Dungeons & Dragons used a Tuesday press conference to tease a packed release schedule, which includes the return of the Planescape campaign setting in fall 2023. The beloved setting, first published in 1994, will be getting the same treatment Wizards of the Coast provided with Spelljammer: Adventures in Space: a three-book slipcase including a setting guide, bestiary, and adventure campaign.
The setting of the classic PC game Planescape: Torment, Planescape digs into D&D’s deep cosmology by allowing players to hop between different planes. These include other traditional D&D settings on the Material Planes, the Inner Planes, which represent elemental forces, and the Outer Planes ruled by gods, angels and demons.
The city of Sigil serves as a hub for interplanar travel and is itself a rich setting with complex factions and a mysterious ruler known as the Lady of Pain. Players are encouraged to join one of the 15 factions which are united by a philosophy on the meaning of life. For instance, the Society of Sensation believes that enlightenment is achieved through experiences. Members use magic to store their memories so that others can experience them. The Harmonium police Sigil because they believe that they should rule all of reality to provide peace and stability.
While the fiendish tieflings, celestial-touched aasimar, and elementally aspected genasi have become staples in D&D, they were first introduced in Planescape as “planetouched” people. Planescape’s return was teased in a July Unearthed Arcana release that introduced glitchlings, a new player option similar to rogue modrons. In Planescape, modrons are constructs that enforce the rules of law and order from the Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus. Glitchlings might start collecting information on other planes to bring back to Mechanus, but some love their travels so much they decide to strike out on their own.
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It turns out May’s Unearthed Arcana: Giant Options was also serving as a preview of Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giantswhich will be released in spring 2023. It will serve as a companion to Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons with a focus on giants.
Winter 2023 will see the release of Keys from the Golden Vaultwhich D&D story architect Chris Perkins described as “Ocean’s 11 meets Dungeons & Dragons” It will be an anthology adventure like Candlekeep Mysteries, with each one-shot centering on a heist. In summer 2023, D&D will be publishing a yet unnamed Phandelver campaign which will expand on the Lost Mine of Phandelver mini-campaign found in the 5th edition Starter Set. The book will add a touch of cosmic horror to the fan-favorite adventure.
The Book of Many Things will launch in summer 2023. The player-facing book will be packed with creatures, locations and other content tied to the iconic artifact the Deck of Many Things. Drawing from the Deck is extremely risky as it can provide both fantastic rewards or afflict your character with terrible curses that can only be removed with the most powerful magic.