Planescape 5 New D&D Books Coming in 2023 -- Including Planescape!

At today's Wizards Presents event, hosts Jimmy Wong, Ginny Di, and Sydnee Goodman announced the 2023 line-up of D&D books, which featured something old, something new, and an expansion of a fan favorite.

The first of the five books, Keys from the Golden Vault, will arrive in winter 2023. At Tuesday's press preview, Chris Perkins, Game Design Architect for D&D, described it as “Ocean’s Eleven meets D&D” and an anthology of short adventures revolving around heists, which can be dropped into existing campaigns.

In Spring 2023, giants get a sourcebook just like their traditional rivals, the dragons, did in Fizban's Treasury of Dragons. Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants will be a deep dive into hill, frost, fire, cloud, and storm giants, plus much more.

Summer 2023 will have two releases. The Book of Many Things is a collection of creatures, locations, and other player-facing goodies related to that most famous D&D magic item, the Deck of Many Things. Then “Phandelver Campaign” will expand the popular Lost Mine of Phandelver from the D&D Starter Set into a full campaign tinged with cosmic horror.

And then last, but certainly not least, in Fall 2023, WotC revives another classic D&D setting – Planescape. Just like Spelljammer: Adventures in Space, Planescape will be presented as a three-book set containing a setting guide, bestiary, and adventure campaign in a slipcase. Despite the Spelljammer comparison they did not confirm whether it would also contain a DM screen.

More information on these five titles will be released when we get closer to them in date.

 

[Michael Linke]

They put most of them in there. It's really only missing a section on example Wildspace systems and how to create your own, and maybe some Astral locations of interest. Others wanted more fine-tuned ship combat rules (which I'm indifferent on). Those seem to be the vast majority of complaints. All in all, another 16 pages or so would probably have been enough to fill those gaps.

I'm sure they're aware of this by now, so the only thing to be done is make sure that they remain aware of it as they finalize the PS release page count. And, moreover, the slipcase format was stated to be experimental, so they could very well go back to the single book setting, like they did with Eberron and Ravenloft.

My preference is that they follow up Spelljammer with another 64 page book. I'll put my Light of Xaryxis out and let it live with other adventure anthologies, and let me slot this new book into the slipcase where it should have been in the first place.

 

[Retreater]

However, why does this get you all worked up? Does it bother that they are calling D&D One and 6th edition or 5.5 edition? I mean the are actively marketing as a change. Or do you not want change?

I just want clarity. I want my players to know what game we're playing without me having to list out which core rulebook options we're using. I want them to own up that there will be changes and to be transparent instead of hiding behind marketing speech that "you can use everything without changing anything" just because they're afraid they'll lose customers.
What else do I want? I want to hear that their plan to unify all the digital tools doesn't mean they'll end partnerships with companies like Roll20. I want to hear that 3rd parties and DMs Guild can still produce material.
I want to hear that I can ignore the stuff I don't like and it's not going to "break the system" (because it seems that numerous feats and backgrounds are tied in with rules that have been extremely optional in practice) - like the underwhelming and awful Inspiration mechanic that I've forgotten about for 6 years.

 

[Malmuria]

I want my players to know what game we're playing without me having to list out which core rulebook options we're using. I want them to own up that there will be changes and to be transparent instead of hiding behind marketing speech that "you can use everything without changing anything" just because they're afraid they'll lose customers.

If you are running a public game or a game with people you don't know, it will probably be the 2024 edition unless you specifically suggest otherwise. That said, I think one can assume that the character options from 2020-2023 will be most similar to the 2024 edition.

 

[dave2008]

I just want clarity. I want my players to know what game we're playing without me having to list out which core rulebook options we're using. I want them to own up that there will be changes and to be transparent instead of hiding behind marketing speech that "you can use everything without changing anything" just because they're afraid they'll lose customers.

Well nothing it changed yet. But ultimately I don't get it. I just don't feel like this is confusing or will be an issue a the table. I guess I know it will not be an issue at my table so it is hard to get worked up.

I feel they are being clear about their intent. If they achieve it or not remains to be seen. I just don't have the desire to stress about it when it is still be cooked and not even out of the oven yet.

What else do I want? I want to hear that their plan to unify all the digital tools doesn't mean they'll end partnerships with companies like Roll20. I want to hear that 3rd parties and DMs Guild can still produce material.

I guess I am not a worry like you. I assume the status que until told otherwise. You seem to want to assume the worst. We are all different.

I want to hear that I can ignore the stuff I don't like and it's not going to "break the system" (because it seems that numerous feats and backgrounds are tied in with rules that have been extremely optional in practice) - like the underwhelming and awful Inspiration mechanic that I've forgotten about for 6 years.

You can always ignore stuff, or at least I can. It does seem to be harder for you.

 

[Erdric Dragin]

Can't wait to see how they'll butcher my first, and favorite, setting of all: Planescape.

 

[Older Beholder]

Of all the announcements given Planescape is still the big one for me.
I've sent the 2023 schedule to a few friends, they've all responded the same way, a single word:

Planescape!

It just occurred to me that we'll get a range of Planescape minis!
Might have to start saving my cash now, if any set is ever going to get me forking out for those new collectors edition boxes. Planescape will be the the one.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Excited about Phandelver campaign and PLANESCAPE setting!

We are aligned 100%.

Haven't read the whole thread, but my prediction is Planescape will be similar to Spelljammer format.

And not really sure what's going to be in the Book of Many Things, but I might be down for that.

 

[RoughCoronet0]

I'm super excited about Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants, the giants were always a creature type that was cool yet lacking so its awesome to see them get a dedicated book and I'm also hoping this is a sign that we will be getting books for the other creature types as well.

For The Deck of Many Things, it's mentioned that the book will have a collection of creatures, locations, and other player-facing goodies, which is interesting. So maybe it will be part monster book, part Tasha's/Xanatar's in format? Consider me intrigued.

I'm excited for Planescape, though more so for any lore we might get on the Outer Planes rather then on Sigil or the Factions in truth. Still I excited.

 

[JEB]

I'm so glad they're doing this book. I wasn't happy how such a large and varied group as giants were stuffed into Volo's, and thought the variants in that book were just too esoteric; so much so that I created dozens of variants and posted them here! They also missed on giant-kin and giant-adjacent monsters like ogres and trolls. It will be nice to see giants get the full Fizban's treatment...

I wonder- Wizards having declared Volo's a non-canon "Legacy Content" product - if giants will get a thorough reimagining in this new book.

 

[JEB]

Every member of the D&D team called it 5th edition today.

Yep, and the FAQ also distinguishes between "fifth edition" and "One D&D". They apparently don't think of them as the same.