). Since I don't have the Planes of Chaos or Planes of Conflict boxes, I always wondered if each of the chaotic and neutral planes had their own individual modes of travel.However, there is a number of ways to travel to other layers or planes apart from gates and spells, such as Yggdrasil, River Oceanus, the Styx and the Infinite Staircase. These might not be what you are looking for but if you'd like more info let me know.
In the Planes of Conflict, you go faster if you attune yourself to the plane's ideals. Treachery speeds travel in Carceri, not caring about your destination speeds travel in the Gray Waste, good deeds speed travel in Elysium (and evil deeds mire you in brambles and thorns), and so on.
In the Planes of Law, travel is speeded by following predetermined paths - the Labyrinthine Portal in Mechanus, the paths of virtue in Celestia, the paths of corruption in Baator, the straight and narrow roads of Arcadia, the portals between Acheron's cubes.
The Abyss has something similar, the Plain of Infinite Portals, which is a rocky plain full of craters that lead to various other layers. Besides the Plain and the Labyrinth I cannot think of any other such places which offer such inter-layer travel.
However, there is a number of ways to travel to other layers or planes apart from gates and spells, such as Yggdrasil, River Oceanus, the Styx and the Infinite Staircase.
The other sourcebooks I have had information on those methods. I was just wondering if the other outer planes had rules governing travel within a plane, similar to those of the Planes of Law.
ripvanwormer:
Each plane is different. Generally, travel in the Planes of Chaos is random, like it is in the Outlands, taking 3-18 days between each major landmark.
That is actually what I had assumed it was. It didn't really make sense to have "laws" regarding travel on planes that are the antithesis of Law. Is 3d6 days true for all of the Planes of Chaos? The Abyss has the Plain of Infinite Portals, so it's kind of a moot point on that plane. But does Ysgard have a different method than say, Pandemonium?
I know, all of this could be handled by DM fiat and should really just be there to serve the story, but I was curious to know what the canon methods were.
the Labyrinthine Portal in Mechanus
Yes! I thought that "Labyrinthine Maze" sounded redundant.
the paths of virtue in Celestia
In 2nd edition, I was under the impression that the only way to get anywhere on Mount Celestia was by dedicating yourself to one of the paths. In the 3rd edition Manual of the Planes, they mention that there are some ways to cheat around this system. While I know that the fiends are more interested in the Blood War than an attack on the Upper Planes, the 2nd edition books mention battles fought between fiends and celestials on Mount Celestia. So how did they get there?
Fiends would never dedicate themselves to a path of virtue, so did they use the cheat paths? Did they somehow manage to open portals directly into different layers of Mount Celestia? Is this just up to the DM?
Is 3d6 days true for all of the Planes of Chaos?
Yes, and the Outlands.
The Abyss has the Plain of Infinite Portals, so it's kind of a moot point on that plane.
It takes 3d6 days to get between two neighboring portals on that layer.
But does Ysgard have a different method than say, Pandemonium?
No, although as far as DM fiat goes, I'd let acts of heroism or creativity improve speed in Ysgard and madness improve speed in Pandemonium.
In 2nd edition, I was under the impression that the only way to get anywhere on Mount Celestia was by dedicating yourself to one of the paths.
You can just walk around, but the paths are how you get from one layer to the next.
In the 3rd edition Manual of the Planes, they mention that there are some ways to cheat around this system.
There are some loopholes, yes. For example, the Palace of Bahamut exists in all four of the lowest heavens simultaneously, so you can use that to travel.
2nd edition books mention battles fought between fiends and celestials on Mount Celestia. So how did they get there?
With difficulty, I'd imagine, considering the ocean of holy water that surrounds the entrance layer. They may have found or created obscure portals, or they might just have gritted their fangs and bore it.
You can just walk around, but the paths are how you get from one layer to the next.
oops...That's what I meant. I meant that the only way to get from one layer to the next was to adhere to a belief path.