Dungeons & Dragons Immortals Rules
Encyclopedia
Dungeons & Dragons Immortals Rules is an expansion boxed set
for the Dungeons & Dragons
(D&D) fantasy
role-playing game
. It was first published in 1986 as an expansion to the Basic Set
.
was last revised in 1983 by Frank Mentzer
, this time as Dungeons & Dragons Set 1: Basic Rules. Between 1983 and 1985, the system was revised and expanded by Mentzer as a series of five boxed sets, including the Basic Rules (supporting character levels 1–3), Expert Rules
(supporting levels 4–14), Companion Rules
(supporting levels 15–25), Master Rules
(supporting levels 26–36), and Immortal Rules (supporting Immortals—characters who had transcended levels).
The Immortal Rules set contains two booklets: one is fifty-two pages long and the other is thirty-two pages. The books, Player's Guide to Immortals and DM's Guide to Immortals, were written by Frank Mentzer
and edited by Anne Gray McCready
, with cover artwork by Larry Elmore
, and interior illustrations by Elmore and Jeff Easley
. Harold Johnson
also had a role in editing and development.
for attaining immortality
. This set adds a system of power points; upon achieving immortality, characters exchange all of their experience points
for power points at a rate of ten thousand to one. Power points can be expended to permanently enhance attribute
scores, and form a magic point
system to fuel a character's new range of special abilities. Immortals advance in ranks instead of levels; a character must keep a certain balance of power points to maintain a rank, and must compete in the Olympics to gain promotion to the next rank. The combat and magic systems are also expanded to take into account the new Immortal powers. Each Immortal player character has an abundance of powers, literally able to cast any magic spell in addition to new combat abilities. The rules cover transhuman
Immortal characters, their powers, artifacts, and relationships with other Immortals, and their ability to create personal "home planes". The set also includes new powerful monsters, and suggestions for adventure scenarios.
The set describes the history of Immortals within the D&D game: once there were only three Immortals, who discovered the multiverse
, and decided to give it order and purpose. This set expands the D&D multiverse system, with an Astral Plane
that permeates and connects the whole of the multiverse. In addition to the Astral Plane, there are also the Prime Material Plane
, elemental planes, the Ethereal Planes, and many outer planes; these outer planes range from mono-spatial atto-planes (about 1/3" big) to penta-spatial tera-planes (about 851 billion light-years big). The set provides notes for the Dungeon Master
(DM) for running Immortal campaigns, covering the goals of Immortals and their place within Immortal society, including duties and responsibilities. The DM plays the roles of the Immortals' superiors, the Hierarchs of each sphere. There are also sample plots for Immortal adventures, and twenty-two pages worth of monsters; this includes a range of demons
which originally appeared in Eldritch Wizardry
.
in issue No. 83 of White Dwarf
magazine, who referred to this set as "the culmination of the D&D game system". Davis found that this set is more like a different game than an extension of the old one, with significant changes in character progression, although he concluded that the Immortals rules "are far preferable to the super-gross AD&D-style rules stretch that could have happened" with such high level characters. Davis found the set interesting, although he could not imagine actually playing it. He commented, "There is a real feeling of having gone on to greater things, and the considerable powers which the Immortal character commands are nicely offset by checks and balances which the experienced DM can use to avoid critical over-the-top-ism in most circumstances." Davis concluded the review by describing the set as "Not an indispensable addition to the D&D stable, but an interesting and well-thought-out one. Completists won't want to miss it, and DMs of high-level mortal campaigns will find some of the information it contains interesting."
Ken Rolston
reviewed the Immortals Rules set for Dragon
magazine No. 127, referring to it as "an ingenious, original, and complex system of rules for playing gods", which also "provides a rationale for travel and communication among a limitless variety of alternate universes". Rolston felt that the system was "clever, complex, abstract, and powerful. It is also pretty demanding intellectually, with lots of neat metaphysical thought-puzzles". While he noted that the system is compatible with the D&D game, it was really a whole new game, with new statistics, attack and defense modes, and an entirely different set of motivations for characters. He criticized the lack of clarity in the presentation of the rules, and saw the additional levels of power for the player characters as "a GM’s nightmare, with almost infinite opportunities for confusing interactions between spells and powers". He also felt the book's handling of myths was "pretty bland", calling it "the biggest weakness of the Immortals Set", with "few psychological insights into D&D game divinities—nothing in the way of epic personalities, stories, and themes. Nor is there much of a sense of good and evil. The motivations of the Immortals are abstract rather than soul-stirring." He also criticized how the set was mechanics-oriented, not campaign-oriented, leaving it up to the DM to tailor the themes and myths to fit the campaign. Rolston concluded: "The D&D Immortals Set is really useful only for a very small audience. Few folk want to play gods, and fewer want to DM them.... On one hand, it is admirable for providing original concepts and mechanics worthy of Immortal PCs. On the other hand, it is disappointing in its failure to develop the already-established mechanics and traditions of gods and religions in fantasy campaigns."
Lawrence Schick, in his 1991 book Heroic Worlds, felt that "Play using the Immortals rules is so different from low-level D&D as to be almost another game entirely."
Boxed set
A box set is a compilation of various musical recordings, films, television programs, or other collection of related items that are contained in a box.-Music box sets:...
for the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
(D&D) fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
. It was first published in 1986 as an expansion to the Basic Set
Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set
The original Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set boxed set was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1977, and comprised a separate edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, distinct from the first edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game, which was initially published in the same...
.
Publication history
The Dungeons & Dragons Basic SetDungeons & Dragons Basic Set
The original Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set boxed set was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1977, and comprised a separate edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, distinct from the first edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game, which was initially published in the same...
was last revised in 1983 by Frank Mentzer
Frank Mentzer
Jacob Franklin "Frank" Mentzer III , is an American fantasy author and game designer best known for his work on early materials for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. He was a performing folk musician from 1968 to 1975, and played one concert at the White House during the...
, this time as Dungeons & Dragons Set 1: Basic Rules. Between 1983 and 1985, the system was revised and expanded by Mentzer as a series of five boxed sets, including the Basic Rules (supporting character levels 1–3), Expert Rules
Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set
The Expert Set is an expansion boxed set for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was first published in 1981 as an expansion to the Basic Set.-1981 printing:The D&D Basic Set saw a major revision in 1981 by Tom Moldvay...
(supporting levels 4–14), Companion Rules
Dungeons & Dragons Companion Set
The Companion Set is an expansion boxed set for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was first published in 1984 as an expansion to the Basic Set.-Publication history:...
(supporting levels 15–25), Master Rules
Dungeons & Dragons Master Rules
Dungeons & Dragons Master Rules is an expansion boxed set for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was first published in 1985 as an expansion to the Basic Set.-Publication history:...
(supporting levels 26–36), and Immortal Rules (supporting Immortals—characters who had transcended levels).
The Immortal Rules set contains two booklets: one is fifty-two pages long and the other is thirty-two pages. The books, Player's Guide to Immortals and DM's Guide to Immortals, were written by Frank Mentzer
Frank Mentzer
Jacob Franklin "Frank" Mentzer III , is an American fantasy author and game designer best known for his work on early materials for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. He was a performing folk musician from 1968 to 1975, and played one concert at the White House during the...
and edited by Anne Gray McCready
Anne Gray McCready
Anne Gray McCready is a game designer and editor who has worked on a number of products for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game from TSR.-Early history:...
, with cover artwork by Larry Elmore
Larry Elmore
Larry Elmore is an American fantasy artist whose work includes creating illustrations for video games, comics, magazines and fantasy books. His list of work includes illustrations for Dungeons & Dragons, Dragonlance, and the comic strip series SnarfQuest...
, and interior illustrations by Elmore and Jeff Easley
Jeff Easley
Jeff Easley is an oil painter who creates fantasy artwork in the tradition of Frank Frazetta.-Early life:...
. Harold Johnson
Harold Johnson (game designer)
Harold Johnson is a game designer and editor, and an author of several products and articles for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game from TSR.-Early life and education:...
also had a role in editing and development.
Contents
Immortals Rules deals with player characters that have successfully followed the courses laid out in the Master RulesDungeons & Dragons Master Rules
Dungeons & Dragons Master Rules is an expansion boxed set for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was first published in 1985 as an expansion to the Basic Set.-Publication history:...
for attaining immortality
Immortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
. This set adds a system of power points; upon achieving immortality, characters exchange all of their experience points
Experience point
An experience point is a unit of measurement used in many role-playing games and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's progression through the game...
for power points at a rate of ten thousand to one. Power points can be expended to permanently enhance attribute
Attribute (role-playing games)
An attribute is a piece of data that describes to what extent a fictional character in a role-playing game possesses a specific natural, in-born characteristic common to all characters in the game. That piece of data is usually an abstract number or, in some cases, a set of dice...
scores, and form a magic point
Magic point
Magic points are units of magical power that are used in many role-playing, computer role-playing and similar games as an expendable resource that is needed to pay for magic spells and other abilities, such as special attacks...
system to fuel a character's new range of special abilities. Immortals advance in ranks instead of levels; a character must keep a certain balance of power points to maintain a rank, and must compete in the Olympics to gain promotion to the next rank. The combat and magic systems are also expanded to take into account the new Immortal powers. Each Immortal player character has an abundance of powers, literally able to cast any magic spell in addition to new combat abilities. The rules cover transhuman
Transhuman
Transhuman or trans-human is a term that has been defined and redefined many times in history. In its contemporary usage, “transhuman” refers to an intermediary form between the human and the hypothetical posthuman.-History of hypotheses:...
Immortal characters, their powers, artifacts, and relationships with other Immortals, and their ability to create personal "home planes". The set also includes new powerful monsters, and suggestions for adventure scenarios.
The set describes the history of Immortals within the D&D game: once there were only three Immortals, who discovered the multiverse
Multiverse
The multiverse is the hypothetical set of multiple possible universes that together comprise all of reality.Multiverse may also refer to:-In fiction:* Multiverse , the fictional multiverse used by DC Comics...
, and decided to give it order and purpose. This set expands the D&D multiverse system, with an Astral Plane
Astral plane
The astral plane, also called the astral world, is a plane of existence postulated by classical , medieval, oriental and esoteric philosophies and mystery religions...
that permeates and connects the whole of the multiverse. In addition to the Astral Plane, there are also the Prime Material Plane
Prime Material Plane
The Prime Material Plane is the central plane of existence in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game...
, elemental planes, the Ethereal Planes, and many outer planes; these outer planes range from mono-spatial atto-planes (about 1/3" big) to penta-spatial tera-planes (about 851 billion light-years big). The set provides notes for the Dungeon Master
Dungeon Master
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Dungeon Master is the game organizer and participant in charge of creating the details and challenges of a given adventure, while maintaining a realistic continuity of events...
(DM) for running Immortal campaigns, covering the goals of Immortals and their place within Immortal society, including duties and responsibilities. The DM plays the roles of the Immortals' superiors, the Hierarchs of each sphere. There are also sample plots for Immortal adventures, and twenty-two pages worth of monsters; this includes a range of demons
Demon (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demons are the most widespread race of fiends. The demons are chaotic evil by nature, and are native to the Abyss...
which originally appeared in Eldritch Wizardry
Eldritch Wizardry
Eldritch Wizardry is a supplementary rulebook by Gary Gygax and Brian Blume, written for the original edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, which included a number of significant additions to the core game.-Contents:...
.
Reception
The Immortals Rules was reviewed by Graeme DavisGraeme Davis (game designer)
Graeme Davis is a writer and editor. He has worked extensively in the gaming industry and was one of the original designers of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay....
in issue No. 83 of White Dwarf
White Dwarf (magazine)
White Dwarf is a magazine published by British games manufacturer Games Workshop. Initially covering a wide variety of fantasy and science-fiction role-playing and board games, particularly the role playing games Dungeons & Dragons, RuneQuest and Traveller...
magazine, who referred to this set as "the culmination of the D&D game system". Davis found that this set is more like a different game than an extension of the old one, with significant changes in character progression, although he concluded that the Immortals rules "are far preferable to the super-gross AD&D-style rules stretch that could have happened" with such high level characters. Davis found the set interesting, although he could not imagine actually playing it. He commented, "There is a real feeling of having gone on to greater things, and the considerable powers which the Immortal character commands are nicely offset by checks and balances which the experienced DM can use to avoid critical over-the-top-ism in most circumstances." Davis concluded the review by describing the set as "Not an indispensable addition to the D&D stable, but an interesting and well-thought-out one. Completists won't want to miss it, and DMs of high-level mortal campaigns will find some of the information it contains interesting."
Ken Rolston
Ken Rolston
Ken Rolston is an American computer game and board game designer best known for his work with West End Games and the hit computer game series The Elder Scrolls...
reviewed the Immortals Rules set for Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
magazine No. 127, referring to it as "an ingenious, original, and complex system of rules for playing gods", which also "provides a rationale for travel and communication among a limitless variety of alternate universes". Rolston felt that the system was "clever, complex, abstract, and powerful. It is also pretty demanding intellectually, with lots of neat metaphysical thought-puzzles". While he noted that the system is compatible with the D&D game, it was really a whole new game, with new statistics, attack and defense modes, and an entirely different set of motivations for characters. He criticized the lack of clarity in the presentation of the rules, and saw the additional levels of power for the player characters as "a GM’s nightmare, with almost infinite opportunities for confusing interactions between spells and powers". He also felt the book's handling of myths was "pretty bland", calling it "the biggest weakness of the Immortals Set", with "few psychological insights into D&D game divinities—nothing in the way of epic personalities, stories, and themes. Nor is there much of a sense of good and evil. The motivations of the Immortals are abstract rather than soul-stirring." He also criticized how the set was mechanics-oriented, not campaign-oriented, leaving it up to the DM to tailor the themes and myths to fit the campaign. Rolston concluded: "The D&D Immortals Set is really useful only for a very small audience. Few folk want to play gods, and fewer want to DM them.... On one hand, it is admirable for providing original concepts and mechanics worthy of Immortal PCs. On the other hand, it is disappointing in its failure to develop the already-established mechanics and traditions of gods and religions in fantasy campaigns."
Lawrence Schick, in his 1991 book Heroic Worlds, felt that "Play using the Immortals rules is so different from low-level D&D as to be almost another game entirely."