Question regarding layers in planes

[Faerron]

Dear all-knowing forum visitors,

As a unseasoned DM I recently took over a game already in progress, with the players preparing to take a step into hell to greatly reduce the amount of devils in existence. With a tank (their idea, not mine). My question is this: How does layer travel work within the 9 Hells? I'm aware of spells like planeshift etc but the previous DM banned such spells and for the sake of continuity I would like to keep it this way. SO are there physical paths from one layer to the other that can be walked? Can you reach it by flying from one layer to a lower? Does the river Styx provide access by boat perhaps? Or is my only option to hand them portals to the other layers (want to avoid this if possible).
So I've read the planar handbook and fiendish codex 2 and although they give me a good overview of the layers, it does not explain how best to handle traveling between layers.
So oh great forum, any help is greatly appreciated

[ahenobarbi]

But portals are so much fun. I mean you need a proper key to open a portal so you have to find someone who will tell you what the key is. And find it. And find the portal in the first place...

I think there is no way to physically move between layers of plane but you can always house rule this if you find it fit (Styx sounds good).

[nedz]

However you want.

Maybe there's a Plane Shift analogue which only works in Hell ?

Maybe there's a door which only lets three people through at a time ?

However: If all they want to do is kill Devils then an infinite amount on one infinite plane should be all you ever need.

[Yora]

In the Planescape Setting, which really created the vast bulk of descriptions for the planes of the Great Wheel, there are direct conections between the layers of the Nine Hells.


Movement in the Nine Hells is much like movement on the Material Plane. Even moving between layers is fairly straightforward.
The connecting points between two layers are always found at the lowest point of the higher layer and at the highest point on the next layer down. If there is a mountain, hellish fortress spire, or other high structure along the ledge on the lower layer, then the traveler can climb down. Otherwise, simply stepping off the lowest, ledge-like projection on the upper layer sends a traveler plummeting into the lower layer. The distance fallen is subjective, but seems to be at least a half-mile. Creatures without some way to slow their fall take 20d6 points of damage when they impact the lower layer.
Sounds fun. :smallbiggrin:

[KillianHawkeye]

SO are there physical paths from one layer to the other that can be walked? Can you reach it by flying from one layer to a lower? Does the river Styx provide access by boat perhaps? Or is my only option to hand them portals to the other layers (want to avoid this if possible).

All of the above (except the flying one).