Manual of the Planes

CHAPTER 1:NATURE OFTHE PLANES12be drawn elsewhere and used to duplicate other spells, isa good example of a magically morphic plane.Divinely Morphic: Specific, unique beings (deities orsimilar great powers) have the ability to alter objects,creatures, and the landscape on these planes. Ordinarycharacters find these planes similar to alterable planes inthat they may be affected by spells and physical effort.But the deities may cause these areas to change instantlyand dramatically, creating great kingdoms for themselves.Divinely morphic planes are common on theOuter Planes, which is one reason deities live there.Sentient: These planes are ones that respond to asingle thought—that of the plane itself. Travelers wouldfind the plane’s landscape changing as a result of what theplane thought of the travelers, either becoming more orless hospitable depending on its reaction.ELEMENTAL AND ENERGY TRAITSThe Material Planes are made up of fundamental elementsand energies. Which elements and energies those are mayvary from cosmology to cosmology, but all the variousuniverses have basic building blocks. Within the D&Dcosmology, there are four basic elements and two types ofenergy that together make up everything. The elementsare earth, air, fire, and water. The energies are positive andnegative energy.The Material Plane reflects a balancing of those elementsand energies; all are found here. Other planes, particularlythe Inner Planes, may be dominated by one element or typeof energy. Other planes may show off various aspects ofthese elemental traits.Air-Dominant: Mostly open space, these planes havejust a few bits of floating stone or other elements. Theyusually have a breathable atmosphere, though there maybe clouds of acidic or toxic gas on the plane. The gravitytrait for an air-dominant plane is usually either objectivedirectional, subjective directional, or no gravity. Creaturesof the earth subtype are uncomfortable on air-dominantplanes because there is little or no natural earth toconnect with. They suffer no actual damage, however.Earth-Dominant: These planes are mostly solid. Travelerswho arrive run the risk of suffocation if they don’t reacha cavern or other pocket within the earth (see Suffocationin Chapter 3 of the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide). Worse yet,individuals without the ability to burrow are entombed inthe earth and must dig their way out (5 feet per turn). Earthdominantplanes normally have objective directional orsubjective directional gravity. Creatures of the air subtypeare uncomfortable on earth-dominant planes because theseplanes are tight and claustrophobic to them. But they sufferno inconvenience beyond having difficulty moving.Fire-Dominant: These planes are composed of flamesthat continually burn without consuming their fuelsource. Fire-dominant planes are extremely hostile toMaterial Plane creatures, and those without resistance orimmunity to fire are soon immolated. Unprotectedwood, paper, cloth, and other flammable materials catchfire almost immediately, and those wearing unprotectedflammable clothing catch on fire (see Catching on Fire inChapter 3 of the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide). In addition, individualstake 3d10 points of fire damage every round theyare on a fire-dominant plane. In general, fire-dominantplanes have normal gravity conditions. Creatures of thewater subtype are extremely uncomfortable on firedominantplanes. Those that are made of water (such aswater elementals) take double damage each round.While these conditions are typical for the ElementalPlane of Fire, there are locations such as lava pools,magma rivers, and volcano springs where the circumstancesare much worse. In the D&D cosmology, parts ofsome infernal Outer Planes are also fire-dominant, andthey too have their unusually deadly locations.Water-Dominant: These mostly liquid planes likelydrown those who can’t breathe water or reach a pocket ofair (see The Drowning Rule in Chapter 3 of the DUNGEONMASTER’s Guide). Water-dominant planes have either theno gravity trait or one of the two directional gravity traits.Creatures of the fire subtype are extremely uncomfortableon water-dominant planes. Those made of fire (such as fireelementals) take 1d10 points of damage each round.Positive-Dominant: An abundance of life characterizesthese planes. The two kinds of positive-dominant traits areminor positive-dominant and major positive-dominant.A minor positive-dominant plane is a riotous explosionof life in all its forms. Colors are brighter, fires are hotter,noises are louder, and sensations are more intense as aresult of the positive energy swirling through the plane. Allindividuals in a positive-dominant plane gain fast healing 2as an extraordinary ability for as long as they remain there.Major positive-dominant planes go even further. Creatureson a major positive-dominant plane must make a Fortitudesaving throw (DC 15) to avoid being blinded for 10rounds by the brilliance of the surroundings. Simply beingon the plane grants fast healing 5 as an extraordinary ability.In addition, those at full hit points gain 5 additional temporaryhit points per round. These temporary hit points fade1d20 rounds after the creature leaves the major positivedominantplane. However, a creature must make a Fortitudesave (DC 20) each round that its temporary hit pointsexceed its normal hit point total. Failing the saving throwresults in the creature exploding in a riot of energy, killing it.The positive energy protection spell prevents its targetfrom receiving the fast healing extraordinary ability, riskingblindness, or receiving the temporary hit pointswhile on a positive-dominant plane.Negative-Dominant: These planes are vast, emptyreaches that suck the life out of travelers who cross them.They tend to be lonely, haunted planes, drained of colorand filled with winds bearing the soft moans of thosewho died within them. As with positive-dominantplanes, negative-dominant planes can be either minor ormajor. On minor negative-dominant planes, living creaturestake 1d6 points of damage per round. At 0 hit pointsor less, they crumble into ash.Major negative-dominant planes are even moresevere. Each round, those within must make a Fortitude