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Shadows and the Outer Planes

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Sat, 2007-10-20 08:16
#1
Bex_rml24
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Shadows and the Outer Planes

I hope I'm asking this in the correct place, apologies if I'm not.

I play as as Shadowswyft (Rogue/Shadowdancer) and I have managed to completely confuse myself with the 'properties' of the outer planes. According to most articles/ books I have read (I'm relatively new to the planescape setting) the Plane of Shadows is only reached via the Material Planes.

Correct me if I am wrong but doesn't that imply that in the Outer Planes (which are not connected to the Plane of Shadow) no Shadows exist? As in, people, objects, nothing has a Shadow?

And doesn't this, in turn, make spells such as Shadow Walk and Shadow Jump (more importantly this one for my character)... completely useless on any plane EXCEPT the material?

I'll be thankful for any insight anyone has on this. At least if I know what the exact score is with Shadows on other (non material) planes I can work my character around these possible constraints more accurately.

Thanks!

Laughing out loud

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Sat, 2007-10-20 08:33
#2
Iavas
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Shadows and the Outer Planes

Well, in 2e it was far more logical in that there was a demiplane of Shadows, which was not a transitive plane and thus shadows existed everywhere regardless of planar connections. At least, I think that's how it works.

Sat, 2007-10-20 09:16
(Reply to #2) #3
weishan
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Shadows and the Outer Planes

As far as I've read, Shadow exists everywhere (I had the smae issue). I disagree in part--the plane of shadow should only connect to the material plane, but abilities like shadow step should work regardless.

Sat, 2007-10-20 13:50
(Reply to #3) #4
ripvanwormer
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Shadows and the Outer Planes

My interpretation (very, very unofficial) is that each of the Outer Planes has its own Plane of Shadow, made from belief rather than gross matter, as sort of a "hidden layer" of each plane.

Sat, 2007-10-20 17:51
(Reply to #4) #5
Kensanata
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Shadows and the Outer Planes

I support weishan. The Manual of the Planes (3rd ed) says on page 59: "The Plane of Shadow is also coterminous to other planes. With the right spell, you can use the Plane of Shadow to visit other realities." What kind of other planes? On the next page you'll find an excursion that starts with "The D&D cosmology has all known planes of existence permeated by the Astral Plane, and the Plane of Shadow connects only to whatever alternate Material Planes exist. This is not the only possible arrangement of these Transitive Planes, of course." Thus, in the default arrangement the Plane of Shadow only connects to other Material Planes and not to the Outer Planes.

However, if you look up Shadow Jump it says "the ability to travel between shadows as if by means of a dimension door spell" – it doesn't say that you need to use the Plane of Shadow to jump from A to B. It just requires ordinary shadows – the kind you'll find everywhere unless you're surrounded by several Daylight spells or similar traps for Shadow Dancers. That's how I'll rule Shadow Jump when my players get to leave the Prime Material…

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