Plane Shift

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• Level: 7
• School: Conjuration
• Class: Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
• Casting Time: Action
• Range: Touch
• Components: V, S, M (a forked, metal rod worth 250+ GP and attuned to a plane of existence)
• Duration: Instantaneous

You and up to eight willing creatures who link hands in a circle are transported to a different plane of existence. You can specify a target destination in general terms, such as a specific city on the Elemental Plane of Fire or palace on the second level of the Nine Hells, and you appear in or near that destination, as determined by the GM.

Alternatively, if you know the sigil sequence of a teleportation circle on another plane of existence, this spell can take you to that circle. If the teleportation circle is too small to hold all the creatures you transported, they appear in the closest unoccupied spaces next to the circle.

Tactical Usage

Interplanar Transportation Hub. Plane Shift serves as the primary method for accessing other planes of existence, enabling epic-level adventures, planar exploration, and escape from threats that exist only on specific planes.

Emergency Escape Option. Instant transportation to other planes provides ultimate escape from overwhelming threats, though return travel requires additional casting or alternative methods.

Precise Destination Control. Teleportation circle targeting allows exact arrival locations on other planes, while general destination descriptions provide flexible exploration options with Creator-determined arrival points.

Spell Combinations

Return Trip Planning. Multiple prepared Plane Shift spells or alternative return methods like scrolls, items, or allied casters ensure groups can return from planar expeditions.

Communication Preparation. Sending or other long-distance communication spells help coordinate with contacts on destination planes before departure or maintain connection during extended planar stays.

Survival Enhancement. Protection from Elements, Create Food and Water, and other survival spells prepare groups for hostile planar environments with dangerous atmospheric or magical conditions.

Material Component Details

Planar Attunement Requirement. The forked metal rod worth 250+ gold pieces must be attuned to the destination plane, requiring prior exposure, magical research, or acquisition from planar specialists.

Component Preparation. Attuning rods to specific planes often requires extended research, contact with planar entities, or acquisition of materials from the target plane through trading or previous expeditions.

Multi-Plane Logistics. Serious planar travelers maintain collections of attuned rods for frequently visited planes, representing significant investment but enabling flexible interplanar movement.

Creator Notes

Campaign Scope Expansion. Plane Shift dramatically expands campaign possibilities, allowing access to entire cosmological settings and planar adventures that fundamentally change story scope and character options.

Planar Challenge Design. Different planes offer unique environmental hazards, social dynamics, and adventure opportunities that require specialized preparation and present distinct storytelling possibilities.

Return Journey Considerations. Stranding characters on hostile planes creates dramatic tension, while easy return access might trivialize certain challenges or reduce the weight of planar expedition decisions.

Environmental Interactions

Planar Environment Adaptation. Arrival planes might have different atmospheric conditions, gravity, magical properties, or environmental hazards requiring immediate adaptation or protective measures.

Magical Property Variations. Some planes enhance or restrict certain types of magic, affect spellcasting, or modify magical item functionality in ways that impact party capabilities.

Planar Boundary Effects. Certain planar borders or locations might prevent or redirect plane shift attempts, while others facilitate easier travel between connected or aligned planes.

Common Rulings & Clarifications

Group Transportation. Up to eight willing creatures can travel together by linking hands in a circle, though unwilling targets cannot be transported without additional compulsion effects.

Destination Accuracy. General destination descriptions result in Creator-determined arrival locations near the intended area, while teleportation circle sigil sequences provide exact positioning.

Circle Size Limitations. If destination teleportation circles are too small for the entire group, excess travelers appear in nearby unoccupied spaces rather than being left behind.

Willing Participant Requirement. All transported creatures must be willing, preventing forced transportation of enemies or unwilling allies without additional magical compulsion.

Alternative Applications

Planar Diplomacy. Direct transportation enables face-to-face meetings with planar rulers, divine beings, or cosmic entities for high-level diplomatic negotiations.

Resource Acquisition. Access to plane-specific materials, magical components, or unique resources unavailable on the material plane for crafting, research, or quest completion.

Refuge Creation. Establishing secure bases or hideouts on remote or protected planes where enemies cannot easily follow or discover party locations.

Related Spells

Planar Travel Alternatives. Gate provides two-way portals for group travel, while Astral Projection offers safer but limited exploration of certain planar connections.

Transportation Magic. Teleportation Circle enables regular travel to known locations, while Teleport provides instant material plane movement without planar crossing capability.

Planar Research. Contact Other Plane and similar divination effects help identify appropriate destination planes and gather intelligence before dangerous expeditions.

Scaling Analysis

Non-Scaling Mechanics. Plane Shift provides consistent transportation capabilities regardless of spell slot level, maintaining utility through access to increasingly significant planar locations.

Campaign Progression. Utility scales with campaign scope and planar integration - epic adventures benefit greatly from interplanar access, while local campaigns might find limited applications.

Strategic Value. Higher-level characters face threats that span multiple planes, making reliable interplanar transportation increasingly valuable for both offense and defense.

Narrative Flavor

Dimensional Rift Creation. The spell tears reality to create temporary passages between planes, with visual effects appropriate to destination plane characteristics and magical nature.

Planar Transition Experience. Travelers might experience disorientation, sensory overload, or otherworldly sensations as they pass between planes with different fundamental properties.

Arrival Manifestation. Appearance on destination planes might create distinctive magical signatures, energy discharges, or environmental effects that announce the party's arrival to local inhabitants.