Mining Mythic Odysseys in Theros

Theros is a Magic the Gathering setting that made the leap to Dungeons and Dragons - a simple enough feat, given that the same company owns both games.

The setting itself is Greek Mythology, with the names changed (but sometimes not by much) to be 'original.'  But if you know Greek Mythology, then you can see the inspiration for many of the cards, and subsequently, the sourcebook.

When the card set was released, I was excited because recognizing allusions is something I enjoy.  After playing with the cards, I saw that the gods - legendary indestructible enchantment creatures - made for the perfect commander due to the difficulty in removing them (exiling is the simplest method, yet few cards exile enchantments).  They influenced my group and my deckbuilding - if I have a card that exiles enchantments in the color, I am running it, in case a god shows up.  I also built several decks with such cards as the commander: Athreos, Ephara, Erebos, Karametra, Keranos, and Thassa.  Purphoros is a key part of my Norin deck so dwells there.  Mogis, Phenax, and Xenagos still exist as decks, and will get eventual posts of their own.  I even had a plan for Heliod, but lacking Serra's Sanctum (and at $200+ I never will), I never built it.  The rest have been supporting pieces (except Pharika) in other decks.

Theros is the set that keeps on giving.  A set popular enough that the card game revisited it with new versions of all the gods that survived the first storyline, and Xenagos's replacement.

All that is background to my experience with the book version, Mythic Odysseys in Theros.  Last night, while my daughter browsed the local BAM for things to use Christmas gift cards on, I browsed through the book and am now actually considering buying it.  As of yet, the only WotC 5e hardback I have purchased is the Ghosts of Saltmarsh book, because I am way too fascinated in Saltmarsh through the ages and rulesets.  Tomb of Annihilation is on my short to-buy list, and now Mythic Odysseys joins it.

The book itself is more than just a sourcebook that recycles card art (but bigger!) and stats out cards.  It builds on the card text fictions. It provides additional races and magic items and spells for the 5e DnD game, all lifted from the cards.

Why it fascinates me, though, are all the random tables and maps.  Each god has an 'average' temple map, and a breakdown (through tables) of how to use it for good or bad, then some adventure hooks.  With each map being a full page and suitably different from the others.  Even shaving out all the Theros-specific stuff leaves lots of gameable material crying for use.

As an incurable homebrewer, this is why I like the book.  I doubt I'll ever run or play in a Theros campaign as is, but I will happily steal elements of the book for my home games!