A Player-Based Sourcebook for D&D 5e taking your characters across the planes. 108 subclasses, 18 playable species, spells and more.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Production Update: Lifecycle of an Illustration
19 days ago
– Mon, Jun 10, 2024 at 09:07:20 PM
Hello Backers!
We've been working away at writing more or the book, playtesting a few subclasses and species, and working with our amazing artists to refine The Planar Codex's visual style. We wanted to take a deeper look at that last bit today and pull the curtain back on how an illustration can change from initial sketches to final product.
Giulia Tonon has created a lot of truly striking art for The Planar Codex, including the book's cover and many character illustrations. One of the character pieces she took on was the Domain of Loss cleric. These clerics come from the suffocatingly oppressive Shadowscape, where emotions like fear, wanting, and loneliness can take shape. The Domain of Loss's deities are not so concerned with simple theft but the feeling of loss, be it from a prized possession or a loved one.
The art brief for the Domain of Loss cleric referenced a female tiefling in armor reminiscent of a nun's habit. The character was meant to be taking a momentary thought from a target, symbolized by running her hand through wisps from her censer, forming the unseen target's face.
Initial Sketches
We were all very impressed with Giulia's take on the character (we always are). However, after reviewing the work-in-progress art with our growing library of art briefs, we came to an unexpected realization: the team has a shared obsession with smoky and ghostly faces. Several art briefs referenced similar imagery throughout the book. We worked with Giulia to create a new take on how the character's class feature could look visually. Settling on the idea of the character brandishing what could be her divine symbol, Giulia turned her expert artist's pen to a more detailed sketch with focus on black/white values.
Work-in-Progress Sketch
Loving how the character's costume was progressing, the team was happy to move forward with this as the character's foundation. Cody, the team's lead designer, however, made a comment about the cleric's "flail," which gave us pause—clerics aren't proficient with martial weapons (and do not gain it through the Domain of Loss).
So, one more small change to turn the cleric's flail-like censer into a mace, which also helped pull focus to the spell effect and the character's striking face, and we arrived at the final product.
Domain of Loss Cleric, illustrated by Giulia Tonon (Hekate Fantasy Art)
What's next? More writing, more playtesting, and, of course, more art.
Until next time,
The Planar Codex Team
Reminder to Complete Backerkit Surveys
about 2 months ago
– Fri, May 10, 2024 at 07:17:56 PM
Hey backers!
It has been just over a month since we sent out the first Backerkit surveys. These surveys are required for us to send you digital products through DriveThruRPG and so we can finalize your order and shipping details.
As of today, 119 people still have not completed the Backerkit survey. If you have not completed your survey, please check the spam and trash folders for the email associated with your Kickstarter account. The Backerkit survey email has a subject line of "Reminder -- Response needed to deliver your reward for The Planar Codex (5e)."
If you cannot locate the email and believe you have not completed the survey, please contact us through the Kickstarter and we will be happy to help.
Thank you for your support!
—The Planar Codex Team
Chapter VI - The Iron Hells - early access playtest PDF available to download now!
3 months ago
– Wed, Apr 10, 2024 at 05:56:01 PM
Hey there Adventurers!
We have some exciting news! The Alpha/Playtest PDF for the entire Chapter 6 The Iron Hells is now available for download RIGHT NOW through your Backerkit Pledge Manager digital downloads section.
IMPORTANT LAYOUT NOTE: This is an early access copy of Chapter 6, The Iron Hells. As such, not all art has been illustrated yet. You will notice pink boxed areas in the layout that are placeholders for art that is still in development. Our artists are working hard to get their amazing art ready for this book. The final book will have these spaces with all original art by real artists (we are anti-AI art).
How to get your download:
1. Login to your BackerKit account with the email associated to your The Planar Codex Kickstarter pledge.
2. Select the The Planar Codex project.
3. Press the "Get Your Digital Downloads" section of your pledge.
4. Locate Planar Codex - Chapter VI The Iron Hells (Backer-only Early Access Playtest Version) v0.1
5. Start flipping through the pages of the PDF!
6. Provide any feedback via the Google Form linked below (and linked in the PDF itself)
7. Join our Discord server HERE to discuss the playtest content and geek out with us!
FEEDBACK REQUIRED - WE NEED YOUR HELP!
To help make The Planar Codex the best and most balanced 5th Edition book it can be, we are seeking your feedback on The Iron Hells chapter to allow for any necessary adjustments before finalizing the chapter.
Please feel free to take this early access play-test PDF to your table, give the player options a spin, and let us know how your experiences playing these subclasses, species, spells, and feats went.
Even if you don’t have the opportunity to play them, your feedback from simply reading through this PDF is just as important.
Each and every piece of feedback helps us make this the best book it can be.
Thank You and see you in the Planes!
Phil, Cody, and Chris The Planar Codex design team.
Backerkit Surveys sent! Huzzah! Check your inboxes!
3 months ago
– Sun, Apr 07, 2024 at 01:41:25 AM
Planar Adventurers! We have an important update!
We have some exciting news, the Backerkit surveys have been released to everyone! Check your email inboxes (and your junk folders) to make sure you have received yours.
So, what does this mean for you?
Backerkit is a third-party pledge manager service that integrates with Kickstarter. We use it to give you, our amazing backers, the opportunity to purchase extra add-ons (in addition to automatically pulling your already purchased Kickstarter pledge into it), for collecting any relevant shipping fees, and to confirm your delivery address information all under a single roof.
All of this information is collected via the Backerkit survey which is sent to your Kickstarter-associated email address (each survey is unique to every backer and contains your specific Kickstarter pledge information already included).
This means that you will receive an email in your inbox from BackerKit, asking that you fill in this survey as soon as possible. Please note, it will take time for these to reach everyone's accounts. So, if yours isn't in your email inbox yet, rest assured - it is on the way.
You will need a Backerkit account in order to complete your survey. If you don’t have one already you should be prompted to create one when you click the link in the survey email. Alternatively, you can create one now by following this link here.
*please note, if you used Apple Pay to pay for your Kickstarter pledge then your email address associated with your pledge may have been overridden by your email address with one ending in @privateappleid. If this is the case, you will need to message us with the correct email address you would like your BackerKit Survey sent to. Please message us via the Kickstarter inbox with the correct address and we can amend this for you*
VAT/GST information for our Canadian, European, and UK backers
Value Added Tax/GST is relevant in several countries, and it is our legal obligation to ensure proper accounting for VAT for packages destined for countries where it applies. We appreciate your understanding regarding these additional charges, emphasizing that they are not imposed by P.B Publishing or the Planar Codex Team as a whole.
The shipping cost indicated in your BackerKit survey already includes VAT. If the amount appears slightly higher than expected based on the estimated charges shown on our Kickstarter campaign page, it is due to this inclusion. Your checkout summary will clearly outline the specific amounts attributed to VAT/GST.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you may have regarding survey access, shipping, VAT, or any other inquiries. Please direct your questions to our Kickstarter inbox, and we'll be delighted to assist you.
We hope you enjoy navigating through your surveys and are eagerly anticipating the Iron Hells chapter for early release later this month!
Many thanks
Phil, Cody, Chris The Planar Codex Team
Backerkit Survey Smoke-tests sent!
3 months ago
– Fri, Apr 05, 2024 at 06:29:06 PM
Planes Hoppers, you're going to want to read this!
Just a quick note that some of you may have received an early Backerkit survey in your inboxes. These are a small portion sent out as smoke-tests sent to 35 of you as preparation for sending out the whole lot this weekend.
These are legitimate surveys and if you receive one, you should absolutely use them as such.
So, check your email to see if you got yours early, otherwise expect one to come through over the next few days 🌝
Meanwhile, check out this project we love!
---------------------------------
A Kickstarter We Love!
Our friends over at Earl of Fife Games is preparing to launch their new Kickstarter... and this one is perfect for all you 5e Dwarven Kingdom fans!
🔥 Explore Dungeons Deep and Caverns Old! 🔥
Forge your legacy in an immersive world designed for Dungeons & Dragons 5E. Delve into an ancient dwarven kingdom, navigating political intrigue and uncovering long-lost secrets in the Halls of Splendor.
Embark on a quest filled with adventure, danger, and the chance to carve out your own legend.
🔍 What's Included?
Player and GM-Facing Chapters: Dive deep into dwarven lore with surprises at every turn.
Secrets of the Sacred Stone: Start your campaign with a thrilling tier-1 adventure.
Adventure Handouts & Battlemaps: Immerse yourself in epic encounters.
New Content Galore: Explore 4 subclasses, 10 backgrounds, face off against 9 new adversaries, master 10 new feats, and confront corruption with a brand-new 5E sub-system.
Join them as they journey into darkness, where legends are forged and heroes rise. Unleash your inner dwarf and secure your place in history today! ⚒️✨
Follow the project on Kickstarter to get an alert when they go live!
