Quests from the Infinite Staircase: DnD Anthology (Deep Dive)
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Over the past few years, Wizards of the Coast has released a number of solid DnD anthologies, each of which features short adventure that can be played in a single session or joined together to form a larger campaign narrative. This approach has worked amazingly well in titles like Journey Through the Radiant Citadel, Candlekeep Mysteries and Keys from the Golden Vault.
Now, a new anthology has arrived in the form of of Quests from the Infinite Staircase. Announced in December 2023 at the PAX Unplugged “50 Years of D&D Adventures” panel, the book is similar to Tales from the Yawning Portal in that it features six updated versions of classic DnD adventures from past editions. We recently got our hands on a copy courtesy of Wizards of the Coast and the book is available for now from D&D Beyond and Amazon.
So just where does this new staircase lead to? Below we go step-by-step through all the details.
Table of Contents
- What is Quests from the Infinite Staircase?
- What is the Infinite Staircase?
- What is Tales from the Infinite Staircase?
- When’s Quests from the Infinite Staircase coming out?
- How much is Quests from the Infinite Staircase?
- Is there an alternate cover of the book?
- Are there other tie-in products?
- Is Quests from the Infinite Staircase worth picking up?
- Final Thoughts & Review Score
What is “Quests from the Infinite Staircase” about?
Quests from the Infinite Staircase is an anthology that collects six classic Dungeons & Dragons adventures that are updated for the game’s fifth edition. These adventures are designed for characters from Levels 1 to 13 and can be run separately or as part of a complete campaign. They include the following adventures:
The Lost City
Originally published in 1982 as Module B4, The Lost City was written longtime TSR designer Tom Moldvay. The adventure is designed for 1st to 3rd-level characters and is really focused on new Dungeon Masters, with players exploring the upper floors of an ancient ziggurat located in the depths of a mysterious desert.
When a Star Falls
First published in 1984 as Module UK4, this adventure was written by British RPG designer Graeme Morris. Designed for 4th to 5th level characters, players must recover a fallen star before rival factions are able to get their hands on it, while also dealing with an ancient Tower and a dark prophecy.
Beyond the Crystal Cave
Inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, this adventure was published in 1983 as Module UK1 and was the first in series of adventures produced by TSR UK. Designed for 6th level characters, players must venture into the forbidden Cave of Echoes to find two star-crossed lovers.
Pharaoh
Released back in 1982 as Module I3, this classic adventure is the first in the popular Desert of Desolation trilogy, which was created by Tracy and Laura Hickman (who would go on to create Ravenloft and Dragonlance). Designed for 7th to 8th-level characters, the adventure finds the players plundering the depths of an ancient pharaoh’s tomb in an Egyptian-themed fantasy kingdom.
The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth
First published in 1976 as Module S4, this adventure was written by Gary Gygax for use in tournament convention play. Designed for 9th to 10th level characters, players explore a series of caverns, including the lair of Witch Queen Iggwilv, (better known to contemporary players as Tasha). Notably, the upcoming 5e adventure Descent into the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth is based on this original module.
Expedition to the Barrier Peaks
Written by Gary Gygax in 1980 as Module S3, this remains one of the most iconic old school DnD adventures of all time. Designed for Level 11 to 13 characters, it combines classic fantasy elements with some out-of-this-world science fiction technology. It also marks the first appearance of the froghemoth.
Quests from the Infinite Staircase also introduces a new powerful, cosmic character, the noble genie Nafas who hears wishes made throughout the multiverse and recruits heroes to fulfill them (notably Nafas is featured in the concept art Wizards of the Coast unveiled at PAX Unplugged). This new character has never appeared before in the DnD canon and will provide the thematic link between the book’s adventures.
The book also includes 3 new magic items and 6 futuristic technological devices (the latter of which are all taken from the Expedition to the Barrier Peaks adventure).
Additionally, Quest from the Infinite Staircase features over 30 new monsters and NPCs, all of which have mew statblocks that are fully compatible with DnD 5e. Wizards of the Coast provides more information about this in a video they released last year on their YouTube channel.
What is the Infinite Staircase?
The Infinite Staircase is not new to DnD and in fact has been mentioned in previous game materials, including most recently in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Essentially, it is a powerful cosmic structure that allows gods and other powerful beings to navigate through the multiverse.
Within DnD lore, it’s also noted that there are an infinite number of interconnected stairways scattered across the planes of existence. For beings who are powerful enough to access these portal, they often an appear in a variety of different ways, including as a simple spiral wooden spiral staircase, a marble ladder, an amber pathway, a pearl-studded road and other more bizarre forms.
Notably, the Infinite Staircase has featured prominently over the years in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, where it has been used by various deities and been directly involved in a number of events which have impacted the world of Toril.
What is “Tales from the Infinite Staircase”?
In 1998, Wizards of the Coast released a product for AD&D 2nd edition with a similar name entitled Tales from the Infinite Staircase. Like Quests from the Infinite Staircase, this particular product was an anthology of eight separate but thematically linked adventures that took players across the planes of existence. At that time, it was really meant to be a crossover product linking the Forgotten Realms to the relatively new Planescape campaign setting.
While the adventures could be played in any order, one recurring focus was on defeating powerful force known as “the Iron Shadow,” which had been smothering creative energy across the multiverse.
The book was written by longtime DnD game designer Monte Cook and was generally well received among critics and players during its release. Other than the use of the Infinite Staircase, however, there isn’t really any connection between this book and Quests from the Infinite Staircase.
When is “Quests from the Infinite Staircase” coming out?
Currently, the official release date for Quests for the Infinite Staircase is July 16th, 2024. As with other Wizards of the Coast products, however, you will be able to pre-order the digital and physical bundle via D&D Beyond, which means you’ll be able to access the digital version of the book on July 2nd, 2024.
This is also the case if you pre-order from your local game store if they are a part of Wizards of the Coast’s early access program.
How much is “Quests from the Infinite Staircase”?
Wizards of the Coast has recently increased the price of their DnD 5e books, so the print version will retail for $59.95 USD (which is a comparable MSRP to to recent publications). The print and digital bundle will retail for $69.95 USD on D&D Beyond (with a discount for pre-orders).
Notably, you can also purchase the digital only version for $29.99 USD via D&D Beyond.
What is the “Quests from the Infinite Staircase” alternate cover?
As with other new DnD 5e releases, there is indeed an alternate cover of the book that features stylized embossing. It is the same price as the standard edition, so it’s simply a matter of which cover you prefer.
Unlike previous publications, however, Beadle & Grimm’s is not producing a special edition of Quests from the Infinite Staircase.
What other tie-in products will be available?
WizKids has release a number of a number of new miniatures featuring monsters and NPCs from Quests from the Infinite Staircase.
Additionally, as part of the release, Wizards of the Coast has released the The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth for free on D&D Beyond. Notably, the book will also integrate with the new Maps VTT via D&D Beyond, with the various dungeons, NPCs and encounters from the book available in the online platform.
Is “Quests from the Infinite Staircase” worth picking up?
Ultimately, the book has a fantastic range of adventures that both new and experienced players are likely going to enjoy. That being said, there are a few things to bear in mind if you are thinking of picking it up.
Pros
- Classic adventures get a 5e makeover: The anthology includes six of DnD’s most iconic adventures updated for the fifth edition, offering both new and veteran players a chance to experience the best of old school DnD.
- Diverse adventure levels: The adventures cater to characters ranging from Level 1 to 13, providing a variety of challenges and experiences. You can also run it as a single cohresive campaign or drop the adventures into your existing campaign.
- New content: The book introduces a brand new character in the form of the genie Nafas, plus offers new magic items and stat blocks for monsters and NPCs. It also expands on the concept of the Infinite Staircase, which hasn’t been explored in decades.
Cons
- Design shows its age: While the book is a grognard’s delight, the old school design choices may be a little difficult for new players to wrap their heads around, given that DnD 5e tends to be more narrative focused and leans into heroic fantasy rather than OSR sensibilities.
- A rehash of older content: While it’s great that WotC is digging up some golden oldies, this is something that players could probably do themselves with a few tweaks and in fact, Goodman Games has done just that.
- No tie into new Core Rules: While the new 2024 Player’s Handbook are going to be backwards compatible, this adventure doesn’t actually acknowledge any of the new mechanics that will be featured. It’s not a deal breaker, but is something to keep in mind.
Final Thoughts & Review Score
Wizards of the Coast has done an amazing job with Quests from the Infinite Staircase. While the old school sensibilities may be a little strange to new players who cut their teeth on DnD 5e, it showcases some of the most iconic adventures of all time while giving them a fresh coat of paint.
In short, it’s easily the best adventure anthology that Wizards of the Coast has ever released and the perfect end cap to the latest edition of DnD 5e.
Final Review Score: 19 out of 20
You can pre-order now from D&D Beyond and Amazon.
Below is a video from our official YouTube channel offering a deeper dive into the content.
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Ollie Delano is a Staff Writer who lives in Chicago, Illinois where he majored in Journalism at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He’s been playing Dungeons & Dragons for over 10 years and currently plays in a weekly game group where he rolls way too many natural 1s and chugs way too much Mountain Dew. His favorite D&D campaign setting is Eberron and his favorite character to play was a Tiefling rogue named Draxiss who enjoys both literal and figurative backstabbing.
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