Planescape

Planescape encompasses numerous planes of existence, creating an entire cosmology called the Great Wheel, which was originally developed in the 1987 Manual of the Planes by Jeff Grubb, derived from concepts laid out in the 1978 ''Player's Handbook by Gary Gygax. This includes many of the other Dungeons & Dragons'' worlds, linking them via inter-dimensional magical portals. Cosmology The Dungeons & Dragons cosmology as reflected in Planescape consists of a number of planes, which can be divided into the following regions: Rule-of-Three The first principle, the Rule-of-Three, says simply that things tend to happen in threes. The principles which govern the planes are themselves subject to this rule. Unity of Rings The second principle is the Unity of Rings, and notes that many things on the planes are circular, coming back around to where they started. Center of All The third principle (fitting neatly into the Rule-of-Three above) is the Center of All, and states that there is a center of everything—or, rather, wherever a person happens to be is the center of the multiverse... From their own perspective, at least. As most planes are functionally infinite, disproving anyone's centricity would be impossible. In Planescape, this is meant philosophically just as much as it is meant in terms of multiversal geography. The fact that anywhere could be the center of the multiverse in this view also implies that nowhere can be said to be the only absolute true center. This sparks a lot of arguments and violence since some people believe the City of Doors to be the center due to its uncommon number of portals to other planes and position in the Outlands and some factions also claim different centers, each with their own significance. == Publication history ==

Development , 1761. One of a series of etchings that inspired the visual look of the setting. Planescape is an expansion of ideas presented in the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeon Master's Guide (First Edition) and the original Manual of the Planes. When Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition was published, a decision was made not to include angelic or demonic creatures, and so the cosmology was largely ignored. However, fan demand for a 2nd Edition Manual of the Planes'' was strong enough to justify its expansion into a full-fledged campaign setting, and so in 1994 Planescape was released. David "Zeb" Cook developed Planescape when he was assigned to create "a complete campaign world (not just a place to visit), survivable by low-level characters, as compatible with the old Manual of the Planes as possible, filled with a feeling of vastness without overwhelming the referee, distinct from all other TSR campaigns, free of the words 'demon' and 'devil' and explainable to Marketing in 25 words or less". For inspiration, Cook listened to Pere Ubu, Philip Glass and Alexander Nevsky, read The Dictionary of the Khazars, ''Einstein's Dreams, and The Narrow Road to the Deep North, and for fun at "Bad Movie Nights", watched such films as Naked Lunch and Wolf Devil Woman''. The setting also had a small number of novels. Later editions Upon the release of 3rd Edition, Planescape, along with most other settings, were discontinued, although fan sites such as planewalker.com were allowed to continue to use the material and update it to the new edition. The 3rd Edition Manual of the Planes (2001), the 3.5 Edition ''Dungeon Master's Guide (2003), and the Planar Handbook'' (2004) also used the general layout of the planes and some of the details from the setting, including Sigil, but these are not part of the Planescape line. Sigil is described in the 4th edition Manual of the Planes (2008) and expanded upon in ''Dungeon Master's Guide 2 (2009). Shannon Appelcline, author of Designers & Dragons'', commented that while Sigil "had been largely ignored during the 3e era", it "was faring better in 4e, despite the large-scale restructuring of D&D's cosmology" due to small inclusions in the ''Dungeon Master's Guide (2008) and Manual of the Planes''. Appelcline highlighted that it was the 4th Edition ''Dungeon Master's Guide 2'' which "saw the return of the fan-favorite setting of Sigil" which "was laid out as a full paragon-level setting. There's not much new here for old-time fans of Planescape, but there was one big change as a result of Faction War (1998). The factions that caused much of the conflict in Planescape are now gone. [...] The ''Dungeon Master's Guide 2'' also contains 'A Conspiracy of Doors', the first Sigil adventure to see print in many years". There is also some information on Sigil in the 5th Edition ''Dungeon Master's Guide (2014). In July 2022, Unearthed Arcana: Wonders of the Multiverse was released as part of the Unearthed Arcana public playtest series for the 5th Edition. Both Polygon and ComicBook.com highlighted that the new character race – the Glitchling – and other references to the Planescape setting might indicate a reboot of the setting for 5th Edition. Charlie Hall, for Polygon'', commented that "this wouldn't be the first time that Wizards used playtest materials to tease a reboot of a classic setting". ==Reception==

Pyramid magazine reviewer Scott Haring said Planescape is "the finest game world ever produced for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons". Haring described the writing as "wonderful", also saying that it "has got one of the most distinctive graphic looks I've seen in any game product" and that the "unusual drawings remind [him] a little of Dr. Seuss". Game designer Rick Swan said that the original Manual of the Planes had in a sense been "reincarnated as the Planescape setting ... TSR's most ambitious campaign world to date. Abandoning the straightforward but dry approach of the Manual, the Planescape set reads less like a textbook and more like a story. Characters take precedence over game systems, high adventure supplants the physics lessons". Curtis D. Carbonell, in the book Dread Trident: Tabletop Role-Playing Games and the Modern Fantastic, wrote: "Planescape's sophistication marked it as D&D's answer to its own simplistic medieval-European-inspired fantasy settings, [...]. Planescape channeled the Weird before China Miéville brought the 'new weird' genre into focus [...]. With Planescape, we have an attempt by an AD&D game setting to add layers of intellectual complexity to a game often driven by much more simplistic mechanism. The greatest commerce isn't loot, treasure, magic items, etc.; it is belief so strong it can shape reality". In a review of The Great Modron March, '''' magazine contributor Philippe Tessier called the presentation of Planescape products superb in general. In his 2023 book Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground, RPG historian Stu Horvath noted, "If there is a problem with Planescape, it would be its vast strangeness. There's a lot to explain and not nearly enough space to fit it all in." However, Horvath lauded the artwork, saying, "The art picks up where the words leave off. Planescape is the apex of the aesthetic-driven, high-concept Dungeons & Dragons setting. Dana Knutson developed all of the concept artwork for the setting, which Robh Ruppel turned into covers, and Tony DiTerlizzi used to fill out the interiors." Horvath concluded, "Planescape often feels built for something besides conflict — the art, the philosophy, and the infinite reaches encourage exploration in a way few other D&D settings do: Characters are encouraged to just walk off into the multiverse until they find something to wonder at." ==Awards==

The Planescape Campaign Setting boxed set won the 1994 Origins Award for Best Graphic Presentation of a Roleplaying Game, Adventure, or Supplement. == Official products ==

Boxed sets • 2600 Planescape Campaign Setting • 2603 Planes of Chaos • 2607 Planes of Law • 2610 ''A Player's Primer to the Outlands'' • 2615 Planes of Conflict • 2621 Hellbound: The Blood War Miniatures • 10–519 "Planescape Miniatures" – box includes ten miniatures (Duke Rowan, Factol Hashkar, Factol Sarin, Factol Pentar, Lord Graz'zt, Lady of Pain, Erin Montgomery, Lord Pazrael, Factol Rhys, and Karris the Indep) and a Lady of Pain badge (made from the same metal material as the miniatures, but with a pin and backing like a "tie tac" so it can be worn as a "badge"). • 10–520 Planescape Miniatures "Powers of Chaos" – box includes eight miniatures (Baphomet, Bast, Corellon Larethian, Gorellik, Lolth, Loki, Ygorl, and Faerie Queen of Air and Darkness). • 10–521 Planescape Miniatures "Powers of Law" – box includes eight miniatures (Clangeddin Silverbeard, Hecate, Set, Tyr, Maglubiyet, Horus, Gruumsch, and Moradin). • 10–522 Planescape Miniatures "Powers of Conflict" – box includes eight miniatures (Cronus the Titan, Garl Glittergold, Tefnut, Hades, Cat Lord, Hel, Skerrit, and Arawn). Accessories • Planescape Conspectus • 2609 In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil • 2611 ''The Factol's Manifesto'' • 2620 ''The Planewalker's Handbook'' • 2623 On Hallowed Ground • 2624 Uncaged: Faces of Sigil • 2625 A Guide to the Astral Plane • 2630 Faces of Evil: The Fiends • 2633 A Guide to the Ethereal Plane • 2634 The Inner Planes • 2602 Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix • 2613 Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II • 2635 Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix III • The Planescape Sketchbook Adventures • 2601 The Eternal Boundary • 2604 Well of Worlds • 2605 In the Abyss • 2606 The Deva Spark • 2608 Fires of Dis • 2614 Harbinger House • 2619 Something Wild • 2626 Doors to the Unknown • 2628 The Great Modron March • 2629 Faction War • 2631 Dead Gods • 2632 Tales From the Infinite Staircase Video game The setting was featured in the computer game Planescape: Torment, which portrayed the Planescape world (specifically Sigil, the Outlands, Baator, Carceri, and the Negative Energy Plane). It is now a cult game and was out of print until its DVD re-release as a budget title in 2009. It was released as a download on GOG.com in 2010 and soon became the "second most wanted game" on the site. An enhanced edition by Beamdog was released on April 11, 2017. Marketed as a spiritual successor to Planescape: Torment, Torment: Tides of Numenera was released in February 2017. The game takes inspiration from the previous game but is not itself based in the Planescape setting. Collectible card game TSR published a collectible card game based on the Planescape setting called Blood Wars. The game featured major locations, personalities, and features of the Planescape setting and also introduced new creatures that were added to the role playing game setting as part of subsequent products. Novels • Fire and Dust (1996), by James Alan Gardner, a rejected title that the author has since published as a free online manuscript. • Pages of Pain (December 1997), by Troy Denning, () • Torment (October 1999), by Ray Vallese and Valerie Vallese, () • :Torment is based on an early script of Planescape: Torment. Blood Wars Trilogy • Blood Hostages (January 1996), by J. Robert King, () • Abyssal Warriors (June 1996), by J. Robert King, () ==See also==