Kinda surprised there weren't any "exactly what time should I expect this book?" threads in general discussions, but here we are. Since impressions of an adventure are naturally going to tread on spoiler ground I figured I'd open talk here in the DM's thread.
I'm not really CR person and was more ambivalent toward the release than anything else, but having skimmed it a bit I'm actually toying with picking up a copy just to have it in my DMs tool box. Some very rough deets in spoiler block:
1.) Dug the way the rival party was stated in tiers and this should really serve as a "better way" model to those DMs who open "I rolled up a party of characters to antagonize my players." threads.
2.) Monsters I dug, espeically the cultists and cobalt soul ranks, easily reskinned filler for antagonists.
3.) Story, lots to steal there, actually speaks to some stuff I'm working through in my own game
4.) Magic items, actually was kinda meh on these other than the Fragments of Suffering, which to me read more like plot elements than magic items in their own right.
Anyway, not what I was expecting, I do think it's more engaging that WBtW, but I thought RotFM was a more richly developed adventure with more options for what the players accomplish. As far as "grading" recent adventures I'd put that between the two.
Oh one more point of confusion:
I thought Cobolt Soul and Oath of the Sea were going to be in this, is it that they actually show up in the Taldoereal or whatever they call that 3rd party book instead?
Downloaded mine on the app this morning. Very excited to read it, as CR got me into D&D. I did skim though and I agree with everything in your post, MidnightPlat.
Kinda surprised there weren't any "exactly what time should I expect this book?" threads in general discussions, but here we are. Since impressions of an adventure are naturally going to tread on spoiler ground I figured I'd open talk here in the DM's thread.
I'm not really CR person and was more ambivalent toward the release than anything else, but having skimmed it a bit I'm actually toying with picking up a copy just to have it in my DMs tool box. Some very rough deets in spoiler block:
1.) Dug the way the rival party was stated in tiers and this should really serve as a "better way" model to those DMs who open "I rolled up a party of characters to antagonize my players." threads.
2.) Monsters I dug, espeically the cultists and cobalt soul ranks, easily reskinned filler for antagonists.
3.) Story, lots to steal there, actually speaks to some stuff I'm working through in my own game
4.) Magic items, actually was kinda meh on these other than the Fragments of Suffering, which to me read more like plot elements than magic items in their own right.
Anyway, not what I was expecting, I do think it's more engaging that WBtW, but I thought RotFM was a more richly developed adventure with more options for what the players accomplish. As far as "grading" recent adventures I'd put that between the two.
Oh one more point of confusion:
I thought Cobolt Soul and Oath of the Sea were going to be in this, is it that they actually show up in the Taldoereal or whatever they call that 3rd party book instead?
So to your second spoiler, although I'm just going to answer that plain because it is not really a spoiler, is those were originally provided to DnD Beyond for free. They originally showed up in the first version they put out (at least I believe so I could be wrong about this) of the Tal'dorei Campaign guide, and were retweaked and re-released in Tal'dorei Reborn Campaign guide. It's the reason why those two sub classes recently got adjusted (although i disagree with some of the changes made to Oath of the Sea but whatever) to match the changes that happened in the book. If memory serves this adventure book was announced to not have subclasses since it was an adventure book versus a source material. I haven't picked up the book yet, and probably will at some point, but I've looked at the list of magic items and there isn't anything I need to borrow at this moment (and the campaign I'm running at the moment doesn't have a lot of more room to borrow from things other than magic items).
I haven't invested in any of the CR content in general. I have watched some of the shows, and they are an amazing crew obviously. But that's also why I am staying away from it :) I wouldn't dare run an adventure in a CR setting, feeling that expectations for such a campaign would be replicate the show.
That is probably just me, and I do need to take a look at the material to give it a fair shake, but I just get the sense that this particular material comes with a whole lot of baggage of expectations that I don't particular want to contend with.
That's not a dig at critters by the way, I just think that anyone would have some unconscious expectations if you have come to know the setting through watching the show. I would love to try and play some of it as someone who's only got superficial knowledge of the setting, but not really feeling it would be something I'd want to DM.
I haven't invested in any of the CR content in general. I have watched some of the shows, and they are an amazing crew obviously. But that's also why I am staying away from it :) I wouldn't dare run an adventure in a CR setting, feeling that expectations for such a campaign would be replicate the show.
That is probably just me, and I do need to take a look at the material to give it a fair shake, but I just get the sense that this particular material comes with a whole lot of baggage of expectations that I don't particular want to contend with.
That's not a dig at critters by the way, I just think that anyone would have some unconscious expectations if you have come to know the setting through watching the show. I would love to try and play some of it as someone who's only got superficial knowledge of the setting, but not really feeling it would be something I'd want to DM.
I've had to remind my players "I'm not Matt and I'll never be Matt." speech. after all the members have binge CR two campaigns.
Kinda surprised there weren't any "exactly what time should I expect this book?" threads in general discussions, but here we are. Since impressions of an adventure are naturally going to tread on spoiler ground I figured I'd open talk here in the DM's thread.
I'm not really CR person and was more ambivalent toward the release than anything else, but having skimmed it a bit I'm actually toying with picking up a copy just to have it in my DMs tool box. Some very rough deets in spoiler block:
1.) Dug the way the rival party was stated in tiers and this should really serve as a "better way" model to those DMs who open "I rolled up a party of characters to antagonize my players." threads.
2.) Monsters I dug, espeically the cultists and cobalt soul ranks, easily reskinned filler for antagonists.
3.) Story, lots to steal there, actually speaks to some stuff I'm working through in my own game
4.) Magic items, actually was kinda meh on these other than the Fragments of Suffering, which to me read more like plot elements than magic items in their own right.
Anyway, not what I was expecting, I do think it's more engaging that WBtW, but I thought RotFM was a more richly developed adventure with more options for what the players accomplish. As far as "grading" recent adventures I'd put that between the two.
Oh one more point of confusion:
I thought Cobolt Soul and Oath of the Sea were going to be in this, is it that they actually show up in the Taldoereal or whatever they call that 3rd party book instead?
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Downloaded mine on the app this morning. Very excited to read it, as CR got me into D&D. I did skim though and I agree with everything in your post, MidnightPlat.
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So to your second spoiler, although I'm just going to answer that plain because it is not really a spoiler, is those were originally provided to DnD Beyond for free. They originally showed up in the first version they put out (at least I believe so I could be wrong about this) of the Tal'dorei Campaign guide, and were retweaked and re-released in Tal'dorei Reborn Campaign guide. It's the reason why those two sub classes recently got adjusted (although i disagree with some of the changes made to Oath of the Sea but whatever) to match the changes that happened in the book. If memory serves this adventure book was announced to not have subclasses since it was an adventure book versus a source material.
I haven't picked up the book yet, and probably will at some point, but I've looked at the list of magic items and there isn't anything I need to borrow at this moment (and the campaign I'm running at the moment doesn't have a lot of more room to borrow from things other than magic items).
I haven't invested in any of the CR content in general. I have watched some of the shows, and they are an amazing crew obviously. But that's also why I am staying away from it :) I wouldn't dare run an adventure in a CR setting, feeling that expectations for such a campaign would be replicate the show.
That is probably just me, and I do need to take a look at the material to give it a fair shake, but I just get the sense that this particular material comes with a whole lot of baggage of expectations that I don't particular want to contend with.
That's not a dig at critters by the way, I just think that anyone would have some unconscious expectations if you have come to know the setting through watching the show. I would love to try and play some of it as someone who's only got superficial knowledge of the setting, but not really feeling it would be something I'd want to DM.
I'm happy that it dropped so we finally can get a date for Spelljammer!
Oh, I think Dragonlance is coming first.
I've had to remind my players "I'm not Matt and I'll never be Matt." speech. after all the members have binge CR two campaigns.
Dragonlance was just in UA, it will most likely take a while longer.
this new book, although im still reading it, is in my top 3 for adventures for 5e next to frostmaiden and curse of strahd. I like it!