Greetings, fellow planar wanderers! The sands of time continue to fall as we draw nearer to the release of the Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse boxed set coming this October. As a longtime fan of the classic Planescape setting, I’m buzzing with excitement – and just a smidge of trepidation – about Wizards of the Coast reviving this beloved corner of the D&D multiverse.
For those less traveled, let me catch you up to speed on the weird and wonderful world of Planescape! Originating as a boxed set way back in 1994 for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition, Planescape moves the action out of the prime material plane where most D&D adventures take place and into the phantasmagorical Outer Planes. Shaped by belief and philosophy, these planes go beyond the standard fire, water, earth, and air to explore ideas like Law, Chaos, Good, and Evil made manifest. Trippy, right?
The upcoming boxed set aims to introduce a new generation of players to Planescape’s signature blend of the philosophical and the fantastical. So what cosmic marvels await us in the set? Let’s take a peek behind the curtain…
Death Takes a Holiday
The 96-page starter adventure Turn of Fortune’s Wheel kicks off with players awakening in Sigil’s mortuary after having died. But due to a glitch in the gears of the multiverse, the planes don’t know what to do with the characters’ souls. Each time they die, the PCs reconstitute in Sigil as new alternate versions of themselves!
This opens up some fun roleplaying opportunities to change a character’s race, class, appearance – really anything you want! I’m sure some players are already brainstorming ways to abuse this mechanic by intentionally killing off PCs so they respawn as the rogue they need to pick locks or the beefy barbarian they need to open stuck doors. Maybe they’ll “accidentally” murder their tone-deaf bard so she comes back a tone-deaf comedian…wait, that might actually be worse.
Ask the Mimir Your Burning Questions
The adventure also brings us the Mimir, floating magical devices that resemble disembodied skulls. These gadgets are brimming with planar lore, but Turn of Fortune’s Wheel brings the PCs into contact with a Mimir containing a few knowledge gaps. It serves as your guide through the planes, and hunting down the pieces of information it lacks drives a mystery-solving quest.
The Power of Philosophy
Belief shaping reality was arguably the most iconic innovation of Planescape. In Sigil, the Lady of Pain keeps the gods in check while districts subtly reflect the philosophies of its inhabitants. The more believers gathered under a philosophy, the more real it becomes. We could even see PCs’ own convictions forming factions and morphing the very fabric of the planes! Of course, absorbing too much of a plane’s philosophical essence can be dangerous…just ask the poor gate towns!
Other Tidbits
A new Planar Wanderer feat helps PCs adapt to punishing planar environments while enhancing their portal-hopping prowess. The gate town of Automata fuses urban order with mechanical beings like Modrons for philosophical chaos! And time dragons make their triumphant return, offering timey-wimey ways to erase PCs from the timeline. Fun times!
Facing the Reaper?
My one nagging concern is whether the adventure’s revival mechanic might undermine the stakes. With little lasting consequence for death, will we truly feel the planar threats? The risk of trivializing failure applies to the broader 5E death save system too. I hope Wizards of the Coast can keep the tension high and maintain death’s impact while exploring clever narrative twists!
And so we venture forth together into the multiverse anew, fellow traveler. Whether Planescape’s return aligns the stars or shreds the fabric of reality asunder, one thing’s certain – this box set promises a journey we’ll never forget. Share your excitement, hopes, and fears for our upcoming planar pilgrimage in the comments! Until next time, may your quests be ever fruitful.
Buy the Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse box set.
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