Post/Author/DateTime	Post
cowdragon 08-27-05, 11:22 AM	Astral Projection? I guess I'm probably missing something, but what the heck is this spell doing in the 9th level spell list? I can get around lots of other ways. PLane Shift, Shadow Walk, Ethereal Jaunt. Besides, isn't your "silver chord" vulnerable while Astrally Projecting? The Cowdragon :mage:
d_nychus 08-27-05, 11:39 AM	Astral Projection is not for 'getting there.' Astral projection is for getting there, getting killed, and not suffering for it. And as far as I know, only a githyanki blade, an astral dreadnought, and a rare form of astral storm can cut the silver cord. That ain't a screaming lot.
Verelor 08-27-05, 11:55 AM	Not only is astral projection one of the coolest spells in the book, the other spells you mentioned don't accomplish anything similair... 1.) While freemoving upon the astral plane, you can go ANYWHERE in the entire cosmos very quickly, and even stay a while and research more spells, etc., as this action uses up no time when you leave the plane. 2.) Astral Projection can work for both you AND an entire large group of other people at the same time. 3.) Plane Shift: transports you to a completely RANDOM location on the plane of your choice, which, depending on your DM's sense of humor/sadism, can mean hundreds of miles from any solid ground. 4.) Shadow Walk: This example you gave is just a pathetic rant fodder. Not only does the Plane of Shadow overlap only the Material Plane in most games, but the duration and speed of travel are relatively poor. 5.) Ethereal Jaunt: This example plain sucks. It transports you to the Ethereal Plane, not the Astral Plane (which, like the Plane of Shadow, most DM's rule it as overlapping the material plane only). And it only lasts 1 round/level! 6.) Yes, while in Astral Projection you do have a cord connecting you to your material body that CAN be broken, the number of ways for it to be broken and the chances of an enemy finding out you projected and attempting to break it are very few in number.
cowdragon 08-27-05, 12:40 PM	I asked because I didn't know. I suppose though that if I were a wizard it may eventually end up in one of my spellbooks, but as a sorcerer player it simply sucks. As a ninth level spell I'm still either missing the point or we are of differing opinions. Seriously, every one of the other spells I mentioned can do something similar, Shadow Walk being the best example as the Plane of Shadow overlaps just about everyhting. Ethereal Jaunt is the worst example by the way. :D Gate is a far better choice to for traveling somewhere. It may be personal though, as I have never felt the need to go to the Astral PLane, and it only gets me to one place! Plane Shift or gate can take me anywhere as can Shadow Walk. Shadow Wlk can't be anymore dangerous than Astral Projecting. Anybody else got reasons this spell may be 9th level? I'm not playing point/counterpoint, just letting you know why it doesn't seem reasonable to me. ;) Thanks again. The Cowdragon :mage:
d_nychus 08-27-05, 12:55 PM	Isn't the fact that you can take the entire party to any plane (including the prime) with you, adventure, get killed off, and only get snapped back to your own body on the prime material plane instead of dying worth a 9th level slot? Cause if it's not, I want to know what is.
cowdragon 08-27-05, 01:06 PM	I missed the part about not dying. See? I told you all I was missing something. Still don't know if I'd choose it as a sorcerer, but now definetly as a wizard. Thanks folks. The Cowdragon :mage:
Weenie 08-27-05, 08:27 PM	What bugs me about AP being a 9th-level spell is the fact that the flavor text in the MotP (and other Astral Plane-related texts) seems to assume that it's widely available, at least as much as plane shift. Which is simply wrong, PS being a 5th-level cleric spell. So, here's a lesser version to rationalize all those astrally-projecting characters mentioned in planar fluff. It's psionic (I made it for my 3.5 update of The Illithiad), but an arcane version would look pretty much the same (a 5th-level conjuration). Astral Form Psychoportation Level: Psion/Wilder 5 Display: None Manifesting Time: 10 minutes Range: Personal Target: You Duration: See text Power Points: 9 This power allows you to travel without your physical body by creating an astral body that is immediately projected into the Astral Plane. You leave your physical body behind on the Material Plane in a state of suspended animation. The power projects an astral copy of you and all you wear or carry onto the Astral Plane. Since the Astral Plane touches upon other planes, you can travel astrally to any of these other planes as you will. To enter one, you leave the Astral Plane, creating a new physical body (and equipment) on the plane of existence you have chosen to enter, while both your astral form and your original physical body (and equipment) dissolve into ectoplasm. While you are on the Astral Plane, your astral body is connected at all times to your physical body by a silvery cord. If the cord is broken, you are killed, astrally and physically. Luckily, very few things can destroy a silver cord. If the astral form is slain, the cord simply returns to your body where it rests on the Material Plane, thereby reviving it from its state of suspended animation. When a second body is formed on a different plane, the power ends and the cord disappears. You may travel through the Astral Plane indefinitely. Your body simply waits behind in a state of suspended animation until you choose to return to it. The power lasts until you desire to end it, until you pass from the Astral onto another plane, or until it is terminated by some outside means, such as dispel psionics manifested upon either the physical or astral body, the breaking of the silver cord, or the destruction of your body back on the Material Plane (which kills you).
Verelor 08-27-05, 08:41 PM	Seems like a great idea. Good Lesser Astral Projection idea.