Playing Planescape - Revision history

Cinero: /* About the Fiction */

2017-07-23T16:53:31Z

‎About the Fiction

Cinero: /* Products */

2017-07-10T02:29:37Z

‎Products

Cinero: /* The Planewalker Handbook */

2017-07-10T02:29:29Z

‎The Planewalker Handbook

Cinero: /* Products */

2017-07-10T02:17:58Z

‎Products

Cinero: Created page with "FYI, here are details about how I'm using the official Planescape setting. Planescape was a 2nd Edition (2E) product line, and many of the rules don't neatly translate to 5th..."

2017-07-09T17:52:48Z

Created page with "FYI, here are details about how I'm using the official Planescape setting. Planescape was a 2nd Edition (2E) product line, and many of the rules don't neatly translate to 5th..."

New page

FYI, here are details about how I'm using the official Planescape setting.

Planescape was a 2nd Edition (2E) product line, and many of the rules don't neatly translate to 5th Edition (5E). We'll adapt as we go. However, the lore is largely playable as written.

== Products ==

I'm using the following products:
* ''Planescape Core Set''
* ''In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil''
* ''The Planewalker Handbook''
* ''Tome of Magic''
* Novels
** ''Fire and Dust''
** ''Pages of Pain''
** Blood Wars Trilogy: ''Blood Hostages'', ''Abyssal Warriors'', ''Planar Powers''

I have the following in my toolbox, to read and integrate over time:
* ''On Hallowed Ground''
* ''Planes of Chaos''
* ''Planes of Conflict''
* ''Planes of Law''

== ''The Planewalker Handbook'' ==

You don't need to buy any Planescape products to play in my campaign. However, if you're interested, I highly recommend ''The Planewalker Handbook''. The DM's Guild sells the PDF for $20 (as of Jul-9-2017, it was on sale for $9.99): http://www.dmsguild.com/product/17280/The-Planewalkers-Handbook-2e?it=1

== Fiddly Bits ==

Planescape has lots of esoteric rules to lend flavor and challenge to different planes. Most conspiculously, there fiddly bits about how different planes affect spellcasters. For example, on each plane certain arcane spells are categorized as Null, Diminished, Enhanced, Alterations. On the divine side, a cleric or similar caster gets weaker as they move farther from their deity's home plane.

We'll deal with these fiddly bits when we get to them. It's not necessary to study them in advance.

== About the Fiction ==

If you're interested in reading some Planescape fiction, I recommend ''Fire and Dust''. It's a breezy crash-course in the basic lore. It's free online in several places (including http://www.planewalker.com/wings/archive/fireview.pdf). (I saved it as a PDF and read it on my tablet.)

There's one hiccup with ''Fire and Dust'': in 2E, psionics were distinct from magic, and that's a major plot point. I don't like that distinction. In 5E, the playtest document for the Mystic class states: "Psionics is a special form of magic use, distinct from spellcasting."

''Pages of Pain'' is an uneven curiosity with minimal usefulness to a player.

As of Jul-8-2017, I'm half-way through the Blood Wars Trilogy. I'm finding some inspiration as a DM, but I expect to conclude that the trilogy has limited usefulness to a player.

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:53, 23 July 2017
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	''Pages of Pain'' is an uneven curiosity with minimal usefulness to a player.		''Pages of Pain'' is an uneven curiosity with minimal usefulness to a player.

−	As of Jul-8-2017, I'm ~~half-way~~ through the Blood Wars Trilogy. I'm finding some inspiration as a DM, but I expect to conclude that the trilogy has limited usefulness to a player.	+	As of Jul-23-2017, I'm almost through the Blood Wars Trilogy. I'm finding some inspiration as a DM, but I expect to conclude that the trilogy has limited usefulness to a player.

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 * ''Planescape: Torment'' (video game)
-== ''The Planewalker Handbook'' ==
+== ''The Planewalker's Handbook'' ==
-You don't need to buy any Planescape products to play in my campaign. However, if you're interested, I highly recommend ''The Planewalker Handbook''. The DM's Guild sells the PDF for $20 (as of Jul-9-2017, it was on sale for $9.99): http://www.dmsguild.com/product/17280/The-Planewalkers-Handbook-2e?it=1
+You don't need to buy any Planescape products to play in my campaign. However, if you're interested, I highly recommend ''The Planewalker's Handbook''. The DM's Guild sells the PDF for $20 (as of Jul-9-2017, it was on sale for $9.99): http://www.dmsguild.com/product/17280/The-Planewalkers-Handbook-2e?it=1
 == Fiddly Bits ==

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 * ''Planescape Core Set''
 * ''In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil''
-* ''The Planewalker Handbook''
+* ''The Planewalker's Handbook''
 * ''Tome of Magic''
 * Novels

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 * ''Planes of Conflict''
 * ''Planes of Law''
 == ''The Planewalker Handbook'' ==