What do you like about Planescape?

[Oryan77]

OTOH, the cynicism and the self-conscious humor that was one of the trademarks of Planescape in general and Sigil in particular ran directly counter to this. Sometimes it felt as if the designers were trying preempt criticism by saying "... but we're just kiddin', see."

This is a thread about what you like about PS, not what you dislike
Besides, I never got that impression about the setting. I appreciate a bit of humor here and there and I felt it makes the PS books more enjoyable to read. Better than the "to-the-point" method of 3.x WotC books.

 

[Arkhandus]

Everything.

 

[Southern Oracle]

More than any other setting, Planescape requires thinking. Hack-and-slash is possible in the planes, but more often than not you're dealing with creatures vastly more powerful than your party. Everything has an agenda, and if you can figure out who needs what when, you'll survive to see another day. Power stems from belief, and even the ideas of the characters can have ramifications that shake the foundation of the planes.

As a side note, Planescape had several elements going for it that were not present in other campaigns: the artwork was distinctive, as previously mentioned; the cant (slang) was a new element but also faintly familiar to people, stemming as it did from Cockney and pirate/criminal class origins; it had an extremely well developed fansite (www.mimir.net); and it attempted (sometimes unsuccessfully) to encompass all the other settings, thereby expanding its player base.

 

[Ashy]

...endless possibilities....

 

[shadow]

Hmmmf...Planscape! Bah! Planescape isn't D&D...where are the dungeons? Look at the wacky art in the Planescape books; it's obviously 'anime'! Yes...Planescape is anime! And the Bariur are obviously inspired by furries!

Note to the humor impaired - this post is in jest

 

[Teflon Billy]

For those who regularly vote for Planescape, what, exactly, do you like about Planescape? What makes it more fun to play than other settings, to you? How do you use it?

The fact that it's easy-as-pie to both use everything available for D&D and maintain setting verisimilitude.

Can't say that about most settings.

 

[Oryan77]

where are the dungeons?

Pandemonium....the biggest dungeon of them all

 

[Nifft]

The fact that it enabled plausible play from 1st level up (with no cap in sight). Seriously awesome selling point for folks who like the "up" part of that.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Zoycitenega]

The fact that Planescape: Torment is the only video game I've ever finished deffinitely gives it kudos.

I just love sigil, and the factions are the best part.

 

[TarionzCousin]

But the primary feature of Planescape to me is that the way the campaign setting is structured, it simultaneously provides you with loads of source material, and at the same time leaves you with pretty much infinite flexibility about where you want to go. It's hard to achieve that in a typical campaign setting.

Finally, of major settings, it seems the most purely fantastic to me. Everything has the potential to be so exotic, so larger than life. I find that gives me a freedom I don't often feel with most faux-medieval fantasy campaign settings.

I like it because it's a great mix of the mundane and the fantastic as well as the public and the esoteric. Player challenges can range from obtaining rent money (something which can remain a factor even at higher levels, depending on where your PCs wish to live) to meddling in the fairs of Powers. Not only that, but the game can change moods easily without affecting the feel of the game.

Exactly my thoughts. The setting is exotic, flexible, and allows me to do whatever I want as DM, not limited by concepts like gravity, land-masses, or real (fantasy) world physics.

A quest to find Caesar Slaad makes as much sense as Asmodeus trying to unseat Bel and put in a puppet to control Bel's realm as a plot hook.

Ooooh, sly reference. +1 rep, if I knew your CM name.