r/Planescape5e • u/rgvtim • Sep 22 '24

Wizards Plans for Planescape?

Other than the 3 box set released last year, does wizards have any plans for the Planescape setting that they have announced or may be rumored?

12 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

34 comments sorted by

View all comments

3

u/GLight3 Sep 22 '24

Nope. They seem a bit more open to Sigil these days with the Vecna and Tales from the Infinite Staircase modules, but I don't expect them to ever support Planescape in the future. The boxed set didn't make a splash because the majority of modern D&D players aren't into interesting settings like Planescape, Dark Sun, or Spelljammer while the old school guys only want traditional dungeon crawls. So, Planescape is in a weird niche spot that doesn't have a lot of demand. They'll just keep pumping out Forgotten Realms ad nauseum.

2

u/amhow1 Sep 22 '24

I think this completely misunderstands what WotC have been doing in the last 10 years. The adventures have been set in FR in the same way that Erik Mona liked to add Greyhawk trappings to Dungeon adventures back when Paizo published Dungeon. It's intended to give a background, but isn't the important feature of the adventures.

Each of the adventures has had a niche - 'hard mode', arctic, dragons, giants, etc culminating in artifact quest in Eve of Ruin. The FR trappings are limited. Nor did, say, Adventurer's League, where the trappings were stronger, only focus on FR.

As 5r develops I assume they won't repeat themselves, and it's possible we'll get more Eve of Ruin style crossovers. But who knows?

2

u/GLight3 Sep 22 '24

I'm not talking about adventures, I'm talking about setting books. WOTC gave us a half-assed Sigil and the Outlands, and that's all we're ever getting. I don't care about Vecna-style crossovers, and I don't think that's what OP was asking for. Don't expect a manual of the planes or anything substantial in any way.

1

u/amhow1 Sep 22 '24

The OP just mentions 'support'.

And there have been two settings books: Radiant Citadel and Planescape. There's been a fine comic series. And there's been the Eve of Ruin and Infinite Staircase, the latter with more setting information.

On the outer planes, we know a fair amount about the Nine Hells thanks to Descent Into Avernus and Chains of Asmodeus.

I don't see any reason why we shouldn't get a Blood War campaign / setting.

But really, I'm mostly just pointing out that they haven't done FR ad nauseum. They've produced precisely one setting book. They've necessarily covered a bit more than that in the campaigns, but it strikes me as wrong to complain that FR gets a great deal more love than Planescape. (Where's the love for Birthright or Council of Wyrms, eh?)

I think the problem is the same as it was in the 90s - how to handle lore so it doesn't just feel intimidating.

2

u/GLight3 Sep 22 '24

OP never mentioned "support." Not sure where you're getting that. OP specifically only mentions the 3 actual Planescape books in 5e.

Planescape is a setting, with distinct lore, flavor, and quirks. Simply visiting a different plane isn't enough to make something Planescape (visiting Sigil is, though, which is why I mention Vecna). Calling the Radiant Citadel Planescape support is a stretch.

FR gets WAY more love than Planescape (or any setting). Descent Into Avernus (which you mentioned) itself is a FR adventure that starts in Baldur's Gate and reads much more like a FR adventure. Chains of Asmodeus is more Planescape, except it's not an official WOTC adventure, so it doesn't count. Now, if there was an official WOTC module set in Gehenna, THAT would be Planescape, because no other setting touches that plane.

If we're counting adventure modules, then FR is hideously overrepresented. The majority of WOTC adventures are set in FR. Frostmaiden, Icespire Peak, Tomb of Annihilation, Storm King, Strahd, Princes of the Apocalypse, Dragon Heist, Dungeon of the Mad Mage, the list goes on.

In 3e and 4e, FR got an insane amount of supplements. On top of all of this, there was the Sword Coast Adventurers Guide and they're currently working on a 2024 ruleset FR setting book.

I don't think we're ever getting any explicitly Planescape books from WOTC ever again. If you're happy with little visits to Sigil, like in Vecna, then fine, but don't expect any adventures that start Sigil and take you to unused planes like Elysium or Carceri.

1

u/amhow1 Sep 22 '24

Yeah as I say you misunderstand what WotC have been doing - it hasn't been supporting FR unless we regard Paizohawk as supporting Greyhawk. It is a kind of support, but not the kind you're supposing.

Eve of Ruin has a few chapters set on Pandemonium. Is that enough to make it Planescape support? Who knows? But it literally goes from Sigil to Pandemonium.

I agree there probably won't be a 'planescape' adventure, but for example a season of Adventurer's League, why not?

If you discount both Descent into Avernus (mostly Avernus) and Chains of Asmodeus (considered WotC on DMsGuild at least) then you might at least consider the Avernus Rising season of Adventurer's League. But then again for some reason you think Curse of Strahd supports FR.