D&D’s The Deck of Many Things adds BG3-inspired monsters & mayhem

One of the latest upcoming Dungeons & Dragons books is set to bring an extensive revamp to one famous resource, as well as introducing a variety of new creatures, ways to play, and so much more.

2023 has been an interesting year for Dungeons & Dragons. Players faced the controversy of the OGL license back in January and have seen many exciting playtests for the upcoming One D&D edition. On top of this, the year has seen countless new titles grace the tables of players, from Keys to the Golden Vault, Glory of the Giants, and so much more.

Thankfully, WoTC aren’t quite finished, with their second to last release, The Deck of Many Things. Serving as a supplement to Dungeons & Dragons games, this resource boasts tons of new features, from a revamp of the original Deck of Many Things to some brand new monsters, and a unique way to play, which requires exclusively improv and none of the prep.

Baldur’s Gate 3 inspired monsters

Wizards of The Coast

No Dungeons & Dragons game is complete without some great monsters. Players need to either feel threatening towards the creature, or feel threatened by them, leaving the outcome of the battle hanging in the balance.

Now, DMs can introduce a new element of danger to the party, with one creature being given abilities that closely resemble a pretty evil version of Gale from Baldur’s Gate 3.

The Talon Beast is a deadly creature that can steal and consume the players’ magical items. This is an homage to the Talons card in the original Deck of Many Things, which essentially strips the player of their magical items. In the new books, the Talon Beast acts in a similar form, serving as the reason why the card is named that way.

Revamps the Deck of Many Things

Wizards of The Coast

Giving stories to the cards and reasoning for them being named or designed in the way they are is a key element of WoTC’s revamp for this infamous deck. It’s easy for players and DMs to ignore the Deck of Many Things thanks to its unpredictability and how often it’s known to throw the campaign off course.

Now, with the Deck of Many Things, WoTC aims to rectify some of that mentality. They’ve provided reasonings for cards, linked plenty of the 66 new additions, and tripled the size of the deck, to help fans explore new stories and embrace the creativity the new book displays.

Using the guide reference book that comes with the set, players and DMs alike can explore the unique results of the cards and even use them to help design how the players deal with the ramifications of their selections.

On top of this, thanks to the more traditional supplement book, DMs are given unique ways to give the deck to players, including a carnival-style location in the Seelie Market, and a more tarot-heavy design, complete with some interesting characters.

New Tarot-inspired feat

Taking plenty of inspiration from the tarot style of the upgraded Deck of Many Things, a new feat has been added, among plenty of backgrounds too.

Named the Cardinal Manser, this feat feels like it will bring a variety of new ways to explore a spellcasting character. Their ability allows them to use a card deck as their arcane focus, therefore letting the player embue a card with magic, slide it up their sleeve, and use it as a bonus action when they choose.

This design could add in new magician spellcaster characters, tarot readers, and all sorts of new ideas for players and DMs.

Create an adventure with cards

Wizards of The Coast

The addition of tarot styles and iconography is no accident with The Deck of Many Things. Sure, players can create similar characters and experiment with their tarot reading with the deck, but there’s also a way for DMs new and veteran to create adventures without the need to plan.

Showcased by Game Designer Makenzie De Armas during Gencon, WoTC has introduced something called the Adventure Spread. This works as a set of story prompts that you take out of the Deck to design and create an adventure.

The adventure begins when the DM pulls one card, which represents where the party is before the adventure begins. Then, whenever the DM sees an opportunity or the adventurers need pushing forward, they pull another, which represents a catalyst, monster, NPC, new location, or whatever is needed.

The design is something inherently new to Dungeons & Dragons and could inspire a variety of new players looking to DM, and also creates a more improvised and easily set up style of gameplay, which could be gamechanging.

Ultimately, with tons of new cards, a unique way to play the game, and some fantastic new monsters, it’s hard to not warrant this brand-new book.

The Deck of Many Things releases on November 14, 2023, and you can Preorder The Deck of Many Things here.

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