Astral Projection

Traveling through the Astral Plane by means of the astral projection spell involves projecting one’s consciousness there, usually in search of a gateway to an Outer Plane to visit. Since The Outer Planes are as much spiritual states of being as they are physical places, this allows a character to manifest in an Outer Plane as if he or she had physically traveled there, but as in a dream. A character’s death — either in the Astral Plane or on the destination plane — causes no actual harm. Only the severing of a character’s silver cord while on the Astral Plane (or the death of his or her helpless physical body on the Material Plane) can result in the character’s true death. Thus, high-level characters sometimes travel to The Outer Planes by way of Astral Projection rather than seek out a portal or use a more direct spell.
Only a few things can sever a traveler’s silver cord, the most common being a psychic wind. The legendary silver swords of the githyanki also have this ability. A character who travels bodily to the Astral Plane (by means of the Plane Shift spell or one of the rare portals that leads directly there) has no silver cord.

Primary Related Location

Astral Plane