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

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

It's the same general argument that was used by people saying to just merge Planescape and Spelljammer.

whispers "you did see that spelljammers just sail through the Astral Sea now, though ..."

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'm honestly surprised that we didn't see a Dominaria setting book for the 30th anniversary of Magic. I don't get that zero sum attitude: we can have new Settings, old Settigns, and Magic Settings.

The lack of a Dominaria book for the MTG 30th anniversary is probably the worst news for people hoping for a World of Greyhawk revival of some sort for D&D's 50th anniversary. (And again, the lack of an actual DADHAT-branded D&D product, as opposed to toys or t-shirts, is further proof that WotC just doesn't seem to think this way. MONETIZATION!)

 

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

whispers "you did see that spelljammers just sail through the Astral Sea now, though ..."

whispers back "yeah, but most of those type of arguments (or at least the ones that I got caught up in) were saying to just ditch the Great Wheel and drop in Sigil and anything else of value as 'islands' in the Astral Sea a la 4e and make spelljamming from 'island' to 'island' the default means of planar travel... basically take 5e Spelljammer and mix it with 4e's Astral Sea (which was essentially the planar portion of 5e Spelljammer already), drop in Sigil as a 'spaceport', call it Planejammer, and never bother with Planescape proper again..."

 

[MonsterEnvy]

whispers "you did see that spelljammers just sail through the Astral Sea now, though ..."

That's not really a merging of Spelljammer and Planescape. Just means the two can be more easily connected.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

That's not really a merging of Spelljammer and Planescape. Just means the two can be more easily connected.

According to the full-on freak-outs that the idea of "Planejammer" caused around the internet, it's definitely something people were worried about.

 

[Remathilis]

Agree 110%, its a mix of too short page count with the adventure eating a huge amount of space.

Note WotC stop putting adventures into setting products, its coming at major expense of the setting. Even 4e knew not to do this.

Because we're still looking at it as a setting first, adventure second. Spelljammer was primarily an adventure with a separate bestiary (including bonus monsters not in the adventure proper) and a small players guide of additional character options, plus some basic setting info. Enough info to run the module and maybe use it as a springboard for the DM to do their own thing if they want. They did this with Spelljammer, Dragonlance and now Planescape. To a lesser degree, Radiant Citadel, Strixhaven and Witchlight use the same format.

It feels like WotC is expecting DMs will jump settings for each new campaign (I'll run Light of Xarysis this time, maybe War of the Dragon Queen next) rather than stay in one setting for years on end. It's not exactly a bad strategy; it opens a lot of different play styles and genres and allows for new PC options and monsters to keep things fresh. But it's very different from the intricate lore heavy settings of yore.

 

[Remathilis]

I was about to say exactly this. In fact, I pretty much expect something similar in this book.

(Remember how when Ravnica was published, there were lots of posts here stating that it meant we would never see Planescape because of the similarities? Pepperidge Farm remembers...)

I mean, first Ravinca was the reason we would never have Planescape.

Then Radiant Citadel was the reason we would never have Planescape.

Then Spelljammer was the reason we would never have Planescape.

Now we have Planescape, proving WotC has a greater imagination than a large swath of the player base when it comes to differentiating different planar cosmopolitan cities used as gateways to different realms.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I mean, first Ravinca was the reason we would never have Planescape.

Then Radiant Citadel was the reason we would never have Planescape.

Then Spelljammer was the reason we would never have Planescape.

Now we have Planescape, proving WotC has a greater imagination than a large swath of the player base when it comes to differentiating different planar cosmopolitan cities used as gateways to different realms.

Planescape is the reason we'll never have Jakandor.

 

[Parmandur]

The lack of a Dominaria book for the MTG 30th anniversary is probably the worst news for people hoping for a World of Greyhawk revival of some sort for D&D's 50th anniversary. (And again, the lack of an actual DADHAT-branded D&D product, as opposed to toys or t-shirts, is further proof that WotC just doesn't seem to think this way. MONETIZATION!)

Given that Perkins admitted in this recent press conference that the mysterious Chapter 8 of the new DMG is a sample Setting with a fold out map, I'm feeling bullish in Greyhawk in 2024, in the DMG at least.

 

[Parmandur]

Planescape is the reason we'll never have Jakandor.

Manifest it, my friend, manifest it.