Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse (Deep Dive)

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During the annual “Wizards Presents” event held in August of 2022, Dungeons & Dragons publisher Wizards of the Coast announced the complete lineup of all new D&D game books slated for release in 2023. This list included the heist-themed adventure anthology Keys from the Golden Vault, the giant-inspired supplement Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants, the spell and magic-item driven collection The Book of Many Things, and the retooled campaign for Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk.

During the announcement it was also revealed that they would be releasing a new three-book campaign box set entitled Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse, which marks the first time the setting appeared in Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition. Now, the box set is finally here, having officially launched on October 17th, 2023 (although users who pre-ordered on D&D Beyond were able to access the digital version on October 3rd). You can order your copy now from Amazon and D&D Beyond.

So just what awaits in the D&D fifth edition Planescape campaign setting? Below, we take a closer look at what’s included on the journey back to the city of Sigil.

Table of Contents

• What’s included in Planescape 5e?
• What is Planescape?
• When did Planescape 5e come out?
• How much is Planescape 5e?
• Are there alternate covers?
• Is Planescape 5e worth picking up?

What’s included in Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse?

Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse is a three-book slipcase that includes two 96-page books, a 64-page book, a DM screen and a poster map. Each of the books is as follows:

• Sigil and the Outlands: This 96-page sourcebook offers detailed campaign information and really serves as an introduction to the Planescape setting, offering background on the lore, history, NPCs and locations. The book also offers new rules and player options. Includes a Gazetter with a breakdown of the various wards in the city, each of which is associated with a specific plane of existence. Some of the information presented here will be familiar to fans, although there’s also a lot of new Planescape 5e materials that have never appeared before. Notably, the book also includes a full-sized tear away map.
• Morte’s Planar Parade: This 64-page book is essentially the Monster Manual for the new Planescape setting, detailing the various creatures that inhabit the city of Sigil and the nearby regions. This includes familiar monsters such as Cranium Rats and Modrons as well as lesser known creatures including Sunflies (a kind of adorable, extradimensional pest) and Time Dragons (beings literally capable of breathing out temporal energy). The book is narrated by Morte, a sarcastic talking skull who will be familiar to fans of the Planescape: Torment video game.
• Turn of Fortune’s Wheel: This 96-page adventure is designed to introduce new players to the world of Planescape. The adventure finds the players forced to uncover the mystery behind a “glitch” in the reality of the multiverse, with much of the action taking place in the Outlands. Notably players start at level 3 and at one point temporarily jump to Level 17.

Notably, the three-book design is virtually identical to Spelljammer: Adventures in Space boxset. Many of the complaints about those books was that world-related content was fairly sparse. Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse is somewhat similar in this regard, although the Sigil and the Outlands campaign sourcebook does feature a lot of useful content in just 96 pages.

It’s also worth noting that original Planescape artist Tony DiTerlizzi also contributed to some of the new Planescape 5e materials.

What is Planescape?

Originally released as a campaign setting in 1994 for AD&D 2nd Edition, Planescape was the brainchild of longtime D&D designer David “Zeb” Cook. Cook had a fascination with the idea of exploring different planes of existence, something which has briefly been touched on in Manual of the Planes, a gamebook for AD&D 1st edition D&D published in 1987 and written by Jeff Grub. That particular book introduced a number of core planes of existence and the powerful entities which dwell there.

Cook’s idea was to build on the concepts established in the Manual of the Planes, creating a complete setting where low-level characters were capable of moving between the various planes of existence in the D&D multiverse. In this sense the world of Planescape isn’t so much a single world as it is a whole range of worlds.

The larger cosmology (also known as “The Great Wheel”) consists of the following planes:

• The Inner Planes: Filled with elemental planes such as Water, Earth, Air and Lightning
• The Ethereal Plane: A misty, fog-filled dimension that is sometimes described as a great ocean
• The Prime Material Plane: The center of “the Great Wheel,” where most typical D&D worlds (such as Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms) exist
• The Astral Plane: A plane devoid of physical matter and consisting of thought, memory and psychic energy
• The Outer Planes: Representing alignments and the primary domains of the various deities

Planescape also introduced the setting of Sigil (also known as the “City of Doors”) a torus-shaped metropolis located in the center of the planes of existence atop a infinitely tall Spire. A kind of interdimensional gathering place, Sigil was filled with countless portals leading to other planes of existence, allowing numerous species and interplanar travelers to meet and trade. Because of its unique location in the multiverse, Sigil also featured a variety of warring Factions, unique monsters, magic items, and a variety of powerful NPCs (including the enigmatic masked Lady of Pain who ruled over the city).

In general, the Planescape setting was well-received by players and critics alike, with many praising its unique approach to world-building and its philosophical underpinnings. However, the setting also had its detractors, including many who felt that Planescape was too complex and esoteric for the average D&D player.

Following the initial launch of the core books a number of supplementary Planescape materials were released. The setting also spawned a video game for the PC in 1998 entitled Planescape: Torment; a game which would be widely praised for its storytelling, characters and unique approach to morality and the afterlife.

Despite its success, the Planescape setting was largely ignored in the 3rd, 4th and 5th editions of D&D, although many of the concepts (including the city of Sigil) are briefly mentioned in various DnD 5e campaigns and adventure materials.

When did Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse come out?

The new Planescape 5e box set was officially released on October 17th, 2023. This is, however, only the physical print copies of the book sold via Amazon, your local game store or other brick and mortar retail locations.

Users who pre-ordered the digital and physical bundle via D&D Beyond, we’re able to access all of the digital materials on October 3rd. This is something which Wizards of the Coast has done with other products, including recent releases like Phandelver & Below: The Shattered Obelisk.

How much is Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse?

Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse currently retails for $59.95 USD (which is a noticeable increase in price over previous sourcebooks). This is a significant increase over what we’ve seen for comparable products, which Wizards of the Coast has indicated is due to ongoing supply chain issues, inflation and printer shortages.

You can also purchase the digital only version via D&D Beyond, which allows players to access the materials directly and even import maps into the new D&D Maps VTT which is currently being alpha tested.

Are there alternate covers and a collector’s edition?

Yes, there are indeed alternate covers to each of the three Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse books: Sigil and the Outlands, Morte’s Planar Parade and Turn of Fortune’s Wheel. Notably all of the covers are illustrated by original Planescape artist Tony DiTerlizzi.

There are, however, no additional covers being created by third-party publishers like Beadle & Grimm’s (which has published collectors editions for various Wizards of the Coast products in the past).

What other tie-in products will be available?

Wizards of the Coast has released several pieces of content to go along with the product. The first is this free pack of Sigil Faction Recruitment Posters, which show off some of the key groups operating in the City of Doors.

WotC has also released a digital sourcebook via D&D Beyond entitled Adventure Atlas: The Mortuary, which explores the faction known as the Heralds of Dust, a group dedicated to caring for the dead, and the massive mega structure they operate out of. Notably, the book is retailing for $9.99 USD (which some fans have complained about, with some arguing it should have been included in Adventure in the Multiverse. That being said, the quality and the length of this extra content is solid and you don’t actually need to have the Planescape 5e materials to use it.

Is Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse worth picking up?

D&D fans have been eagerly awaiting a new Planescape 5e campaign for years. And while the new box set doesn’t quite make the same missteps as Spelljammer: Adventures in Space, it would have been great to see more world building in favor of a larger adventure (which could have been easily added as a free or paid option via D&D Beyond). The title “Adventures in the Multiverse” is also a bit misleading, given that the focus is largely on Sigil and the surrounding areas.

That being said, the material does pack a powerful planer punch in its short content, and the monsters and adventure are solid. The end result is a welcome – if not imperfect – return to one of D&D’s most unusual settings.

Review Score: 17 out of 20

You can purchase it now from Amazon and D&D Beyond.

Below is also the official deep dive video for the new Planescape 5e box set.

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