The Planes

[Planecaster]

Can someone provide me information on each of the planes? What they do, how they are connected to the Material plane and what not.

I know there is a class called the Shadowcaster and I was curious about the other planes since I hear that one was not very good.

If someone had a online guide or something I wouldn't mind a link.

Mostly just looking into it for a possible homebrew that uses the Shadowcaster and its Fixes as a base but uses more then just the Shadow Plane.

[NichG]

So basically you want a bunch of individual base classes that, say, channel the energy of the Astral, Arcadia, etc?

Interesting idea but sounds like a ton of work. Part of the reason the Shadowcaster is so bad is that its abilities are very one-dimensional compared to, e.g., a Bard, so I think you might have trouble with that here as well - especially since 'shadow' is a much broader concept than 'hard work is its own reward' for the Bytopiamancer.

[Planecaster]

Well actually I was thinking of a singular class with the ability to take mysteries and secrets from multiple planes not just Shadows.

So like Shadows, Air, Water, Earth, Fire, etc.

And the other Inner Planes as aspects.

[nedz]

There are an infinite number of planes, would you care to be more specific ?

[Planecaster]

Well those I listed
The Transitory Planes like the Astral could grant Psionic like abilities
Shadow
Ethereal planes etc
The elemental planes like Fire, Air, Earth, and Water. Maybe the Para plane like Ice and the Quasi planes like Lightning or something.

I am being very general right now because I am totally just working off a simple wiki entry.

Basically think of a person who could tap into the transitory planes and not just the shadows but astral as well. To use elemental abilities like Air and the like too. It would be far more versatile then just Shadow.

[Feytalist]

Well. Technically every magic-user can do that already. That's sort-of exactly what Evocation magic does.

If you want general info on the Planes, start by reading through the Manual of the Planes and The Planar Handbook. You can also browse through afroakuma's planar questions threads (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=299450) (links to the first two are in the OPlinks to the first two should be in the OP :smallannoyed:), for some in-depth and really interesting info.

[Planecaster]

I am aware Evocation does that, but to what degree?

[TuggyNE]

So basically you want a bunch of individual base classes that, say, channel the energy of the Astral, Arcadia, etc?

Interesting idea but sounds like a ton of work. Part of the reason the Shadowcaster is so bad is that its abilities are very one-dimensional compared to, e.g., a Bard, so I think you might have trouble with that here as well - especially since 'shadow' is a much broader concept than 'hard work is its own reward' for the Bytopiamancer.

Well, actually, Bytopiamancer is already done (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/npcClasses/commoner.htm). :smalltongue:

[CRtwenty]

Can someone provide me information on each of the planes? What they do, how they are connected to the Material plane and what not.

There's a few classes of Planes, they are:

The Prime Material Plane: The main universe, unless otherwise stated this is the main D&D verse. Very similar to the real world except for all the magic and elves and stuff. Also space works totally differently, with each solar system floating inside crystal spheres that exist inside a weird phlogiston material that has really weird stuff happen when you're inside it.

The Inner Planes, which are subdivided into the Energy Planes (Positive and Negative), and Elemental Planes (Earth, Fire, Water, Air) which are subdivided into Para-Elemental Planes (Ooze, Magma, Smoke, and Ice) where they connect to each other and Quasi-Elemental Planes (Radiance, Minerals, Steam, Lightning, Ash, Dust, Salt, and Vacuum) where they connect to the Energy Planes. These form the basic building blocks and energy for the Prime Material Plane, and a lot of Arcane power is drawn from them.

The Outer Planes which correspond to the D&D Alignments (Law, Chaos, Good, Evil, and Neutrality) in various combinations. There are seventeen in total and they connect in the "Great Wheel" with opposing alignments at opposite sides and Neutrality in the middle. This is where the majority of Gods and the souls of the dead reside. Most Divine energy (excluding Druid magic) comes from here.

In between them all are the Transitive Planes, which connect the Prime with the other Planes. These are the Ethereal Plane (Prime <-> Inner Planes), the Astral Plane (Prime <-> Outer Planes) and the Plane of Shadow (Prime <-> Alternate Primes) a lot of teleportation magic relies on these. And the school of Illusion draws heavily on the Plane of Shadow.

Outside of the whole thing is the Far Realm, which is where horrible terrors from beyond time and space live. Nobody sane draws power from there, which leaves its power in the realm of obscure people like Alienists.

This is what it all kind of looks like, though this picture's fairly outdated and is missing a few things and uses some older names (The Happy Hunting Grounds is now called the Beastlands for example)

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/alumni_planes1.jpg

[Planecaster]

How do you think a class that could channel energies from multiple planes would work?

We have the Shadowcaster which is alright but needed some fixes to be alright to play. So in short what would you have given to the Shadowcaster or any other caster based off a plane or planes?

More mysteries, discoveries, secrets, etc? Or something else entirely?

[NichG]

There are some cleric domains associated with specific planes, which might be a decent place to start if you want to build a series of effects associated with each of the planes.

Another thing you could do is look at outsiders that are specifically native to each plane and look for the most exotic abilities they have to try to find what sorts of things might characterize the powers that plane grants to its guardians and go from there.

[Brookshw]

How do you think a class that could channel energies from multiple planes would work?

We have the Shadowcaster which is alright but needed some fixes to be alright to play. So in short what would you have given to the Shadowcaster or any other caster based off a plane or planes?

More mysteries, discoveries, secrets, etc? Or something else entirely?

Cool concept but hard to apply to the outer planes. I could see channeling limbo maybe and a few others, but the planes are based on concept and belief. What would you channel from hades or carceri? Prisons and despair? Or the plane of wood or dreams? I don't think you're really looking at the planes in the right way.

That said though if you have the planar handbook check out (if I recall the term correctly) planar touchstones.

[NichG]

I'd also consider dropping the shadowcaster mechanics rather than trying to make planar mysteries per se. You can probably do better with some custom thing that is designed to take advantage of the fact you're going to have like 30 different 'sources' to draw from if you do this out.

For example, something where each level you can advance attunement rank with one or two planes, but your attunement cap grows like half-rate spell levels (e.g. 2 at Lv5, 3 at Lv9, ...). Each rank grants you something, which could be an 'evocation' (at will ability costing a standard action), a 'blessing' (like a martial stance but you can optionally receive all blessings of the plane you activate, one plane at a time, activate using a swift action), or whatever. You could make the evocations per-day as well I suppose.

Then associate each rank with things like, e.g.

Gray Waste 1: Shroud of Hopelessness (Blessing) - while active, enemies lose any morale bonuses or penalties within 60ft of you.

Gray Waste 2: Absence of Passion (Evocation) - end effects based on an emotional state within 60ft (e.g. fear, rage, etc), save negates.

Gray Waste 3: Extinguish the Self (Blessing) - Gain a bonus equal to caster level to any check to conceal emotion, immunity to morale bonuses and penalties as well as any effects that impose emotion (positive and negative)

Gray Waste 4: Deny the Will (Evocation) - Will save vs losing the will to fight, acts like a save or die except the target just becomes utterly passive for the duration.

Gray Waste 5: Hounds of Annwyn (Evocation, Capstone) - All dead on the field within 300ft have their souls collected by Annwyn's hounds. Acts like Mass Soultrap, and requires the gem component to store the souls as per normal.

[Planecaster]

Very interesting idea. If you would like to help me on it once I get the base up and running I would be grateful but might take a few days to get up.

[CRtwenty]

Cool concept but hard to apply to the outer planes. I could see channeling limbo maybe and a few others, but the planes are based on concept and belief. What would you channel from hades or carceri? Prisons and despair? Or the plane of wood or dreams? I don't think you're really looking at the planes in the right way.

That said though if you have the planar handbook check out (if I recall the term correctly) planar touchstones.

There's Planar domains for Clerics as well.

But really, fluffwise almost all magic is channeled from The Planes (or at least through The Planes) to begin with unless you're in a setting like Forgotten Realms

[afroakuma]

How can there possibly be a thread with this name while I'm still up and running? :smalltongue: Guess my answers just aren't good enough anymore.

[Feytalist]

How can there possibly be a thread with this name while I'm still up and running? :smalltongue: Guess my answers just aren't good enough anymore.

Forgive him, he knew not what he did :smalltongue:

I did try to point him in the right direction, though. We'll see if it takes.

[Planecaster]

I didn't know of your thread originally.

This is more a basic question. I know all magic runs through their respective planes but I am talking more like what NichG posted. I am exploring the other thread now though.

[Big Fau]

I am aware Evocation does that, but to what degree?

Not sure, but it's able to flash-melt gold.

[Planecaster]

Ok that was clever I will give you that.

[Brookshw]

How can there possibly be a thread with this name while I'm still up and running? :smalltongue: Guess my answers just aren't good enough anymore.

All praise to the Afro!