| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Eilserus |
Posted - 19 Aug 2014 : 19:51:16
Picked this tome up this morning and been paging through it. I'll post some thoughts once I finish reading.
In the meantime, what's the impression of our fellow scribes? Seems pretty decent from what I can tell so far. My initial thoughts are, I'm going to have alot of fun with this with a bit of tweaking and expanding on some of the various areas. |
| 27 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Jeiroth |
Posted - 06 Jan 2015 : 01:27:50
Well. I read the adventures expecting more. I was disappointed and did not buy. The treasure, for example, was very lackluster. Especially for a book talking about the one of the greatest treasure hoards in the universe. I mean the best weapon in the game is usable by evil characters only. I know this new D&D hates magic items but....level 16 and my fighter had nothing...disappointing.
Second, the villains felt weak. Facing Nergal Bladelord should be an awesome experience. I made him into a Deathknight with magic plate and a vorpal sword. Much better. The ending also felt anti-climatic, although getting wiped by Tiamat was an experience. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 15 Dec 2014 : 15:15:59
YUP - that was the one.
Thank You Dazzerdal! 
EDIT:It looks to be an early (basic rules) 5e product (D&Dnext). |
| Gary Dallison |
Posted - 15 Dec 2014 : 14:56:57
Scourge of the Sword Coast has a map of Daggerford on it, although i dont know what edition it falls under since i stopped paying attention after 3rd. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 15 Dec 2014 : 14:53:08
Sometime at the end of 2012/2013 there was a 'transitional' module - I think from the DnDnext playtests - with the Daggerford region on it.
Does anyone know what product this was? I can find the map itself on Mike Schley's site, but I don't recall where it was from. 
Oh, and I am not talking about the newer map of the same region - the 5e one (a piece of which appears in the DMG). |
| Markustay |
Posted - 04 Dec 2014 : 19:11:00
I plan to buy his Daggerford region map today - it looks like some very interesting changes were made. 
quote:
Originally posted by Eilserus
Oh! Well that's reasonable enough. Cool, looks like the Sivermoon typo was fixed on the map too when I looked on their website.
Are you talking about how it was in the wrong place on the map, or just the misspelling of it?*
Eric Boyd pointed-out the positional error to me - the guy certainly has an eye for detail.
I find it odd that Parnast made it onto the map - I've only recently placed that myself (it was on the map in the novel The Nether scroll, which I haven't read).
*Nevermind - just went there; looks like both were corrected. Too bad the copy I have of Hoard is the bad one, and I would now have to pay for the corrected version. Of course, I could just correct it myself.  |
| Delwa |
Posted - 03 Dec 2014 : 01:23:29
quote:
Originally posted by SteelGandalf
So, team, where would you place this module in the DR timeline? My players are asking for something of a backdrop to the adventure, so they can better tie their characters to current events. Any scribes have any input?
The Adventurers League (official D&D organized play group) has stated that the current Tyranny of Dragons line starts in the late 1480's DR. (The exact date is out there if you feel like Googling.)
On a side note, the free PDF is monsters from the monster manual. The Monster stats that are printed in the adventure are not. So I'd imagine the pdf is to save page count and cost. You're actually able to run the adventure by only purchasing the adventure, and using the free Basic Rules. |
| SteelGandalf |
Posted - 03 Dec 2014 : 01:13:08
So, team, where would you place this module in the DR timeline? My players are asking for something of a backdrop to the adventure, so they can better tie their characters to current events. Any scribes have any input? |
| idilippy |
Posted - 09 Sep 2014 : 23:19:25
I haven't read it myself yet, waiting to see what 5e online options open up to see if my group (who exclusively play over the internet with chat and roll20) try out this latest edition or let it pass by, but I've liked Kobold Press' Midgard stuff so the fact that WotC farmed the adventures out had me more interested than if they had been WotC offerings. That is something to remember if the adventures seem a little more like generic adventures than ones that are fully tied into the larger Realms backdrop: the adventure is designed by an outside company for a new edition of the Realms (that went through a supposedly major even and doesn't yet have a campaign guide to explain the full repercussions of said event) and a new edition of the game (one that isn't fully finished yet given that they still are working on the DMG and the monster manual isn't released). While that doesn't excuse any problems one might have with the campaign it might explain why any problems found are there.
That said, do the adventures at all address the fact that Tiamat in the Realms has been active, or do they gloss that over completely and just stick with the "imprisoned in the hells for thousands of years" storyline without explaining why this contradicts past information? |
| Gary Dallison |
Posted - 09 Sep 2014 : 20:42:50
Not even the name of an interesting magic item. You can do a lot with a name (The Ring of Tchazzar for instance with its little blurb in Dragons of Faerun gave me a wealth of ideas to flesh out my alternate Tiamat and how she kept dying and returning).
I loved the Steven Schend era work where they would add in the names of magic items, even if there was no extra lore to go with it the mention of a name was a highlight in any work, and while I can come up with names myself, I'm not paying for a Forgotten Realms product where I have to do all the hard work myself in coming up with the realmslore (I can do that without buying their products, and im on issue 6 of that project already).
|
| ZeshinX |
Posted - 09 Sep 2014 : 20:15:23
quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal
Out of interest, how generic is generic.
Is there any useful realmslore in the entire adventure, does it flesh out any of the treasure with a story related writeup, does it add any plot hooks for the rest of the realms (and by plot hooks I don't mean so and so escapes to wreak havoc later - I mean real plot hooks for development in other areas of the realms sort of like a what is happening elsewhere at the same time).
I ask because I have resisted buying any 5E stuff (because of my burning resentment and anger over 4E), I want good realmslore before I will begin giving WoTC my money and if this doesn't contain any then I wont be purchasing.
Is there even a single instance of someone or something being connected to events, people, or places outside of the scope of the adventure itself. I don't want self contained products, I like things that link and tie in to other stuff.
I found the lore related to the storyline to be quite well done. I don't have the book in front of me at the moment to offer specific examples, but I found it quite enjoyable (keep in mind too, that I haven't touched anything Realms since 3.5 beyond the one read-through of the 4e guide), so I will admit to having some lingering bias over the 4e Realms, both for and against.
I don't recall if there was anything that struck me as outside the plot lore. The areas might be inspiring to some to add their own elements, but generally if it doesn't deal with this storyline, it's not really touched on. The treasure write ups are more abstract than anything. No history, no lore, no interesting backgrounds....nothing. Just +1 Sword and the like. Even the hoard of the title is abstract (I like designers to leave room for DMs to flesh out, but the lack of any detail here...it's just sad).
There's a lot of factions in play of course, so you could always extrapolate from them to other self-created intrigues and such, but I find design-wise the focus is the current story and little else.
The intent seems to be to allow for DM improvisation wholesale outside the storyline and give the adventure a less....rail-roady feel to it, so I praise them for that, but it lacks in offering actual stepping stones (no little blurbs about rumours, sightings of strange activity, weird lights, nothing). Again, nothing that I recall off-hand.
The lack of included monsters really ticked me off. If they truly want to take their time and wait, then this release should have waited until at least the MM was released. I get wanting to give people something to play with, but this is just a sloppy way to do it. Online material should enhance the printed product, not be required for it.
I suspect (and hope) future products of this type will be better, once all the core books are out. Having an actual setting book out would improve things as well, especially if the presented settings in these is going to be so damn narrow. |
| Gary Dallison |
Posted - 09 Sep 2014 : 19:55:13
Out of interest, how generic is generic.
Is there any useful realmslore in the entire adventure, does it flesh out any of the treasure with a story related writeup, does it add any plot hooks for the rest of the realms (and by plot hooks I don't mean so and so escapes to wreak havoc later - I mean real plot hooks for development in other areas of the realms sort of like a what is happening elsewhere at the same time).
I ask because I have resisted buying any 5E stuff (because of my burning resentment and anger over 4E), I want good realmslore before I will begin giving WoTC my money and if this doesn't contain any then I wont be purchasing.
Is there even a single instance of someone or something being connected to events, people, or places outside of the scope of the adventure itself. I don't want self contained products, I like things that link and tie in to other stuff. |
| ZeshinX |
Posted - 09 Sep 2014 : 18:25:04
My take away from it: terrible. Generic, dull, missing monsters (for the price tag, include the monsters, free download to complete the product is pathetic). Downloads as extras and/or alternatives, sure. Flat out needing to do it is absurd. The details surrounding the plot are well done, but that's about it.
If this is what WotC has to offer for adventure modules, I won't be buying anymore of these (already I will not be touching the second half of this).
WotC, I suggest you swallow your pride and follow Paizo's example. Their Adventure Paths are how you do it. I will leaf through your next storyline (which I hear rumoured is Elemental Evil or something like that), but I will not purchase if it is not significantly improved over this waste of money. |
| sagechan |
Posted - 07 Sep 2014 : 08:47:10
quote:
Originally posted by Eilserus
I need to get the Player's Handbook still. I sort of want to try a game with 5E rules, presently we use 2nd edition.
I have to read the adventure more closely, but I do like what I've seen so far. My only regret is they don't give us a code or art gallery for digital copies in jpeg format for the maps.
Wyvern Riding, flying castles...yeah it's good stuff from what I can see so far.
Going forward I'd like to see treasure spruced up a bit. Instead of a 10 gp gem, call it an Agate. Realmsify the loot!
As for Lost Mine, I'm initially thinking of adapting that to the area we're in.
Soon as my group gets into Eveningstar they'll be discovering the Tomb Gate in the Gorge to blast them over near Scornubel to get started!
Do a search for hoard or the dragon queen art, the artist has a page you cab purchase the dm and clean maps in high resolution. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 04 Sep 2014 : 03:03:04
Got my copy yesterday. This, along with the new PHB, will be comprising part of my weekend reading. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 03 Sep 2014 : 05:27:37
Finally got this the other day... I order it from Kobold Press, so it's signed by everyone involved and came with a "Queen of Dragon" patch.
I think they still have signed copies available. |
| 9thChapter |
Posted - 24 Aug 2014 : 15:36:35
I just ran my group through the first of eight adventures in HotDQ and it went very well. As a second edition fan, as well as someone who prefers story over tactical battle sequences that take multiple hours, I'm very impressed with what I've read so far and how it translates into gameplay. And the maps... Wow. Both Jared and Mike are excellent choices for cartographers in HotDQ and Mines, respectively. |
| Derulbaskul |
Posted - 24 Aug 2014 : 14:49:31
I was pleased to see Castle Naerytar make an appearance. I have fond memories of Dungeon's first adventure path, the Mere of Dead Men series. |
| Penknight |
Posted - 23 Aug 2014 : 06:46:04
Thank you both very much! It would've been nice though if the modules came with a code or something where you could go online and print off player copies of maps, etc. I've already paid for the module. It would be nice not to have to pay for the maps again on top of that. Maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part...
I would've gladly paid for the map of the Sword Coast at GenCon though if I'd been able to go this year. Next year will hopefully be my first year ever attending, and I'm really looking forward to it! |
| Delwa |
Posted - 23 Aug 2014 : 06:10:38
And here is the Mike Schley maps if you want. :) |
| Eilserus |
Posted - 23 Aug 2014 : 03:17:47
Sure thing, here's his website I was talking about:
http://theredepic.bigcartel.com/products |
| Penknight |
Posted - 23 Aug 2014 : 01:28:09
Could you post a link to the maps, please? I'd really appreciate it, and so would my group this weekend. |
| Eilserus |
Posted - 23 Aug 2014 : 00:37:27
Oh! Well that's reasonable enough. Cool, looks like the Sivermoon typo was fixed on the map too when I looked on their website.
|
| Delwa |
Posted - 22 Aug 2014 : 23:23:34
quote:
Originally posted by Eilserus
I need to get the Player's Handbook still. I sort of want to try a game with 5E rules, presently we use 2nd edition.
I have to read the adventure more closely, but I do like what I've seen so far. My only regret is they don't give us a code or art gallery for digital copies in jpeg format for the maps.
Wyvern Riding, flying castles...yeah it's good stuff from what I can see so far.
Going forward I'd like to see treasure spruced up a bit. Instead of a 10 gp gem, call it an Agate. Realmsify the loot!
As for Lost Mine, I'm initially thinking of adapting that to the area we're in.
Soon as my group gets into Eveningstar they'll be discovering the Tomb Gate in the Gorge to blast them over near Scornubel to get started!
Seeing that Mike Schley is able to sell the maps he made for Lost Mines, and I remember that the maker of the Sword Coast map for Hoard is doing the same, I doubt they'll do anything "official" in the way of a code.
And the prices for just the digital version are fairly reasonable. I paid a buck and change for a map from Mr. Schley, and you have permission to print the map for personal, non-profit use. |
| Eilserus |
Posted - 22 Aug 2014 : 22:57:14
I need to get the Player's Handbook still. I sort of want to try a game with 5E rules, presently we use 2nd edition.
I have to read the adventure more closely, but I do like what I've seen so far. My only regret is they don't give us a code or art gallery for digital copies in jpeg format for the maps.
Wyvern Riding, flying castles...yeah it's good stuff from what I can see so far.
Going forward I'd like to see treasure spruced up a bit. Instead of a 10 gp gem, call it an Agate. Realmsify the loot!
As for Lost Mine, I'm initially thinking of adapting that to the area we're in.
Soon as my group gets into Eveningstar they'll be discovering the Tomb Gate in the Gorge to blast them over near Scornubel to get started! |
| Penknight |
Posted - 22 Aug 2014 : 19:58:31
I'm actually a fan of Hoard of the Dragon Queen as well as the Lost Mines of Phandelver. The modules seem to be well written and thought out, and encourage clever play. I'm actually going to be running the Starter Set this weekend for my girlfriend and her two daughters, and if that goes well and they enjoy the system, HotDQ.
I honestly believe that 5E offers a lot of promise, and I'm actually excited in Dungeons and Dragons again for the first time in almost fifteen years. |
| Eilserus |
Posted - 19 Aug 2014 : 21:01:40
The Lost Mines was great too. I've been thinking about trying to use them both myself! |
| Delwa |
Posted - 19 Aug 2014 : 20:48:37
I've not finished reading it, but what I have read, I like. It's very flexible. I'm already considering pulling the initial encounter out and using it in my current game.
I did like Lost Mines of Phandelver better, but again, I haven't finished this one yet. |
