Crystallization in Manual of the Planes

Post by **Halaster Blackcloak** » Wed Aug 12, 2020 9:32 pm

Well, I must say the planes are deadlier in Manual of the Planes than they are in Planescape! Here's an example:

In PS, those who enter the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Minerals must save vs. petrification to avoid being fossilized (described as being "turned to stone, or possibly precious gems), once per day.

In MotP, those who enter the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Minerals must save vs. spell to avoid being fossilized once per turn (i.e. 144 times per day). If failed, there is an 80% chance of being turned to stone and a 20% chance of being turned to crystal or gemstone. Worse, in MotP, there is no "mineral" version of stone to flesh that the party wizard can cast. Only a wish will restore the character. Worse yet, in MotP, if the crystallized or fossilized victim is brought to the Prime Material Plane (or any plane with gravity) while still crystallized/fossilized, there is a 99% chance the fossilized/crystallized victim turns to dust!

In the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Mineral, I liked the idea of changing the numbers around so that there is an 80% chance of being turned to crystal or gemstones, and only a 20% chance of being petrified as stone. Makes the plane more challenging!

Post by **McDeath** » Thu Aug 13, 2020 5:11 am

Kind of makes more sense in MOP as its a hostile environment. I'm betting originally they were thinking per round but deemed it too harsh.

Post by **Halaster Blackcloak** » Thu Aug 13, 2020 3:08 pm

Yeah, per round would be overkill. It is telling though, how the 1E version of the Planes (MotP) is much deadlier and more difficult than the 2E version (PS). That's another reason why I don't care too much for PS as a setting - it makes the planes too easy to survive and relegates them to "just another wilderness adventure".

Places such as the Elemental Plane of Fire or the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Vacuum or the Negative Material Plane should be horrendously difficult to survive. The various Elemental Planes are totally antithetical to human(oid) life. The handful of times I had a planar adventure for the players, they always considered it a fantastic, amazing, totally unique experience - and supremely challenging! Those adventures were EPIC because they were so rare and so difficult. Making them into yet another setting takes away the magical, fantastic nature of the planes.