I haven't been playing D&D too long, but just recently started crafting some of my own content to incorporate into some of the pre-existing campaigns. I was just confused why there is no 5e book devoted to the higher beings (Gods, Demon Lords, Deities... etc.)?
Not really. The DMG has a small blurb for gods. The SCAG has a section on gods of faerun and how they are worshiped (nothing extensive).
One whole third of MToF was about devils, demons, the abridged history of the war between them, and the planes they inhabited, but that is legacy content and is no longer available because WotC hates lore and wants DMs to do all the work...
So... SCAG is the best source still available. It is mostly about the mortal side of religion though, who to worship, how to worship, etc. With a few paragraphs about each god.
If don't care about the setting, may I direct your attention to MOoT. It is a MTG setting loosely based on ancient Greece. It includes detailed lore for its 15 gods, how they influence the world, their goals, their relationships to other gods, several myths about them, how to worship them, the characteristics of people who worship them, etc. It also introduces a piety mechanic to assign a value to a character's favor with each god, examples of what actions gain and lose favor with each god, and what boons certain amounts of piety give for each god. It is probably exactly what you want, just not for forgotten realms... (There are also no devils or demons in Theros).
Thanks, I didn't realize that SCAG has some content (I actually had to search for what SCAG was lol).
Just to give an example, say I wanted to read something up on a random Demon Lord that is not as available or known... like Kostchtchie. I don't see this as material found really anywhere in 5e and would benefit from it's own sourcebook. All I might be able to find is old content online.
Thanks, I didn't realize that SCAG has some content (I actually had to search for what SCAG was lol).
Just to give an example, say I wanted to read something up on a random Demon Lord that is not as available or known... like Kostchtchie. I don't see this as material found really anywhere in 5e and would benefit from it's own sourcebook. All I might be able to find is old content online.
That demon has not made an appearance in 5e yet.
The best book for demons and devils was MToF. It had descriptions of several demon lords and princes of hell. It even had rules for boons granted to cultists and how cults worship them. Shame it was removed from sale now that only the monster stat blocks without any of the lore have been reprinted...
Thanks, I will also check out MToF. Surprisingly I was randomly looking around and just read something about Kostchtchie being in Baldurs Gate: Descent to Avernus? I just jumped into the sourecebook on the marketplace and see it's offered as a $1.99 purchase item lol.
Anyways... yeah a book purely devoted to these guys would be sweet. Thanks for the info.
There are also several WOtC books for earlier editions that delve into the gods especially that would be good for lore to build off of. They also include older stat blocks and that led to problems in earlier editions with players trying to get powerful enough to kill gods and usurp their powers. That is one reason there isn’t a 5e book so they don’t/can’t deal with that nonsense.
There are also several WOtC books for earlier editions that delve into the gods especially that would be good for lore to build off of.
True. If nothing else, the lore can be dragged and dropped.
Be warned that there is a non-zero chance that a 5e book will directly contradict old lore. Hells, spelljammer is a perfect example of this (I hate that they turned interstellar space into the astral plane. Nothing takes away the thrill and danger of a space adventure like not having to worry about air, food, sleep, or even aging... Not to mention that a plane that previously required 9th level magic to get to can now be physically flown to by a hedge mage in a boat).
Thanks, I will also check out MToF. Surprisingly I was randomly looking around and just read something about Kostchtchie being in Baldurs Gate: Descent to Avernus? I just jumped into the sourecebook on the marketplace and see it's offered as a $1.99 purchase item lol.
Anyways... yeah a book purely devoted to these guys would be sweet. Thanks for the info.
Yes Kostchtchie has a stat block and a minor appearance in the baldurs gate avernus campaing. The lore there is mostly just contained within that campaing.
For most lore and info is better to look at other edition books or a wikipedia fandom page. In case of demon lords, the 3.5 book fiendish codex I: hordes of the abyss is one of the best, but any will normally do, if the tome of foes or volos guide does not contain the demon lord you want.
There is a youtube channel all about lore that condenses lore from every single dnd book from any edition about a specific subject. Its videos are all named: "what they dont tell you about [Theme]"... it has covered demons and the abyss but i dont know if it has talked about kostchchie in specific or maybe frost giants (since very evil frost giants follow the demon lord). The channel name is MrRhexx.
honestly, I think it is because there is a good gods and heroes book made for advanced DND wich is the one I use, if you can't find a 5E book for that you can use the Advanced DND book (do they still print those?)
honestly, I think it is because there is a good gods and heroes book made for advanced DND wich is the one I use, if you can't find a 5E book for that you can use the Advanced DND book (do they still print those?)
AD&D went out of print in 1999.
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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.
honestly, I think it is because there is a good gods and heroes book made for advanced DND wich is the one I use, if you can't find a 5E book for that you can use the Advanced DND book (do they still print those?)
You can get the previous editions at DriveThruRPG. I bought the core rule books from 1e to 4e along with some 2nd edition extras like Planescape and Spelljammer there.
honestly, I think it is because there is a good gods and heroes book made for advanced DND wich is the one I use, if you can't find a 5E book for that you can use the Advanced DND book (do they still print those?)
You can get the PDF's from DriveThruRPG as others have mentioned, but you can *also* get the print on demand version which comes out very nice, or at least mine did
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I haven't been playing D&D too long, but just recently started crafting some of my own content to incorporate into some of the pre-existing campaigns. I was just confused why there is no 5e book devoted to the higher beings (Gods, Demon Lords, Deities... etc.)?
Not really. The DMG has a small blurb for gods. The SCAG has a section on gods of faerun and how they are worshiped (nothing extensive).
One whole third of MToF was about devils, demons, the abridged history of the war between them, and the planes they inhabited, but that is legacy content and is no longer available because WotC hates lore and wants DMs to do all the work...
So... SCAG is the best source still available. It is mostly about the mortal side of religion though, who to worship, how to worship, etc. With a few paragraphs about each god.
If don't care about the setting, may I direct your attention to MOoT. It is a MTG setting loosely based on ancient Greece. It includes detailed lore for its 15 gods, how they influence the world, their goals, their relationships to other gods, several myths about them, how to worship them, the characteristics of people who worship them, etc. It also introduces a piety mechanic to assign a value to a character's favor with each god, examples of what actions gain and lose favor with each god, and what boons certain amounts of piety give for each god. It is probably exactly what you want, just not for forgotten realms... (There are also no devils or demons in Theros).
Thanks, I didn't realize that SCAG has some content (I actually had to search for what SCAG was lol).
Just to give an example, say I wanted to read something up on a random Demon Lord that is not as available or known... like Kostchtchie. I don't see this as material found really anywhere in 5e and would benefit from it's own sourcebook. All I might be able to find is old content online.
That demon has not made an appearance in 5e yet.
The best book for demons and devils was MToF. It had descriptions of several demon lords and princes of hell. It even had rules for boons granted to cultists and how cults worship them. Shame it was removed from sale now that only the monster stat blocks without any of the lore have been reprinted...
Thanks, I will also check out MToF. Surprisingly I was randomly looking around and just read something about Kostchtchie being in Baldurs Gate: Descent to Avernus? I just jumped into the sourecebook on the marketplace and see it's offered as a $1.99 purchase item lol.
Anyways... yeah a book purely devoted to these guys would be sweet. Thanks for the info.
The DmGuild has two nice books: Faiths of the Forgotten Realms I & II
They also have a nice Warlock book: Of Warlocks and Patrons
playing since 1986
There are also several WOtC books for earlier editions that delve into the gods especially that would be good for lore to build off of. They also include older stat blocks and that led to problems in earlier editions with players trying to get powerful enough to kill gods and usurp their powers. That is one reason there isn’t a 5e book so they don’t/can’t deal with that nonsense.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
True. If nothing else, the lore can be dragged and dropped.
Be warned that there is a non-zero chance that a 5e book will directly contradict old lore. Hells, spelljammer is a perfect example of this (I hate that they turned interstellar space into the astral plane. Nothing takes away the thrill and danger of a space adventure like not having to worry about air, food, sleep, or even aging... Not to mention that a plane that previously required 9th level magic to get to can now be physically flown to by a hedge mage in a boat).
Yes Kostchtchie has a stat block and a minor appearance in the baldurs gate avernus campaing. The lore there is mostly just contained within that campaing.
For most lore and info is better to look at other edition books or a wikipedia fandom page. In case of demon lords, the 3.5 book fiendish codex I: hordes of the abyss is one of the best, but any will normally do, if the tome of foes or volos guide does not contain the demon lord you want.
There is a youtube channel all about lore that condenses lore from every single dnd book from any edition about a specific subject. Its videos are all named: "what they dont tell you about [Theme]"... it has covered demons and the abyss but i dont know if it has talked about kostchchie in specific or maybe frost giants (since very evil frost giants follow the demon lord). The channel name is MrRhexx.
honestly, I think it is because there is a good gods and heroes book made for advanced DND wich is the one I use, if you can't find a 5E book for that you can use the Advanced DND book (do they still print those?)
AD&D went out of print in 1999.
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.
You can probably get a pdf on dms guild
You can get the previous editions at DriveThruRPG. I bought the core rule books from 1e to 4e along with some 2nd edition extras like Planescape and Spelljammer there.
The Forum Infestation (TM)
You can get the PDF's from DriveThruRPG as others have mentioned, but you can *also* get the print on demand version which comes out very nice, or at least mine did