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Dungeons & Dragons, like so many good fantasy games, accepts and encourages the concept of worlds other than the one we see before us. Whether that's a strict heaven/hell split or a nuanced spread of a diverse set of Planes, the Multiverse is a way for Dungeon Masters to live out their wildest dreams!
Whether you're considering adding a Multiverse to your own campaign or you're a player whose DM has dropped it on you, this guide will give you a brief and easy-to-understand introduction to the Multiverse.
The Basics Of A Multiverse
- A Plane: a dimension that has its own elemental, spiritual, and physical laws
- A Multiverse: a collection of all the planes
- The Material Plane: the physical world, the plane that most campaigns are set on
You may decide to set up a campaign that includes a multiverse, but this is a huge process to work through. We can start by discussing the basics of what a multiverse is.
Essentially, a multiverse is a collection of worlds entirely unlike our own that make up a universe of dimensions. These other worlds are called "planes" — places where the laws of physics, and many other things, are vastly different. The plane that most campaigns play on is the Material Plane. There might be special races, plants, magic, and other things that aren't seen on planet Earth, but the physics and logic of the world are similar to real life.
As with many aspects of Dungeons & Dragons, there's a preexisting Multiverse already set up for you to use, but you're given all the tools to create your own Multiverse from scratch if it tickles your fancy.
Types Of Planes
- Planal Category: a collection of planes that are similar to one another
The pre-established Multiverse planes are divided into five unique categories. You may choose to ignore them entirely if you invent your own multiverse, but many Dungeon Masters find them to be a useful starting point.
The Material Plane And Its Echoes
As mentioned previously, the Material Plane is the one that most players are familiar with and on which most campaigns are held. Its "echoes" are the Feywild and the Shadowfell, two planes that are supposed to be reflections of the positive and negative aspects of the Material Plane.
The Transitive Planes
The Transitive Planes are basically the space that exists between one plane and another. These planes have few or no discerning features and are almost exclusively used to travel from one plane to another. In the pre-established Dungeons & Dragons multiverse, they are the Ethereal Plane and the Astral Plane.
The Inner Planes
The Inner Planes are the elemental planes, corresponding to the four basic elements: the Air Plane, the Earth Plane, the Water Plane, and the Fire Plane. They make up a ring around the Material Plane. There's also a Plane known as Elemental Chaos, where the forces of all the elements meet. Basically — these planes are where all matter in the universe comes from.
The Outer Planes
The Outer Planes are meant to represent the alignments laid out in Dungeons & Dragons, not including true neutral. The Outer Planes are the source of thought in the universe. The pre-existing ones include Mount Celestia, Bytopia, Elysium, Arborea, Limbo, Ysgard, The Abyss, Carceri, Gehenna, The Nine Hells, Acheron, Mechanus, and Arcadia.
The Positive And Negative Planes
This category title is literal: it composites only two planes: the Positive Plane and the Negative Plane. This makes up the rest of the universe, anything that doesn't fit into the other categories.
How To Travel Between Planes
- Portal: a gateway between Planes
Portals
The most common method of travelling from one plane to another is via a portal. Portals connect a location on one plane to a location on a different plane but can appear as anything. A doorway filled with blinding light? A mushroom circle? A bookstore's nondescript entrance? The choice is yours.
You'll also want to decide how the portal is opened since you probably don't want to leave it open for just any Joe to pass through. Is it opened with a key? A particular word? When the full moon rises?
Spells
There are a few spells that allow access to other Planes, though they may not fully take a player into the other realm. The ones that could move a player from one Plane to another are called "Plane Shift" and "Gate", which are both hard-to-cast, high-level spells.
Places And Things That Exist Between Realms
Dungeons & Dragons notes that certain places — like a city, for example — may appear on multiple planes at once, or may travel between planes for some reason. Figuring out whether it exists that way naturally or it has been violently pulled from its natural state would be an excellent mystery for any adventuring party!
Birth, Death, And Other Natural Shifts
One thing to consider is the natural movement of individuals through the Planes. For example, characters who die may be sent to the Nine Hells. Celestial characters may come from some kind of heavenly realm. Maybe a religious character who is meditating visits another realm with their subconscious while in the meditative state.
On The Subject Of Building Your Own Multiverse
The worst thing you can do for your multiverse is to overcomplicate it. It's a lot of information to take in all at once, and the endless possibilities are as terrifying as they are amazing. Try to remember that you don't need to have it all figured out in advance. Start with one extra Plane. Maybe your players visit Hell to recover the soul of an ally! Add another Plane only when you are comfortable that it suits your story, won't clash with your preexisting canon, and that you can run it without becoming overwhelmed.