Main / AstralPlane

Other Planes

Astral Plane

The Astral Plane is the link between the Prime Material Plane and the Outer Planes, much like the Ethereal Plane is the link between the Prime Material Plane and the Inner Planes. Unlike the Ethereal Plane the Astral Plane is a generally barren place, described by travelers as a large vault with occasional bits of solid matter and the gateways and silver cords of other travelers. It is through the Astral Plane that Alternative Prime Material Planes can also be reached.

The Astral plane consists of other-dimensional nothingness, a barren expanse extending in all directions. The only breaks in this bleakness are small islands of matter broken off from their native dimensions and occasional wide, spinning columns of astral conduits, also called wormholes. Wormholes link the outer planes with each other and with the Prime Material plane. The Astral is little more than a plane of transit, a means of moving between the inner and outer planes. It is also secondarily a home for extra-planar creatures. The plane has precious few native creatures, and the only Power that makes his home here is Anubis of the Egyptian mythos. A traveler finding himself in the Astral sees a bright, well-lit grayness that extends in all directions, as if he is within a thick silver atmosphere. The Astral material is very clear, and vision is unimpaired up to its physical limits. The plane is incredibly grey and dull, save for color pools, other travelers, and conduits to other planes. Pools are readily accessible portals into the other planes of existence. Other travelers are natives of other planes who have found a way to enter the Astral. Conduits resemble water spouts on a stormy day at sea, their ends lost in vast expanses of grey at either end. Wormholes are interdimensional vortices that link the outer planes with the Prime Material planes in much the same way as the elemental vortices link the Prime Material planes with the inner planes. In this case, however, the conduit exists through a third plane, the Astral.

The Astral plane has no gravity, though objects retain their masses here and can be thrown at normal velocities. This is different from the neutrally buoyant Ethereal Plane and the self determined gravity of the inner planes. This weightlessness requires some acclimation, and there may be difficulty in performing some actions until that acclimation is made. Beings can move by pushing off large objects, but most usually move by concentrating on where they want to go. The Astral plane can be reached from almost any point in the Prime Material plane and most points in the first (closest) layers of the outer planes. Entering these planes is normally done through a color pool that opens onto particular areas of the destination plane. Unlike the situation in the Ethereal Plane, a being's living form can exist only in the Astral or the other plane; it cannot exist in both simultaneously. The Astral plane cannot be reached from any of the inner planes. It can be reached from the Ethereal Plane only through ether cyclones, which create temporary ruptures between the Astral and Ethereal Plane.

Reaching the Astral Plane

The Astral plane and those powerful realms that lie beyond it are generally reached by two very different means. The traveler can reach this plane either by projecting his astral form into the plane or by physically entering the plane. Either method can be accomplished by spell or device, and each has similarities, advantages, and disadvantages. Unless otherwise noted, rules that apply to a traveler (as opposed to an astrally projecting or physical traveler) apply to both forms of travel.

Reaching the Astral by Projection

Projecting one's astral form is the healthiest method of traveling to the Astral plane. This method, using the astral spell separates the astral self from the traveler's body. The astral self, bound to its original body by a silver cord, can then enter the Astral plane and travel through it into the outer planes. Travel by this fashion has a great advantages in that the traveler does not risk his real body; if the astral form is slain or destroyed, the traveler's psyche returns to his original body. Further, the traveler can voluntarily return to his original body if there is a horrendous danger or hazardous situation to confront. This return takes 1d100 rounds, but it can be delayed by the forces of a psychic wind. The astral form appears on the Astral plane as a translucent, white, humanoid form. This form is solid and treated in most situations in the astral as a physical body. Springing from the back of this astral form is a silver cord that connects the traveler with his physical body on the Prime Material plane. This cord is visible as a translucent white string that stretches back about 10 feet and then becomes both invisible and intangible. The silver cord can be stretched to any length, but it is not truly solid in the same fashion as the astral body, and as such cannot be attacked or broken except under special circumstances. An individual's astral form includes the traveler's body and the astral forms of any magical items. Magical items includes items that are magical in nature and those that are under a spell effect, such as a light spell, or Nystul's magic aura. All other items are left behind. Those wishing to bring along sufficient equipment for adventures beyond the plane, or at least sufficient clothing, are advised that an enchantment or alteration spell placed upon these items is recommended to insure safe and modest travel. Objects that the astrally projecting traveler finds in the Astral can be brought into the Prime Material or outer planes, provided they do not exceed the traveler's normal encumbrance limits. A projecting traveler cannot bring a castle out of the Astral plane, but he can return to his physical body with a chest of gold.

The disadvantages of astral projection are several. The first is the care of the physical body. A physical body without its astral component does not age, nor does it require food, water, or air. A detect life reveals that the character is alive, otherwise he appears to be in a state of suspended animation that resembles a feign death spell. The body can be physically moved while the astral form is absent; the astral form will return to its body wherever it has been moved, provided it remains on a plane accessible from the Astral (an astral form cannot rejoin its body if that body is placed in the Ethereal Plane, for example). The physical body is subject to normal damage, which the astral form is not aware of at the time the damage is inflicted. If the physical body is slain, the silver cord disappears and the character dies in 1d10 turns.

Another danger of projecting the astral form is possession. A great many extradimensional creatures, including those with magic jar abilities, can enter the Prime Material plane by possessing the body of a traveler whose astral form is out exploring (there is a 1% chance of this occurring each time a character ventures into the Astral). The silver cord is not cut in this case and is still visible to those who have true seeing or similar spells. The traveler cannot regain his own body until the intruding spirit has moved out voluntarily, or has been exorcised. The wise traveler usually finds a secure location guarded by trusted friends who either have code words or divination spells to ascertain that the correct essence came home. Possession is also a danger to uninhabited bodies within the Astral plane, as detailed in the notes on the astral searcher later on.

The third danger to the traveler using astral projection is the snapping of the silver cord that links the body to its astral form. The ways to sever the cord are fortunately very few: The psychic wind at its most powerful, the silver swords of the Githyanki, and the will of a Lesser or Greater Power. The snapping of a silver cord has disastrous effects. The traveler's astral form dissolves into the plane in 1d10 turns, leaving behind the astral entities of those magical items brought into the plane. The body in the Prime plane perishes, and is irrecoverable (except for wishes). Any magical items that were taken into the plane rot and evaporate with their enchantments gone, save for artifacts, which return to the Prime plane with their powers intact. Some devices, and the astral spell, permit the caster to take others along with him. At the start of the spell, the caster and those accompanying him must hold hands, but they can separate once they enter the Astral plane. The silver cord runs to the caster, and then out to all the other members of the party. If the cord to the caster is severed, all those connected to him are destroyed as above. If a cord from the caster to a fellow traveler is severed, only that fellow traveler perishes. Remember that 1d10 turns pass between the severing of the cord and the dissipation of the astral form. If the astral traveler can reach a color pool to another plane and form another body, his dissipation and death can be avoided.

If a traveler's astral form is slain, he immediately returns to his original body. The traveler then falls into a coma for 1d4 +1 days, during which only a full wish or alter reality will awaken him. At the end of this time, a system shock roll is made. If it fails, the individual dies. If the system shock roll succeeds, the character regain consciousness with the following restrictions: Regains consciousness with 1 hit point {walking wounded}; No spell casting until at least half hit points are regained; Movement reduced by half until half hit points are regained; Attacks with a -4 penalty until half hit points are regained; Healing magic can bring the victim back up to full hit points, but all penalties remain in effect until enough time has passed for the victim to have regained half his hit points without curative magic. (This time is measured in terms of true time.)

Physical Travel in the Astral Plane

The traveler using most plane-spanning devices, as well as the spell plane shift can bring her body into the Astral and make her way about in that plane. Creatures and objects blown into this plane from the Ethereal Plane by an ether cyclone lose their ethereal status and are treated as physically traveling through this plane. The advantage of this is that all possessions are brought along, regardless of magical status and that there is no silver cord to threaten the traveler's safety. The disadvantage of this method of travel is that the traveler's body can be damaged and slain normally. In the Astral plane, the physical body appears normally, in its natural colors. The physical body has no silver cord. Both astral forms and physical bodies have equal substance, and a physical body can pick up an astral object or combat an astral foe. Because the physical form in the Astral plane has no silver cord, the physical astral traveler must find a color pool to his home plane and use it to get back home.

Color Pools

The gateways to the myriad alternate Prime Material planes and the first layers of the outer planes appear as two-dimensional pools of rippling colors. These range in size from 10-60 feet in diameter. They are visible from only one side, so that a traveler approaching from the "blind side" can pass through a color pool without realizing it (the effects of this are discussed later).

Travelers who enter the Astral always find themselves near a pool of silvery color. In the case of those projecting into the Astral, their silver cords lead back into that pool. Silver pools that ripple like mercury in a pan always lead to the plane the traveler projected from. The gateways to other planes can be identified by color, as follows:

PlaneColor of Color Pool
Concordant OppositionLeather Brown
Happy Hunting GroundsEmerald (Faceted Green)
OlympusSapphire (Faceted Blue)
GladshelmIndigo
LimboJet (Reflective Black)
PandemoniumMagenta
AbyssAmethyst
TarterusOlive
HadesRust
GehennaRusset
Nine HellsRuby
AcheronFlame (Bright OrangeRed)
NirvanaDiamond (Faceted Blue)
ArcadiaSaffron
Seven HeavensGold
Twin ParadisesAmber
ElysiumOpal
Prime MaterialSilver
Other Prime MaterialOther Metallic Colors
EtherealSpiraling White

Portals to one's own Prime Material plane are always silver. Those to alternate Prime Material planes are other metallic colors, such as bronze, gunmetal, tarnished silver, or brass. The same is true for creatures of alternate Prime Material planes: their home portals appear silver and those of others are other metallic shades. The portals to the Ethereal Plane look like milky water flowing in a spiral pattern. What the astral traveler is seeing is the end point of an ether cyclone, where it disrupts the barrier between the Ethereal Plane and Astral planes.

Individuals passing from the Ethereal Plane to the Astral are treated as physical-form travelers (they lose their ethereal nature). Traveling from the Astral to the Ethereal Plane in physical form endows the travelers with etherealness. Traveling from the Astral to the Ethereal in astral form results in the creation of an ethereal body in a similar fashion to creation of a body in the outer planes. The ethereal-astral form cannot reenter the Prime Material plane in which the original body resides. In either case, the traveler from the Astral to the Ethereal finds himself in the middle of the ether cyclone, with all resultant effects and penalties (including sudden and violent expulsion back into the Astral or other plane of existence).

A color pool can be used to view the plane before entrance is made. For those travelers using projection, only the caster of the spell can view through the color pool, while for those physically in the planes (or in cases of multiple casters of projecting abilities), the individual with the highest Intelligence controls the color pool's viewing. If two individuals of equal Intelligence are attempting to control a pool, it does not view into the regions beyond. To see the plane beyond a pool, the viewer must apply mental concentration when within 30 feet of the pool. The force of this concentration causes the pool to become transparent, revealing a viewing area about 1 d4 x 100 yards above the landscape of the plane being viewed. The precise location of the viewing portal on the plane is set by the user of the color pool. A percentile roll is then made to determine how close he is.

D100 Roll:

Once a color pool is used to view a specific scene, that pool is set to the area being viewed for one Prime Material day, regardless of whether the scene is the one desired or not. After that day has passed, another attempt can be made to bring the viewing point to the desired area. Alternatively, the traveler can set out again in the Astral plane and look for another color pool leading to the same plane. There are an infinite number of color pools leading to the planes adjacent to the Astral. It is possible to form viewing portals inside large structures with high ceilings (50 + feet high), though a thin film of lead can prevent the formation of a portal. Any viewing of the Ethereal Plane reveals the inside of an ether cyclone, with no way of moving the viewpoint elsewhere (the cyclone moves with the viewer). There is also a 10% per round cumulative chance of the concentrating traveler and all within 30 yards of the portal being sucked into the the heart of the ether cyclone, with all effects of that storm taking immediate effect on the travelers. The concentrating traveler can move the portal about as if it is a disembodied observer. It moves at a rate of 10 times the traveler's Intelligence in yards per round. An individual with an Intelligence? of 17 can move the pool's viewpoint 170 yards per round. This swift movement of the viewing point enables the traveler to view large areas, but there are limitations:

These astral viewing points are invisible to those in the viewed plane, but they can be revealed by spells such as detect invisible and true seeing and magical items such as dust of appearance. Creatures that detect invisible as a natural ability or as a result of level can also detect the presence of astral viewing points. The viewer in the Astral plane is generally immune to attacks from the other plane. The exceptions to this are those creatures such as the basilisks, gorgons, cockatrices, and similar beings whose attack forms affect beings in the Astral plane. Such creatures have the ability to perceive astral portals into their planes and attack through them.

Of the astral-affecting creatures, those that make physical attacks do so against AC 0, while those with gaze or breath attacks need to have the viewing portal in the range of their breath or gaze weapons. Only the viewing point need be within range—those who are watching can be up to 30 feet from the point and still be affected. All those watching through a pool that is attacked must roll successful saving throws vs. petrification or be affected. Companions who are not viewing through the color pool are unaffected. As an example, a cockatrice attacks a viewing point that leads to a silver-colored pool on the Astral plane. An attack is made against AC 0 and a hit is scored. On the other side of the pool are three characters, two of whom are observing the pool. Those two observers must roll a successful saving throw vs. petrification or be turned to stone. A traveler with a physical form in the Astral plane is turned to stone in a normal fashion. Those in astral form are converted into astral stone. They cannot be reunited with their original bodies until they are changed back into astral flesh. If the caster of an astral spell with fellow travelers is so affected, his traveling companions are unaffected, but they are prevented from leaving the Astral until the caster is restored. If a spell caster detects a nearby astral viewing point into his plane, he may affect the viewers by a dispel magic. (The chance of success is 50% plus [or minus] the difference between the caster's level and the viewer's level.) If the dispel succeeds, those viewers within 30 feet are sucked through the pool and into the dispel caster's plane. Travelers viewing the Prime, an alternate Prime, or an outer plane can enter that plane by stepping through the pool. This may not be done for the plane containing the viewer's physical body. Those moving in physical form simply move into the plane. Those traveling by astral projection form a physical body on the other side, retaining their silver cord connection. A traveler in astral form cannot create another physical body in the plane in which he left his original body.

Features of the Astral Plane

Githyanki: The details of this fell race of natives to the Astral plane are given in the FIEND FOLIO® tome. For raw maliciousness, these creatures rival their former masters, the mind flayers. The githyanki abilities exist as noted in that tome, with several comments and modifications. The reason for their rapid (96") movement through the Astral plane is as yet undetermined, but does not indicate god-like Intelligence. It is apparently a special ability of the monsters in their native plane. Githyanki knights are not anti-paladins, but rather evil cavaliers, with all the abilities of that human class modified for the Astral plane. These knights often ride nightmares, though this tends to slow them down. The githyanki are found mainly in the Prime Material and Astral planes—almost never on the adjacent outer planes. This is due to the fact the race operates under a continual form of probability travel that renders color pools unusable to them. This fact may be useful to parties seeking to escape a posse of the fast-moving creatures. They may enter the outer planes with outside help, and in that fashion pursue their githzerai enemy (see the Plane of Limbo for notes on the githzerai).

Githyanki lairs are huge castles built on islands of matter in the Astral. The githyanki often seek to colonize and collect these islands for future bases. A githyanki city may number up to 1,000 of these foul creatures, ruled by a supreme leader. As far as combat ability, magic use, and regaining magical spells, the githyanki are treated as normal humans experienced in the Astral plane. The greatest danger of the githyanki are their silver swords and special silver swords. The former are +3 two-handed broad swords, while the latter are similar weapons of +5 with vorpal abilities. These swords can sever the silver cords of astrally projecting travelers. To do so, the wielder of the silver sword must hit the silver cord (AC 0) and then has only a 20% chance of severing the cord (this results in the instantaneous death of those attached to the cord). These are the only physical weapons that are known to sever the cords. Their method of construction and how they function are mysteries. Mysteries, it should be noted, that the githyanki are willing to wage major warfare across the planes to keep hidden.

The githyanki have no clerics, but their lich-queen, whose reputed level of magic use varies from 24 to 30 depending on the source, is treated as a Demi-Power who makes her home in the Astral plane. She cannot grant spells (yet), but her power is rumored to be waxing.

Astral Searchers: These relatively weak astral natives are said to be created by violence in the Astral plane. They are continually searching for human forms to inhabit. Their greatest danger is to the astrally projecting traveler or any other traveler who leaves his body uninhabited by a spirit (such as the deceased subject of a raise dead or the caster of magic jar). The details of an astral searcher's attack on an inhabited body is noted in the FIEND FOLIO® book, but there are several situations in which the creature can affect uninhabited bodies. In these cases, the psyche of the original inhabitant is not destroyed, but is left wherever it was at the time of the inhabitation. Its only way back into the main body is if the astral searcher is exorcised from the body. The astral searcher gains the hit points, hit dice, and physical abilities of the body it inhabits, but not the special abilities gained through class, alignment, or knowledge of the previous inhabitant. The astral searcher's movement rate in the Astral plane is 12". Like the githyanki's movement, this is a product of the searcher's origin in the plane rather than its intelligence.

Fixed portals: Color pools that lead to other planes are controlled by a number of variables as to where they lead and how common they are. A color pool that leads to the plane of Limbo can be relatively close on one adventure, then move farther away on a second trip. Every pool reveals a different area of the plane. Fixed portals, on the other hand, are always located in the same spot. They are also always the same distance (measured in hours) apart. Further, each fixed portal has a set exit in the same location of the plane it opens into. A fixed portal often has identifying features to tell travelers where it leads. Equally often, fell creatures guard the portal on either side. Often these portals are the easiest method of entering the plane of a Greater Power that takes pains to eliminate travelers using color pools to view his realm. These portals, like color pools, only reach the surface layers of outer planes.

Yggdrasil and Mount Olympus are two astral landmarks that are normally encountered by travelers from worlds that worship the Norse and Greek mythoi, respectively, but travelers from other Prime Material planes can encounter them. Both are longstanding conduits from the outer planes to Alternate Prime planes. They were each created by a group of Demi-, Lesser, and Greater Powers and worshipers in the Prime Material plane. Yggdrasil is the "World Ash" that links the "important" outer planes to the Prime Material plane, in the Norse mythos. It runs from Gladsheim, home of most of the Norse mythos, to Niflheim, the center layer of the three Glooms of Hades and the dwelling place of the goddess of the same name. Roots and branches of Yggdrasil wind through most of the Prime Planes where these deities are recognized. Similarly, Mount Olympus is a huge mountain that links the Greek pantheon's part of the plane of Olympus with the Prime planes that they are strong in. It has exits on the lower layers of the planes of Gehenna, Hades, and Tarterus. The tree and the mountain are solid and permanent conduits that weather the waxing and waning of faiths in the Prime Material and the fortunes of the gods in the outer planes. The traveler is confronted by a huge tree or a mountain wall rising from the mist of the Astral and disappearing far into the distance. The traveler can then climb the tree or mountain to the appropriate outer plane, descend to the reachable lower planes, or explore the alternate Primes that the conduits touch upon.

At the true terminus (reached after the standard amount of travel time), the tree or mountain ends in a color pool similar to that of a fixed portal. The traveler can then pass into the outer plane as if moving into an alternate Prime Material or the Astral plane. Yggdrasil and Mount Olympus are the best-known of the permanent conduits that link the outer planes with Prime planes and with other nonlinear outer planes. Similar portals may exist for Arcadia, Nirvana, or the Abyss, depending on the nature of the campaign and the gods involved. Further details on the nature of such permanent channels, conduits, and their creation are found in the next chapter.

Time_Distortion Time Distortion in the Astral Plane mirrors the lightning quick responses needed to survive this Plane. For every Day spent on the Astral Plane only one minute elapses on the Prime Plane.

Survival in the Astral Plane

Breathing: Time passes so slowly in the Astral plane that neither astral nor physical travelers feel the need to breathe. The astral body cannot be affected by attacks that work through the respiratory system of the target. (Travelers are immune to cloudkill spells and fogs of ingestive poison, but are not protected from gorgon breath or insinuative poison.)

Time: Subjective time flows slowest on the astral plane of all the known major plane of existence. A thousand years pass before the traveler feels the effects of a single day in terms of aging or wear on physical items. Spells cast on the astral plane have their normal duration according to the true time of the plane. A potion ingested in the Astral plane is permanent for as long as the individual remains on the Astral—it resumes its normal duration upon entering another plane. Time flows at the same rate in the known planes, but the effects of time slow down in the Astral plane to the point where they almost stop completely. This means that a viewer at one of the color pools does not witness a world frozen in time, but one in which time passes at the same rate as for the viewer. The effects of the passage of time in the Astral are slowed by a factor of days to minutes. Attacks that affect aging (such as a ghost's attack, or a staff of withering) have no effect on the Astral plane. The amount of time involved to create important changes by such means is so great that these paltry spells have little effect. Of special note for most adventurers, natural healing does not function in the Astral plane except for creatures that are native to the plane. Travelers who are injured can regain hit points either via magic, or by journeying to a plane where time passes more rapidly.

Food and Drink: Neither physical nor astral forms have any need to eat or drink while on this plane. About 300 subjective years must pass before the traveler feels hungry. Food and drink are often brought into the Astral, but only for use in the planes at the end of the journey.

Gravity: The Astral plane is truly weightless, unlike the neutral buoyancy of the Ethereal or the subjective gravity of the inner planes. There is no concept of up or down—an object thrown continues its motion until it hits something solid. The effects of this true weightlessness are discussed in the following section. Direction: There are no magnetic directions in the Astral. The traveler can move about in the plane by willing himself toward or away from known reference points (see Movement).

Vision: Viewing conditions in the Astral plane are extremely clear. Creatures can be seen at 1,000-2,000 yards, and larger objects are easily detected at greater distances. Vision through color pools depends on the conditions in the plane being viewed. Infravision does not function in the Astral plane. Ultravision works up to double its normal range.

Movement in the Astral Plane

There are two types of movement in the Astral plane: physical and mental. Physical movement is the more clumsy of the two. It involves pushing off solid objects in order to create speed. Mental movement involves concentration and is linked to the traveler's Intelligence score.

Physical movement is rarely used save by those unaware of or unable to move by mental concentration, or as a result of incidental action. Throwing or pushing off an object imparts momentum to both objects. The amount of momentum imparted depends on the masses of the objects and their velocities (objects still have mass even though they are weightless). If a halfling were to push off a castle, the halfling would move rapidly in one direction while the castle would move imperceptibly in the opposite direction. The disadvantage of this form of movement is that there is little to push against in the Astral plane. Walking, running, flying, swimming, and most forms of movement involve pushing off something in order to move. For the few situations in which there is something to push against, use the following guidelines:

The above suggestions are a simplification of true momentum calculations and intended for simplicity of play. The scarcity of solid objects restricts this method of movement, but it can come in handy in emergencies. (For instance, a low Intelligence fighter [who cannot move very fast by concentration] can fire arrows and propel himself at a speed of 10 feet per round for every arrow fired.) Turning can be accomplished only by pushing in a different direction off another solid object. Striking a large object while in motion has the effect of falling onto that surface from a height equal to the distance covered in one round.

Mental movement is achieved by willing oneself in a direction. The maximum speed possible by this method is 10 yards per minute (30 feet per melee round) per Intelligence point. Mental movement is at will. Sudden stops and changes in direction can occur at will with no ill effects. In groups that are moving together, use the movement rate of the individual with the lowest Intelligence. Both physical and mental movement can be used during a journey, but never in the same round. Encumbrance slows down the astral traveler by 10' per round for every 10 lbs (100 gp) carried. Intelligence determines additional carrying capacity. Magical items (but not normal items under an enchantment spell) have no encumbrance.

Movement Through the Astral Plane

The previously described movement usually occurs during encounters and other small-area situations. Large-scale movement through the Astral plane is similar to the travels of elemental creatures through their own planes. The thought of a certain destination either creates a suitable trans-planar opening nearby or speeds the traveler toward the particular location. Since it is simpler to find portals to other planes than to locate specific areas in the Astral plane, the Astral is used mainly as a plane of transit.

Astral Travel Times

As can be seen, it is easier to cross the Astral than to find objects within it. Travelers wishing to spend more time in the Astral merely desire it. This desire adds 1d4 + 2 hours to the travel time. Those traveling as a group that is physically in the Astral plane are all affected if one individual of that group wishes to slow; those who are astrally projected have their journey delayed only if the main caster of the spell wishes it to be so.

Encounters in the Astral Plane

Encounters are checked upon the traveler's initial entrance into the Astral plane and every four hours (true time) following that entrance.

Roll 1d10; a 1 means that there is an encounter. Encounter checks are also made for those using a color pool to view other planes. These encounter checks are as for the plane being viewed, with a 5% (1 in 20) chance that the portal opens up within striking distance of a creature that can perceive and affect astral travelers (provided that such a creature is native to that plane). These astral-affecting creatures tend to create weak spots in the fabric of the plane, and color pools tend to open onto these spots.

Creature Encounters

The Astral is primarily used as a plane to get to other planes, so that most of the encounters are with such outer planar or Prime Material travelers. Even those creatures designated as natives are usually settlers from another plane. The most powerful encountered creatures are not really present; their astral forms are what the traveler encounters in this plane.

Magic in the Astral Plane

The nature of the Astral plane does not impede spell casting — the astral medium allows the spell-casting traveler to breathe, communicate, and intone the words necessary for casting. Any spell components that are not magical must be given a mild enchantment to allow their passage into the Astral, but they can also be brought into the plane physically. A spell caster cannot move or dodge while casting spells; if already moving, he must continue moving with the same velocity (direction and speed) as the previous round in order to cast the spell. As always, any major interruption of spell casting (including hitting something solid) disrupts the spell.

Spells that normally affect a flat area, such as bless and haste, in the Astral affect a spherical area whose radius equals the least of the two planar dimensions affected in the Prime. Similarly, the various wall spells and similar constructions that create surfaces generate hollow spheres with radii of 10 feet plus 2 foot per level of the caster, regardless of the listed area of effect.

Items created in the Astral plane are affected by the weightless environment. Water forms into circular balls (see above for touching these balls). Fires burn in circular flames without consuming their fuel sources. Heat and cold are very poorly conducted by the astral medium, so even a very hot or cold spell effect cannot be felt by those just outside the spell area.

Spells cannot normally have an effect through the color pools into other planes. The exceptions are those spells that impart usable abilities to the viewer (such as infravision, but not detect magic, which would be cast on an object in the other plane). Spells cast from the other plane on those viewing through the pool have no effect, the exception being dispel magic and similar spells, which would bring the viewers into the realm of the creature being viewed (see color pools).

Astral space has no extradimensional component, thus spells that involve extradimensional space do not function. Items and existing spells that use extradimensional space are either not accessible at all or bring those spaces into existence in the Astral (50% chance for each). A portable hole either does not function (50%) since its contents are in an extradimensional space and cannot be found until the traveler enters a plane with an extradimensional component or (50%) it creates a huge bag of the dimensions of the portable hole's interior in the Astral plane.

The Astral also has no egress to the Ethereal Plane save through an ether cyclone, so those spells that require access to the Ethereal or inner planes do not function.

Abjurations: Abjuration spells work normally in the Astral plane, except that they cannot affect on the fabric of the Astral itself. While magical in nature, the plane is stronger than any petty spells, and cannot be dispelled or held back. Examples:

Alterations Spells that contact the Ethereal Plane and inner planes, or make use of extradimensional space, do not function (there is no real link between the Astral and these planes). Objects that are animated by alteration spells have an Intelligence of 0 for purposes of movement, but they can attack creatures that move next to them. Alteration spells that modify an individual's abilities can be cast, but those that affect movement only work in situations where that movement is permitted in the Astral. Alteration spells that modify or control existing conditions function only where these conditions already exist. They cannot call these conditions into existence. Examples:

Conjurations/Summoning

Conjuration and summoning spells are severely restricted by the nature of the Astral plane. Spells above a certain level do not function in this plane, since the creatures of the outer planes have a good idea of what goes on in the Astral plane and are unwilling to walk into spells that ensnare, subjugate, or harm them. The following restrictions apply:

Examples:

Special Cases:

Divinations

Divination spells function normally, with three special cases.

Divinations that require contact with beings of the inner planes or the Ethereal plane do not function, as these planes cannot normally be reached from the Astral.

Special Cases: The Astral plane is inherently magical in nature, so a detect magic spell causes the entire plane to radiate magic. It is possible to discern other magical energies against this background radiation: there is a 5% chance for most normal enchantments (significantly higher for artifacts). Astrally projected individuals always radiate magic, but physical travelers only radiate magic if they are carrying magical items. The find the path spell gives the caster the ability to locate the best way to reach the desired goal, carving four hours off the travel time (travel time is still at least one hour). The spell's reverse, lose the path, increases travel time by four hours. Spells such as true sight and devices such as a gem of seeing reveal the fully infinite nature of the Astral plane, an experience that often overwhelms the viewer. The chance of being stunned by this panorama is 100% minus 5% per level. Those stunned are immobilized for the duration of the spell (or for 1d6 true turns if viewing though a device).

Enchantments/Charms The target creature or creatures must be present in the plane. These spells cannot call into being creatures from other planes. Spells that manipulate or call into being extradimensional space do not function, as there is no extradimensional space in the Astral. Spells that leave the caster's body without a spirit in the Astral plane (such as a magic jar spell) can attract the attention of an astral searcher. Any creature encounter rolled for such a body is with an astral searcher creature seeking to possess the caster's body and use it as its own.

Examples:

Special Case: The construction required in the golem spell progresses according to the slow passage of subjective time in the Astral plane. Thus the spell is practically useless.

Evocations/Invocations

Invocation spells function only if that cleric's deity makes his home in the Astral, Prime, or outer planes. Materials created by evocation spells have all the physical properties of those materials in the Astral plane. See the comments at the beginning of this section for the effects of area and wall spells in this plane.

Example: The clerical spiritual hammer spell functions only if the cleric's deity is on the Prime, Astral, or one of the outer planes. It does not work if the cleric worships a deity on the Ethereal plane, despite the occasional connection between the two (via the violent ether cyclone).

Special Cases:

Interposing hand: All those of lesser Intelligence than the caster are stopped, others slowed in movement by 50%. ->Forceful hand: Speed of creature slowed or reversed by the difference in Intelligences higher Intelligence controls the direction of movement. Equal intelligences result in no movement.
Grasping hand: As interposing hand if the caster is less intelligent than the victim, but it repels the victim as a double strength forceful hand if the caster is more intelligent.
Clenched fist and crushing hand function normally. The hand spells have the hit points and Armor Class of the magic-user on the round the spell was begun.

Illusions/Phantasms

Phantasm-based magic without an illusionary component does not function in the Astral plane. Illusionary magic and phantasm magic with an illusionary component function normally here. Examples:

Necromantics

Spells of the necromantic type function normally in the Astral plane. Those that involve restoring the lost spirit to a body have a chance of attracting an astral searcher if the attempt fails. The chance of this occurring is equal to five times the body's previously highest level, rolled on percentile dice.

Example: A raise dead on an 18th-level magic-user's body works properly. If the system shock roll fails, however, there is a 90% chance (18 times 5) that an astral searcher inhabits the body.

Special Case: A clone created on the Astral plane grows at the subjective rate of the plane (1 day equals 1,000 years). It is highly unlikely the clone's creator will be around when the clone comes to full completion, or if even the creator's civilization will exist in that far future time. For this reason, clone growing is not practical in the Astral, unless campaigns are separated by at least 60,000 years.

Combination Spells

In general, the combination of different spell types places the spell under all the restrictions of both spell types. The exception is the combination of abjuration and conjuration or summoning spells, in which case the restrictions on the conjuration or summoning spells are ignored.

Magical Items

Magical items taken from the Prime Material plane obey the following restrictions: