Planar Borders

[ax0n]

Here are some ideas I've been throwing about for rules for plane borders: what happens when you want to cross from one plane to another. I see this as an additional section, coming just before or after the Special Properties section. A plane can have more than one border, and each border has a set type:

1. Coexistent/Incorporeal Border (In) - The plane coexists in parallel with a Border Plane.
2. Ethereal Border (Et) - As above, except Ethereal.
3. Shadow Border (Sh) - As above, except Shadow Plane.
4. Physical Border (Ph) - The plane has a physical border to a plane that can be crossed through non-magical means. Normally this is some sort of landmark such as crossing a river or mountain range.
5. Transitional/Shallowing Border (Sh) - The plane slowly merges with another plane at some area or through some special action, such as taking a certain drug.
   [/list=1]
   The number of planar borders a plane has would be dependent on its Plane type.
   
   This is not meant to be an exhaustive list: can you think of any others? What do you all think in general? Rules?

 

[Cheiromancer]

Well, there might be special conditions on when and how you can cross from one plane into another. Crossing the river you mention might only change planes if done on a foggy night.

Passing through a ring of stones under certain astronomical conditions- a rare conjunction or alignment of planets, perhaps.

Maybe just a wisdom check is sufficient to move through the border in areas where it is weak. Or a charisma check, or a will save...

Sleeping in a tomb dedicated to a hero who's body has been lost (who was the author of the series which used that mechanic? Valdeman? He called it "the Cenotaph Road.")

Walking a special maze (Zelazny's Amber Novels).

This overlaps with your shallowing mechanic, of course.

Lots of ways a gateway might work. A cleric might have to channel positive or negative energy for it to open. A spell (or sequence of spells) might have to be cast. A gate might only open if a particular creature is present (a dryad? An orc and an elf working in cooperation? A paladin and a CE cleric?)

 

[ax0n]

Passing through a ring of stones under certain astronomical conditions- a rare conjunction or alignment of planets, perhaps.

I think a distinction needs to be made between 'borders' - which are a plane-wide phenomena - and 'gates' or 'portals', which are highly localised and probably subject to seperate rules.

Maybe just a wisdom check is sufficient to move through the border in areas where it is weak. Or a charisma check, or a will save...

This depends upon the mechanic for Planar Borders: should they be like special properties, each with their own special rules. Or should we have a 'catch-all' planar border type for 'magical' borders. Or, should planar borders themselves have properties, such as guardians or tests to pass?