(Pathfinder) How do you explain the organization of the planes to new players?

[Nibbens]

So, this was a recent development for me - actually codifying and trying to make sense of how the planes are organized in PFs multiverse. There are articles out there, but there seems to be a lack of visual drawings to help give substance to these articles.

And that seems to be my problem - the descriptions of how the planes are organized (which ones are closer to others, and which are coterminous, etc) are spread out between multiple articles. I'm just wondering if anyone knows of a single picture which shows this, or better yet...

How do you describe how the planes are connected to your new players? Do you use just vague words with descriptions, do you not bother with it much, or do you draw a picture?

[GilesTheCleric]

If they're the same as 3.5, there's a handy graphic in PlH 137.

[Theodred theOld]

I would just use 3.5 cosmology if you want a convenient graphic to use. Otherwise looks like its time to bust out the old dry erase board and make some diagrams. Also unless these new players have knowledge: the planes, they wouldn't know most of that stuff anyway. The main person that needs to be familiar with the planar topography is you as the DM. You are then free to fling your players through the planescape at will, leaving them scrambling to figure out just what exactly is going on.

[GilesTheCleric]

Now that I'm thinking about it, you could easily model the planes with a bunch of trace paper or other translucent paper. Many of the planes overlap or intersect, so being able to see the layers should hopefully demonstrate it clearly for your players.

[Nibbens]

If they're the same as 3.5, there's a handy graphic in PlH 137.

Unfortunately, they're not. At east to my knowledge anyway - I'm not too familiar with 3.5's cosmology.


Otherwise looks like its time to bust out the old dry erase board and make some diagrams.

Which is what I've been doing. However, hand gestures and descriptions like "Positive and negative slices of bread with cheesy material, ethereal sauce, and shadowy meat between them" can only get you so far.


Now that I'm thinking about it, you could easily model the planes with a bunch of trace paper or other translucent paper. Many of the planes overlap or intersect, so being able to see the layers should hopefully demonstrate it clearly for your players.

Now this is interesting. I bet this could work really well! Albeit, this is a task for a much more coordinated and talented DM than I. haha.

[Demonic_Spoon]

Unfortunately, they're not. At east to my knowledge anyway - I'm not too familiar with 3.5's cosmology.



Which is what I've been doing. However, hand gestures and descriptions like "Positive and negative slices of bread with cheesy material, ethereal sauce, and shadowy meat between them" can only get you so far.



Now this is interesting. I bet this could work really well! Albeit, this is a task for a much more coordinated and talented DM than I. haha.
I'm pretty sure pf follows the standard great wheel cosmology, in the broad strokes at least. The outer planes are really simple (basically, it's the alignment chart. Planes even correspond to the same position in the standard illustration method), so I'm guessing the problem comes in with the inner and transitive planes?

I always found that this image explains it best.

http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20141004203148/faerunian/images/9/94/The_Great_Wheel.png

[Florian]

Take a look at the inside front cover of "The Great Beyond". There are maps for the working of the inner and outer planes.
In PF, the planes work a bit different from the old Great Wheel and the coterminous and touching issue has been greatly simplified.

[GreyBlack]

Honestly? I don't. The majority of my games use alternate realities under the Many Worlds interpretation of Schrodinger's Cat (every action with 2 or more uncertain outcomes creates a different reality), then the planes of the Gods are disconnected from the Material Plane. For everything else (e.g. power sources for shadow/ethereal/etc), those are just the connective tissue between realities.