AD&D Manual of the Planes - Part 1
In today’s video & podcast, I take a look at the AD&D Manual of the Planes by Jeff Grubb, starting with what this book is actually for and why it still matters. This is not an adventure book and it is not light reading. It is a Dungeon Master’s guide to how reality works once you step beyond the Prime Material Plane.
Part 1 is an overview. We walk through the structure of the planes, how the Inner, Ethereal, Astral, and Outer Planes are presented, and why this book acts as a turning point for long running campaigns. I talk about spell interaction, survival pressure, alignment as a force, and why planar travel is meant to be dangerous, limited, and deliberate.
This episode exists because of a viewer request from DM Dan, and it is aimed squarely at DMs who want to understand the book before trying to run it. No adventures yet. No how to play guides. Just what the Manual of the Planes gives you, and what it expects you to handle responsibly.
Part 2 will cover running adventures in the planes, entry points, pacing, common mistakes, and how to keep planar play tense without wrecking your campaign.
Great analysis of my favourite supplement.
It's worth noting how Manual of the Planes dovetails nicely with Deities and Demigods (later Legends and Lore), and in some ways it was beneficial they removed the Cthulhu mythos from the latter as I think otherwise it would have had a undesired effect on planar adventures, I'm glad it was a more unique and light humoured rather than dark and foreboding Lovecraftian.
My best memory is using this book as a reference when telling stories to my young son!