Dimension Door and the Astral Plane question

[Lucius Foxhound]

In our last adventure, my 10th level Wizard found himself trapped on the Astral Plane with no way of getting back. He had a rather creative plan to get back, but since my DM usually rewards creativity by making you pay for the pizza, it was a no-go.

But his plan was this: cast Dimension Door into a solid object on the Astral Plane. Since DDing into a solid object on the material plane shunts you into the Astral Plane, his theory was that on the Astral Plane it would do the opposite and shunt you into the Material Plane.

Any thoughts as to whether this might work?

As a follow-up question ... His other plan was to cast Dismissal on himself... again, the DM scoffed. Would this work, do you think?

 

[James McMurray]

Dimension Door is travel through the Astral Plane. When you are already on the Astral, you can't cast it. At least, you can't cast it with any effect.

The Dismissal spell would work though.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I don't think you're allowed to deliberately Dimension Door into a solid object.

Anyway, the D20 Modern version of the spell makes sense. You get transported to the nearest open space within 1000 ft. If there is no such space, then the spell fizzles.

 

[James McMurray]

The character instantly transfers from the character's current location to any other spot within range. The character always arrives at exactly the spot desired—whether by simply visualizing the area or by stating direction, such as "900 feet straight downward," or "upward to the northwest, 45-degree angle, 1,200 feet." After using this spell, the character can’t take any other actions until the character's next turn.

Nothing there about not being able to give a direction and distance that you know to be into a solid object. You cold be on the ground and say "10' stright down" and be fairly certain of hitting solid matter.

 

[nameless]

Given the properties of the Astral Plane, it shouldn't be too hard to return to the Prime without any magical aid. As a transitive plane, you just need to hit the right color pool and you're back in the Prime. Since the Astral is heavily thought-based, by simply thinking about where you want to go (Prime plane, where you left) you should arrive there with minimal snafu.

Also, the Astral is timeless, so even if you took 100 years in your timeframe, you would never age, and no time would pass on the Prime. Unless the DM has a different cosmology, the Astral is not at all a bad place to be trapped *grin*.

-nameless

 

[James McMurray]

AFAIK time does pass on the Astral. However, it doesn't affect you until you leave. Thus, if you were trapped on the Astral for 1,000 years, those years would pass for everyone on the prime, but you would never grow hungry or need to sleep. Once you leave though, you'll be passing out from exhaustion the moment you start to feel the intense hunger pains.

 

[Tom Cashel]

Since DDing into a solid object on the material plane shunts you into the Astral Plane, his theory was that on the Astral Plane it would do the opposite and shunt you into the Material Plane.

It would shunt you into the afterlife. And you can't cast any spells at all in the afterlife.

His other plan was to cast Dismissal on himself...

This version of the spell is called "May I Please Be Excused?"

I think it's absurd, but I would allow it.

P.S. What's a good source for 3E information on the planes?

 

[AuraSeer]

Re: Re: Dimension Door and the Astral Plane question

P.S. What's a good source for 3E information on the planes?

Other than, say, the Manual of the Planes?

 

[Tom Cashel]

Huh. They did release a new version of that, didn't they?

Thanks Aura...that's one for the Xmas list.