u/Pookie-Parks

After the recent Ravenloft release I feel like, for better or for worse, WOTC will definitely be updating setting books they released for 5th edition. I’m currently running a Planescape campaign using the material from the 3 book 5E box set and it is going amazing. 5/5.5E is the only edition I’ve ever played but I’ve done enough research to know that the 5E version was definitely missing a lot. The material we did get was way better than what they did for Spelljammer but we just didn’t get enough of it in my opinion. That being said, what do you think they need to add if they update it for 5.5?

Me personally, I feel they missed a big opportunity to add more unique player races to the game. Bariaurs, Guardinals, and Modrons would have been awesome additions and I still would love to see them added. Both Gith races have yet to have an official 5.5E release and I feel like a Planescape book would be a perfect place to add them. Literally anything is better than the nothing we got

The Factions were covered somewhat in 5E but there was no real information on how to join one and what benefits you would receive. I was hoping for something similar to what they did with the guilds in the Ravnica book but even if we didn’t get something like that, I want way more than what we got in the last books. They used the renown system for factions in the Forgotten Realm release last year and I think that would work perfectly for a player trying to join the Doomguard or Mercykillers.

Besides races and factions I really think the individual Planes need explored more in the future. I love Sigil and the Outlands but there hasn’t been anything substantial released on planar travel and the different effects the Planes would have on player characters in 5th edition. It’s something I think Is desperately needed for higher level adventures. With all that being said, I know a lot of older fans aren’t happy with WOTC, but I do think they have improved a lot with some of the more recent releases and would love for them to give Planescape another shot.

My group has continued playing after the end of the 5E Turn of Fortunes Wheel adventure and are currently level 18. They will be arriving in Gehenna soon and will have the chance to hunt down and finally finish off Shemeska. Planning on having them encounter her at the Tower of Arcanaloths. She is going to be accompanied by her two Arcanaloth assistants and I’m planning on having the 3 of them attempt to shut down the party’s spellcasting. Besides that I’m not entirely sure what other “adds” to use. The party is pretty strong and I’m not afraid to throw a lot at them because I know they can take it. Just curious how others would run a similar encounter.

Long story short, at the end of tonight’s session my fighter shook hands with an ancient dragon in order to gain power. There was no real agreement on what that meant, what I need to specifically do for the dragon, or what my reward was. I said in character “I’m not trying to form a Warlock pact with you but I do seek power and want to become stronger.” I fully understand there should be consequences for my actions, I was fully prepared to become the dragons servant and make sacrifices for what I was asking for. The one thing I wasn’t prepared for was my DM telling me after the session “you need to take levels in warlock now, maybe 2 or 3.”

He could tell I was not happy about that and said he will make a homebrew Warlock subclass for me but I’m really not exciting about that whatsoever. There was no out of game discussion about me changing classes and in game my character just met the dragon right before the session ended. He also stated that the dragon was going to make an offer to our groups Warlock but that player wasn’t able to make tonight’s session so he was happy that I chose to interact with the dragon…….I feel really torn right now because I do believe character actions deserve consequences but I also believe that player agency is important as well.

I was expecting a change in alignment, servitude to the dragon, some sort of personal sacrifice. I just wasn’t expecting to be forced into playing a whole new class. I feel really bad because I like this campaign and he is a really good DM. The table was trying to soften the blow for me but I have no interest in playing a multiclass Warlock/Fighter or a pure Warlock. Am I being unreasonable or should I make it clear that I’m not switching classes?

Edit: A lot of helpful advice. I think I’m going to ask him to have it so the deal was never made. I’m not trying to defend myself while attacking my DM, he’s a great DM, but I was not trying to “seek power without giving up anything.” At no point in time was anything specifically agreed on. I was going to take levels in Warlock without knowing what I was getting in return. These were not extra levels I was getting, some or all of my fighter levels were going away. He said after the session that I was going to become more powerful after I changed to Warlock but I still didn’t want to change classes. I didn’t explain that well enough so that’s on me.

My Fiend Warlock is being rewarded by his patron, Zariel, and I’m just looking for advice on how to run a Avernus session where the whole party is treated as honored guests of Zariel. I know it’s still an evil plane and sneaky devils would love to trick the party into selling their souls. I am just curious what Avernus would be like if the devils there were ordered to not actively be aggressive towards the party.