Sean Merwin

But by putting it in the Player's Handbook, you are saying this is something the players need to know about. And we feel that it is important enough to draw attention and put a spotlight on this. So what are the design goals of the inclusion of the gods in the multiverse in the Player's Handbook?

And the design goal for me would be to provide the context and the concepts for the players to understand the setting in which they are playing, both in terms of the stories that might be told, but also how the rules themselves connect to those concepts. And then they're there to inspire DMs, obviously, to create stories that make use of these contexts and these concepts if they so choose.

And the design goal for me would be to provide the context and the concepts for the players to understand the setting in which they are playing, both in terms of the stories that might be told, but also how the rules themselves connect to those concepts. And then they're there to inspire DMs, obviously, to create stories that make use of these contexts and these concepts if they so choose.

Would you agree?

Would you agree?

Right, and so let's go back. Let's go all the way back to first edition and look at how the gods and the planes of existences were discussed in the Player's Handbook. In first edition AD&D, appendix four discusses the quote, known planes of existence. And we are shown that there are eight inner planes.

Right, and so let's go back. Let's go all the way back to first edition and look at how the gods and the planes of existences were discussed in the Player's Handbook. In first edition AD&D, appendix four discusses the quote, known planes of existence. And we are shown that there are eight inner planes.

There's the prime material or physical plane, positive material plane, negative material plane, the planes of air, fire, water, and earth, and then the ethereal plane. Then we get the 17 outer planes. The first is the astral plane, which links all of these planes together. And then we get one for each sort of alignment.

There's the prime material or physical plane, positive material plane, negative material plane, the planes of air, fire, water, and earth, and then the ethereal plane. Then we get the 17 outer planes. The first is the astral plane, which links all of these planes together. And then we get one for each sort of alignment.

So we get the seven heavens, the twin paradises, Elysium, Happy Hunting Grounds, Olympus, Gladsheim, Limbo, Pandemonium, the Abyss, Tartarus, Hades, Kahina, Nine Hells, Arkron, Nirvana, and Arcadia. So there they are. That's all spelled out for players. And all that they really say is that these are tied to alignments. Is that does that match your memory, Teos?

So we get the seven heavens, the twin paradises, Elysium, Happy Hunting Grounds, Olympus, Gladsheim, Limbo, Pandemonium, the Abyss, Tartarus, Hades, Kahina, Nine Hells, Arkron, Nirvana, and Arcadia. So there they are. That's all spelled out for players. And all that they really say is that these are tied to alignments. Is that does that match your memory, Teos?

But really, and the Player's Head book really doesn't go into gods specifically. There is a later supplement called Deities and Demigods, very popular, lots of great information and fun. And it's where I learned about mythology as a kid was from that book.

But really, and the Player's Head book really doesn't go into gods specifically. There is a later supplement called Deities and Demigods, very popular, lots of great information and fun. And it's where I learned about mythology as a kid was from that book.

Yeah. So in the third and the 3.5 players handbook, There is no list of the planes of existence. So all of that stuff that we got from first edition and second edition is not discussed in any formal way. But we do get a list of gods, along with their domains and their favored weapons. What gods?

Yeah. So in the third and the 3.5 players handbook, There is no list of the planes of existence. So all of that stuff that we got from first edition and second edition is not discussed in any formal way. But we do get a list of gods, along with their domains and their favored weapons. What gods?

We get Bokob, Corellon, Alona, Erythnal, Farlangan, Garl Glittergold, Grumsh, Hyronius, Hextor, Kord, Moradin, Nerol, Obad-Hai, Olydamara, Pelor, St. Cuthbert, Vecna, Wejas, and Yandala. All from Greyhawk, and some of them very tied to a particular species. So yondalas as halflings, gargoyle to gold gnomes, et cetera, et cetera. But definitely... all Greyhawk deities.

We get Bokob, Corellon, Alona, Erythnal, Farlangan, Garl Glittergold, Grumsh, Hyronius, Hextor, Kord, Moradin, Nerol, Obad-Hai, Olydamara, Pelor, St. Cuthbert, Vecna, Wejas, and Yandala. All from Greyhawk, and some of them very tied to a particular species. So yondalas as halflings, gargoyle to gold gnomes, et cetera, et cetera. But definitely... all Greyhawk deities.

Yep. So that's why it's important, as Tao says, to have them in the player's handbook, because it shows a rules aspect that the players will need to know. So what do we get then as we move to a very, very different rule set with 4th edition? Again, we get no explicit list of planes. That is cut out completely, but we do get gods.

Yep. So that's why it's important, as Tao says, to have them in the player's handbook, because it shows a rules aspect that the players will need to know. So what do we get then as we move to a very, very different rule set with 4th edition? Again, we get no explicit list of planes. That is cut out completely, but we do get gods.

What gods of Andra, Bahamut, Coralon, Arathis, Ion, Kord, Melora, Moradin, Pelor, the Raven Queen, Sehanin, Asmodeus, Bane, Gromsh, Louth, Tiamat, Torag, Vecna, and Zahir, the latter of those being evil deities. Yeah.