Planescape Campaign Setting
Encyclopedia
The Planescape Campaign Setting was a boxed set
for the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy role-playing game. The set was designed by David "Zeb" Cook
and published in 1994, and introduced the Planescape
setting.
of the Dungeons & Dragons game, which had been previously featured in books such as Deities and Demigods and the Manual of the Planes
. The set consists of a Player and DM Guide, a Monstrous Supplement, a guide to the town of Sigil and the Outlands, four color maps, and a DM screen. The Inner Planes of Air, Earth, Fire, and Water, the Paraelemental and Quasimental Planes, and the Positive and Negative Material Planes are all discussed first, including descriptions, physical and magical conditions and native hazards for each plane. The Outer Planes are also detailed, with layers, and multiple realms possible on each layer; important layers and realms are included in the descriptions of individual Outer Planes, including which gods (here called Powers) make their home there. Also described with the Outer Planes are the four unique planar Paths which touch many different layers of the various Outer Planes, and can take travelers from one place to another: the Rivers Oceanus and Styx, the Tree Yggdrasil, and Mount Olympus. The largest of the set's guides is devoted to the planes and layers of the Outlands, which connect to all the Outer Planes, with towns or forts located at these sites. Sigil, the City of Doors, located in the Outlands, is a place composed of factions
, and contains portals to any plane or layer. The ruler of Sigil is the Lady of Pain
, a mysterious being who appears during times of internal or external turmoil.
- and there's a lot of venturing to do." He felt that the set brought together adventure, gods, philosophies and magic in an exciting manner, and presented a setting that would work well with any AD&D campaign or on its own, and that readers will get a solid sense of each plane, as well as an idea of the overall qualities common to all. Alloway felt that Planescape "is a superb addition to the AD&D multiverse [...] it's clear that a great deal of thought and effort has gone into this product. The writing is clear, most topics are covered in detail and adventure ideas are either presented directly or dropped in as "seeds" for you to pick up on." Alloway praised Cook's efforts to make the planes accessible and enjoyable for lower-level characters, and for developing an important part of the AD&D multiverse, and he appreciated the setting's emphasis on roleplaying and critical thinking rather than moving and hacking. Alloway considered Planescape the best AD&D setting since Greyhawk
, with no end to its possibilities, and concluded the review by saying "The Planescape campaign setting is enough to make me put down my other game systems and AD&D settings to reawakent the wonder I felt when I started roleplaying."
Boxed set
A box set is a compilation of various musical recordings, films, television programs, or other collection of related items that are contained in a box.-Music box sets:...
for the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy role-playing game. The set was designed by David "Zeb" Cook
David Cook (game designer)
David "Zeb" Cook is an American game designer best known for his work at TSR, Inc., where he was employed for over fifteen years.-Early life:...
and published in 1994, and introduced the Planescape
Planescape
Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...
setting.
Contents
The Planescape Campaign Setting boxed set details the planesPlane (Dungeons & Dragons)
The planes of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game constitutes the multiverse in which the game takes place.In the earliest versions of Dungeons & Dragons, the concept of the Inner, Ethereal, Prime Material, Astral and Outer Planes was introduced; at the time there were only four Inner Planes...
of the Dungeons & Dragons game, which had been previously featured in books such as Deities and Demigods and the Manual of the Planes
Manual of the Planes
The Manual of the Planes is a manual for the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game. This text addresses the planar cosmology of the game universe....
. The set consists of a Player and DM Guide, a Monstrous Supplement, a guide to the town of Sigil and the Outlands, four color maps, and a DM screen. The Inner Planes of Air, Earth, Fire, and Water, the Paraelemental and Quasimental Planes, and the Positive and Negative Material Planes are all discussed first, including descriptions, physical and magical conditions and native hazards for each plane. The Outer Planes are also detailed, with layers, and multiple realms possible on each layer; important layers and realms are included in the descriptions of individual Outer Planes, including which gods (here called Powers) make their home there. Also described with the Outer Planes are the four unique planar Paths which touch many different layers of the various Outer Planes, and can take travelers from one place to another: the Rivers Oceanus and Styx, the Tree Yggdrasil, and Mount Olympus. The largest of the set's guides is devoted to the planes and layers of the Outlands, which connect to all the Outer Planes, with towns or forts located at these sites. Sigil, the City of Doors, located in the Outlands, is a place composed of factions
Faction (Planescape)
The Factions are fictional philosophically based power groups in the Planescape campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Background:...
, and contains portals to any plane or layer. The ruler of Sigil is the Lady of Pain
Lady of Pain
The Lady of Pain is the fictional protector of the city of Sigil in the Planescape campaign setting of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game...
, a mysterious being who appears during times of internal or external turmoil.
Reception
Gene Alloway reviewed the boxed set for White Wolf magazine, stating that "Cook and company have created a cohesive and comprehensive campaign for every AD&Der who wants to venture beyond the Prime MaterialPrime Material Plane
The Prime Material Plane is the central plane of existence in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game...
- and there's a lot of venturing to do." He felt that the set brought together adventure, gods, philosophies and magic in an exciting manner, and presented a setting that would work well with any AD&D campaign or on its own, and that readers will get a solid sense of each plane, as well as an idea of the overall qualities common to all. Alloway felt that Planescape "is a superb addition to the AD&D multiverse [...] it's clear that a great deal of thought and effort has gone into this product. The writing is clear, most topics are covered in detail and adventure ideas are either presented directly or dropped in as "seeds" for you to pick up on." Alloway praised Cook's efforts to make the planes accessible and enjoyable for lower-level characters, and for developing an important part of the AD&D multiverse, and he appreciated the setting's emphasis on roleplaying and critical thinking rather than moving and hacking. Alloway considered Planescape the best AD&D setting since Greyhawk
Greyhawk
Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
, with no end to its possibilities, and concluded the review by saying "The Planescape campaign setting is enough to make me put down my other game systems and AD&D settings to reawakent the wonder I felt when I started roleplaying."