elijah snow
First Post
I have the opportunity to buy the MotP 1E used. I have the 3e edition- but is there stuff in the original that is unique? Is it worthy buying?
What's In the Manual of the Planes (1E)?
- Thread starter elijah snow
- Start date
Shemeska
Adventurer
They cover much of the same ground, though the 1e version is IMO, less detailed. Its presentation of the planes also lacks the roughly 20 years of evolution that they've undergone since 1e. It's vision of the Outlands lacks the Infinite Spire and lacks Sigil, which appeared first during 2e, and its vision of the lower planes lacks the Blood War or any of the extensive development those planes got during Planescape and afterwards.
If the price is under $10, go for it for the sake of curiosity, otherwise since you have the 3e version, you're not missing anything much.
If the price is under $10, go for it for the sake of curiosity, otherwise since you have the 3e version, you're not missing anything much.
Tewligan
First Post
How much are you paying for it? Anything more than $15 or so and you might be a little vexed. It's got some descriptions of other planes of course, but nothing to grab you and make you say "Wow!" It introduces the Border Ethereal, which I seem to recall being where the Ethereal "touches" the Prime. I think it makes ethereal travel a little too safe-n-easy for PC's, if I remember. It has the color pools, and rules for the functioning level of magic in varying planes. I'm pretty sure there were some lackluster magic items in it. It does NOT have the stats for the beastie pictured on the front cover, which disappointed me terribly as a young lad. This is all from memory, actually - the Manual of the Planes is the only 1e hardback AD&D book I haven't repurchased since I got back on the 1e bandwagon. It's just not worth any more than $12 or so to me, although I admit that I do keep checking the used section of the local awesome bookstore to see if a reasonably priced copy has arrived just for the sake of completeness.
Philotomy Jurament
First Post
No, not really.elijah snow said:
The Thayan Menace
First Post
A Great Resource
The 1E Manual of the Planes has some pretty cool material on the paraelemental and quasielemental planes that (as far as I know) was never fully incorporated into 3E.
It also has killer artwork.
-Samir
It also has killer artwork.
-Samir
It's got a great set of tables detailing alternate material planes, a chart describing the variant appearances of elemental creatures, descriptions of the way the various portals look in the Outer Planes, an interesting take on the Outlands and the Spire, and some detail on obscure divine realms that never got covered in 2e or 3e. Plus, it's got the classic cosmology that was dumbed down in the 3e version, including an Ethereal Plane which is actually important to the cosmic structure - if you don't have the 2e Planescape stuff, it's worth it for that alone.
Honestly, I love my copy of the 1e MotP and still refer to it often. I'd pay up to $35 for it if I'd lost my old copy. Some of this may be nostalgia, of course, an obsessive completist philosophy. Your mileage may vary.
Honestly, I love my copy of the 1e MotP and still refer to it often. I'd pay up to $35 for it if I'd lost my old copy. Some of this may be nostalgia, of course, an obsessive completist philosophy. Your mileage may vary.
