Death is the hot new mechanic in D&D’s fancy Planescape campaign

Planescape is the world of the classic video role-playing game. Torment in Planescape, is back for tabletop Dungeons & Dragons. A three-volume boxed set is on the way from Wizards of the Coast, and it’s titled Planescape Adventures in the Multiverse. Inside, you’ll find a 96-page setting book called Sigil & the OutlandsPlus a 64 page bestiary entitled Morte’s Planar Parade, a double-sided map, and a Dungeon Master’s screen. This collection has some great items, but the gem is a double-sided map and a Dungeon Master’s screen. Turn of Fortune’s Wheel, a new 96-page adventure that senior game designer Wes Schneider calls “frickin’ wild.”

Schneider was kind enough to sit down and talk with us during the private press preview we had last week. Be warned, Wizards will not hesitate in revealing any details about this campaign. So let’s dive in.

Turn of Fortune’s Wheel takes place in and around Sigil, the D&D canon’s famed “city of doors.” From Sigil, players can find portals to every realm in the D&D multiverse, meaning that every other adventure yet published for 5th edition D&D — from Dragonlance’s world of Krynn to the Radiant Citadel — can easily be the jumping-off point for this one. There’s little surprise then that players are going to be traveling and exploring a great deal once they become engrossed in the story.

But there’s a catch.

[Ed. note: The following spoils major plot points for Turn of Fortune’s Wheel, the adventure that comes bundled with Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse.]

The trouble is that death isn’t working the way it’s supposed to inside the city of Sigil. Or, rather, the dead People can be a part of the process by contacting us. aren’t behaving the way they’re supposed to… or… OK, so it’s complicated. Here’s Schneider taking a stab at explaining it:

“Something that players are going to discover in this adventure is that they’re at the center of this multi-planar glitch where something about reality isn’t clicking with them [correctly],” Schneider said, waving his hands around and trying to look sensible as he discussed something very silly on the video call. “They’re going to discover that when they die — or when something dramatic happens to them — they don’t just die. Their souls don’t just move on to the other places in the multiverse where souls typically go. After a few beats, they come back as a different incarnation of themselves.”

Schneider said it’s possible — likely, even — that you’ll kick off the adventure as one character or race, and then finish as another. Start as a fighter human and when you die you could be reincarnated into a wizard. As an Elf. You can play as a wizard or elf. It might be a great way to try out new character builds — or you could just get goofy with it. Your character might only have a new accent or an unfathomable mustache. Maybe they’re 2 inches shorter, or left-handed — or blue.

Schneider added that players would inhabit three versions of themselves on the table during the course of their adventure. Later, once they’ve met them all, that’s when the fun really begins. He said that parties should prepare for some high-level D&D shenanigans, because, by the end of the adventure, you’ll get tossed straight from level 10 all the way to level 17.

“You have these opportunities throughout the course of the game to be shifting between three different versions of yourself, [versions that may] have completely different character sheets and stat blocks,” Schneider said. “[Then]At a later stage in the story, […]Truth is the best policy […]The end result is coalescing. All the pieces will come together. [correctly], that’s when you make this catapult up to your true potential […] to finish off the adventure in grand form.”

Fans Torment in PlanescapeThe game will also feature plenty of nods at the beloved CRPG. Turn of Fortune’s Wheel begins in the Mortuary — the same location where the legendary TormentIt begins the same. The players all start out in the exact same position: dead. Morte the wisecracking skull is from Torment, is there, too, it’s just that he’s looking for a different corpse. Does it look like The Nameless One? Schneider told me that you can decide if it’s The Nameless One – if both your Dungeon master and yourself agree. As you speed through Sigil, you may see important events in the videogame. Maybe not, if that’s going to be too distracting. After a few words of wisdom from the foulmouthed head, the players will be off and running. Schneider explained that the campaign progresses at a reasonable pace before concluding with what are normally some challenging late game challenges.

Planescape Adventures in the MultiverseStarting on Oct. 17, a set of special collectible covers will only be sold by local retailers. Wizards of the Coast sells the same set for $94.99. Its version even includes a digital copy via D&D Beyond, and you get access to it two weeks early — on Oct. 3. Amazon is also selling the books at a hefty discount — $59.49 versus the suggested $84.99 — just without the digital copy or the early access.