Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 bone_yard Nov 19, 2008 15:51:33	I'm kinda curious about what is plane scape since I keep hearing all this cool stuff about the system but never what its about. My top questions are Is this a futureistic(sp?) or what? What makes it different Is it compatible with d&d Whats the story behind it If I know D&D can I understand Planescape Any insights would be awsome so post a reply if you could.
#2 eldritch_lord Nov 19, 2008 18:54:58	Planescape was a 2nd edition campaign setting. The Great Wheel, the state of the outsiders in 3rd edition...all of that is Planescape stuff. The fluff is more than I can describe now, but you can find more online.
#3 quale1 Nov 20, 2008 16:25:01	it's not futuristic, but steampunk or whatever it's called it's different cause it's has lots of weird concepts provides many more options for the player and DM than any other setting intrigue and roleplaying dominate unique artwork and NPCs planar cant my favorite are the philosophies and that belief matters (especially if you have your own rules) it's compatible with D&D 3e: http://www.planewalker.com/editorial-section/30/35-pscs 4e: don't know, search the site http://www.planewalker.com/forum/4e-conversion-organization-thread
#4 eldritch_lord Nov 20, 2008 23:25:26	it's not futuristic, but steampunk or whatever it's called It's not steampunk by any means; it's plain old magic. it's compatible with D&D 3e: http://www.planewalker.com/editorial-section/30/35-pscs 4e: don't know, search the site http://www.planewalker.com/forum/4e-conversion-organization-thread Like I said, it is D&D. The updates for 3e and 4e aren't complete, but they're simply 2e-3e conversion, nothing major like World of Darkness to D&D or something like that.
#5 quale1 Nov 21, 2008 2:15:35	It's not steampunk by any means; it's plain old magic. ok, but it kinda looks that way I'd say 3e CS is major work, much better than Planar Handbook Fiendish Codex I could be a worthy PS book
#6 eldritch_lord Nov 21, 2008 15:01:57	ok, but it kinda looks that way How so? Fiendish Codex I could be a worthy PS book Quite a bit of that is derived from Planescape already, actually; the demon lords, planes, etc. were fleshed out in Planescape like most of the planar stuff, and most of the monsters are 3e conversions.
#7 quale1 Nov 25, 2008 2:03:47	How so? cause of the artwork, the style, not the mechanical devices Quite a bit of that is derived from Planescape already, actually; the demon lords, planes, etc. were fleshed out in Planescape like most of the planar stuff, and most of the monsters are 3e conversions. well, yea
#8 lord_of_the_ninth_02 Nov 26, 2008 22:45:11	Ever heard of the Great Foundry in the Lower Ward? How many industrial districts does one normally encounter in a traditional fantasy setting? Also, Torment has some heavy steampunk leanings in its asthetic, and while it may not be canon it is one of the best ways of getting a good feel for the setting. I might not say Planescape is a steampunk setting in the way Iron Kingdoms or something is, but it has some leanings.
#9 eldritch_lord Nov 28, 2008 22:44:54	Ever heard of the Great Foundry in the Lower Ward? How many industrial districts does one normally encounter in a traditional fantasy setting? Also, Torment has some heavy steampunk leanings in its asthetic, and while it may not be canon it is one of the best ways of getting a good feel for the setting. I might not say Planescape is a steampunk setting in the way Iron Kingdoms or something is, but it has some leanings. Aesthetics is one thing, but saying "The setting has a bit of a steampunk look to it" and "The setting isn't futuristic, but it's steampunk" are two different things. The former says that you have a gear motif all over the place and some industrial-looking places, and the latter says that there's actually steamware/clockwork items, creatures, rules, etc.; I didn't want the OP to get the wrong idea.
#10 agathokles Nov 30, 2008 11:50:57	Is this a futureistic(sp?) or what? It's not futuristic. It's set in the same universe and age as all other AD&D settings, but the campaign focuses on the Outer Planes (and to a lesser extent the other planes) rather than a Prime Material world. What makes it different Several things, including the unique art by RK Post and Toni DiTerlizzi, the focus on the Outer Planes and the religious/philosophic battle among the planes' powers and other inhabitants, and the opportunity to interact with the denizens of the planes in ways usually not allowed (like meeting celestials or fiends in bars or trading with them). Finally, the Factions, the philosophical power groups that vie for the loyalty of Sigil's inhabitants, are another element that makes Planescape unique. The campaign downplays the standard demihuman races, presenting several alternative options, including Modrons, Githzerai, Tieflings and Bariaur (plus Genasi, Aasimar and other races in various supplements). Is it compatible with d&d As other have mentioned, Planescape is an AD&D 2e campaign, so yes. The campaign itself is not heavy on rules, even though it has spawned some of the most popular player character races (Genasi and Tieflings), so conversions are not that difficult. Whats the story behind it There's very little history -- since the setting is Outer Planar, it is much less affected by mortal history than a prime material world. Sure, there are a number of important historical events, like the formation of the Factions or the (brief) reign of Omar the Anarchist as Factol (Faction leader) of the Fraternity of Order, but many, like the events that led to the division of the Gith race, are so ancient as to be more in the realm of myth than in the realm of history. Given the size of the planes and the fact that most native races (celestials, fiends, rilmani, slaadi and modrons) are immortal or at least very long lived, most people in the setting tend to care mostly about the present, and very little about past or future. If I know D&D can I understand Planescape Yes, though it is easier if you are familiar with AD&D rather than 4e or 3e. Basically Planescape builds over the Great Wheel cosmology of AD&D, making it a viable setting for low and medium level adventures. The easiest way to understand Planescape is probably to play the Planescape: Torment computer game. GP
#11 Rils Dec 09, 2008 23:56:10	Planescape was designed for AD&D 2e. It's convertible to any other system of D&D, like any other campaign setting. But nothings been published about it since 2e, so it'll take some work. One thing that makes Planescape unique is it's tone. Every D&D setting has it's own tone - DragonLance is High Magic, Forgotten Realms is Sword and Sorcery, Dark Sun is gritty low-magic, Ravenloft is gothic horror, etc. Planescape was built on ideas - basically the premise that ideas shape the reality around us. Belief in something could literally change the world. This was embodied most in the Factions - organized groups united around a central philosophy. All planar characters belonged to a faction, and that shaped the way your character viewed the world. As mentioned above, the setting takes place in the greater cosmology. Outer planes, inner planes, astral and ethereal planes, quasi planes, etc. It wasn't so much a detailed world like Forgotten Realms so much as small vinettes of the infinite universe. It wasn't steam punk, though small chunks of it had an industrial feel. Basically, anything is possible, because you were exploring the entire multiverse. You could deal with Powers and their proxies, and the souls of the dead inhabiting their deities kingdoms as petitioners. Imagine it, and it was possible. That's the beauty of Planescape.
#12 Sir_Joseph_the_Crowe Nov 15, 2012 14:57:44	I DM'ed some planescape stuff for a brief stint way back when. The characters were high-level and established in my homebrew campaign world. They were following through on some stuff I spun off of the Temple of Elemental Evil and so I used planescape ideas to get the idea that they were outsiders here. For a mini-campaign with established characters it worked well for me as DM. I used the flavor, the handy slang words, a few monsters and the ideas of factions and wierd gate keys... I need a witch's broom, quick! My nephew has recently tried to DM characters who have forgotten realms backgrounds but jumped into planescape on adventure 1. Problem was... most of the party seems to just be railroaded from meaningless event to meaningless event. As a player, I don't know enough about the planescape world to contribute. I don't really know a ton about forgotten realms to be honest, but as a fairly typical dnd setting, I could wing it with a few questions... I want to be an elf ranger from traditional elf society? I bet the DM can answer where I should be from. In planescape I felt lost. As did the other players. So we spent a lot of time just staring at the DM and waiting for his railroad to move the train. That was just my personal experience with it. I thought the world sounded cool in theory and was eager to play in it. In action it didn't work out so well. I think it may have been because the character's backgrounds weren't established well enough to wing it... so we didn't know quite how to react to the pit-fiend bouncer or the angelic deva beggar and other wierd stuff that might come our way. The party's typical response was "mmmkay. Umm.. ummm.. okay... well.. ummm." I know that a lot of people had more success with it, and I'd like to encourage my nephew being DM... and he really likes the planescape stuff. Any pointers I might pass to him on how to make it work so that we have a little more to go on? The other players and me are kind of lost here, but I think overall we'd prefer just playing in Forgotten Realms. The other players are more versed in it than I am, but it's a standard prime world so I can fake it.
#13 addle-cove-anarchist Nov 16, 2012 3:03:44	Do you have The Planeswalker's Handbook? I think reading it would help the players greatly, and speed up the game.