Beginner's Guide to Planeswalking
Welcome to Sigil: Planar Legends! This server is set in the Planescape setting as it was in 2E (Pre-Faction War). If you're new, check the below sections for useful information, and remember to join the discord ( https://discord.gg/NFFX2XU3uu ) if you have any additional questions. Shoot us a message and we'll try to help!
The Lore
While planescape is an incredibly lore rich setting, it is not required that you go through all the 2E books to understand it. Sigil is the City at the Center of the Multiverse, with portals that go almost everywhere. It is commonplace for 'Clueless', denizens of Prime Materials like Alber Toril (Forgotten Realms) and Krynn (Dragonlance) to end up there with no knowledge of where they are or what surrounds them. Making a Clueless of a setting you're more comfortable with for a first character is entirely acceptable, as you will be able to learn about both the server and the setting in character and out of character in tandem. Its just a matter of finding that first planeswalker who will get you up to speed.
Sigil's Layout
It can be overwhelming stepping into the server for the first time. This section is here to help give you some starting direction.
After stepping out of the character setup area, you will be dropped into Sigil's Market Ward. This map is one of the main RP hubs of the server, and while you're getting started, everything you need to play is within one area transition.
Airon's Inn near the center of the area will allow you to rest if you pay for a room to recover spell slots and heal.
The northern transition out of the square will lead to the Great Bazaar, where you will be able to buy most supplies you'll need to operate within the planes. From potions and healing kits, to better starter equipment than what you can buy at character creation.
In the South-Western side of the Square, you will have a transition to Newt Street, and another to Sigil's Sewers. Both of these are beginner dungeons, with the sewers being the easiest of the two, and will be your source of gold and XP in your character's early progression.
The Golden Bezants, a shop opposite of Airon's inn will allow you to sell any items you have found while dungeon delving with the exception of gems. The Kenku [Place Name Here] in the Great Bazaar will buy any gems you have found.
The Fulcrum at the center of the area is where PCs will usually gather for general RP and to gather groups for expeditions out into the planes.
The Eastern and Western transitions will lead to the other Wards (Districts) of Sigil. Sigil is a city that exists within the inside of a ring. If you were to look up, you could see a district of the city in the opposite end of the ring. This also means, that if you go in one direction for long enough, you will eventually end up where you started. Feel free to explore the other Wards (Districts) that Sigil has to offer. All of them, with the exception of the Hive, are safe.
Portals and You
In Sigil, any arch can house a portal. Portals in Sigil are gateways to other places, sometimes other planes of existence altogether, that remain invisible until activated.
From a gameplay perspective, there are three kinds of portals, and all three of them can be either two-way or one-way.
- Key-Activated: These portals won't even reveal themselves unless you cross the arch they inhabit while holding the suitable Portal key. Portal Keys can be anything. From a thought, or a smell, to a piece of junk. An example of a Key-Activated Portal, are the portals between Wards. In the Market Ward's western end, there is an arch that leads to the Lady's Ward that houses one of these. These can be activated by a Planar Transit Keystone that can be purchased from the Planar Transit Overseer standing next to it. Many other key-activated portals exist, and planeswalkers will often carry all sorts of junk on them because any such miscelanious item might turn out to be a key. Explore to find them, or ask a veteran in game!
- Clickable Placeables: Some placeables, when clicked, will reveal that they actually house a portal. A key is generally not required to use these, as it is accepted in universe that the key is something insubstantial, or the act of interacting with the placeable itself.
- Doorways: Since any arch can house a portal, it shouldn't be surprising that any door transition you take might not lead you where you expect. Should you cross a door in the city, and end up in a cave, don't be confused. You have just stepped through a portal!
Beware of arches! Most locations in the outer and inner planes aren't suitable for mortal life!
Quests
Leveling up in SPL can be achieved by killing monsters, roleplaying, exploring and doing quests. Quests are a good way for new characters to get over the first couple of levels quickly, as well as generate some extra gold. They generate XP that doesn't count towards the daily XP cap from killing NPCs should you choose to engage with them.
Early Questing
Outside of the entrance to most beginner dungeons there will be a marked NPC on your map. This NPC will tell you about what you should expect in those dungeons, and offer gold and XP for trophy items dropped by the bosses at the end of the dungeon.
At the very start of your character's carreer, this would be Inquisitor Garrat outside of Newt Street and Sigil's Sewers.
At level 12, you will be outside of the level range to receive XP from turning in these boss trophies, but you will also be at a point where most of the server is open for you to explore.
The Planeswalker's Guild
In the Market Ward there is a Planeswalker's Guild representative. He will give you a daily quest for you to complete.
While in the early game these will only provide a bonus XP reward that doesn't count to the daily cap, as you get closer to Level 20, you will start receiving quests that reward substantial gold rewards and sometimes even an exceedingly rare item.
Most quests early on will be to kill 30 of a creature type. If you don't know where to find that creature type, reach out to a player in character, or ask around on the discord if you need help and we'll find a way to help you IC.
Later on, it is common to see players on the discord using the #looking-for-bashers in character channel to organize parties for some of the harder quests.
You can check a list of what quests you have been given by the Planeswalker's Guild through the crafting menu by right clicking your character, and navigating to the option under "Special abilities".