Planar Hanbook excerpt and art gallery

[Li Shenron]

This preview doesn't excite me very much... the positive thing is that the Planar Handbook may have 99% of new material and nothing revised: probably some of the spells are going to be adjusted, but of the 4 PrCls in MotP I haven't heard yet if they needed any update.

It seems like PlH reprints some Planescape material without being fully a campaign setting. To me it sounds like the possible definitive proof that there will never be a Planescape campaign book for 3e. :\ Anyway, if it has many factions, it can provide ideas to incorporate into any other's setting.

Depending on many things, I may prefer to buy some 2e Planescape box at the end.

About the previewed bits:

Spikers - I suppose that one of the points of playing a planar setting is to have many weird races from other worlds This example seems interesting and quite balances, with a couple of new abilities for a race (DR and Acid Res). The mistake about DR entry format is quite lame however... :\

Planar Monk - Bah, there was no need to introduce any concept of "substitution level". All they needed to do is a few line describing each new feature and say "a 5th level Monk can choose Resistant Body instead of Purity of Body..." because all they are is simply alternate class features. It looks to me that WotC is becoming unable to work outside their concepts of class/prCl and feats even when it would be easier.
By the way, the alternate features are fine themselves.

Heritage Feats, Spells and monster - Nothing gamebreaking but fine.

Touchstones - To me they sound an interesting addition, let's see what are those special abilities conferred...

 

[frankthedm]

Fiendish dire weasle- see if you can get your money back.

GOOD LORD, a shapable wall of iron that grinds foes from ten feet!?

Wall of Gears
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Sorcerer/wizard 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: Wall of moving gears whose area fills one 5-ft. square/2 levels; see text
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: No

This spell taps into the planar energy of Mechanus to create a 6-inch-thick wall of moving iron cogs, wheels, gears, pistons, and assorted mechanical parts. Each 5-foot square of the wall's surface has hardness 10 and 180 hit points.

Both sides of the wall have hundreds of moving parts that flail out, dealing 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage per two caster levels (maximum 15d6) to all creatures within 10 feet. A successful Reflex save halves this damage.

Material Component: A small gear.



From the way the creature is described, it kinda sounds like it should have a flying movement. Overall, its a one trick wuss suitable for only for eating mages.

From Chapter 6: Creatures of the Planes

DHARCULUS
Medium Aberration (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 8d8+40 (76 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 22 (+2 Dex, +10 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+7
Attack: Tentacle +8 melee (1d4+1)
Full Attack: 6 tentacles +8 melee (1d4+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, ethereal bite
Special Qualities: Dualplanar, spell resistance 20
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +11
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 14, Con 20, Int 11, Wis 17, Cha 17
Skills: Listen +14, Spot +14
Feats: Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Ethereal Plane
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 9-11 HD (Large); 12-24 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: +7 (cohort)

A swarm of blind, writhing creatures flails through the air, drawing a deeper shadow of menace behind.

A dharculus inserts its mawed tentacle ends into corporeal planes to feed, much like a bear scoops trout out of a stream. To corporeal eyes, a dharculus's six tentacles appear as a swarm of blind, snakelike creatures sliding through the air in a deadly school (though the shadow of the creature's menace is visible in dreamy outline). On the Ethereal Plane or to those who can see across the ethereal border, the tentacle tips all come together in a fused, wormlike braid that forms the dharculus's body. The posterior end of the cylindrical body loops back toward the front like a question mark, the end of which is a huge, drooling maw filled with razor-sharp teeth. Several tentacles end in eyes instead of maws, which the entity keeps safely ethereal to search the Material Plane for its next meal.

The dharculus is a creature from an alternate reality far from the Material Plane, and perhaps beyond the planar cosmology as it is presently understood. It may be that these creatures are dependent on some element from their unknown place of origin; however, reports indicate that more and more of these creatures are hunting along the shoals of corporeal planes.

A dharculus does not speak.

Combat

A dharculus's dual-plane existence provides it exceptional protection against its prey, while it is free to attack most potential victims with impunity, first by establishing a hold with a small mawed tentacle, then by bringing its otherwise intangible ethereal bite into play.

Dualplanar (Ex): The bulk of a dharculus's body resides on the Ethereal Plane, but the monster possesses the capacity to insert or remove its mawed tentacle ends into or out of the Material Plane as a standard action. Creatures that are stuck on the Material Plane find it difficult but not impossible to target the dharculus. Because the monster is dual-planar and therefore exists partially on the Material Plane while its tentacles are inserted, its foes on the Material Plane can attack the creature as if it had cover, and so it gains a +4 bonus to Armor Class and a +2 bonus on Reflex saves. A dharculus can take a standard action to remove its tentacles from the Material Plane, allowing it to effectively retreat completely into the Ethereal Plane.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a dharculus must hit a Small or larger creature with its tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and attaches the tentacle to the opponent.

After a successful grab, a dharculus can try to attach its remaining tentacles with a single grapple check. The opponent can escape with a successful grapple check or Escape Artist check, but the dharculus gets a +2 circumstance bonus for every tentacle that was attached at the beginning of the opponent's turn.

Ethereal Bite (Ex): A dharculus that begins a turn with all six tentacles attached and that makes a successful grapple check automatically makes an ethereal bite (biting with its enormous, body-sized maw, which is normally relegated to the Ethereal Plane), dealing 6d6+1 points of damage. The maw and main body of the creature remain only a threatening thickness in the air even when the bite is delivered, so the sudden jerking and wounding of a victim become all the more unsettling to the victim's compatriots.

 

[Fiendish Dire Weasel]

Spikers: Interesting, but I'm not sure why someone would play one. The armor penalty seems real severe and the bonuses unimpresive. It's like they wanted to do somthing new and different, in which they succeded, but I don't think it's any good.

Planar Touchstones: Wow, this was almost a cool idea, but the Knowledge (Planes) 8 ranks requirment of the feat probably cripples the idea.

Doomguard: Is there anything this prestige class really gives that seems to compensate a melee-based character only being able to be healed for half?

Maybe I need to take a second look and am being overly severe. Anyone know when this will be released?

 

[Li Shenron]

Spikers: Interesting, but I'm not sure why someone would play one. The armor penalty seems real severe and the bonuses unimpresive. It's like they wanted to do somthing new and different, in which they succeded, but I don't think it's any good.

Well, what if you are an arcane spellcaster? You ain't going to wear armor anyway, and now no one wants to grapple you

 

[Shemeska]

Doomguard: Is there anything this prestige class really gives that seems to compensate a melee-based character only being able to be healed for half?

That you can now have a legit roleplaying reason to go around quoting Tyler Durden from 'Fight Club' because you'll be a Doomguard member. *chuckle*

"Nothing is static, everything is evolving, everything is falling apart." - Tyler Durden

The Doomguard are simply cool. For all of the Faction based PrCs in the book I'll honestly be looking more at the flavor versus the numbers. Numbers take a backseat to the flavor in my mind.

 

[Knight Otu]

because all they are is simply alternate class features.

Not quite. These optional levels also add a new class skill. I do have to wonder how that fully works, though. Technically, once you take a planar substitution level, Knowledge (the planes) should remain a class skill. Otherwise, it would be rather odd.

 

[Tharen the Damned]

I really like it crunchy.

But from the previews I wonder if there is any fluff at all?

I would like to see how a PC is supposed to behave on the various planes not another dozen PrCS, Spells Feats etc.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

That new (never saw pics by her before) artist Emily Fiegenschuh is overall good, but she's responsible for that dreadfully ugly Mialee.

Are you suggesting that there have been good pictures of Mialee?

 

[Remathilis]

The Candle Caster from Tome and Blood was a good Mialee...

 

[Dave Turner]

Am I the only one seeing a tiny hint of "Exalted creep" in the artwork for this aasimar's shield? That thing is the size of a car's hood.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/planar_gallery/82503.jpg