Questions about the Outer Planes, Level loss that is...

Tristan_Durst · Post by **Tristan_Durst** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 1:18 am

Been wondering something when it comes to Divine spellcasters and our outer planes territory. For Arborea, we have been trying to think of a way that mimicks the spell lost for being removed from your gods plane of influence. What we are thinking of useing Avlis' approved cleric system to give each of the C/G gods' Clerics full spell access, but anyone else only access to 3rd level spells or below. Granted this is not the PnP rules for 2nd ed Planscape, but it does give the feel.

3 questions.

1. To the other Planer World Leaders, and staff, how are you handleing the level loss, or are you not doing it at all?

2. What do the Prime World Leaders, Ambassadors, and Players think and feel about this?

3. Could it be possible to make Powerkeys that allow full access to spells for those that have dieties not on the list?

Also, Magical items are suppose to be affected as well. Not sure I want to open up a can of worms by adding scripts that lowers people's magical weapons from a +1 or +2 to a +0.

And last question, in PnP a weapon that is +1/+2 vs. Chaotic, the pluses do not stack. Is the same true in the NWN system? Been told No, and been told yes, just wondering which is true.

Thanks,
Tristan

Arkonswrath · Post by **Arkonswrath** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 2:21 am

I know on Hala, being Ysgard, we run on the concept that it is an outer plane, and as such all gods have access and influence in the outer planes. Some may choose to not allow their powers to work, but we allow them all.

As to level loss, not sure what you mean there... Do you mean x person dies and loses a level? If so I'd have to disagree with this. Avlis uses and XP loss for death but it is able to be gotten back by doing a "death quest". On Hala we do not have an XP loss.

As far as making powerkeys that give people the ability to cast without having an associated Deity, based on Avlis' ability to do this with casters (ie, andrinor's trust allowing mages access to all spells) that this same concept would work for the idea you are thinking. Could be a good alternative for those characters who contribute a lot to a world. One of the Deities of that world could decide to allow this person to cast without actually following one of the world's gods due to the aid and care they have shown or whatever.

teleri · Post by **teleri** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 2:57 am

I have a skeleton for implementing the spell level loss by plane, but have not flushed it out.

Tristan_Durst · Post by **Tristan_Durst** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 5:08 am

Arkonswrath wrote:As to level loss, not sure what you mean there... Do you mean x person dies and loses a level? If so I'd have to disagree with this. Avlis uses and XP loss for death but it is able to be gotten back by doing a "death quest". On Hala we do not have an XP loss.

What I ment was, in the 2nd ed Planescape rules: For each plane from your diety you travel, you loose 1 spell casting level. This is for Divine spell casters only. Mages see there spells reated like wild magic, and that depends on the plane itself.

So for example: A priest of Moradin on Arborea would have a -4 to his spell casting ability. That is for the 3 planes that are between Mount Celestia, and Arborea, plus Arborea itsself. The reverse is true, A priest of Corellon would be -4 on Mount Celestia.

Following the "Ring," Priest from Mount Celestia would be lowest casting on the Abyss, while Arborea would be lowest casting on the Baator.

Mages would find that certain spells work differently, or not at all depending on the plane in which they were in.

Magical items also incure level loss in there pluses, based on where the were forge. A blade from Mount Celestia, would be -1 on the Outlands, while in Arborea it would -4. No blade would go less that a +0.

Hope that clarifies it some.

Tristan

Arkonswrath · Post by **Arkonswrath** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 5:22 am

ah ok, I'm tracking now, though when it comes to level loss and item power loss, I think it best I just say that I am against it and leave it at that.

Post by **Orleron** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 9:34 am

I am not against it, but I want to point out one thing. If your god is on Celstia, and you go to the Abyss, that's only two planes: Celestia to Outlands is one.... Outlands to Abyss is two. On the ring, you can never be more than two planes away from your god because Outlands is in the middle.

As for the magic item pluses when travelling through planes, I am for that too. I think teleri was working on something along those lines?

teleri · Post by **teleri** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 11:12 pm

Orleron wrote:I am not against it, but I want to point out one thing. If your god is on Celstia, and you go to the Abyss, that's only two planes: Celestia to Outlands is one.... Outlands to Abyss is two. On the ring, you can never be more than two planes away from your god because Outlands is in the middle.

As for the magic item pluses when travelling through planes, I am for that too. I think teleri was working on something along those lines?

Correct on both counts Orl.. (:

As for the powers distace.. (: there are some other factors ... Keys and the like as well as going down the rabbit hole as it were (: a cleric of a CG god from Arboria's 1st layer looses 1 level of spell level (no 9th level spells) going to the 1st layer of the abyss looses one more casting level (8th level spells)... Now this is were it gets complicated... a priest of Odin (Ysgard) goes to the Gray wates and Visits Hel's Realm would only loose one level as Hel's Realm is connected directly to Ysgard via Yigdrssal the world ash, but this is the exception not the rule (:

The item stuff is coming along nicly (: I should have most of the core done shortly (:

Tristan_Durst · Post by **Tristan_Durst** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 11:30 pm

*holds head thinking about the level losses*

Yeah, my PnP group did it differently. We went by how many planes along the "ring." So a Priest of a god from Mount Celsetia, going to the Abyss would be -8 on Spell casing levels. *grins a little embarassed relizeing he went off mis-info*

I like the 2 levels A LOT better. Or even Avlis' 3rd or below only for those not on the "list."

Still trying to get information, so keep posting.

teleri · Post by **teleri** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 11:18 am

Over the next few days I will compile all of my notes and post them here.

Post by **Orleron** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 12:19 pm

Tristan, if you don't have it already, I strongly suggest you go out and buy the 3rd Ed book "Manuel of the Planes". That book is the basis for what we're trying to do with CoPaP in terms of planar functionality. A good secondary source is anything Planescape. That's where all of teleri's talk about portal and spell keys comes from.

teleri · Post by **teleri** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 3:37 pm

Go here to buy the planescape materials ... http://www.rpgnow.com/default.php?cPath=1_297_310& at $4.95 each in PDF format its a deal (:

Recomended order for reading is as follows

Planescape Campaign Setting
Planewalker's Handbook
Planes of Conflict
Planes of Law
Planes of Chaos
A Players Primer to the Outlands
Monstrous Compendium - Planescape Appendix i - iii
A Guide to the Astral Plane
if you can find a copy Blood Warhttp://www.rpgunited.com/product/planesca/tsr2621.html
Planescape Faces of Evil: The Fiends

After this the 3rd editon Manual of the Planes starts to make some sense... (:

Tristan_Durst · Post by **Tristan_Durst** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 4:04 pm

*nods* I got them wished list now. Just got to wait till pay day

I had all of the Planescape books at one time, along with all the D&D material back to Chainmail. Had a house fire, and lost it all about 3 years ago. Trying now to get everything back, and only my dice bag and dice, and the cat survived the fire. They were tucked in a cornor of a closet, when the firemen finally got the house under control.

I have a copy of the Boxset of Planes of Chaos, and MotP on .pdf, but it is text only for both, and I think I have stuff missing.