Planescraft: A Historical Perspective

[Catodon]

Planescraft: A Historical Perspective
When Planescape was first printed in the early 1990’s most fantasy rpg worlds were Medieval even Dark Age. In Fantasy Craft terms worlds were Feudal Era. Planescape had a unique feel because it was a renaissance setting drawing heavily on the street culture of historical London. In a hobby dominated by Feudal era worlds the Reason Era culture of Sigil was very novel even jarring. Like their Clueless PCs, players found themselves trying to adapt not only to the planes but also to an unfamiliar and advanced rpg culture.

Forward to 2012; the influence of Planescape has contributed to most current fantasy rpg worlds being more Reason than Feudal hence the impact of Sigil is lost on new players and their PC’s. One way to restore some of the lost superiority of the planes is to rule that Prime worlds are Feudal or earlier Era. You could even have the PCs begin Planescraft as Clueless; set the first adventure on their home prime and in the final dramatic scene transport them to Sigil. From then on players and PC’s must come to grips with the floating city, twig to the cant, discover doors, and find a place for themselves in the planes.

Any comments? Do other olde timers remember this the same way? What do the authors of Planescraft think?

[Brakk]

I agree with the observation that Planescape's setting belongs to the Reason Era. But no gunpowder please
I feel that the whole idea behind it was to present the Planes as something more grandeur, deeper, and transcendental in contrast to  your regular Prime Material World. You could present a Prime World in the same way, but it wouldn't feel exactly right as far as DnD Cosmology is concerned.

In our current campaign, we traveled from the Planes to the Prime Material World. While we were constantly challenged (mostly mentally) on the Planes, on the Prime it feels like we're on a vacation.

[glimmerrat]

I still remember our first trip to the Abyss. By that point we were nearly level 20, and my Githzerai Monk had a Dex of 40... 

Even so, it was a scary place. I like the fact that the setting is effectively unlimited. The planes that you can visit are so varied, and some are just plain alien. I believe the para-elemental (or was it quasi-elemental?) plane of... magma, I think? ...was the one that felt the most dangerous.

[Catodon]

And with each plane being a whole universe there is plenty of room for referees to get creative or to slip in stuff from other other non-canon publications.