What Is the Planet Apocalypse Pack of the Pit?
Pack of the Pit is a $79.99 story expansion for Planet Apocalypse, Sandy Petersen's cooperative demon-hunting board game. It continues the campaign into Rome and the US capital, adding new Fourth Circle demons, Lords, heroes, and troopers for your team to fight through. It's listed in stock right now, and it's built for players who already own the core game, not as a standalone entry point.
That's a short answer to a fair question, because the product page itself is short. Petersen Games doesn't publish a component list, a card count, or a miniature count for this box on-site. What they do state is the story hook and the content categories it adds. We're going to work with exactly that, plus what we know about the two sibling expansions it was built alongside, so you know what you're actually paying for before you click add to cart.
What Does Pack of the Pit Actually Add to the Game?
Two new locations, and a fresh wave of enemies to go with them.
According to the live product listing, Pack of the Pit "continues your adventure in Rome and the US capital," and it adds "new Fourth Circle demons, Lords, heroes, and even troopers." That's the full extent of what Petersen Games states about contents. No box-count breakdown, no card total, no miniature tally. If you've read other Petersen Games product pages that go deep on specs, this one is intentionally lighter, and we're not going to fill that gap with numbers we can't verify.
What we can tell you with confidence: this is a narrative and enemy-roster expansion, not a rules overhaul. It slots into the existing Fourth Circle content the core game already uses, rather than introducing a new mechanical system. If your table has cleared the maps that ship in the core box and wants new ground to fight over, this is what it's for.
Do You Need the Core Game First?
Yes. Pack of the Pit is an expansion, not a standalone game.
It requires the Planet Apocalypse core game to play. Here's the part we have to be straight with you about: the core game is currently listed as sold out on the Petersen Games store. So if you don't already own a copy, this expansion isn't a purchase you can act on yet. It's built for existing owners, people who already have the core box on the shelf and want to push the campaign further.
If that's you, Pack of the Pit is a real answer to "what's next." If it isn't, the honest move is to wait for the core game to restock (or check the Planet Apocalypse collection page periodically) before adding story packs to a cart.
How Does Pack of the Pit Compare to Power Pack and Void Pack?
All three "big story" expansions for Planet Apocalypse run $79.99, and they share the same underlying template: new Fourth Circle demons, Lords, heroes, and troopers, wrapped around a different destination.
The Power Pack pushes into "the final and most deadly maps in Purgatory and the Inferno," which reads as the endgame content for a campaign. Pack of the Pit sends your team through Rome and the US capital instead, a mid-campaign detour rather than a final act. The Void Pack takes the story into space, and is currently listed on-site in its VF (French) edition. None of the three change the core rules; they change where you fight and what you're fighting.
If you're trying to pick one, think about which setting your group actually wants: Purgatory and the Inferno for the heaviest stakes, Rome and a US capital city for Pack of the Pit's more grounded detour, or a jump to space with Void Pack. There's no wrong answer here, just different flavors of the same demon-hunting core loop.
Is Pack of the Pit Worth $79.99?
For existing owners who've run through the core campaign, yes.
$79.99 buys new maps, a new story beat, and a new enemy roster at the same price point as its two sibling expansions. That's consistent pricing across the line, which at least means you're not paying a premium for one location over another. Cooperative games that escalate difficulty and rotate content tend to hold player interest longer than static ones, and adding fresh maps and enemies is exactly how a campaign-style co-op game like this stays playable past the first few sessions.1
Where it's not worth it: if you haven't finished the content already in the core box, or if you don't own the core box at all (again, currently sold out). This is a "your table is asking for more" purchase, not a first purchase.
Where Does Pack of the Pit Fit in a Planet Apocalypse Campaign?
Buy the core game first. Play it. Then decide.
Petersen Games designed Planet Apocalypse around a modular, escalating structure, which is part of why the hobby press has kept covering it since launch.2 Story packs like Pack of the Pit are meant to extend that structure once your group has burned through what ships in the box, not to replace it. Sandy Petersen, who also did key design work on the original Doom back in 1993 before founding Petersen Games, has built a career on games where the threat keeps adapting to how you play.3 Pack of the Pit is a small, honest piece of that same design philosophy: more hell to fight, not a different game.
Once you've got the core game and want to keep going, Pack of the Pit is a reasonable next add, especially if your group likes the idea of the fight moving through recognizable real-world cities instead of a purely abstract hellscape.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Pack of the Pit add to Planet Apocalypse?
Pack of the Pit continues the Planet Apocalypse story into Rome and the US capital and adds new Fourth Circle demons, Lords, heroes, and troopers. The product page doesn't list an exact component count, so treat it as a story and enemy-roster expansion rather than a rules change.
Do I need the Planet Apocalypse core game to use Pack of the Pit?
Yes. Pack of the Pit is an expansion for the Planet Apocalypse core game and doesn't play on its own. The core game is currently listed as sold out on the Petersen Games store, so this expansion is for players who already own a copy.
Is Pack of the Pit worth $79.99?
For groups who've finished the core Planet Apocalypse campaign and want new maps and enemies, yes. It's priced the same as the other two story packs (Power Pack and Void Pack) and adds a distinct location and enemy set. It's not a good fit as a first purchase since it requires the core game.
How is Pack of the Pit different from Power Pack and Void Pack?
All three cost $79.99 and add new Fourth Circle demons, Lords, heroes, and troopers. Power Pack covers the final maps in Purgatory and the Inferno. Pack of the Pit covers Rome and the US capital. Void Pack (currently listed as the VF edition) sends the story into space.
Is the Planet Apocalypse core game available right now?
No. As of this writing, the Planet Apocalypse core game is listed as sold out on the Petersen Games store. Pack of the Pit and the other story expansions remain in stock for existing owners, but new buyers will need to wait for the core game to restock.
Ready to Add Pack of the Pit to Your Campaign?
If you already own the Planet Apocalypse core game and your group is ready for new territory, pick up Pack of the Pit for $79.99. It's in stock now. In-stock orders ship within 48 hours, and US orders move via USPS Ground Advantage (2-5 business days once they leave the warehouse).
New to the game and don't own the core box yet? Keep an eye on the Planet Apocalypse collection for restock, and come back to Pack of the Pit once you've got a copy on the table.
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