Planar Handbook Review (Broad)

[TwilightWhisper]

If it were truly the case that the planes are what everyone wants, they would publish Planescape.

But they aren't publishing Planescape.

Correlary 1: It's not what everyone wants.

Correlary 2: They suck...

Ok, so you don't like it. I got that from your first post.

 

[Psion]

Okay have it.

Mechanically solid, but I find some design and inclusion choices a little odd.

Frex: why mephlings instead of genasi? Argh!

At any rate, the races seemed competant but not inspiring to me. This pretty much cements me using GR's Planetouched book as the central planetouched resource.

Savage species style writeups are nice and helpful if running PS.

I don't like the Mind's Eye. Would have much preferred using Godsmen and Signers. Yes, I understand why they did it. It doesn't mean I have to like it.

Nice to see Sigil's existence acknowledged. However, the PS fan in me that was expecting a bit more from this was a bit disappointed.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

Anyone notice the Sensate PrC, the Ardent Dilettante has rewriten PrC Requirements?

I thought that was rather neat. It sort of breaks it up into mini-PrCs, based on your level of commitment. I'd be scared to try and write an epic-level progression for it, though.

I do have one quibble about the Cipher PrC. The fluff says that the Transcendent Order's current base is in Elysium, which is NG. However, the Cipher itself has an alignment requirement of N.

That just doesn't seem to make any sense. First, the people who're so hard-core devoted to the philosophy have issues when they're in Elysium. Secondly, any of their non-outsider members will have a hard time, being that they have the possibility of being trapped in Elysium as petitioners.

Brad

 

[Kobold Avenger]

I do have one quibble about the Cipher PrC. The fluff says that the Transcendent Order's current base is in Elysium, which is NG. However, the Cipher itself has an alignment requirement of N.

That just doesn't seem to make any sense. First, the people who're so hard-core devoted to the philosophy have issues when they're in Elysium. Secondly, any of their non-outsider members will have a hard time, being that they have the possibility of being trapped in Elysium as petitioners.

It probably has to do with a bunch of things back in 2e where they established that the Trabscendant Order was one of the most Neutral of the factions. However they were also left with the Free League being another neutral faction that actually was based in the Outlands, so I'm guessing they didn't want two factions sharing a plane at the time and made Elysium the Cipher's plane. I think they use the reason that Elysium is a peaceful enough place for Ciphers to meditate and pursue their goals of becoming one with the cadence of the planes as the reason that they're there.

 

[Shemeska]

I'd been kind of wondering why people didn't just fly across the ring, and I suppose they still could, but I just never got around to asking.

You can fly across the ring to the other side of the city, but it's generally disorienting to those who do since the gravity switches on you, and if you look to either side 'out' of the plane of the city you end up seeing the 'nothing' that exists beyond it. Be our guest and dive out into it. If you ever show up again we're curious what you saw, being that nobody has ever returned from leaping out of the ring of the city...

 

[Shemeska]

II do have one quibble about the Cipher PrC. The fluff says that the Transcendent Order's current base is in Elysium, which is NG. However, the Cipher itself has an alignment requirement of N.

That just doesn't seem to make any sense. First, the people who're so hard-core devoted to the philosophy have issues when they're in Elysium. Secondly, any of their non-outsider members will have a hard time, being that they have the possibility of being trapped in Elysium as petitioners.

As the Kobold said more or less. Yes the Ciphers eventually transition to true neutrality, but they tend to focus on inner harmony so much that their actions are rather well reflected to some extent by Elysium in a way. The Transcendent Order has been on Elsyium for a long time actually, probably with a greater influence there more so now after the Faction War. They never seemed to have any problem with going and leaving as they pleased. Justify it either with their belief in their philosophy trumping the glory and perfection of Elysium, and it's pull on their minds and hearts, or simply that the 3e mechanic was made without looking at exceptions to the rule. Suffice to say the Ciphers haven't had problems with it before, no reason to make them have a problem with it now in a new editions ruleset.

The Ciphers have, more than any other faction, kept peace and stability in Sigil through their actions at key points in the city's history. They're peaceful, they don't rock the boat, and they strive for harmony starting within oneself. Until they leap into a flurry of action to do what is perfectly needed at the given moment. They're a fun faction...

 

[Gez]

I'd been kind of wondering why people didn't just fly across the ring, and I suppose they still could, but I just never got around to asking.

You can go by Shemeska's answer; or you can go with the 3e Manual of the Planes and have Sigil in the Outtlands, floating above the Spire. "Those who escape the ring suddenly finds themselves in open air, often plummeting down the side of the Spire." If you go with this location of Sigil rather than nothingness, you'd better be able to fly as an Extraordinary or a Natural ability, because otherwise your flight is negated by the Spire's limited magic trait, and you will plummet to your doom after a long, long, very long fall.

 

[BOZ]

You can go by Shemeska's answer; or you can go with the 3e Manual of the Planes and have Sigil in the Outtlands, floating above the Spire.

i thought that's how it always was in planescape? i seem to recall a TonyD illustration with a doughnut at the top of a long pinnacle...