Excerpt, Manual of the Planes: Types of Planes

[Rechan]

Manual of the Planes Excerpts: Types of Planes

 

[Phaezen]

Very interesting, especialy this:

The most well known demiplane is Sigil, City of Doors. No one knows who created it or how, but Sigil holds portals uncounted that lead to every other plane of existence. Veteran planar explorers soon learn that Sigil is the first place to look when a door to somewhere else is needed.

The Demiplanes concept also allows for the existance of Ravenloft. The Anomalous planes also look interesting: Far Realms, Mirror Plane, Plane of Dreams.

Phaezen

 

[malraux]

I want the image at the bottom in poster size to go up next to my PS map of the planes poster.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

That map at the bottom is very cool looking, so far the Planar maps be it this one or the globe one from the DMG have looked quite neat.

The ability to Influence Unstable Planes is also neat, I can just see adventures on the Elemental Chaos where tension is building up as someone tries to will a land-bridge to form over a river of lava while their being chased down by enemies.

 

[Rechan]

The problem with the Unstable PLane skill thingie: it doesn't specify what skill to use. If it's literally "Any skill applies", then I'll just use Acrobatics to moon-walk the land apart. (Honestly, the idea of using Bluff/Diplomacy/Intimidate/Thievery to alter the terrain would generate some really interesting, and epic, explanations. I can see a thief creating a portal by "Pickpocketing" the dimension).

 

[Fallen Seraph]

The problem with the Unstable PLane skill thingie: it doesn't specify what skill to use. If it's literally "Any skill applies", then I'll just use Acrobatics to moon-walk the land apart. (Honestly, the idea of using Bluff/Diplomacy/Intimidate/Thievery to alter the terrain would generate some really interesting, and epic, explanations. I can see a thief creating a portal by "Pickpocketing" the dimension).

I imagine there will be certain Rituals, PPs, Feats, whatever that can trigger it. This is simply the base formula and the Skill-used will be stated in the Ritual for instance information.

 

[firesnakearies]

What I found interesting was the statement that you could travel REALLY FAR through the Astral Sea and reach the Astral Dominions of the deities of OTHER WORLDS.

Neat.

 

[catsclaw227]

Very interesting. I wonder how the Planescape fans will feel about Sigil being a demi-plane, and it's relationship with the other planes.

The planar map IS very cool.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Very interesting. I wonder how the Planescape fans will feel about Sigil being a demi-plane, and it's relationship with the other planes.

I would consider myself a Planescape fan... Well more a Sigil fan I am quite happy to see Sigil as a demiplane outside of the regular cosmology. This was actually how I was planning on using Sigil in 4e cosmology to begin with, so thats great.

 

[Rechan]

I swear. I hope we get details of sites in the various planes. Not just 'here's an eladrin city' 'here's a Shadar-Kai fortress' 'Now, here's some stat blocks, paragon paths, feats, and we're done!"

In the Worlds and Monsters book, it described various places like the Fungul city where Troglodytes live, having tunneled through skyscraper-sized mushrooms. They donated a single paragraph to it.

Various tidbits that spark the imagination, fantastic sites, domains, etc. If you were writing a Tourist's Guide to the Plane, you'll only mention the cities as far as their nightlife, food, friendly customs and interesting sights. You'll spend more time blabbing about the cool rock formations, coral reefs, flora and fauna and the types of attractions a tourist would want to go and see. An adventurer is much like a tourist, but instead of wearing sandals and seeking pictures, he's wielding a sword and going to kick a door in.

And considering that the Planes are more Fantastic than the World, then they should have some wild stuff. Forests made of crystal, mountains made of flesh and bone, an iron honeycombed island amid a vertical maelstrom of water, crafted by the Storm Titan and his Lightning Archon armada.

I want places that grab me by my creative gland, shake me like leg bitten by a chihuahua, and say "I DARE YOU to bring your PCs here!"