Templates or classes that quickly grant Plane Shift and/or related abilities?

[TalonOfAnathrax]

I'm looking for templates or classes that could grant Plane Shift by level 3 or 5. Preferably ones that don't otherwise have huge downsides.

And are there templates or classes that have a "Far Realm" or Cthulhu-style flavour? All I can think of is the pseudonatural template that can be applied by Binders to their summons, or prestige classes like the Alienist that aren't accessible at low levels.

This is mostly for NPCs, but some PCs might want them too!

[ExLibrisMortis]

Expedition to the Demonweb Pits has the Jaunter prestige class. You can enter at level 2, and planeshift appears at class level 4, ECL 5. The class grants a number of additional teleportation abilities, as well as limited freedom of movement and fast movement.

Entering the class requires Knowledge (the planes) and three feats, so the typical entry--without flaws--is human martial wizard. You also need to have visited some planes already, for which you probably need to tag along with another jaunter.

[TalonOfAnathrax]

Expedition to the Demonweb Pits has the Jaunter prestige class. You can enter at level 2, and planeshift appears at class level 4, ECL 5. The class grants a number of additional teleportation abilities, as well as limited freedom of movement and fast movement.

Entering the class requires Knowledge (the planes) and three feats, so the typical entry--without flaws--is human martial wizard. You also need to have visited some planes already, for which you probably need to tag along with another jaunter.

How could you enter that class at level two? One of the prerequisites seems to be Spring Attack, which requires BAB+4

[MisterKaws]

Plane Shift before lvl5... That would require a lot of squeezing around to get. And it's usually kinda restricted for a reason: it can make your game overly complicated.

Did you speak with your DM first? If they're okay with it, you can homebrew something around, and if you're playing a planar campaign, you can just use portals.

If you really want it, you can take Shadow Creature, with LA +2, which gives you the option to choose Plane Shift as an ability, but locked to the Shadow Plane (You can travel to most places from Shadow or Astral anyway, though it's sort of really dangerous).

[ShurikVch]

And are there templates or classes that have a "Far Realm" or Cthulhu-style flavour? All I can think of is the pseudonatural template that can be applied by Binders to their summons, or prestige classes like the Alienist that aren't accessible at low levels.It's depend on what's you count as "Cthulhu-style"
There are some ideas

Classes:
Cataclysm Mage (Explorer's Handbook)
Horizon Walker (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/horizonWalker.htm) - Planar terrain mastery
Knight of the Sacred Seal - Zceryll (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070718)
Planar Shepherd (Far Realm)
Contemplative, Divine Agent, and Divine Disciple are slowly change into Outsiders native to their patron's home plane
Thrall of Dagon
Thrall of Demogorgon

Templates:
Chosen of Hastur (Call of Cthulhu d20)
Cult Sorcerer (Call of Cthulhu d20)
Half-Dragon, Brainstealer
Half-Farspawn
Kaorti Thrall - mechanically like Fiendish Creature (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/fiendishCreature.htm), just with True Strike instead of Smite Good
Pseudonatural Creature (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/monsters/pseudonaturalCreature.htm)

Also, try to look: "Enter the Far Realm" article in Dragon #330; "And Madness Followed" adventure in Dungeon #134

[Fizban]

Planar Bard 6 substitution from Planar Handbook lets you redirect any portal or planar breach you find to arrive at any portal or breach you've been through in the last month. As long as they stay near one portal, they can regularly cycle through all the portals they've been through and keep them fresh.

Being a Janni gives you the innate Plane Shift of all genies, which reaches the elemental, astral, and material planes. CR 4, HD 6, LA+5, as written anyway.

[Zaq]

EDIT: This entire post is wrong. Well, the part that says that you can use the ur'Epona to Plane Shift is wrong, at least, because creatures summoned through Summon Monster I or equivalent cannot use planar travel abilities. I'll stick this post in a spoiler for posterity, but it's not actually useful info.

So there's a critter on pg. 130 of the Planar Handbook called the ur'Epona, and it's basically a horse that can use Plane Shift once per day (and take its rider with it). Pg. 134 of Planar Handbook says that you can replace the celestial riding dog on the Summon Monster II list with an ur'Epona. So anything that can get SM2 (Wizard 3, Cleric 3, Wizard 1 with Precocious Apprentice, etc.) can access something that has access to Plane Shift.

Now, when I mentioned this a few years ago, I vaguely recall some counterarguments that it wouldn't work, though I'm not really certain anymore what they were. The summoning rules make spells cast by summoned creatures expire after the summon is done, but Plane Shift is instantaneous, so that's not a factor. Plane Shift also doesn't cost EXP and isn't a [Summoning] effect itself, so the general rules about what abilities a summoned critter can/can't use don't seem to have any applicability here.

There is a clause on pg. 131 of PlH that says that an ur'Epona uses Plane Shift to go to a plane of its choice, and it can be taught to go to a plane of its rider's choice instead, which is admittedly a little difficult to do with a summoned creature. However, there are at least three ways around this.

First, you can use the variant summoning rules from DMG pg. 37 to summon the same ur'Epona every time. This gives you the chance to establish a relationship with it and to train it. You aren't likely to be riding it into combat, so it's not likely to die on your watch (it can only use PS once per day anyway, so you'll likely dismiss it for safety as soon as you arrive at your destination). The downside to this is that it means that you can't easily use higher-level SM spells to get lots of them at once (well, you can, but you have to train all of them first), and it also means that you really can only use this once per day. Plus, y'know, variant rules usually need GM approval, but whatever.

Second, if you prefer to lunge straight for the mind-control, you can simply use Suggestion or a similar effect to make the plane of the ur'Epona's choice be the same as the plane of your choice. This does prevent the trick from working quite as early on, but it's still way the hell earlier than casting Plane Shift the normal way. (That said, an ur'Epona has 3 HD, so it's very likely that you can affect it with Hypnotism, which is kind of a diet Suggestion and honestly should still work for this specific case.)

Third, an ur'Epona is intelligent. You could argue that a decent Diplomacy check could simply induce the ur'Epona to want to go along with you regarding which plane you want to visit. (The entry for training it in the PlH involves Handle Animal for some reason, despite the fact that Handle Animal explicitly doesn't usually work on things with as much INT—6—as the ur'Epona has. If we take this as a specific-beats-general rule that Handle Animal works on ur'Eponas, you can use the "push an animal" function of HA, which should be DC 30 in this case, to make it perform a "trick" it doesn't know. If your GM rules that you can't use HA on an ur'Epona because it's too smart, then Diplomacy should work just fine.)

There's also the fact that obedience to your directions is baked into the Summon Monster spell, but whatever. One of those methods should work. There's probably other methods I haven't thought of.

Using an ur'Epona to get Plane Shift in the very low level range does have the downside of using Plane Shift before you can use Teleport, and Plane Shift gets you 5 to 500 miles away from your actual destination. But that's the stuff adventures are made of!

[jmax]

Now, when I mentioned this a few years ago, I vaguely recall some counterarguments that it wouldn't work

Unfortunately, summon monster I (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/summonMonsterI.htm) (off which the rest are based) and summon nature's ally I (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/summonNaturesAllyI.htm) (ditto) both preclude this:


A summoned monster cannot summon or otherwise conjure another creature, nor can it use any teleportation or planar travel abilities.

Which is a right shame, because a Janni's plane shift would otherwise be a great way to dispose of inconvenient corpses. I totally understand why recursive summoning (mostly (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#summon)) isn't allowed, but the teleportation restriction is annoying when there are non-travel-abuse uses for it. If you can find another way to summon an Ur'Epona not based on SM or SNA, though - since that text is part of the spells and not inherent to all summoning - that may be viable.

As for an actual contribution to the OP, the best I can think of is that Sha'ir (Dragon Compendium p51) gets it as a class feature at 9th level, although only to and from elemental planes.


EDIT: The other option is to use a (fairly expensive) scroll.

[ShurikVch]

As for an actual contribution to the OP, the best I can think of is that Sha'ir (Dragon Compendium p51) gets it as a class feature at 9th level, although only to and from elemental planes.If 9th-level is OK, then there is Githyanki Racial Class with psionic plane shift; or just a Cleric (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/planeShift.htm)...

[TalonOfAnathrax]

Yes, I'm looking for low-level suggestions. Level 3 or 5 (including LA) is what I'm aiming for here.
Again, this is mostly for NPCs (and templates would be best) although something PC-compatible would be nice.

Edit: Actually, stuff like Shadow Walk or Etheralness+ability to find portals would do too! Could you use blink and knowledge of where a portal was on the etheralness plane to get to other planes, where you would remain once the duration of Blink ran out?

[jmax]

If you're the DM, you could house-rule Ur'Epona as an option for the Improved Familiar feat (various books with different lists). It's CR1, so that probably wouldn't be too far out of line. That might be reasonable for a familiar at 3rd or 5th level. It doesn't really have anything going for it aside from Plane Shift and 50-ft movement speed (which you can get from a regular horse), so I don't think that'd be too overpowered.

You could also make a homebrew feat, using Exalted Companion (BoXD p42) as a base, that allows a list of magical beasts as companions. Ur'Epona should fit in perfectly at the Level-3 option.

[Zaq]

Unfortunately, summon monster I (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/summonMonsterI.htm) (off which the rest are based) and summon nature's ally I (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/summonNaturesAllyI.htm) (ditto) both preclude this:



Which is a right shame, because a Janni's plane shift would otherwise be a great way to dispose of inconvenient corpses. I totally understand why recursive summoning (mostly (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#summon)) isn't allowed, but the teleportation restriction is annoying when there are non-travel-abuse uses for it. If you can find another way to summon an Ur'Epona not based on SM or SNA, though - since that text is part of the spells and not inherent to all summoning - that may be viable.

As for an actual contribution to the OP, the best I can think of is that Sha'ir (Dragon Compendium p51) gets it as a class feature at 9th level, although only to and from elemental planes.


EDIT: The other option is to use a (fairly expensive) scroll.


Well, I look stupid now. Why the hell did they put THAT restriction in the SM1 spell and not in the system-wide summoning rules (where all the other restrictions about what summoned creatures can’t do are)?

I guess anything that ISN’T based on SM1 that can get you access to an ur’Epona might work. It’s a 3 HD Outsider, so it’s an easy target for Lesser Planar Ally or Lesser Planar Binding. Anything that grants fast access to those? EDIT: No it isn't. It's a magical beast. Or any rule that says that you can’t gain it as a cohort somehow?

[jmax]

Well, I look stupid now. Why the hell did they put THAT restriction in the SM1 spell and not in the system-wide summoning rules (where all the other restrictions about what summoned creatures can’t do are)?

It isn't your fault the design is incoherent. How often does anyone really look at SM1 anyway?


I guess anything that ISN’T based on SM1 that can get you access to an ur’Epona might work. It’s a 3 HD Outsider, so it’s an easy target for Lesser Planar Ally or Lesser Planar Binding. Anything that grants fast access to those? Or any rule that says that you can’t gain it as a cohort somehow?

Planar Ally and planar binding are Conjuration(Calling) spells, which have no restrictions at all on what the called creature can do once you've made your arrangement. But they're available 7th level at the earliest (barring scrolls and such), and they have sufficient costs that you may not feel free to use them all the time. Also, just to be annoying both planar ally (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/planarAllyLesser.htm) and planar binding (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/planarBindingLesser.htm) technically limit you to elementals and outsiders. I'd certainly allow extraplanar creatures if I was the DM, but if one is interpreting the spells completely literally, one is hosed.

If the OP is the DM, I still think shoe-horning it into Improved Familiar is the easiest way (at least barring something obscure that nobody in this thread has found). And if OP isn't the DM, it's worth asking. If the DM isn't against the whole idea of having access to plane shift that early, it seems reasonable.

[Zaq]

It isn't your fault the design is incoherent. How often does anyone really look at SM1 anyway?



Planar Ally and planar binding are Conjuration(Calling) spells, which have no restrictions at all on what the called creature can do once you've made your arrangement. But they're available 7th level at the earliest (barring scrolls and such), and they have sufficient costs that you may not feel free to use them all the time. Also, just to be annoying both planar ally (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/planarAllyLesser.htm) and planar binding (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/planarBindingLesser.htm) technically limit you to elementals and outsiders. I'd certainly allow extraplanar creatures if I was the DM, but if one is interpreting the spells completely literally, one is hosed.

If the OP is the DM, I still think shoe-horning it into Improved Familiar is the easiest way (at least barring something obscure that nobody in this thread has found). And if OP isn't the DM, it's worth asking. If the DM isn't against the whole idea of having access to plane shift that early, it seems reasonable.

Ugh, you're right. Why did I think it was an outsider instead of a magical beast? I'm just a fount of incorrect information today. I should probably just cut my losses and shut up here.

[TalonOfAnathrax]

Ugh, you're right. Why did I think it was an outsider instead of a magical beast? I'm just a fount of incorrect information today. I should probably just cut my losses and shut up here.

Don't feel bad!
In any case, I was mostly looking for templates or classes that could allow some form of Planar travel (this is intended for humans). So correct or incorrect information, this cool mount wasn't going to be used next session anyway :P
Thanks for telling me about that though. I'll make a PC who rides one sometime - it seems like a nice escape route for say, a fighter. Just train it to flee to the etheral plane on command!

[flappeercraft]

Beholder Mage. Not usually viable but it works.

[ExLibrisMortis]

How could you enter that class at level two? One of the prerequisites seems to be Spring Attack, which requires BAB+4
Oh right, good point. Always forget that one. In that case, you'll need to enter with something that gets a prerequisite-free bonus feat at level 1, which basically limits you to martial monk (you'll need to get Knowledge (the planes) as class skill, too, which takes another feat). Pretty annoying. Given a lenient DM, you could go monk 1/jaunter 4/X 1 and, at level 6, take Spring Attack with your regular feat, retraining monk into something else.

[ShurikVch]

I got an idea; it's really cheesy, but just may work

So, build:
Race - Lesser Fey'ri (Fey'ri are in Races of Faerûn, rules for Lesser Planetouched are in Player's Guide to Faerûn)
Demonic Abilities: take dimension door
Class: Ardent (with the Planes mantle)
Feats: Magical Training, Overchannel, Psiotheurgist, Spell Focus (conjuration).
Flaws: any 2
Powers: Plane Shift, Psionic, any other Psychoportarion power

Trick explanation:
Psiotheurgist add your CL to your ML when you cast spells from certain schools or manifest powers from certain disciplines
For Psychoportation - the school is Conjuration (teleportation)
Dimension Door is Conjuration (teleportation)
Thus, any Psychoportation power will be manifested at double character level (CL + ML)
Ardent able to obtain any power he's able to manifest
Thus, at the 5th level (or, maybe, even at the 4th), you will be able to take the Plane Shift, Psionic

[Vaz]

Outsider, Assume Supernatural Ability or Metamorphic Transfer, Alter Self into ether Scarab, which can Plane Shift to Ethereal iirc

[Fizban]

Yes, I'm looking for low-level suggestions. Level 3 or 5 (including LA) is what I'm aiming for here.
Again, this is mostly for NPCs (and templates would be best) although something PC-compatible would be nice.
LA has nothing to do with NPCs that are not cohorts.

Could you use blink and knowledge of where a portal was on the etheralness plane to get to other planes, where you would remain once the duration of Blink ran out?
I'm pretty sure you're confusing the ethereal plane with the astral plane. The ethereal plane has nothing significant to do with portals, it's just the place where ghosts hang out and blink blinks to. The astral plane is the one that connects to everywhere and has natural portals hanging around.

If for some reason a portal was built on the ethereal plane and you used blink to reach it, you would go through the portal and that's it. Blink would remain active, but since you're not on the material plane anymore it doesn't do anything as it only works on planes coterminous with the ethereal plane, which is normally just the material plane.

Huh, no one's mentioned Astral Caravan. Nomad 3, takes self and passengers who can manifest Astral Traveler to astral plane. Takes at least six days (three with 2pp augment) to get anywhere.

[ATHATH]

You could use a scroll of Halaster's Fetch II to permanently call an Ur'Epona, although you'd have to find a way to keep it loyal to you. The rules whether or not it can use its planar travel abilities are a bit weird, though.

From Summon Monster 1's description:

A summoned monster cannot summon or otherwise conjure another creature, nor can it use any teleportation or planar travel abilities. Creatures cannot be summoned into an environment that cannot support them.
From Halaster's Fetch I's description:

As summon monster I, except called creatures do not disappear at the end of the spell's duration. They do, however, become free-willed and outside the control of the caller after the spell expires.

Note that the Halaster's Fetch X line of spells are Conjuration (Calling) spells, not Conjuration (Summoning) spells.

[jmax]

although you'd have to find a way to keep it loyal to you

Especially since it's one of a very small handful of creatures that can actually bring itself home - everyone else is stuck where you leave them, and probably not happy about it.


The rules whether or not it can use its planar travel abilities are a bit weird, though.

SMI is very specific in saying that it only applies to summoned creatures (and then even only within its own spell line). Called creatures should not have any such restrictions.