Manual of the Planes

APPENDIX:VARIANT PLANES& COSMOLOGIES212as it gains the fire-dominant trait. Usually, changes inthe elemental and energy traits of a layer are seen faroff, moving from layer to layer as a storm moves acrossthe face of a normal world. Natives are subject to theever-changing conditions, but they know to flee ortake shelter when they sense a storm coming.• No Alignment Trait: The Far Realm has nothing to dowith morals or ethics.• Wild Magic: Casters must roll a level check (DC 15 +the level of the attempted spell). A failed check indicatesa result on Table 1–1: Wild Magic Effects.• Maddening: Moving through the Far Realm is to see,hear, and think in a way that mortal brains are notdesigned for. Travelers might sprout eyes on theirpalms, relive a hundred childhoods simultaneouslywherein their parents were secretly Far Realm wights,or backward speaking begin. Entry into the Far Realmrequires nonnatives to succeed at a Will save (DC 20) tostave off insanity (as the insanity spell). Visitors mustmake Will saves when they first enter the Far Realmand every hour thereafter.FAR REALM LINKSThere are no known portals to the Far Realm, or at leastnone that are still viable. Ancient elves once pierced theboundary of eons with a vast portal to the Far Realm, buttheir civilization imploded in bloody terror and theportal’s location is long-forgotten. But other portalsmight exist.Other methods of reaching the Far Realm includetraveling to time’s beginning or end or finding the trueDreamheart past the Portal of Sleep. Luckily for theMaterial Plane, entities of the Far Realm have just as difficulta time finding passage out of their home plane,though rare spells allow them to be summoned.FAR REALM INHABITANTSEntities of the Far Realm defy ordered classification. Certainly,countless types crawl through the infinite layers.Some are like animals, others vaguely insectoid, many aresentient, and some are as powerful as deities (thoughwhether every godlike entity of the Far Realm is sentientis difficult to assess). When confronted with MaterialPlane beings, or even creatures normally associated withthe Inner and Outer Planes, a Far Realm entity oftentakes the form of a creature familiar to the viewer.Pseudonatural CreaturesThe simplest natives of the Far Realm are the pseudonaturalcreatures that roam the layers on unguessableerrands. They dwell past the eons that lie between thestars, beyond the planes as we know them, nestled infar realms of insanity. When summoned to the MaterialPlane, they often take the form of and emulate theabilities of familiar creatures, though they are moregruesome in appearance than their earthly counterparts.Alternatively, they may appear in a mannermore consistent with their origins: A mass of writhingtentacles is a favorite, although other terrible formsare always possible.Creating a Pseudonatural Creature“Pseudonatural” is a template that can be added to anycorporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the “base creature”).The creature’s type changes to “outsider.” It uses allthe base creature’s statistics and special abilities except asnoted here.Special Attacks: A pseudonatural creature retainsall the special attacks of the base creature and also gainsthe following.True Strike (Su): Once per day, the creature can make anormal attack with a +20 insight bonus on a single attackroll. On this attack, the creature is not affected by the misschance that applies when attacking a concealed target.Special Qualities: A pseudonatural creature retainsall the special qualities of the base creature and alsogains the following abilities.• Electricity and acid resistance (see the table below).• Damage reduction (see the table below).• Spell resistance equal to double the creature’s HD(maximum 25).Electricity and AcidHit Dice Resistance Damage Reduction1–3 5 —4–7 10 5/+18–11 15 5/+212+ 20 10/+3If the base creature already has one or more of these specialqualities, use the better value.Alternate Form (Su): At will, a pseudonatural creature cantake the form of a grotesque tentacled mass or anotherappropriately gruesome form determined by the DungeonMaster. But all its abilities remain unchanged despite thealien appearance. Changing shape is a standard action.Other creatures receive a –1 morale penalty on their attackrolls against pseudonatural creatures in this alternate form.Saves: Same as the base creatureAbilities: Same as the base creature, but Intelligence isat least 3Skills: Same as the base creatureFeats: Same as the base creatureClimate/Terrain: Any land and undergroundOrganization: Same as the base creatureChallenge Rating: Up to 3 HD, as base creature4 HD to 7 HD, as base creature +18+ HD, as base creature +2Treasure: Same as the base creatureAlignment: Same as base creatureAdvancement: Same as the base creatureMOVEMENT AND COMBATMovement in the Far Realm is like swimming. There isno gravity, but the air is syrupy thick, and strong strokes