infernal. The divine being seeing the damage they could cause in this conflict, banished them to their pocket dimensions (or planes).
The influence of these planes could still result in mortals being born Aasimar and Tiefling but their appearance, I assume, would be different. Tieflings specifically look like devils (the horns, tails, etc) because the infernal planes in DnD were created by devils. But infernal planes created by other beings, what would tieflings look like then? Just the stuff I am musing about.
These are interesting spins on the ideas but don't align with the flavour of the world. While there are certainly magical and powerful elements, I am still writing from the zero-point of science. As I noted above, the divine being or gods of this setting did not create the mortal races. Species all evolved naturally rather than being snapped into creation. Likewise, the sun is a giant ball of burning gas and would be unable to shed tears (well, aside from solar flares). Thank you for the ideas though.
It is also possible that the infernal plane of Baator created the devils. Though the current generation of devils (i.e. modern "baatezu" as opposed to ancient "baatorians") may be the result of the angel Asmodeus conquering the Hells, taking the throne from Zargon and replacing all devils with a version of his own design. Just my favorite out of many contradicting pieces of D&D lore.
Anyway, in older editions, tieflings could be descended from any type of fiend and be any kind of slightly off in appearance. For example, Haer'Dalis from Baldur's Gate 2 was pretty much just an elf with odd lines on his face, though I suppose even those may not have been from birth.
I am not yet up-to-date with the 2024 PH but I think there are now infernal, chthonic and abyssal tieflings? Which should once more allow the species to look like anything, though I don't expect the art to reflect that.
So for your tieflings, I think they could look like a more human version of whatever you put in your infernal planes. If it is just gods, then maybe an appearance specific to each one? It is hard to say more at this point.
Expanded 5e Spelljammer Cosmology