Editing Manual of the Planes

{{Short description|Tabletop role-playing game supplement}}
{{More footnotes|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox book 
| name          = Manual of the Planes
| image         = File:AD&D Manual of the Planes.jpg
| caption       = ''Manual of the Planes'', for 1st Edition ''AD&D''
| author        = [[Jeff Grubb]]
| genre         = [[Role-playing game]]
| publisher     = [[TSR, Inc.|TSR]]
| release_date  = 1987
| media_type    = Print ([[Hardback]])
| pages         = 
| isbn          = 
}}
The '''''Manual of the Planes''''' (abbreviated '''MoP'''<ref name="D&Dfaq">{{cite web|url=http://www.wizards.com/dnd/DnDArchives_FAQ.asp |title=''Dungeons & Dragons'' FAQ |access-date=October 3, 2008 |publisher=[[Wizards of the Coast]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100514204427/http://www.wizards.com/dnd/DnDArchives_FAQ.asp |archive-date=May 14, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>) is a manual for the ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' [[role-playing game]]. This text addresses the [[Plane (Dungeons & Dragons)|planar cosmology]] of the game universe.

The original book (for use with ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' 1st Edition) was published in 1987 by [[TSR, Inc]].<ref>{{cite book| title=Manual of the Planes| isbn=0-88038-399-2| year=1987| publisher=TSR, Inc| first=Jeff| last=Grubb}}</ref>  For 2nd Edition, concern over inclusion of [[angel]]s and [[demon]]s led TSR to forgo the release, though they compensated years later with the [[Planescape]] campaign setting.  A third edition version of the ''Manual of the Planes'' was published in 2001 by [[Wizards of the Coast]], while a new version for 4th Edition debuted in 2008.

== ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' first edition ==
The original ''Manual of the Planes'' was written by [[Jeff Grubb]], with a cover by [[Jeff Easley]] and interior illustrations by [[Stephen Fabian]] with Easley, and was published by TSR in 1987 as a 128-page hardcover.<ref name="HW">{{cite book |last=Schick |first=Lawrence |title=Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games |publisher=Prometheus Books |year=1991 |isbn=0-87975-653-5 |page=106}}</ref> Easley's cover featured an illustration of a creature named in the book as an "ethereal dreadnought", although the book had no description or game statistics for the creature.<!--From p19 of the MoP: "An illusionist creates a ''phatasmal force'' of a large ethereal dreadnought (see the cover of the book).--><ref>Grubb, Jeff. ''Manual of the Planes'' ([[TSR, Inc.|TSR]], 1987)</ref> This creature was later identified in 2nd edition as an astral dreadnought.

The book describes various planes of existence, and what creatures characters might encounter there, covering the astral and ethereal planes, the elemental planes, and the outer planes.<ref name="HW"/> The book also details how to survive in the planes, and how combat and magic differ under each plane's special conditions. The [[Plane (Dungeons & Dragons)#Ethereal Plane|Ethereal Plane]], The [[Inner Plane]]s—including the Plane of Elemental Air, the Plane of Elemental Fire, the Plane of Elemental Earth, and the Plane of Elemental Water, the Para-Elemental Planes (Smoke, Magma, Ooze, and Ice), the Energy Planes ([[Inner Plane#Positive Energy Plane|Positive Energy]] and [[Inner Plane#Negative Energy Plane|Negative Energy]]), and the Quasi-Elemental Planes (Lightning, Radiance, Minerals, Steam, Vacuum, Ash, Dust, and Salt)—and the [[Plane (Dungeons & Dragons)#Astral Plane|Astral Plane]]. After these planes, the [[Outer Plane]]s are briefly described, including [[Mechanus|Nirvana]], [[Arcadia (Dungeons & Dragons)|Arcadia]], [[Mount Celestia|Seven Heavens]], [[Bytopia|Twin Paradises]], [[Elysium (Dungeons & Dragons)|Elysium]], [[Beastlands|Happy Hunting Grounds]], [[Arborea (Dungeons & Dragons)|Olympus]], [[Ysgard|Gladsheim]], [[Limbo (Dungeons & Dragons)|Limbo]], [[Pandemonium (Dungeons & Dragons)|Pandemonium]], [[Abyss (Dungeons & Dragons)|The Abyss]], [[Carceri (Dungeons & Dragons)|Tarterus]], [[Gray Waste|Hades]], [[Gehenna (Dungeons & Dragons)|Gehenna]], [[Baator|The Nine Hells]], [[Acheron (Dungeons & Dragons)|Acheron]], and [[Outlands|Concordant Opposition]]. ''Manual of the Planes'' explains how each of the outer planes is related to each of the character [[Alignment (Dungeons & Dragons)|alignments]]. For example, "[[Mount Celestia|The Seven Heavens]]" is the final resting place for characters of [[Alignment (Dungeons & Dragons)#Lawful good|Lawful Good]] alignment.

In 1999, a [[paperback]] reprint of the first edition was released.<ref name="Fogens">{{cite magazine|title=Classic ''AD&D'' books are back|last=Fogens|first=M.|issue=52|magazine=[[InQuest Gamer]]|page=20|publisher=[[Wizard Entertainment]]|date=August 1999}}</ref>

{{Clear}}

==''Dungeons & Dragons'' 3rd edition==
{{Infobox book 
| name          = Manual of the Planes
| authors       = [[Jeff Grubb]], [[Bruce R. Cordell]], and [[David Noonan (game designer)|David Noonan]]
| genre         = [[Role-playing game]]
| publisher     = [[Wizards of the Coast]]
| release_date  = September 2001
| exclude_cover     = yes
| media_type    = Print ([[Hardback]])
| pages         = 224
| isbn          = 0-7869-1850-0
}}

The third edition ''Manual of the Planes'' was designed by [[Jeff Grubb]], [[Bruce R. Cordell]], and [[David Noonan (game designer)|David Noonan]].  Cover art is by [[Arnie Swekel]], with interior art by [[Matt Cavotta]], [[Monte Moore (artist)|Monte Moore]], [[Wayne Reynolds]], [[Darrell Riche]], [[David Roach (comics)|David Roach]], and Arnie Swekel.

After the typical introduction found in almost all guides of D&D 3rd. Edition, ''Manual of the Planes'' presents, in its first chapter, an overview of planes in general: what they are, what their nature is, and what is their function on gameplay. Info about how to shift between planes is also available in this chapter.

The second chapter presents hints on how to design your own cosmology of planes, based on the D&D official cosmology known as "The Great Wheel". Generating a personalized cosmology involves several options—for example, consider how magic works if basic planes that feed magic (such as the Ethereal or Astral planes) are disposed of.

The next chapters in the ''Manual'' are dedicated to detail the Great Wheel and the 27 planes that constitute it, including the [[Inner Plane]]s and the [[Outer Plane]]s.

The book also gives game statistics for monsters of the planes, such as the ephemera of the Plane of Shadow.<ref>Grubb, Jeff, David Noonan, and [[Bruce Cordell]].  ''[[Manual of the Planes]]'' ([[Wizards of the Coast]], 2001)</ref>

{{Clear}}

==''Dungeons & Dragons'' 4th edition==
{{Infobox book 
| name          = Manual of the Planes
| authors       = [[Richard Baker (game designer)|Richard Baker]], [[John Rogers (writer)|John Rogers]], [[Robert J. Schwalb]], and [[James Wyatt (game designer)|James Wyatt]]
| genre         = [[Role-playing game]]
| publisher     = [[Wizards of the Coast]]
| release_date  = 2008
| exclude_cover     = yes
| media_type    = Print ([[Hardback]])
| pages         = 
| isbn          = 
}}

This book was designed by [[Richard Baker (game designer)|Richard Baker]] (lead), [[John Rogers (writer)|John Rogers]], [[Robert J. Schwalb]], and [[James Wyatt (game designer)|James Wyatt]]. Cover art is by [[Howard Lyon]], with interior art by [[Rob Alexander]], [[Dave Allsop]], [[Steve Belledin]], [[Zoltan Boros (artist)|Zoltan Boros]] & [[Gabor Szikszai]], Chippy, [[Daarken]], [[Eric Deschamps]], [[Steve Ellis (comics)|Steve Ellis]], [[Jason Engle]], [[Ralph Horsley]], Howard Lyon, [[Warren Mahy]], [[Torstein Nordstrand]], [[William O'Connor (artist)|William O'Connor]], [[Lucio Parillo]], [[Anne Stokes]], [[Francis Tsai]], and [[Franz Vohwinkel]]. The 4th Edition '''Manual of the Planes''' reinvented the cosmology into a streamlined arrangement called the World Axis cosmology.<ref name="4EMotP">[[Richard Baker (game designer)|Baker, Richard]], [[John Rogers (writer)|John Rogers]], [[Robert J. Schwalb]], and [[James Wyatt (game designer)|James Wyatt]]. ''Manual of the Planes'' ([[Wizards of the Coast]], December 2008)</ref> It consists of five core types of planes:

* 1. The Mortal World
* 2. The Parallel Planes – two planes that are linked to the Mortal World
** Feywild (Plane of Faerie)
** Shadowfell (Plane of Shadow)
* 3. Fundamental Planes – two planes that surround the Mortal World
** The Astral Sea – the plane above; consists of Astral Dominions
** The Elemental Chaos – the plane below; consists of Elemental Realms
* 4. Demiplanes – unique bubbles of existence such as [[Sigil (Dungeons & Dragons)|Sigil]]
* 5. Anomalous Planes – planes of an obscure nature
** The Far Realm – uncharted plane that exists beyond the known cosmology
** The Plane of Dreams – composed of all the dreams that have ever been dreamt

==Reception==
The 3rd edition ''Manual of the Planes'' won the 2002 [[ENnies|Ennie Award]] for "Best Rules Supplement".<ref>[http://www.ennie-awards.com/blog/about-us/2002-noms-and-winners/ 2002 Noms and Winners - ENnie Awards]</ref>

Scott Taylor of ''[[Black Gate (magazine)|Black Gate]]'' listed the ''Manual of the Planes'' as #4 on the list of "Top 10 'Orange Spine' ''AD&D'' Hardcovers By Jeff Easley, saying "Ethereal Dreadnaught... enough said. Well perhaps not truly 'enough', but you get the idea."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.blackgate.com/2016/09/14/art-of-the-genre-top-10-orange-spine-add-hardcovers-by-jeff-easley/ | title=Art of the Genre: Top 10 'Orange Spine' AD&D Hardcovers by Jeff Easley – Black Gate | date=14 September 2016 }}</ref>

Viktor Coble listed ''Manual of the Planes'' as #7 on ''[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]]''<nowiki/>'s 2021 "D&D: 10 Best Supplemental Handbooks" list, stating that "it expands the Dungeons and Dragons base-world, making an entire universe complete with in-game lore, methods of traversing these elements, and brand new mechanics to account for them."<ref name="cbr">{{Cite web|last=Coble|first=Viktor|date=2021-12-17|title=D&D: 10 Best Supplemental Handbooks|url=https://www.cbr.com/dd-best-supplemental-handbooks/|access-date=2022-04-28|website=CBR|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Reviews==
* ''[[Casus Belli (magazine)|Casus Belli]]'' #40 (Oct 1987)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rpggeek.com/rpgissuearticle/138952/tetes-daffiche|title = Têtes d'affiche &#124; Article &#124; RPGGeek}}</ref>
*''[[:fr:Backstab|Backstab]]'' #34<ref>https://archive.org/details/backstab-034/page/n93/mode/2up</ref>
*''Coleção Dragon Slayer''<ref>https://archive.org/details/colecaodragonslayer/Dragon%20Slayer%2004/page/n9/mode/2up</ref>

==Legacy==
The astral dreadnought on the cover art for the original ''Manual of the Planes'' was the inspiration for the [[Cacodemon]] in  the ''[[Doom (franchise)|Doom]]'' video game series.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Takahashi |first=Dean |date=2013-12-11 |title=After 20 years, Doom co-creator John Romero looks back on the impact of a seminal (and Satanic) game (interview) |url=https://venturebeat.com/games/after-20-years-doom-co-creator-john-romero-looks-back-on-the-impact-of-a-seminal-game-interview/ |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=VentureBeat |language=en-US}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|title=Manual of the Planes |edition=3rd |isbn=0-7869-1850-0 |year=2001 |last1=Grubb |first1=Jeff |author-link1=Jeff Grubb |last2=Noonan |first2=David |author-link2=David Noonan (game designer) |last3=Cordell |first3=Bruce R. |author-link3=Bruce Cordell |publisher=Wizards of the Coast |url=http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/dndacc/882420000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080507185230/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products%2Fdndacc%2F882420000 |archive-date=May 7, 2008 |url-status=dead }}

==External links==
* [http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_5098.html Rpg.net review (3rd edition)]
* [http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/14/14378.phtml Rpg.net review (4th edition)]

{{D&D Books}}
{{D&D topics}}

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[[Category:Dungeons & Dragons sourcebooks]]
[[Category:ENnies winners]]
[[Category:Handbooks and manuals]]
[[Category:Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1987]]