Planescape Background and Feats Introduction

Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse (affiliate link) brings us two new backgrounds and seven new feats, all of which are restricted to the Planescape campaign. As in other recent products, each background grants a feat, and the feats published in the book form feat trees where one feat is a prerequisite for one or more other feats.

As befits the theme of Planescape, the backgrounds and feats are all closely associated with the multiverse and with individual planes.

Table of Contents

Disclaimer

RPGBOT uses the color coding scheme which has become common among Pathfinder build handbooks, which is simple to understand and easy to read at a glance.

  • Red: Bad, useless options, or options which are extremely situational. Nearly never useful.
  • Orange: OK options, or useful options that only apply in rare circumstances. Useful sometimes.
  • Green: Good options. Useful often.
  • Blue: Fantastic options, often essential to the function of your character. Useful very frequently.

We will not include 3rd-party content, including content from DMs Guild, in handbooks for official content because we can’t assume that your game will allow 3rd-party content or homebrew. We also won’t cover Unearthed Arcana content because it’s not finalized, and we can’t guarantee that it will be available to you in your games.

The advice offered below is based on the current State of the Character Optimization Meta as of when the article was last updated. Keep in mind that the state of the meta periodically changes as new source materials are released, and the article will be updated accordingly as time allows.

Backgrounds

As with other post-Tasha’s backgrounds, we can assume that you can use all the typical rules for customizing backgrounds. This means that it’s basically just “this feat for free on top of whatever regular background stuff you want.” You’re free to keep the background’s Feature (feats in this case) but rearrange the proficiencies.

That said, the Gate Warden and the Planar Philosopher are both excellent backgrounds that do a great job tying your character to Sigil and the Outlands. Both backgrounds grant the Scion of the Outer Planes feat.

Feats

1st-Level Feats

Scion of the Outer Planes

One damage resistance and a cantrip. Excellent on any character, but non-spellcasters may struggle with some of the cantrips.

  • Chaotic: Resistance to a common damage type and a fantastic cantrip.
  • Lawful: The damage resistance is rarely useful, but Guidance is among the best cantrips in the game.
  • Good: The damage resistance is only situationally useful, but it’s also very hard to replicate. The cantrip is only good for spellcasters.
  • Evil: The damage resistance is only situationally useful, but it’s also very hard to replicate. The cantrip is only good for spellcasters.
  • Outlands: The damage resistance is only situationally useful, but it’s also very hard to replicate. The cantrip is good utility, but not consistently useful.

4th-Level Feats

Agent of Order

With an ability score increase and a rider effect which triggers on any form of damage, this is an easy go-to option for basically any spellcaster. This is especially tempting if you like to use spells that deal damage repeatedly, such as Eldritch Blast or Scorching Ray because they can benefit from your target being Restrained by your first attack. You can also use this to hold enemies in place within area damage spells, forcing enemies to remain in the area and take the damage again.

Technically any character can use this, but the DC is associated with your spellcasting ability, so martial characters may find this unreliable.

Baleful Scion

An easy fit on any character. The damage boost isn’t huge and it doesn’t appear to multiply on a critical hit, but it provides and easy lifesteal mechanism that can stretch your durability, and with an ability score increase it’s easy to fit this into a build.

Cohort of Chaos

Three of the four effects are beneficial, so it makes sense to lean into the chaos and try to trigger the effects as often as possible. Classes that roll a lot of d20s, such as barbarians, fighters, and warlocks, are the obvious candidates here.

With an ability score increase, this is easy to fit into any build, but the benefits of the Chaotic Flares are minor, short-lived, and unpredictable. This might be fun, but it’s unlikely to be very effective. Still, I would put this on a Wild Magic Barbarian and have a wonderful time.

Outlands Envoy

Fey Touched will almost always be a better choice.

Planar Wanderer

The damage resistance is excellent, and the ability to change it daily is very exciting. The stuff with portals is tempting in a planescape campaign, but basically useless anywhere else.

Righteous Heitor

Easy to fit into any build and literally every character can benefit both themselves and their party by having this. The damage reduction isn’t huge, but it will still stretch your party’s durability quite a bit.