Astral Plane The Astral plane ( sometimes Astral Plane ) was one of the planes of existence in various models of cosmology . Astral Plane in the Great Wheel Model . In 1st and 2nd edition D & D , as explained by the Great Wheel cosmology model , the Astral plane connected the Prime Material Plane s to the first layers of the Outer planes . The Astral could be reached from almost any point in a Prime Material plane or first layer of any Outer plane by spell , psionic ability , or device . It was described as a barren place of other - dimensional nothingness extending in all directions . What little solid substance that floated in the bright , gray void was typically chunks of matter broken off from their original plane . The Astral had no gravity but objects did retain their mass so you could throw small items or push off from large objects to move in the weightless environment . Time in the Astral flowed at the same rate on a Prime Material plane but the " effects " of time were slowed almost to a stop — a thousand years in the Astral plane felt like only a day to the traveler . Entering the Astral plane could be accomplished in one of two ways : projecting your astral form into the plane , or by physically entering the plane . Astral projection was the safest way to travel but still involved risk because you left your physical body behind on your plane of origin . Your astral body would be accompanied by the astral forms of any items and clothing that were magical or radiated a magic aura . While projecting , your astral self was connected to your physical body by a " silver cord " that stretched out behind you for about ten feet ( three meters ) and then became " invisible " and " intangible " . Very few things could sever this silver cord : a powerful " psychic wind " , a githyanki " silver sword " , or the will of gods . The physical body left behind appeared alive but did not require food , water , or air and did not age . It could be moved and was vulnerable to damage and death . If your body was slain , you died some minutes later . If your astral self was slain , you returned to your physical body in a coma . Physically entering the Astral plane required a spell such as plane shift and brought the traveler wholly into the Astral with no silver cord to anchor her to her plane of origin . Upon entering the Astral plane you saw a silvery " color pool " nearby — a portal to the Prime Material plane you came from . Astral projecting travelers saw their silver cord leading back to this pool . Color pools appeared as two - dimensional circles about 10 - 60 feet ( 3 to 18 meters ) in diameter and only visible from one side unless you had some way to detect invisible objects . Pools of different colors were portals to the different Outer planes . Each Outer plane had its own unique color but your home portal was always a metallic silver , rippling like mercury in a pan . Color pools could be used to view the destination plane before stepping through by mentally concentrating on the nearby pool until it became transparent . A viewer could also move ( with some limitations ) the portal ' s viewpoint by concentration . Astral projecting travelers formed a new physical body ( with silver cord attached ) when they stepped through a color pool to their destination plane . The new body was formed out of local materials so the greater the similarity between your home plane and your destination , the more your new body looked like your original one . Astral Plane in the World Tree Model . In the 3 . 5 edition of D & D , the Astral plane was described as a shapeless cloud that surrounded " all " the other planes ( including the Inner planes which were not accessible via the Astral in the Great Wheel model ) . The Forgotten Realms World Tree cosmology model modified the Astral plane to be tree - shaped , touching nearly all planes , and overlapping the World Tree as well . The ramification of this is that travel between planes was not easily accomplished without going through the " trunk " of the tree ( i . e . , the Material plane ) . Direct connections between separate dominions of the gods was only possible by cooperation between the deities in question . The Astral Plane had the following traits in the World Tree cosmology model : Color pools still existed in this model , but an Astral traveler had to choose the destination plane before setting out and would only encounter pools that lead to the chosen plane . To change destinations , the traveler had to reenter the Material plane and then begin the journey anew . Toril ' s Material plane actually linked to several other Astral planes , each of which connected Toril to the outer - planer homes of a different set of deities . They are based on the geographical areas of control held by the different pantheons . As such , there is an astral plane for the Maztica n and Zakhara n pantheons ( even though many of the Zakharan deities may reside on the Material Plane ) . The Kara - Tur an faiths are not connected to their own astral plane , as instead their deities connect to the Spirit World . Very little is known in Faerûn about these other astral planes but it is theorized that Ao supervises them just as he adjudicates the conflicts between the pantheons . Astral Plane in the World Axis Model . In 4th edition Forgotten Realms lore , the Spellplague set the dominions adrift — they were no longer linked to a tree - shaped Astral plane but floated aimlessly in the Astral Sea .