D&D: Iconic Artist Tony DiTerlizzi is Back For ‘Planescape’ 5E
When Planescape launched for 2nd Edition D&D, one artist shaped the look of a whole multiverse. And now, Tony DiTerlizzi is back for 5E.
Planescape is one of D&D’s most beloved settings. And for good reason. It was unlike any other campaign setting D&D had cobbled together before. While the rest were pastoral pastiches of fantasy tropes of the time, be they pulp fantasy stories like Conan and Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, or Tolkienesque stories, Planescape was something else.
It was a world that lived in the cosmos of D&D. A world that set itself apart from the usual with its interest in demons and devils and angels and everything else in between. Including and especially modrons.
And a big part of that comes from the creative freedom that the team developing it had, at the time.
That’s artist and author Tony DiTerlizzi talking about how they got to play around with Planescape. The original look was inspired by an art book from Yoshitaka Amano. And you can see it in the signature pencil and watercolor style of the setting:
Most of the heads of staff at TSR were focused on another setting: Birthright. And look where that is. Meanwhile, DiTerlizzi and the team could push the bounds for D&D. Which is why it lives so fully in the hearts of many.
And now, it seems DiTerlizzi is back.
Tony DiTerlizzi returns for Planescape 5E
When the Lady of Pain requests my presence back in Planescape, how can I refuse? pic.twitter.com/8m4Kg2pvN8
— Tony DiTerlizzi (@TonyDiTerlizzi) March 28, 2023
In a Twitter post, DiTerlizzi says:
When the Lady of Pain requests my presence back in Planescape, how can I refuse?
And accompanying that, a picture of the Lady herself. Along with many of the denizens of Planescape. Including on her left, Outsiders. These are people from a prime material plane of some kind, who have stumbled into the cosmopolitan city of Sigil. You can see the familiar-looking shoulder pad present here:
As you can see, it’s the same person, just a number of years later that it’s best not to think about. At any rate, DiTerlizzi is back for the release of Planescape later this year. It comes as the final release on the D&D schedule, which means you can expect it mid/late November, just in time to boost those Black Friday sales.
But Planescape will contain the seeds of 6th Edition as well. We know that Vecna is going to be back for 2024 to usher in a new set of rules for One D&D (whatever they end up calling it). So be on the lookout for a stray eye. Or hand.
And get ready to return to Planescape!
