1. TSR'S PLANESCAPE PRODUCTS
Q: What Planescape products are available?
A: Here's a list of what should be available from the TSR Hobby Shop and all good RPG shops: The Planescape Boxed Sets Planescape Campaign Setting Planes of Chaos (commonly abbreviated to PoX) Planes of Law (PoL) Planes of Conflict (PoC) Hellbound: the Blood War Planescape Accessories Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix I (PSMCI) In The Cage: A Guide to Sigil (ITC) A Player's Primer to the Outlands The Factol's Manifesto (FM) Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (PSMCII) Uncaged: Faces of Sigil The Planewalker's Handbook (PH) On Hallowed Ground (OHG) A Guide to the Astral Plane (GAP) Faces of Evil (FoE) Planescape Adventures The Eternal Boundary Well Of Worlds (WoW) In The Abyss The Deva Spark Fires of Dis Harbinger House Something Wild Doors to the Unknown (DttU) Planescape Novels Blood Hostages Abyssal Warriors Planar Powers Pages of Pain (PoP) Due Out in 1997 The Great Modron March (out Oct 97) Dead Gods (out Nov 97) Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix III (out 97/98?) The City of Doors (out 98)
A: Here's a list of what should be available from the TSR Hobby Shop and all good RPG shops:
Due Out in 1997
A: It got axed due to poor sales. Escalation packs IV, V and VI were never printed. The one positive note here is that many RPG shops are now selling Blood Wars cards and the Tactical Manual at incredibly low prices: Get 'em while they last! Blood Wars: The Card Game Blood Wars Dual Deck Escalation Pack I: Rebels and Reinforcements Escalation Pack II: Factols and Factions Escalation Pack III: Powers and Proxies Warlord's Tactical Manual
A: It got axed due to poor sales. Escalation packs IV, V and VI were never printed. The one positive note here is that many RPG shops are now selling Blood Wars cards and the Tactical Manual at incredibly low prices: Get 'em while they last!
A: There are a few other TSR products that deal with planes in some way or other:
Interesting read, but totally outclassed by the Planescape line. It's been out of print for years...don't bother with it unless you're really keen or you're offered a cheap copy.
There's nothing here that hasn't been reproduced in the PSMC I or II. Also out of print.
While not strictly planar, this product's got some very interesting ideas, and it's still readily available in the shops. If time travel's ever appealed to you, be sure to get this book!
A series of adventures set in the Manual of the Planes era. I've not seen a copy myself, but I've heard the adventures are more glorified monster-bashes than the clever PS-style of adventure. Long out of print, and probably not worth bothering with.
Q: What else have TSR got planned for the Planescape line?
A: The following are some of the products rumoured to be waiting in the wings, for 1998 or beyond: Inner Planes sourcebook and Monstrous Compendium Factions of Entropy Demiplanes sourcebook
A: The following are some of the products rumoured to be waiting in the wings, for 1998 or beyond:
Q: What are the best buys, and what can be avoided?
A: There's a review page on the Mimir that gives all PS products a rating from 1 to 5, judging them on quality of ideas, artwork, consistency with the tone of the setting, and plot. It can be found at: http://www.oocities.org/~mimir/dark/products.html There's another review page on Zak's Planescape Index, which can be found at: http://www.eecs.wsu.edu/~zarntson/planescape/products
A: There's a review page on the Mimir that gives all PS products a rating from 1 to 5, judging them on quality of ideas, artwork, consistency with the tone of the setting, and plot. It can be found at:
There's another review page on Zak's Planescape Index, which can be found at:
Q: What should a beginner DM buy?
A: No DM should be without: The Planescape Boxed Set - obviously! The Planewalker's Handbook - which explains pretty much everything you'll need to know, to begin with. The Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix I - all the core creatures are here. Well of Worlds - nine short and sweet adventures on the planes. This is how it's done, cutters!
A: No DM should be without:
When you're feeling something of a pro, you should consider:
Q: What books should players buy?
A: The Planewalker's Handbook is a great asset to any game, even more so of there's more than one copy in the group. If a player's serious about having a planar character, then it'd be wise if he boned up on much of the chant in the book. Essential stuff. Most other PS books are for DMs only. OHG could be useful to the odd player or two, but there's lots of dark in there that a DM won't necessarily want players getting their hands on. Each of the boxed sets have their own thin 32-page player's guide, which a kindly DM will let players access freely, but they can't be bought without the accompanying boxed set...players should probably ask DMs if they can borrow these books rather than buying the sets themselves.
A: The Planewalker's Handbook is a great asset to any game, even more so of there's more than one copy in the group. If a player's serious about having a planar character, then it'd be wise if he boned up on much of the chant in the book. Essential stuff.
Most other PS books are for DMs only. OHG could be useful to the odd player or two, but there's lots of dark in there that a DM won't necessarily want players getting their hands on.
Each of the boxed sets have their own thin 32-page player's guide, which a kindly DM will let players access freely, but they can't be bought without the accompanying boxed set...players should probably ask DMs if they can borrow these books rather than buying the sets themselves.
Q: What books require others to be able to use them?
A: Obviously, the Planescape Boxed Set itself is pretty much essential to any Planescape game. Everything else is optional, and there ain't much that relies heavily on other books. Even the adventures set in specific planes contain enough background for a DM without the right "Planes of..." boxed set to run.
Q: Is the old Outer Planes MC worth getting?
A: No. All the creatures it detailed are described in more detail, with revised statistics and much better artwork in the Planescape Monstrous Compendiums I and II. It's also been out of print for years now.
A: One or two :-) Known errata include: A DM Guide to the Planes (Original PS Boxed Set): There's a typo on Table I of this book. In the key for the table, the entries for * and ** have been swapped over. The Eternal Boundary p. 2 DMs should be aware that the spell mentioned in the fifth paragraph (not wishing to give anything away :-), according to the PHB, can only be cast upon willing targets. An easy way out of this problem is to make this a variant which can affect unwilling targets, but allow a saving throw. The Planewalker's Handbook: p. 78/81 The text on tieflings states they may be rangers or bards, but the Level Limits Table says these classes are not available. Ignore the table: These classes are available to tieflings. Uncaged: Faces of Sigil p. 99 Despite being given the male symbol, Shemeshka is actually female. Ray Vallese later admitted "It's been a lifelong dream of mine to sneak TSR's first cross-dressing arcanaloth into a product." Caught in the act! If only... ;-) In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil p. 6 The Aoskian Hound is listed as having 22 HD! This should read 2 HD. Hellbound: War Games p. 56 The text at the top of the first column claims the Keeper is wrong in thinking the portal key is the same for the return journey. The text itself is wrong: The key is the same (as both p. 72 and Monte Cook, the author, confirm). A Player's Primer to the Outlands All through this book the phrase Hoi Polloi has been used to refer to the high-ups of a given burg. As any dictionary will confirm, 'hoi polloi' actually means common people rather than high-ups! Fires of Dis p. 57 The text says the gate in question requires a key to operate, which the locals refuse to give. In fact, this sort of portal (not wishing to give too much away) does not require a key - however, the PCs aren't supposed to go through anyway (which makes this a rather pedantic point! ;-) If you spot any more, please contact me and I'll include them here.
A: One or two :-) Known errata include:
A DM Guide to the Planes (Original PS Boxed Set):
There's a typo on Table I of this book. In the key for the table, the entries for * and ** have been swapped over.
The Eternal Boundary
p. 2 DMs should be aware that the spell mentioned in the fifth paragraph (not wishing to give anything away :-), according to the PHB, can only be cast upon willing targets. An easy way out of this problem is to make this a variant which can affect unwilling targets, but allow a saving throw.
The Planewalker's Handbook:
p. 78/81 The text on tieflings states they may be rangers or bards, but the Level Limits Table says these classes are not available. Ignore the table: These classes are available to tieflings.
Uncaged: Faces of Sigil
p. 99 Despite being given the male symbol, Shemeshka is actually female. Ray Vallese later admitted "It's been a lifelong dream of mine to sneak TSR's first cross-dressing arcanaloth into a product." Caught in the act! If only... ;-)
In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil
p. 6 The Aoskian Hound is listed as having 22 HD! This should read 2 HD.
Hellbound: War Games
p. 56 The text at the top of the first column claims the Keeper is wrong in thinking the portal key is the same for the return journey. The text itself is wrong: The key is the same (as both p. 72 and Monte Cook, the author, confirm).
A Player's Primer to the Outlands
All through this book the phrase Hoi Polloi has been used to refer to the high-ups of a given burg. As any dictionary will confirm, 'hoi polloi' actually means common people rather than high-ups!
Fires of Dis
p. 57 The text says the gate in question requires a key to operate, which the locals refuse to give. In fact, this sort of portal (not wishing to give too much away) does not require a key - however, the PCs aren't supposed to go through anyway (which makes this a rather pedantic point! ;-)
If you spot any more, please contact me and I'll include them here.
A: Pages of Pain is very good indeed, and highly recommended by pretty much everyone who's expressed an opinion on the Mailing List. However, it is very expensive, being a hardback, so potential purchasers might consider waiting until late 1997 or so until TSR release it in paperback for less than half the original price. The Blood Wars trilogy, on the other hand, is not heartily recommended. There are some nice ideas, and the plot's certainly bizarre, but there are a number of glaring errors (intentionally?), including (but not limited to) teleportation into Sigil, hints of connections between Planescape and the Real World, the Lady of Pain's griffon-riding shock troops (!) and time differences between planes. All in all, they ain't awful, but Planescape deserved better.
A: Pages of Pain is very good indeed, and highly recommended by pretty much everyone who's expressed an opinion on the Mailing List. However, it is very expensive, being a hardback, so potential purchasers might consider waiting until late 1997 or so until TSR release it in paperback for less than half the original price.
The Blood Wars trilogy, on the other hand, is not heartily recommended. There are some nice ideas, and the plot's certainly bizarre, but there are a number of glaring errors (intentionally?), including (but not limited to) teleportation into Sigil, hints of connections between Planescape and the Real World, the Lady of Pain's griffon-riding shock troops (!) and time differences between planes. All in all, they ain't awful, but Planescape deserved better.
2. PLANESCAPE IN TSR MAGAZINES
Q: Are there any Dungeon Magazine adventures for Planescape?
A: Yes, two so far. The first, Umbra, was absolutely fantastic, and appeared in issue #55. Set in Sigil, the plot revolved around a long-dead faction, and the prophecy it made finally coming true. Gripping stuff; easily worth the price of the magazine alone. The second, Nemesis, (issue #60) is by the same author, and was a disappointment. It seems that anything set in the Abyss is doomed to be dull (see In the Abyss itself for an example of a poor PS adventure). Nemesis has promise, but the plot just isn't special enough to be a great Planescape adventure. DMs should also watch out for the mistakes: Despite what the adventure claims, it ain't possible to get into Sigil by any means other than the Lady's portals.
A: Yes, two so far.
The first, Umbra, was absolutely fantastic, and appeared in issue #55. Set in Sigil, the plot revolved around a long-dead faction, and the prophecy it made finally coming true. Gripping stuff; easily worth the price of the magazine alone.
The second, Nemesis, (issue #60) is by the same author, and was a disappointment. It seems that anything set in the Abyss is doomed to be dull (see In the Abyss itself for an example of a poor PS adventure). Nemesis has promise, but the plot just isn't special enough to be a great Planescape adventure. DMs should also watch out for the mistakes: Despite what the adventure claims, it ain't possible to get into Sigil by any means other than the Lady's portals.
Q: Are there any Dragon Magazine articles for Planescape?
A: Yes...
Dragon's also come with a Planescape ad poster, describing Sigil and her facets in the words of a tout on one side, and showing the great wheel of the planes in all their glory on the other side.
If the question you want answered ain't here (and you're tired of having to make up the answer :-), feel free to let me know about it. If it's one that I reckon should be here I'll add it, and if it's a bit more esoteric then I'll try to mail you personally with an answer of my own. For your convenience, there's a form below...
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