What Does An Astral Projector Look Like on the Outer Planes? [Archive] - Wizards Community

What Does An Astral Projector Look Like on the Outer Planes? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
phaaf_glien
03-06-07, 10:04 PM Quick question, mostly 2nd edition related, but nonetheless...

2nd edition is largely unclear as to what you look like as an astral projection on the Outer Planes. 1st edition is clearer, saying that you form a new body out of the stuff of the Plane that you are on (it gives examples about becoming partly rock, magma, etc.). 2nd edition's Astral Plane Planescape supplement offers little to nothing on this, and all I have found is the Planewalker's Guide index of terms referencing "ghosts", ghosts being the name of those astrally travelling adventurers, I guess implying that they still look silvery-white as they do on the astral.

So what do you look like on the Planes as an astral projection in 2nd edition? Anybody? It'd be cool to know... I don't much care for the chaos-matter body one would form on Limbo, etc. Any help would be cool.
Millenia
03-07-07, 04:30 PM If you don't mind me using the 3.5 Astral Projection (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/astralProjection.htm) description... "The spell projects an astral copy of you and all you wear or carry onto the Astral Plane."

So I would say that you merely look as yourself, except perhaps cosmetically different, such as being a bit pale or translucent, but if you were go into another plane in your astral body... "To enter [a plane connected to the astral plane], you leave the Astral Plane, forming a new physical body (and equipment) on the plane of existence you have chosen to enter." Which obviously means you appear as yourself

I hope this helps.
Shemeska the Marauder
03-07-07, 05:21 PM So I would say that you merely look as yourself, except perhaps cosmetically different, such as being a bit pale or transluscent

That's the stance that I take on the subject myself, though frequently there might not even be any difference to the casual observer if you're yourself, or a surrogate astral body. The difference might only be apparent to someone looking at them with truesight or some other divination spell, or after you kill them, they vanish completely and possibly waltz back in a few minutes later completely unharmed.
Millenia
03-07-07, 05:36 PM Ah, also, I ran across this (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/MotP/Looking_at_Astral_Form.jpg) little picture here, which does show the astral form as pale/translucent.
phaaf_glien
03-07-07, 08:10 PM I appreciate all your comments and help. Indeed, the Guide to the Astral (2nd edition) could have been more helpful here.

I'll see if I can write more on this later.

Thanks again.
Rogue Elendae
03-07-07, 11:01 PM If I might throw in a suggestion/thought, if one not quite necessarily in keeping with D&D, it is implied in other media (specifically, X-Men and the Shadowrun RPG) that there is a tendency for the astral form to reflect both the form of the one projecting said astral form, but also certain aspects of their mental view of themselves. It is often the person's idealized vision of their physical form, the way they see themselves in their own mind...by the same token, it can also be a negative view, and be a twisting of their form.

Don't know how applicable this is. It's just something I've always found to be a likely take on the concept.
phaaf_glien
03-09-07, 04:10 PM Thanks Elendae... no, I think your comments are definately something to think about. Thanks for your input.
psychosteve
02-21-08, 02:35 AM as a further question how does one cut the silvery cord? I realize it's difficult at best but I can't find the actual rules for it.
Half_Dragon_Infernal
02-21-08, 10:02 AM Check out the Githyanki entry, in 3.5 its a sunder attempt with a silver sword. AC is same as owner's, and hit points is something like 10. No hardness if i remember correctly.
ripvanwormer
02-21-08, 12:32 PM In 1e, the spell could actually create a body from the surrounding landscape. So you might be made out of chaos-matter on Limbo, or made of gears and cogs on Mechanus, or wood and leaves on Arborea, or shining light on Celestia, for example. let your imagination run wild.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
phaaf_glien 03-06-07, 10:04 PM	Quick question, mostly 2nd edition related, but nonetheless... 2nd edition is largely unclear as to what you look like as an astral projection on the Outer Planes. 1st edition is clearer, saying that you form a new body out of the stuff of the Plane that you are on (it gives examples about becoming partly rock, magma, etc.). 2nd edition's Astral Plane Planescape supplement offers little to nothing on this, and all I have found is the Planewalker's Guide index of terms referencing "ghosts", ghosts being the name of those astrally travelling adventurers, I guess implying that they still look silvery-white as they do on the astral. So what do you look like on the Planes as an astral projection in 2nd edition? Anybody? It'd be cool to know... I don't much care for the chaos-matter body one would form on Limbo, etc. Any help would be cool.
Millenia 03-07-07, 04:30 PM	If you don't mind me using the 3.5 Astral Projection (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/astralProjection.htm) description... "The spell projects an astral copy of you and all you wear or carry onto the Astral Plane." So I would say that you merely look as yourself, except perhaps cosmetically different, such as being a bit pale or translucent, but if you were go into another plane in your astral body... "To enter [a plane connected to the astral plane], you leave the Astral Plane, forming a new physical body (and equipment) on the plane of existence you have chosen to enter." Which obviously means you appear as yourself I hope this helps.
Shemeska the Marauder 03-07-07, 05:21 PM	So I would say that you merely look as yourself, except perhaps cosmetically different, such as being a bit pale or transluscent That's the stance that I take on the subject myself, though frequently there might not even be any difference to the casual observer if you're yourself, or a surrogate astral body. The difference might only be apparent to someone looking at them with truesight or some other divination spell, or after you kill them, they vanish completely and possibly waltz back in a few minutes later completely unharmed.
Millenia 03-07-07, 05:36 PM	Ah, also, I ran across this (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/MotP/Looking_at_Astral_Form.jpg) little picture here, which does show the astral form as pale/translucent.
phaaf_glien 03-07-07, 08:10 PM	I appreciate all your comments and help. Indeed, the Guide to the Astral (2nd edition) could have been more helpful here. I'll see if I can write more on this later. Thanks again.
Rogue Elendae 03-07-07, 11:01 PM	If I might throw in a suggestion/thought, if one not quite necessarily in keeping with D&D, it is implied in other media (specifically, X-Men and the Shadowrun RPG) that there is a tendency for the astral form to reflect both the form of the one projecting said astral form, but also certain aspects of their mental view of themselves. It is often the person's idealized vision of their physical form, the way they see themselves in their own mind...by the same token, it can also be a negative view, and be a twisting of their form. Don't know how applicable this is. It's just something I've always found to be a likely take on the concept.
phaaf_glien 03-09-07, 04:10 PM	Thanks Elendae... no, I think your comments are definately something to think about. Thanks for your input.
psychosteve 02-21-08, 02:35 AM	as a further question how does one cut the silvery cord? I realize it's difficult at best but I can't find the actual rules for it.
Half_Dragon_Infernal 02-21-08, 10:02 AM	Check out the Githyanki entry, in 3.5 its a sunder attempt with a silver sword. AC is same as owner's, and hit points is something like 10. No hardness if i remember correctly.
ripvanwormer 02-21-08, 12:32 PM	In 1e, the spell could actually create a body from the surrounding landscape. So you might be made out of chaos-matter on Limbo, or made of gears and cogs on Mechanus, or wood and leaves on Arborea, or shining light on Celestia, for example. let your imagination run wild.