The Outer Planes offer some of the most unique settings forDungeons & Dragonscampaigns. From endless abyssal mazes to mechanical wonderlands, there’s something for both high and low-level adventuring parties. But, with so many options to choose from, where should you start when it comes to Outer Planes adventures?
Whether you’re looking to start a brand new campaign or add some spice to an ongoing one,the Outer Planeshas something to offer. But, success may vary depending on your party’s playstyle. With that in mind, here’s a list of some of the best campaign ideas using the Outer Planes.
Notable Plane Features
The Endless Maze, The Slime Pits, The Demonweb
The Abyss is one of the most iconic locales in Dungeons & Dragons. With nearly endless layers of torment and dread, high-level parties that enjoy combat and loot collection will love a Dungeon Crawl-style adventure through the Abyss. Plus, there’s plenty of room for invention as a DM.
While you can always set your Dungeon Crawl in special locations like The Endless Maze, there’s nothing saying you can’t create your own special layer of the Abyss. You can set almost any kind of monster or villain in the Abyss, and they’re likely to feel right at home. You can even have the party Dungeon Crawl their way out of the Abyss altogether, going layer by layer until they reach the Material Plane once more.
The River Oceanus, Brux the Red Sun
For players who enjoy modules likeTomb of Annihilation, the Beastlands can prove to be a great setting for an exploration-style campaign. A party that enjoys improvisational gameplay and loads of random encounters will feel right at home, machete-slashing their way through this endless labyrinth of foliage and nature. And the Beastlands has its own fair share of quirks.
Players in the Beastlands can end up transforming physically into any creature they slay. Fail saves too many times, and the transformation can be nearly permanent. An adventure in the Beastlands can force characters to reckon with the animal within in unexpected and exciting ways.
Eternal Winds, Howler’s Crag
Pandemonium is a lifeless, chaotic plane where many foul creatures are banished. Setting a ‘boss-rush’ style adventure, in which the party must square off with old, banished foes, can be a great use of this unique Outer Plane. What’s more, Pandemonium offers some singular environmental challenges.
In Pandemonium, flames are instantly extinguished due to ceaseless winds, and speaking is only possible through yelling. The chaos of the plane can also be emotionally overbearing. To add stakes to the adventure, you canimplement madness rulesthe longer the party stays in Pandemonium.
The River Styx, The Ruins of Payratheon
Carceri is, at its core, a prison plane. This Outer Plane houses all manner of horrors for high-level adventuring parties to contend with. But what happens if the party encounters someone unjustly imprisoned on this desolate plane?
Staging an elaborate planar jailbreak for a soul in need can be a great way to combine combat and roleplay encounters all in one. Jailbreaks are versatile adventure structures that allow for many different playstyles. Players can brute force their way out of the plane and its many secret exits, or they can be clever and crafty and find a hidden Wish scroll, using its power to escape sight unseen.
The Heroic Isles, The River Oceanus
This heaven-like Outer Plane can offer players and characters alike a tempting choice. This plane is so peaceful and tranquil that it can be hard for characters to willingly choose to leave. Experimenting with charm effects on your players in Elysium can create a high-stakes adventure that can test the resolve and will of your players and characters alike.
What’s more, Elysium is also home to great beasts, mythical spirits, and objects of old. Sending players into Elysium for powerful artifacts or wisdom from ancient sages can prove an enticing reward for players looking to optimize their characters. Shopping and upgrade arcs in between adventures are also well-suited for the peace and quiet of Elysium.
The Glittering Heaven, Bestowed Blessings
This bastion of law and goodness offers many blessings to adventuring parties that traverse its seven mountainous layers. This setting is perfect for divine-magic heroes seeking boons from gods and other celestials. The city of Empyrea, known for its healing magics, can also be a great incentive for parties trying to cure their characters of magical ailments.
However, all of these blessings can’t be won so easily. Testing your players with elaborate puzzles, combat encounters, or fetch quests to satiate the gods offers up a unique challenge to adventuring parties in need of boons. Neutral or chaotic-aligned characters should beware of entering Elysium as well, as evil can always be snuffed out of this plane.
Mechanical Modrons, The Deity Primus
For role-play-heavy campaigns, setting an adventure in Mechanus can set the stage for adventuring parties to squabble internally. This clockwork plane is defined by rigid structure. It also emphasizes “we” above “I.”
If your players have individualized goals, place the endgame of those goals in Mechanus. The clock-like Modron creatures that inhabit this plane will judge and reprimand players who pursue individual goals over the goal of the party. This can lay the table for excellent roleplay opportunities within your party as players try to determine whether they can give up their individuality for the sake of the party.
The Tower Arcane, The Dead Furnace
Gehenna is a volcanic plane filled with treachery and deceit. Fiends of all shapes and sizes populate this plane. However,the treacherous Yugolothsare the real stars of this Outer Plane.
The Yugoloth’s Tower Arcane, which rests somewhere in Gehenna, can serve as a hiding place for something the party needs. This can be a devilish contract they need to break, a secret piece of treasure, or arcane knowledge. Whatever the incentive, having players break into the Tower Arcane, and navigating the structure’s traps and puzzles, can create a great framework for a heist.
The Mithardir Desert, The Aquallor Sea
Arborea is the Outer Plane most known for being ruled by intense emotion. Players who leave Arborea can strangely feel drawn to return to it as well, even after returning to the Material Plane. This can create fantastic roleplay opportunities for DMs and players alike to explore what their characters might look like without societal constraints on emotions.
However, another highlight of Arborea is its infamous desert layer known as Mithardir. For players who enjoy uncovering lost ruins or ancient secrets from a fallen society, setting an archaeological adventure in the sands of Mithardir can prove unique and intriguing. Just be sure to pack plenty of food and water. Laying out survival stakes for your players in Arborea can also add a sense of heightened drama in this already emotional plane.
Bloodlust Environmental Effect
This grim plane is filled with endless slews of soldiers fighting wars over nothing. Besides instilling the environmental effect of Bloodlust in players, Acheron’s overall sense of foreboding can prove to be a moody backdrop for a grittier campaign. Players who enjoy lots of combat and gruesome realism can enjoy a plethora of adventures in Acheron.
Setting adventures that deal with the complexities of war in Acheron can prove to be a match made in heaven. Players with soldier backgrounds can confront the grim horrors of their past. Or, peace-making characters can endeavor to work to undo the dark nature of this war-torn plane, potentially to no avail. Instruments of war and other powerful weapons can also be found here, making it a good Outer Plane to use for treasure hunts.
