Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Ocule Dec 01, 2014 22:36:01	So im running a planescape game probably starting this week and so far i have most of the kinks worked out minus a few anomalies like knowing what the hell to do with positive and negative energy plains since they used to require planar pathways. But i was going to keep the altered magic rules from 2e to make each plane feel more unique so i was looking for some feedback so far.    Enhanced: Magic of this type is cast as if you'd cast it 1 level higher. An enhanced spell of third level will cast as a 4th level spell using only a third level slot. Targets of these spells have disadvantage on their saving throws against them.   Diminished: Magic of this type is cast as if you'd cast it one level lower. A diminished spell of third level will cast as a 2nd level spell using a third level slot. Targets of these spells have advantage on their saving throws against them.   This seems like the best conversion so far directly from the 2e books and seems quite simple but the question is should enhanced spells use a spell slot lower than what the spell lists. Like If i cast a fireball, a third level spell in the plane of fire where such a spell is enhanced the spell can be cast as a second level spell for its normal effect or should it require third level slot but always cast as a third level or higher spell. Conversely, a diminished spell would require being cast with a spell slot 1 higher than normal since no form of the spell exists below third level. This would be mostly important for non damaging spells that dont scale neatly with levels. Either way i would be requiring that the player is able to cast the spell in the first place under normal circumstances.    Also what the hell should i do with divine casters. Since they lose 1 level for each planar step they are away from their deities home plane. I could simply do away with this concept all together but it seems pretty important for flavor. Never did understand why priests had life so difficult for them in the planes besides a backstory reason for why hordes of them go to try and crush enemies of their deity. It seems highly discouraging to want to play a priest type.   Any other tips or feedback from planescape fans would be appreciated.
#2 evil_warlock Dec 02, 2014 15:30:07	Instead of messing with the planar steps mechanic, which has always been a mess to begin with, why don't you treat them like all the other spellcasters? All spells have their school attribute. That way you have flavor as well as uniformity in your rule. It will be easier if you have just one rule for all of them. The enhanced and diminished magic mechanism you have there if more than enough to capture the different nature of magic in the planes.
#3 Ocule Dec 03, 2014 8:24:30	Ther arent rules for spells in the planes in the DMG already? Might have to wait a bit to get it
#4 Daydreamer80 Dec 03, 2014 12:17:28	Best setting ever, i really hope they update it for fifth.   Tip 1: get the DMG , it has extra rules and information on the planes, thats quite useful, including sometime suggestions on how planes might alter effects.
#5 Ocule Dec 03, 2014 23:01:24	Yeah im grabbing it as soon as I can until then....   Oh and in a bit of a pinch i need some stats for black and red abishai 5e style originally was just thinking of reskinning gargoyals and half dragons or bone devil but now im starting to wonder if instead they merit their own stat block. Or just replacing the Abishai in the adventure with other fiends of a similar caliber. The bloodworm is just going to be a carrion crawler i might give it a grapple
#6 Theros Dec 04, 2014 3:22:52	Good luck with the game Ocule! I'm working on a Planescape campaign myself. So far i've simply changed old creatures into pre-existing 5e creatures. If I couldn't find a close enough match (gith-yanki) then I just created NPC characters instead (3rd level monk with spells). I've found a lot of the flavor is in the setting itself not game mechanics so I wouldn't waste a lot of time trying to shoe horn old material into a new system. Advantage and Disadvantage dice should be plenty. As of right now I plan on using advantage dice to influence the players roleplaying when traveling in the planes. For instance giving them advantage for playing recklessly while in a chaotic realm or cruel when in an evil one. It wouldn't be a consistent effect or mandatory but I think it might be a good way to illustrate that there on another plane of existence not a another planet.   Anyway, the whole thing is still in the planning stages, let us know how your game goes.