D&D 5E Planescape, Bigby, Phandelver and the Deck of Many Things: Covers & Details Revealed!

The covers of the upcoming D&D books — including Planescape, Glory of the Giants, and the Deck of Many Things have been revealed.

• August 15th -- Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants ($59.95)
• August 15th -- The Practically Complete Guide to Dragons ($39.95)
• September 19th -- Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk ($59.95)
• October 16th -- Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse ($TBA)
• November 14th -- Book of Many Things ($TBA)

Coming August 15th with two variants. Lore about giants, 76 stat blocks, feats, and a giant subclass.

3 hardcovers in a boxed set-- 96 page guide to Sigil, 64-page bestiary, and 96-page adventure, along with a poster map and DM screen. Coming October 16th.

224-page adventure for levels 1-12, poster map, 16 new monsters. Coming September 19th.

66 illustrated cards, 192-page book with lore, character options, magic items, and monsters, 80-page card reference guide, all in a slipcase. Coming November 14th.​

These Are Dungeons & Dragons' New Products For 2023

New books for the fantasy role-playing game include Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants, and a look at the legendary Deck of Many Things.

themessenger.com

 

[vecna00]

I was wondering when we would get more information about Bigby's, but I wasn't expecting information on everything this year!

 

[Maxperson]

Quality settings haven't been produced since Eberron back in early 3e. What we need is a time machine, go back and never let WotC be bought out by Hasbro. Keep the OG game developers from quitting and being laid off, and then D&D today would be the D&D that was originally great and not the monetized, watered-down, minimalist garbage it is now.

I don't agree. 5e Ebberon is quality. 5e Theros is quality. And I've heard that the one Mercer created is good. 3e was probably a bit better for setting quality, but they have produced a few good ones this edition.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I was wondering when we would get more information about Bigby's, but I wasn't expecting information on everything this year!

WotC marketing has two speeds: Hide from the fans vs. give them everything all at once and then go back into hiding.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Folks being frustrated that the Planescape books won't present anything comparable to what 2E eventually turned out seem to be forgetting 1) how many boxed sets and floppy booklets it took to get that wealth of information and 2) most of those planes are filler, even if you had an enjoyable encounter or two in Pandemonium one time in 1996.

Even if they produced a substantially larger book than they are going to, they would necessarily need to narrow their focus and most purchasers would want them to.

 

[vecna00]

WotC marketing has two speeds: Hide from the fans vs. give them everything all at once and then go back into hiding.

You're not wrong!

 

[beta-ray]

They call Planescape a “box set” and I wish they called it something else because it’s just 3 books in a case. There are no cool maps and handouts etc

?

I can't of course judge the coolness of it, but it does come with a map.

Everything We Know About D&D's Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse Sourcebooks - IGN

This return to Planescape comes in a slipcase that includes Sigil and the Outlands, a setting sourcebook with player options, locations, and characters from the dreamlike region, Morte's Planar Parade, a compendium of characters and creatures from the Outlands, and Turn of Fortune's Wheel, an adventure that makes heavy use of the setting.

The package also comes with a DM screen and a poster map.

 

[Demetrios1453]

Folks being frustrated that the Planescape books won't present anything comparable to what 2E eventually turned out seem to be forgetting 1) how many boxed sets and floppy booklets it took to get that wealth of information and 2) most of those planes are filler, even if you had an enjoyable encounter or two in Pandemonium one time in 1996.

Even if they produced a substantially larger book than they are going to, they would necessarily need to narrow their focus and most purchasers would want them to.

Yep. All that juicy info was in three further box sets (for the Outer Planes) and three books (for the Astral, Ethereal, and Inner Planes). And beyond that, there's plenty of other geographic info from other books in the product line as well. There's no way that could all be in one product now, unless people want to push it around in a wheelbarrow...

 

[Parmandur]

Yep. All that juicy info was in three further box sets (for the Outer Planes) and three books (for the Astral, Ethereal, and Inner Planes). And beyond that, there's plenty of other geographic info from other books in the product line as well. There's no way that could all be in one product now, unless people want to push it around in a wheelbarrow...

I mean, particularly since those old products are still available..

 

[Demetrios1453]

IGN has a much fuller breakdown of Bigby's in this article:

Everything We Know About D&D's Glory of the Giants Sourcebook - IGN

Here's everything we know about Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants, an upcoming sourcebook for Dungeons & Dragons that will focus on giants.

www.ign.com

The monster list is very interesting. If we're getting the old-school gargantua from 1e/2e, that means we'll be seeing Godzilla-type kaiju.

Lol we've been starved for info on upcoming products, and suddenly a huge info dump on one day. Just like waiting for a bus - none come by forever, and then suddenly a bunch at once!

Swinging back around to this, looking over the bestiary contents, a few things stand out:

The list seems like it will be relatively complete given that they say there will be something above 70 stat blocks.

While we're getting some updates on older giant types in the death giant and the fensir (which is basically a LotR troll that turns to stone upon sunlight, although they turn back to flesh again after sunset), there's no sign of other traditional giants like the fog and mountain giants. The fog giant is already detailed in a free supplement on D&D Beyond, but it is odd they aren't mentioned here and may be skipped altogether in this book. They may be, if mentioned at all, just be described as variants of cloud and hill giants respectively.

The gargantua mentioned here is probably the 2e humanoid gargantua. The old insectoid gargantua (Mothra, basically) seems to be the "Kaiju bug" here, and the old reptilian gargantua (Godzilla, basically) is presumably going to be among the gargantuan dinosaurs. More dinosaurs are always good, in my opinion!

The giant cultists and rune-mages definitely pique my interest. But it's odd there's no sign of giant leaders, like frost giant jarls or fire giant dukes, in the list.

Hopefully, we'll see some new art for the firbolg. We've only had the one 5e illustration from VGtm/MotM, and it would be nice to see some variety, especially as they tended to be craigier and bearded in earlier art.

I have no idea what a bag jelly is (and nothing comes up with a search), but it frightens me....

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The fog giant is already detailed in a free supplement on D&D Beyond, but it is odd they aren't mentioned here and may be skipped altogether in this book.

Did they make it free? I thought it was in the Extra Life monster booklet that updated some old Fiend Folio critters.