Manual of the Planes

within a plane where the rules are different, perhapsbecause of natural effects, godly interference, or magicallocalities.PHYSICAL TRAITSThe two most important natural laws set by physicaltraits are how gravity works and how time passes. Otherphysical traits set the boundaries of the plane (if it hasany) and the nature of its borders. Finally, a physical traitsets the nature of matter itself, ranging from static andunchanging to random and ever-shifting.GravityOne variable that the DM can change is gravity, rangingfrom heavier to lighter to absent entirely. Furthermore,the direction of gravity’s pull may be unusual, and itmight even change directions within the plane itself.Normal Gravity: Most planes have gravity similar tothat of the Material Plane. That is, if something weighs 10pounds on the Material Plane, it weighs 10 pounds hereas well. The usual rules for ability scores, carrying capacity,and encumbrance apply.Heavy Gravity: The gravity of this plane is much moreintense than the Material Plane. As a result, Balance,Climb, Jump, Ride, Swim, and Tumble checks suffer a –2circumstance penalty, as do all attack rolls. All itemweights are effectively doubled, which might affect acharacter’s speed. Weapon ranges are halved.A character’s Strength and Dexterity are not affected,but these ability scores don’t let the character do as much.This limitation applies to both travelers from otherplanes as well as natives, though the natives know of thelimitation and plan accordingly.You can double or triple the heavy gravity effect forparticular planes, though they won’t be popular destinationswith adventurers.Characters who fall on a heavy gravity plane take 1d10points of damage for each 10 feet fallen, to a maximum of20d10 points of damage.Light Gravity: The gravity of this plane is lessintense than on the Material Plane. As a result, creaturesfind that they can lift more, but their movementstend to be ungainly. Characters on planes with thelight gravity trait suffer a –2 circumstance penalty onattack rolls and Balance, Ride, Swim, and Tumblechecks. All items weigh half as much. Weapon rangesdouble, and characters gain a +2 circumstance bonuson Climb and Jump checks.Strength and Dexterity don’t change as a result of lightgravity, but what you can do with such scores doeschange. These advantages apply to travelers from otherplanes as well as natives.Falling characters on a light gravity plane take 1d4points of damage for each 10 feet of the fall, to a maximumof 20d4 points of damage.You can choose to decrease gravity even further, doublingor tripling the effect for that particular plane.No Gravity: Individuals in a plane without gravitymerely float in space, unless other mechanisms (such asmagic or force of will) are available to provide a directionfor gravity’s pull. An example of a plane with no gravity isthe Astral Plane, where everyone gets around by simplyimagining themselves moving in a particular direction.Objective Directional Gravity: The strength of gravityis the same as on the Material Plane, but the directionis not the traditional “down” toward the ground. It maybe down toward any solid object, at an angle to the planeitself, or even upward, creating a chandelierlike worldwhere everyone has to hang on or be thrown out intothe void.In addition, objective directional gravity may changefrom place to place. The direction of “down” may vary, soindividuals may suddenly find themselves falling upward(similar to the reverse gravity spell) or walking up walls.Travelers on planes with objective directional gravitytend to be cautious. No one wants to discover the hardway that the 100-foot corridor ahead has become a 100-foot-deep pit.Subjective Directional Gravity: The strength of gravityis the same, but each individual chooses the directionof gravity’s pull. Such a plane has no gravity for unattendedobjects and nonsentient creatures. This can bevery disorienting to the newcomer, but is common on“weightless” planes such as the Plane of Air.Characters can move normally on a solid surface byimagining “down” near their feet. For pockets of matter inthe Elemental Plane of Air, this is the most common wayto generate one’s own gravity. If suspended in midair, acharacter “flies” by merely choosing a “down” directionand “falling” that way.pqqqqrsCOMBAT IN THREE DIMENSIONSOn planes with the no gravity trait or either of the directionalgravity traits, combat can be more complex, because attackerscan come from above or below as well as from the lateraldirections.The face statistic now operates in a third dimension, andthis third figure is usually roughly equal to the height of thecreature. For a Small or Medium-size target, this means a 5-foot-by-5-foot-by-5-foot face in a three-dimensional combat.On a two-dimensional surface, such a target could be attackedby eight adjacent opponents (one attacking along each side ofa 5-foot square and one attacking from each corner). In athree-dimensional combat situation, no less than twenty-sixSmall or Medium-size opponents could attack a single targetof the same size. Eight would be adjacent at the same verticallevel, nine could attack from positions above, and nine frombelow. For more information on face and creature sizes, seeBig and Little Creatures in Combat in Chapter 8 of the Player’sHandbook, and Movement and Position in Chapter 3 of theDUNGEON MASTER’s Guide.pqqqqrsCHAPTER 1:NATURE OFTHE PLANES9