Plane Descriptions (Version 1.8)
The Netbook of Planes uses the standardized format detailed in this section to describe planes. Submissions for all new planes should follow this standard. It is our hope that this will become the standard format for other planar publications.
Name
This is the name by which the plane is generally known. If the plane is known by other names these will be listed in the Description section (see below).
Type and Size
This line begins with the plane's type. Type determines a plane's special properties, type modifiers and role in your multiverse.
Note: Each of the planar types have a 'cap' on the number of special properties/type modifiers a plane of that type may have. Its important to remember that they are just suggestions, and cosmologists are encouraged to break the mould and award as many or as little special properties or type modifiers as they see fit. Alternatively, you could even design your own planar types for your cosmology.
Between: Between planes act as conduits between two or more bordering planes. For example, the Astral Plane is a between plane that connects every plane in the multiverse. Between planes have up to four special properties, normally related to travel and usually including Border Plane, and no more than one type modifier.
Elemental: Elemental planes are closely aligned with one or more elements. Elementals and some elementally aligned outsiders are normally native inhabitants. Elemental planes have one elemental type modifier and up to four special properties plus one of Airy, Aqueous, Earthly or Fiery.
Mortal: Mortal planes are campaign worlds where normal adventurers are born and where many mortals can live out their days, unaware of the existence of other planes. Mortal planes have large native populations of humans or other, player character races. Mortal planes have no special properties or type modifiers although a rare few might possess one of either.
Outsider: Outsider planes are the sources of true power in the multiverse: the home of the gods and the embodiment of the fundamental principals of the multiverse. They are normally very powerful, with many special properties and inhabited by high level creatures. Most outsiders originate from an outsider plane. Outsider planes have up to five special properties and one or two type modifiers.
Pocket: Pocket planes are those planes that don't quite fit into the other categories, more powerful than your average mortal plane, but less powerful than an outsider plane. Pocket planes are normally the creation of a sub-divine force, perhaps a powerful wizard or a demigod. Pocket planes have up to three special properties with no type modifiers.
Sub: A sub-plane is a plane within a plane, similar to its parent plane yet possessing its own unique properties. It is rarely larger than its parent plane (see size category below) and can often be reached from its parent plane, and vice versa, via a teleport spell or similar, spell-like ability. Sub-planes possess one or two special properties with no type modifiers of its own. All sub-planes share the type modifiers of their parent plane and share some of the special properties of their parent plane. A note referencing the parent plane should be made in the special properties section of the plane description denoting shared special properties.
Size
After the plane type follows the plane's size category. The size categories are defined below in order of relative size:
Universe: A universe is an infinitely large plane. Between planes are normally universes.
Space: Spaces are large planes, about the size of a solar system. Outsider and elemental are normally spaces.
World: Worlds are planes that are, quite literally, the size of a world. Worlds contain enough land mass to support several cultures and continents. Mortal planes are normally worlds.
Realm: Realms are planes smaller than worlds, and can range from planes the size of a small continents to small, pocket dimensions no larger than a room. Pocket planes and sub-planes are normally realms.
Type Modifiers
A parenthetical note defines a plane's type modifier, indicating affinity with certain fundamental principals of the multiverse such as elements, energy types, and alignments. The available type modifiers include fire, water, air, earth, good, evil, chaotic, lawful, neutral, light, and darkness. Type modifiers are opposed: fire opposes water, earth opposes air, good opposes evil, lawful opposes chaotic and light opposes darkness. The neutral type modifier opposes the good, evil, lawful and chaotic type modifiers. See the following table:
Table 1: Type Modifiers Opposition
Type Modifier..... Opposed
Evil................ Good
Good............. Evil
Chaotic.......... Lawful
Lawful........... Chaotic
Neutral.......... Evil, Chaotic, Good and Lawful
Light.............. Darkness
Darkness........ Light
Air................. Earth
Earth............. Air
Fire................ Water
Water............ Fire
All spells cast in a plane with a matching descriptor increase duration, range, and all other variable, numeric effects (not including saving throws and opposed rolls) by one-half. Similarly, spells cast in a plane with an opposing descriptor halve duration, range, all other variable, numeric effects (not including saving throws and opposed rolls). For example, a spell with the darkness descriptor cast in a plane with the darkness type modifier increase all numeric effects by one-half, whereas a spell cast with the light type modifier decrease all numeric effects by one-half.
Creatures with matching type modifiers – for example, a creature with the good type modifier in a plane with the good type modifier – gain a +1 circumstance bonus to all checks, attack rolls and saving throws. Similarly, all creatures with opposing type modifiers – for example, a monster with the lawful type modifier in a plane with the chaotic type modifier – suffer a -1 circumstance penalty to all checks, attack rolls and saving throws.
For example, a celestial on a plane with the good type modifier gains the +1 circumstance bonuses to its checks, whereas a devil or demon on the same plane suffers the -1 circumstance penalty.
Type modifier bonuses and penalties do not stack. Stronger effects on monsters or spells with opposing/aligned type modifiers can be created by defining a special property for that plane, or using one of the predefined properties below. Summon monster spells with a particular spell descriptor can only access planes with a matching type modifier. For example, a summon monster I (good) spell could summon a celestial dog from an outsider plane with the good type modifier, but could not summon a celestial dog from an outsider plane with only the lawful type modifier.
Descriptions
This section normally includes a short descriptive text including a list of any other names by which the plane is known, a general description of the plane, and any trivial properties of the plane that produce mild sensory effects and don't affect game mechanics. This section could include details on the history of the plane, the inhabitants of the plane, locations, connections to other planes and anything else you may want to include in your plane. Any additional information should be included here to add flavor and detail to the plane you are trying to describe.
Special Properties
Following the Description section is the Special Properties section. Special properties represent the supernatural effects that are specific to the plane.
Unless specified otherwise by a special property, all planes have properties similar to a standard campaign world, with a normal mix of the elements, gravity, weather, magic, time, etc.
Special properties are variants on the normal rules that affect game mechanics. For example, the Fiery special property is used to define a plane consumed by an eternally burning, elemental flame. A plane consumed by a fire that does not burn or cause damage does not require a special property because it does not affect the game mechanics.
Predefined Properties
The following special properties are used frequently and are printed here so that they can be quickly referred to and reproduced when creating your own planes, or as inspiration for creating your own special properties.
Note: the predefined special properties presented here are just suggestions, and cosmologists are encouraged to devise their own. You should feel free to modify them as you see fit, and suggestions for possible modifications are included in the description for each special property.
Elemental
The following properties define the elemental mixture of a plane. Although these properties are typically possessed by elemental planes, they are by no means limited to them alone. For example, Hell is an outsider plane that also possesses the Fiery special property.
Airy: The predominant element on this plane is Air. The plane takes the form of a vast sky, possibly dotted with pockets of other elements. Unless the plane possesses the Zero Gravity Field or Subjective Gravity Field special properties any visitors to the plane will require some sort of flying ability or will fall indefinitely until they reach a planar border or hit some other floating object, taking appropriate damage for falling.
Anhydrous: The plane is completely devoid of the element of Water. Magical effects involving the creation of water, such as create water spells, are reduced as under the Low Magic Field special property. Water may also be brought onto the plane by visitors with no penalty. What is more, due to the extreme dryness of the plane visitors need four times as much water to avoid dehydration.
Aqueous: The predominant element on this plane is Water. The plane takes the form of a vast sea, possibly dotted with pockets of other elements. Non-aquatic visitors to the plane will drown unless they have access to magic or spell-like effects that allow them to breath water, or can reach an air pocket in time.
Earthly: The plane is completely buried by the element of Earth. This includes a mixture of soil, stone, minerals and other earth-like materials. Pockets of air, water and even fire may exist. Unless precautions are taken, spells like teleport have a 95% chance of landing the caster in solid matter and killing him, and whoever was traveling with him, instantly.
Fiery: The predominant element on this plane is Fire. Visitors to the plane suffer 1d6 points of fire damage per round. This property could be modified by changing the fire damage taken per round, or even changing the damage energy type to, say, electricity.
Heatless: The plane is not only extremely cold, but is completely devoid of the element of Fire. Magical effects involving the creation of fire, such as produce flame spells, are reduced as under the Low Magic Field special property. Fire may also be brought onto the plane by visitors with no penalty. The plane is also Cold, as the special property described below.
Massless: The plane is completely devoid of the element of Earth. Magical effects involving the creation of any matter, such as fabricate spells, are reduced as under the Low Magic Field special property. Earth and other objects may be brought onto the plane by visitors with no penalty.
Vacuum: The plane is completely devoid of the element of Air. Magical effects involving the creation of air, such as whirlwind spells, are reduced as under the Low Magic Field special property. Air may be brought into the plane by visitors with no penalty. Air-breathing visitors to the plane will suffocate unless they have access to magic or spell-like effects that allow create air, or carry their own supply.
Environmental
The following properties define the environmental conditions in the plane. The are often used closely with the Elemental special properties above.
Bright: The plane is unnaturally brilliant, making it hard to see without eye protection. All seeing creatures suffer a -2 penalty on attack rolls. Creatures who suffer penalties in bright light are simply blinded by this brilliance.
Choking: The plane is smothered with some choking atmosphere, such as smoke or dust, that makes it difficult to see and breath. Characters must make a Fortitude saving throw each round (DC 15, +1 per previous check) or spend that round choking and coughing. A character who chokes for two consecutive rounds takes 1d6 points of subdual damage. The choking atmosphere obscures vision, giving one-half concealment (20% miss chance) to characters within it.
Cold: The ambient temperature of the plane is below 0° F. An unprotected character on a cold plane must make a Fortitude save once every 10 minutes (DC 15, +1 per previous check), taking 1d6 points of subdual damage on each failed save. A character who has the Wilderness Lore skill may receive a bonus to this saving throw and may be able to apply this bonus to other characters as well. Characters wearing winter clothing only need check once per hour for cold and exposure damage. See the rules for Cold for more details. This property can be modified by altering the temperature, the amount of damage, or the rate at which saves must be made. For example, a plane below 40° F require a Fortitude saving throw each hour.
Dark: This plane is shrouded in absolute darkness effectively blinding characters without an artificial source of light. This property does not affect creatures who can see in darkness normally. This property could be modified by altering the nature of the darkness. For example, a magical darkness might also reduce the effects of normal and magical light, halving the range of visibility.
Hot: The ambient temperature of the plane is above 110° F. A character on a Hot plane must make a Fortitude save once every 10 minutes (DC 15, +1 for each previous check) or sustain 1d4 points of subdual damage. Characters wearing heavy clothing or armor of any sort have a -4 penalty to their saving throws. A character with the Wilderness Lore skill may receive a bonus to this saving throw and may be able to apply this bonus to other characters as well. Characters reduced to unconsciousness begin taking normal damage (1d4 points per each 10-minute period). What is more, due to the extreme dryness of the plane visitors need two to three times as much water to avoid dehydration. See the rules for Heat for more details. This property can be modified by altering the temperature, the amount of damage, or the rate at which saves must be made. For example, a plane above 90° F require a Fortitude saving throw each hour.
Thin Air: The plane has an extremely thin atmosphere, making it difficult to breath. Characters must roll a Fortitude saving throw each hour (DC 15, +1 per previous check), taking 1d6 points of subdual damage each time they fail. A character who sustains any subdual damage from lack of oxygen is automatically fatigued. These penalties end when the character recovers the subdual damage he took from low oxygen. After each 6-hour period a character he must make a Fortitude save (DC 15, +1 per previous check) or take 1 point of temporary damage to all ability scores.
Magical Effects
The following special properties define any magical/divine effects or energies present on a plane.
Antimagic Field: The plane is completely cut of from magic. All attempts to cast spells or use spell-like abilities fail and all magical effects are nullified as if the whole plane were under the influence of the spell antimagic shell. The property could be modified by selecting the group(s) of spells that the antimagic field affects, for example only divine spells are affected.
Dearth: The plane is saturated in negative energy. For each round spent on the plane all living creatures (not including undead and constructs) without magical protection (such as negative energy protection) on the plane must make a Fortitude saving throw DC 25 or suffer one point of temporary Constitution damage and its attendant recovery periods. While on the plane ability damage does not heal. When a Constitution score reaches 0 the creature dies leaving a dried husk of a corpse. Undead and other negative energy creatures gain a +1 circumstance bonus to all checks, saving throws and attack rolls. This property could be modified by changing the type of penalty living creatures take per round.
Effluence: The plane is saturated in positive energy. For each round spent on the plane all living creatures (not including undead and constructs) gain a temporary +1 bonus to their Constitution up to a maximum of +20 for the duration of the stay on the plane. When a Constitution score reaches +20 the creature starts taking 1d6 points of fire damage as the energy of the plane suffuses his body. Undead and other negative energy creatures suffer a -1 circumstance penalty to all checks, saving throws and attack rolls and suffer 1d6 points of damage per round. This property could be modified by changing the penalty for undead creatures or the type of bonuses living creatures gain.
High Magic Field: The plane has a particularly potent magic field or connection with magical powers. Spells cast in a plane with a High Magic Field increase duration, range, and all other variable, numeric effects (not including saving throws and opposed rolls) by one-half. The property could be modified by selecting the group(s) of spells that the high magic field affects, for example only arcane spells from the School of Necromancy are affected. This property could also be modified by improving the bonuses to casting spells or selecting a subset of the spell modifications listed above.
Low Magic Field: The plane has a particularly weak magic field or poor connection with magical powers. Spells cast in a plane with a Low Magic Field have half duration, half range, and decrease all other variable, numeric effects (not including duration, saving throws, opposed rolls and range) by half. The property could be modified by selecting the group(s) of spells that the low magic field affects, for example only arcane spells from the School of Necromancy are affected. This property could also be modified by improving the penalties to casting spells or selecting a subset of the spell modifications listed above.
Spell Resistant Field: Some power or force resists magic on the plane, making it difficult to cast spells. All spells cast in a Spell Resistant Field work as though cast upon a creature with a spell resistance of 20. The property could be modified by increasing or decreasing the spell resistance of the plane, or by selecting the group(s) of spells that the spell resistance affects. For example only evocation spells with Fire spell descriptor are affected.
Gravitational
These special properties define the effects of gravity, or absence thereof, on the plane.
High Gravity Field: Creatures in a high gravity field find it more difficult to move, and get tired more quickly. Less sturdy creatures may be incapacitated, and may even die. High Gravity areas typically range from +1 to +10. Each level of High Gravity Field imposes a -1 temporary penalty to Strength, Constitution and Dexterity and adds 1 point of damage per die to all falling damage. If someone's effective ability score reaches 0, they are incapacitated in some way; they cannot get up, they are permanently exhausted, their heart gives out or limbs break, etc. This property can be modified by changing the level of High Gravity.
Low Gravity Field: Creatures in a low gravity field find it easier to move, and get tired less quickly. Low Gravity areas typically range from -1 to -10. Each level of Low Gravity Field grants a +1 temporary bonus to Strength, Constitution and Dexterity and reduces all falling damage by 10%. Creatures of size large or greater receive half the indicated bonuses, rounded up, while creatures of size tiny or smaller double the bonuses. This property can be modified by changing the level of Low Gravity.
Subjective Gravity: Gravity on this plane is mutable and not set in an absolute direction. Normally this gravity manifests toward to nearest and largest surface. In areas with many such surfaces the consensus aligns gravity and a group will subconsciously decide upon a collective up and down direction. The effects of subjective gravity can be altered in a small area consciously by concentrating for 1 round and making a successful Concentration check against a DC 15 + the number of people experiencing the 'normal' subjective gravity. The longer a subjective gravity field has been in place the harder it is to alter (adding anything from +5, for a temporary outpost, to +20, for an established city). Reversing the gravity for an entire town is a Herculean effort, and only the gods may alter gravity for an entire plane. A gravity meddler may choose to ignore gravity all together if he makes the appropriate roll, and the area becomes a temporary Zero Gravity Field zone, or raise and lower gravity to create temporary Low/High Gravity Field zones.
Zero Gravity Field: There is no gravity and objects and creatures float about unless possessing the ability to fly. Non-flying creatures on planes with Zero Gravity Field gain all the bonuses of Low Gravity Field, but may only move by flying/floating with 10' speed and clumsy maneuverability and fight with a -4 penalty to attack rolls, unless they possess the Low Gravity Combat feat. See the description of that feat for more details.
Planar
The planar properties affect the general behavior of the plane and the way it interacts with the rest of the multiverse.
Astral Plane: The plane is the default Astral Plane and can be reached using spells or spell-like abilities such as astral projection. Usually astral planes are between planes with the Subjective Travel special property. This property could be modified by selecting only a sub-set of planes for which this plane is the default Astral Plane.
Border Plane: A border plane coexists and suffuses one or more bordering planes. The bordering planes are not physically touched by the border plane, and inhabitants are incorporeal with respect to a bordering plane. Incorporeal creatures can see into the bordering plane, but corporeal creatures on the bordering plane cannot normally see into the border plane. This property is normally applied to between planes, although some sub-planes and pocket planes also possess Border Plane. The property could be modified by altering the way incorporeal creatures interact with the bordering plane. For example, one modification would allow an incorporeal creature to push small objects with a successful Concentration check. This property could also be modified by selecting only a sub-set of planes for which this plane is coexistent.
Ethereal Plane: Modifies the Border Plane property - the border plane is the default Ethereal Plane for one or more other planes, and can be reached from its bordering plane using spells or spell-like abilities such as etherealness or ethereal jaunt. Ethereal creatures are ethereal, not incorporeal, with respect to the bordering plane. Usually ethereal planes also have the Zero Gravity Field special property. This property could be modified by selecting only a sub-set of planes for which this plane is the default Ethereal Plane.
Improved Type Modifier: Improves the bonus and penalty of a planar type modifier. Creatures with matching type modifiers gain a +2 circumstance bonus to all checks, attack rolls and saving throws. Creatures with opposing type modifiers suffer a -2 circumstance penalty to all checks, attack rolls and saving throws. This property could be modified by changing the circumstance bonus/penalty.
Shadow Plane: Modifies the Border Plane property - the border plane is the default Plane of Shadows for one or more other planes, and can be reached using spells or spell-like abilities such as shadow walk. Usually shadows planes also have the Fast Travel or Subjective Travel special properties. This property could be modified by selecting only a sub-set of planes for which this plane is the default Shadow Plane.
Travel and Time
The following properties are for planes that have abnormal time and distance properties.
Fast Travel: The laws of space and distance work faster on this plane over long distances. Movement on the tactical and local scales works normally, but overland travel is twice as fast. This property could be modified by changing the factor by which overland travel is increased.
No Time: The plane is stuck in an unending, eternal moment where time does not flow. Those on the plane do not age and suffer no damage for thirst or hunger (in effect, they can live indefinitely without food or water), but cannot heal naturally. Note that spellcasters may still only prepare spells once in any 24-hour period.
Quickened: Time runs much faster on this plane. For every two rounds that passes inside the plane, only 1 round passes outside. This property could be modified by altering the time rates. For example, 1 round passed outside the plane for every three rounds inside the plane.
Slowed: Time runs much slower on this plane. For every round that passes inside the plane, 2 rounds pass outside. This property can be modified by altering the time rates. For example, for every round that passes inside the plane three pass outside.
Slow Travel: The laws of space and distance work slower on this plane over long distances. Movement on the tactical and local scales works normally, but overland travel is two times slower than normal. This property could be modified by changing the factor by which overland travel is decreased.
Subjective Time: The passage of time is not absolute on this plane and is determined by the subconscious consensus of those in the area. Thus in many communities time spent asleep or working passes quickly, and idle or enjoyable moments pass slowly. This is not a matter of perception - time will actually speed up or slow down for creatures and objects relative to the surrounding world. The time rate can be consciously altered in the character's immediate area by taking an action and making a Concentration check against a DC 15 + the number of people experiencing 'normal' subjective time + the time rate modifier. The time rate modifier is +2 to slow characters by halving the rate of time (removing one partial action), +4 to virtually freeze time, and +2/partial action added to a single round's activities. Time cannot be sped up to more than 10 times before the mortal ability to perceive the surrounding world begins to blur. Each round requires a new Concentration check to maintain the change. Character's cannot exclude themselves from the changes they will to the time rate and the longer a given subjective time has been in place the harder it is to alter (adding anything from +5, for a temporary outpost, to +20, for an established city).
Subjective Travel: The laws of space and distance work strangely and unpredictably on this plane. Whilst movement on the tactical and local scales works normally, overland travel depends entirely upon the travelers familiarity with their destination rather than distance. Those destinations that are extremely familiar to the travelers, like their homes, take one day to reach, those fairly familiar take 1d4 days to reach, those that are only known indirectly or have been seen at most once take 4d20 days to reach. This property could be modified by altering the times taken to reach certain destinations or defining some other non-distance related criteria for working out traveling times.
Miscellaneous
The following properties don't properly fit into the above categories.
Subjective Form: The reality of this plane is mutable and allows intelligent beings to adjust the shape of things around them. The form of the plane can be consciously altered by concentrating for 1 round and making a successful Concentration check. The DC of this roll depends upon the type of alteration and its scale, starting at 20, and +1 for each cubic meter affected. Areas of the plane where a certain form has been in place for longer are harder to alter (adding anything from +5, for a temporary outpost, to +20, for an established city).
Planar Borders
This section allows you to define the limits, or borders, of your planes. A border is a connection between one plane of existence and another. For example, the Ethereal Border (see below) is an example of a coexistent border the provides a connection between a Mortal Plane and Ethereal Plane.
Note: There is an important distinction between a border and a portal or gate. A planar border is typically a plane-wide phenomena, unlike a portal or a gate which is a localized effect not covered by these rules.
Each border has its own heading, giving the name of the border followed by a parenthesis which contains the border type and the planes it borders on. There are three basic border types:
Physical Border (Ph): A plane with a physical border connects physically to another plane or planes. The border is often large, or exists in many different locations across the plane. For example, a physical border might appear as a long river. Travel between planes might be achieved by simply crossing the river. Alternatively, it could be a series of portals scattered regularly throughout the plane.
Coexistent Border (Co): A plane with a coexistent border exists in parallel with another plane, but does not actually physically touch it. Beings beyond the coexistent border are often considered incorporeal, ethereal, or some other, similar state, and cannot directly affect your plane.
Shallowing Border (Sh): A shallowing borer, sometimes simply called a shallowing. has similarities to both coexistent and physical borders. Shallowings can exist in parallel throughout a plane (like coexistent planes) although they are often limited to certain locations (like physical borders). Unlike physical borders, you cannot simply step through them: they require some altered state of mind, a spell, or some other special trick to pass through.
Description
Following the plane heading line comes a short description of the border, how it manifests, some of its trivial properties and other details.
Border Properties
Like planes borders can also possess special properties, generally one or two at most. Sample border properties include:
Passage: All planar borders must possess at least one version of this property, generally listed first. Some feat or action must be performed before the border can be traversed. This could be anything from killing a certain creature to hopping on one foot. Some borders may only be crossed by casting a specific set of spells that can provide access to that plane. Often this is a spell such as astral projection or ethereal jaunt.
Magical Barrier: The border prohibits magic, or certain magics, from passing through it. This property can be modified by altering the magic or types of magic that are blocked. For example, all enchantments may be blocked from being cast through the border.
Sample Borders
To demonstrate these rules here are two sample borders (one for each border type) that can be used in your plane designs:
The Mountains of Peng (Ph, Elemental Plane of Earth)
Across the Silent Sea and beyond the Distant Desert rise the vast Mountains of Peng. These colossal mountain ranges stretch across the plane, seemingly forever. Treacherous, sheer, and savaged by cold winds, they are the only means by which the Elemental Plane of Earth may be reached. As of yet, none have found a safe means of passage through them.
Passage: To reach the Elemental Plane of Earth beyond the Mountains of Peng the mountains themselves must be traversed. This trip takes 2d6 days. Each day the travelers must make a successful Climb check each, DC 25, or fall to their deaths.
Fairy Trods (Sh, Fairy Plane)
Fairy exists in parallel with our own reality, mocking as much as mirroring. The two are otherwise separate except for those places where a touch of the old magic remains. Places untouched by humans, remote forests, dark dells or even abandoned temples can become fairy trods.
Passage: To cross the border into the Fairy Plane a traveler must seek out a trod and then walk thirteen times winder-shins (counter-clockwise) around it. They will then find themselves magically transported to Fairy. Similar landmarks exist in Fairy that allow travel back home.
Basic Planes
Here follows descriptions of the standard planes found in the core rules. These basic planes can be used as a quick-start for getting your players adventuring through the multiverse, examples of these rules, or as templates for your own planes.
Material Plane
Mortal Space
The Material Plane is the normal, physical plane of existence from which your characters would typically originate. The Material Plane normally lies at the center of multiverse where it is connected to the other planes via the Ethereal Plane
Ethereal Border (Co, Ethereal Plane)
The mists of the Ethereal Plane suffuse the Material Plane, unknown to even the most knowledgeable scholars. Beyond lurk ghosts and other ethereal monstrosities.
Passage: Only spells like ethereal jaunt. etherealness or spell-like abilities allow access to the Ethereal Plane.
Etherealness: All creatures on the Ethereal Plane are incorporeal with respect to the Material Plane.
Magical Barrier: Normal spells cannot reach into the Ethereal Plane except those with force effects, such as wall of force.
Shadow Border (Co, Plane of Shadows)
The Plane of Shadows is a dark world that mirrors our own. It exists in parallel to the Material Plane but has its own dark
Passage: Only spells like shadow walk or spell-like abilities allow access to the Plane of Shadows.
Incorporeal: All creatures on the Plane of Shadows are incorporeal with respect to the Material Plane.
Magical Barrier: Normal spells cannot reach into the Plane of Shadows.
Astral Plane
Between Universe
The Astral Plane is an infinitely large dimension that reaches throughout the planes, binding them together with its psychic energy. The Astral Plane is little more than an empty void, the back-drop to the multiverse, the in-between that fills the space between borders.
Astral Border (Co, All Ethereal Planes)
The Astral Plane does not directly touch the Material Plane, but it does border the various Ethereal Planes.
Passage: Spells like astral projection or spell-like abilities allow access to the Astral Plane, circumventing the Ethereal Plane. Otherwise, travelers from the Material Plane must find their way onto the Ethereal Plane and venture from there to the Astral Plane.
Planar Borders (Ph, All Inner and Outer Planes)
The Astral Plane is littered with various portals that drift in the Astral and lead to the Inner and Outer Planes.
Passage: To enter a portal simply step through and you will find yourself on a new plane of existence. For new travelers which portals lead where is often a mystery. a Knowledge (The Planes) check, DC 15, is required to determine which portal leads where.
Plane of Shadows
The Plane of Shadows is the dark counter to the Ethereal Plane, a world that exists in the shadows of the real world, parallel to the Material Plane.
Special Properties
The following special properties are appropriate for this plane:
Dark: This plane is shrouded in permeating darkness, effectively blinding characters without an artificial source of light. This property does not affect creatures who can see in darkness normally. Normal and magical lights are reduced by this darkness, halving the range of visibility.
Fast Travel: By flitting between the shadows of the real world the character can move at a rate of up to seven miles every 10 minutes.
Inner Planes
Elemental Universe
The Inner Planes are the fundamental planes of existence, the building blocks of the Material Plane and the embodiments of the elements themselves. Each represents a particular element - Air, Earth, Fire Water - or a type of energy - Positive or Negative. See the following table for the individual properties for each plane:
Table 2: Inner Plane Type Modifiers and Special Properties
Plane Type Modifier Special Properties
Elemental Plane of Air Air Airy, Subjective Gravity Field
Elemental Plane of Earth Earth Dark, Earthly, Subjective Gravity Field
Elemental Plane of Fire Fire Bright, Fiery, Choking
Elemental Plane of Water Water Aqueous, Subjective Gravity Field
Positive-Energy Plane Light Bright, Effluence, Massless
Negative-Energy Plane Darkness Dark, Dearth, Vacuum
Outer Planes
Outsider Universe
Whilst the Inner Plane embody the physical essences of the multiverse, the Outer Planes embody the higher ideals. Each Outer Plane represents a particular alignment, from the Lawful Evil tyranny of Nine Hells to the Lawful Good bliss of the Seven Heavens. Most Outer Planes consist of several 'layers' or sub-planes, each infinitely large and sharing their parent plane's properties.
The precise number and nature of Outer Planes depends upon your particular cosmology. Some sample planes are given in Table 3 as templates for your own ideas. Some special property suggestions for these planes have also been given.
Table 3: Sample Outer Plane Type Modifiers and Special Properties
Plane Type Modifier Special Properties Layers
Agony (or The Abyss) Chaotic, Evil Any Infinite
Bliss Good Any 1
Concordance Neutral None 1
Despair Evil Any 3
Freedom Chaotic, Good Any 1
Mechaneria Lawful Any Infinite
Tyranny (or The Nine Hells) Evil, Lawful Any 9
Unity (or Seven Heavens) Good, Lawful Any 7
Xaos Chaotic Any and Subjective Form 1
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OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Rules Document Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Plane Descriptions v 1.8b Copyright 2002, by Ricardo Gladwell, Steve Dunphy, Gary Lubben, Adam Ross, Brenda Copping and Jim Gordon Stenberg.
