The Cosmology of Dungeons and Dragons includes a vast and diverse set of locations that would make for excellent settings for most campaigns. Many times, it can be not easy on what the right setting can be for a campaign. Many Players have gone through the standard fantasy worlds over and over again. They want a nice change of pace without having to start a whole new campaign. One great resource to pull inspiration from is the Outer Planes Cosmology section of The Dungeon Master's Guide.
What is nice about these planes is that theoretically, you can attach them to any fantasy world. However, these planes exist outside of the material world and act as settings in their own right. Therefore, many of these Outer Planes will provide a unique setting for players to explore.
10 The Outlands- The Ideal Starting Point For Adventures In The Outer Planes.
The Outlands Exist as the Plane outside of the other Planes. The primary location in the Outlands is Sigil, the city of Doors. This City is sprawling with different types of people from all across the Outer Planes.
The city of Sigil would act as the Ideal starting location for a campaign centered around the Outer Planes as players can feasibly travel from each Outer Plane to the next to explore. It can also provide a resting point when traveling between the Planes.
9 The Astral Plane- The Realm Between The Realms
If Players are traveling from Plane to Plane, they will likely be traversing through the Astral Plane at some point in time. The Astral Plane is this seemingly endless nebulous space that encompasses all of the other Outer Planes.
While it may appear there is not much to this Plane, there is more than meets to eye. There are many strange and horrifying monsters along with the bodies of dead gods and ancient beings. There are many opportunities to explore this Plane, but Players should tread carefully.
8 The Beastlands- A Sprawling Jungle Filled To The Brim With Monsters
A Strangely good-aligned Outer Plane, this Outer Plane acts as the central hub for all bestial creatures. It is simply an endless jungle where any neutral or good-aligned beats may roam freely to hunt for the rest of their days.
This would make for an excellent campaign where they have to hunt a specific celestial beast or escape from a mighty hunter—much potential with this Outer Plane.
7 Mount Celestia- The Glorious Heavens Of The D&D Worlds
An inconceivable Moutain in the center of this plane. This mountain range is inspired by mount Olympus and contains 7 heavenly packs across its entire range. It can act as the main location for any good-aligned gods in the campaign.
Ideally, DMs would want to use this location to have a campaign centered around removing an evil being from here or running an evil campaign where the players destroy the heavens. Either way, this is an excellent location for a campaign.
6 Acheron- It is Just Cubes And Battlefeids As Far As The Eye Can See
The eternal battlefield of Acheron is a spectacular Outer Plane. Any Gods of War would find themselves at home here to duke it out with any other Gods for sport. Here many warriors with the spirit of battle would fight for all eternity.
This Outer Plane would be a ton of fun to play in. It has these unique floating cubes in the sky that could contain large labyrinth puzzles and combat fields for warriors to test their mettle.
5 Mechanus- There Is No Such Thing As A Grey Area In This Plane
Ruled by the eternal Lawman Primus, this Plane is filled with nothing but mechanical beings called Modrons, who all serve under Primus. Thus, this Plane is a clockwork emporium. Each cog and gear serves a specific purpose and function, all to keep the Plane running.
This would make for an interesting location for a campaign. Players could be tasked with preventing the Modron's March from wiping out the other Planes. Alternatively, The Campaign could be focused on taking down Primus in order to free another Player. Many possibilities with this Outer Plane
4 The Abyss- An Infinite Number Of Layers Means Endless Campaign Settings
Aside from the fact That the Abyss is endless layers meaning endless locations to explore, there are also many Demon Lords that would make for excellent villains in any High-level campaigns.
Each Layer, The Known Demon lords, rule over provide very intense locations to run in a campaign. For example, there is Thanatos, a deadlands location filled to the brim with undead creatures that serve Orcus, and the Gaping Maw, where Demogorgon plots his next assault on the material plane.
3 Hades- A Bleak And Grey Wasteland Ripe For Post-Apocalyptic Campaigns
Perhaps not as vibrant as the other Outer Planes, Hades Can provide a different experience from any other campaign setting. For Starters, one unique feature about this plane is that if characters spend too much time here, they become more exhausted. If by the 6th level of exhaustion, they transform into this vile larva
This Plane would be excellent to house a post-apocalyptic-style campaign. DMs could make these decaying cities filled with people trying to stave off their inevitable transformation or have a huge coven of Hags and Liches plot the destruction of the Outer Planes that the Player must stop.
2 Limbo- Pure Chaos, Nothing More, Nothing Less
A truly sprawling Outer Plane filled with floating mountains, crackling thunderstorms, and thousands of Slaads. This Plane is the embodiment of chaos. The Plane is so chaotic that characters could control the movement of the mountains by sheer willpower.
This Outer Plane could make an excellent campaign centered on stopping a Slaad invasion or sealing off access to the realm due to its chaotic nature.
1 The Nine Hells- One Could Say These Campaigns Are A Hell Of A Time
All D&D groups will eventually travel to Hell. It is inevitable. There is a full-length adventure centered around traveling through just the first level of hell. Considering there are Nine Hells with a Unique Devil Ruler and a unique setting at each layer, this makes for an excellent campaign setting.
This Outer Plane is filled to the brim with monsters of all types. The Bone-Devil, The Bearded Devil, The Chain Devil, the list goes on. If a group wants to Run a Doom Style Campaign, this is the Outer Plane to use.
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