The Book of Many Things: Deep Dive

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In August 2022 during the “Wizards Presents” annual event, Wizards of the Coast announced the full line up of new D&D game publications for 2023. On the list was a number of new books, including the heist-themed adventure anthology Keys from the Golden Vault, the giant-inspired supplement Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants, the updated and expanded Phandelver and Below: the Shattered Obelisk, and Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse.

Also announced at that time was The Book of Many Things, a player-focused guide with new spells, character options and magic items, based on the legendary D&D artifact known as the Deck of Many Things. The digital version was released on November 14th, 2023 (although users who pre-ordered the physical/digital bundle from D&D Beyond received early access on October 31st, 2023.)

Notably, the print version was originally supposed to be released on November 14th, but was delayed due to printing errors (although reviewer copies were made available). The print version was officially released on January 5th, 2024 and is now available on Amazon and D&D Beyond.

So just how does this deck stack up to other D&D 5e publications? Below, we take a closer look at what’s inside.

Table of Contents

• What’s included in the new box set?
• What is the Deck of Many Things?
• When did the box set come out?
• How much is the box set?
• Are there variant covers?
• Pros and cons
• Final review score

What does The Book of Many Things include?

The Book of Many Things is a new collection for D&D 5e that contains a deck of specialty cards and two new sourcebooks, as follows:

• The Deck of Many Things: This an actual set of illustrated, tarot-sized cards that are designed to represent the Deck of Many Things itself. It consists of consists of the 22 cards from the original Deck of Many Things artifact (as originally described in the Dungeon Master’s Guide) along with 44 new cards, all of which are fully illustrated and include added gold embossing. Notably, the additional cards allow DMs to customize and create their own decks for use at the table, with the ability to remove powerful cards that might potentially upset the balance of a campaign.
• The Book of Many Things: This 192-page book provides more details on the history of the Deck of Many Things. It also includes advice on using the deck in an existing DnD 5e campaign. For the first time in DnD history, the book also outlines the lore behind the Deck of Many Things and how Istus, the Goddess of Fate from the Greyhawk campaign setting created the legendary artifact. The book also includes the new “Cartomancer” feat, which allows players to infuse cards with spells (notably, this feat first appeared in the “Wonder of the Multiverse“ Unearthed Arcana playtest, which was released in July 2022). Additionally, there are two new backgrounds, 50 new magic items and 35 new monster statblocks. Finally, it also includes new locations, organizations and NPCs associated with the Deck of Many Things.
• Card Reference Guide: This 80-page hardback guidebook shows Dungeon Masters how to use the cards in an existing DnD 5e campaign. Each card is associated with five elements: a Place, a Person, a Monster/Hazard, a Treasure and a Situation. Because the cards can be used both face up and backwards, that means there are 10 possible interpretations for each card. The guidebook also includes tips on using the deck as an Oracle (for fortune telling) and an Adventure Spread that lets DMs literally build out random adventures using the cards.

What is the Deck of Many Things?

One of the most powerful and popular magic items in D&D history, the Deck of Many Things first appeared in the Greyhawk supplement published in 1975. Since then it’s appeared in numerous other game materials, video games, and even as its own Magic the Gathering Card.

The deck itself is a legendary artifact that contains a set of 22 seemingly normal playing cards with Tarot-like symbols associated with them. Using the deck requires characters to announce how many cards they want to draw. That number of cards is then randomly drawn, unleashing a powerful magical effect that can be either incredibly beneficial or have the power to destroy a player.

The chaotic and powerful nature of the Deck of Many Things, which includes game-changing spells like wishes and even the ability to warp the fabric of reality itself, has lead many DMs to ban the Deck of Many Things from their campaigns, but over the years it has continued to grow in popularity among players.

The current D&D 5e version of the deck contains the following cards and effects:

Ace of Diamonds (Vizier): Ask and receive an answer to any question

King of Diamonds (Sun): Gain 50,000 XP, and a wondrous item (determined by DM)

Queen of Diamonds (Moon): Gain ability to cast the wish spell 1d3 times.

Jack of Diamonds (Star): Increase one Ability Scores by 2 (can’t exceed 24).

Two of Diamonds (Comet): Gain one level if you single-handedly defeat the next monster you see.

Ace of Hearts (The Fates): Avoid or erase any event from the past as thought it never happened.

King of Hearts (Throne): Gain Proficiency in the Persuasion skill. Also get a small keep overrun by monsters.

Queen of Hearts (Key): Get a rare or rarer Magic Weapon.

Jack of Hearts (Knight): Gain the service of a 4th-level Fighter.

Two of Hearts (Gem): Get 25 pieces of jewelry worth 2,000 gp each or fifty gems worth 1,000 gp each.

Ace of Clubs (Talons): All worn or carried magic items disintegrate (powerful Artifacts vanish).

King of Clubs (The Void): Your soul is drawn from your body and contained in an object in a place of the DM’s choice.

Queen of Clubs (Flames): A powerful devil becomes your enemy.

Jack of Clubs (Skull): You summon an avatar of death which attacks you.

Two of Clubs (Idiot): Permanently reduce your Intelligence by 1d4 + 1 (to a minimum score of 1).

Ace of Spades (Donjon): Get trapped in a state of suspended animation in an extradimensional prison.

King of Spades (Ruin): All forms of wealth carried or owned disappear.

Queen of Spades (Euryale): Get cursed with a -2 penalty on all saving throws.

Jack of Spades (Rogue): A known NPC becomes hostile.

Two of Spades(Balance): Your alignment changes (lawful becomes chaotic, etc.)

Joker #1 (Fool): Lose 10,000 XP, discard the card and draw again.

Joker #2: (Jester): Gain 10,000 XP or you can draw two additional cards.

When did the Book of Many Things come out?

The physical copy of the book was released on January 5th, 2024. Originally the product was scheduled for release on November 14th, 2023, but was delayed due to a number of printing errors that occurred during production. Specifically Wizards of the Coast noted that the “product did not meet manufacturing standards.” This was related to the cards, which were warped and accidentally cut to different lengths. In November 2023, Wizards posted information about the errors on the D&D Beyond blog.

The digital version, however, was released November 14th, 2023 (although users who pre-ordered the digital/physical bundle from D&D Beyond received early access on October 31st).

How much is the Book of Many Things?

The new box set retails $110 USD (which is a noticeable increase in price over previous campaign books) and is available on Amazon. Wizards of the Coast has also released a print and digital version which is available on D&D Beyond.

Notably, there is no deluxe version being produced by Beadle & Grimm’s (although they did produce versions for Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse and Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk).

Are there variant covers?

Much like we’ve seen with other recent DnD 5e books, there are indeed two variant covers of the box (both of which are the same price). The primary cover is illustrated by Ekaterina Burmak, while the alternate cover is from the Polish artist CoupleOfKooks.

Pros and Cons

There’s a lot to love with The Deck of Many Things box set. Yet the product isn’t without a few issues. Below we break out what works and what doesn’t when it comes the content and cards.

Pros

• Versatility of Content: The deck can be used for generating NPCs, player-characters, random journey encounters, in-game benefits or entire adventures, offering innovative and useful methods for gameplay.
• Balance of Card Benefits: The inclusion of mundane benefits in new cards provides a good balance to the more chaotic (and potentially campaign destroying) elements of the original Deck of Many Things.
• Creative Inspiration: The various prompts are an amazing way to stimulate DM creativity, providing a wealth of ideas for one-shots, character backstories, and more.
• Innovative Concept: The idea of basing a book on the Deck of Many Things is intriguing and unique, offering a fresh take on a classic D&D magic item.

Cons

• Inconsistent Quality: The content varies in quality, with some elements being excellent while others are seen as shallow or mundane, leading to a hit-and-miss experience.
• Repetitive Elements: Due to the limited set of cards, there’s a noticeable repetition in mechanics and motifs, which can detract from the variety and novelty of the game experience.
• Layout and Reference Issues: The Book of Many Things layout and organization can be more of a hindrance than a help during gameplay, especially when trying to find specific information quickly.
• Price and Value Concerns: With a price tag of $110, the value for money might be questionable for those with only a casual interest in the product and who aren’t planning on integrating the deck into their campaign in a big way.

Final Review Score

Ultimately, The Book of Many Things Box Set is worth picking up. It includes a ton of content for DMs and players, features some gorgeous cards and accompanying game materials, and is a really unique take on a legendary D&D artifact. While the price tag may be offputting to some fans, there’s plenty of value to be had for players looking to get dealt in.

You can order The Book of Many Things now from your local game store, book store, Amazon and D&D Beyond.

17 out of 20.

Below is also a video from Wizards of the Coast, which offers some more detail on what to expect from the new product.

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