Manual of the Planes

AlternateMaterialPlanepossiblealternatecosmologyD&DcosmologyMaterial PlaneAlternateMaterialPlaneCHAPTER 5:THE TRANSITIVEPLANESPlane ofShadowpossiblealternatecosmologyThe Plane of Shadow andAlternate Cosmologiesmorphic nature, such slow changes don’t affect terrainduring a battle.FEATURES OF THE PLANE OF SHADOWThe Plane of Shadow is no more or less dangerous thanthe Material Plane. Certain regions are perilous, andthe natives are hostile, but the plane is not inherentlydamaging to most who travel it. Unlike on the AstralPlane and the Ethereal Plane, there is sufficient food(though it’s often dark in color and dripping blackblood) and water (though it’s ichorous and thick). Theair on the plane is normal, and a native of the MaterialPlane can survive years here without ill effect—oncehe gets used to the darkness and the ever-presentslight chill.But over decades, the Plane of Shadow is toxic to nonnatives.Creatures from elsewhere who spend most oftheir lives on the Plane of Shadow develop new abilitiesand vulnerabilities to match their adopted home. Whichabilities change seems to be unpredictable from creatureto creature and location to location on the Plane ofShadow. The shadow creature template in Chapter 9pqqqqrs62OPTION: WITHOUT THE PLANE OF SHADOWWhile the Plane of Shadow has an important place in the GreatWheel, a cosmology you build yourself might not have such aplane. If the Plane of Shadow doesn’t exist, the following issuesneed to be addressed:• The following illusions with the shadow descriptor don’twork: greater shadow conjuration, greater shadow evocation,project image, shades, shadowfade, shadow cache, shadow conjuration,shadow evocation, shadow walk.• Spells that affect the Plane of Shadow but have other effectssimply lose the shadow-related effects. These spells includedimensional anchor, shadowblast, and zone of respite.• Monsters native to the Plane of Shadow either don’t exist(and thus can’t be summoned with summon monster spells)or are natives of other planes. The infernal and abyssalOuter Planes and the Negative Energy Plane would be excellenthomes for various natives of the Plane of Shadow.Monsters that use shadow-related abilities may still exist,but their shadow abilities are either nonfunctional or relyupon other planes and energies.Within the D&D cosmology, the Plane of Shadow connectsonly with the Astral Plane and the Material Plane. The abovelimitations apply when a traveler is on an Inner Plane or anOuter Plane.pqqqqrs