Dungeon of the Mad Mage Level 15: The Obstacle Course

[dave2008]

Nathan Stewart just Tweeted out another preview from the upcoming adventure book, as follows:

"I'm inspired by the #dnd community. Your generous donations are rolling in for our 2018 @ExTraLife4Kids campaign. So keep it up and in the meantime here is another preview spoiler (don't tell @Gregtito he's at Twitchcon so no one is stopping me)." https://t.co/TTZ4bBClSu https://t.co/dwfQodW1Rc

Hmmm, the link provided does not take me to the preview. Any help pointing me to where I can see the preview?

[André Soares]

The preview was in his tweet.

[vincegetorix]

I swore I wouldnt buy any D&D books this year after last year spending frenzy. This book will make me break my promise.

[Henry]

Sheer Freakin' Genius:

"...as well as add a magical, mean-spirited announcer that taunts visitors as they blunder from one room to another."

My players would kill me. :-)

"Oooh, that looks like a nasty hit for the dwarf -- looks like HE's not gonna have the stones to face that Hook Horror again! And up comes the ROGUE FROM BEHIND, TRYING TO SNEAK UP AND GET A NASTY BLOW! Oooh, but the creature somehow knew he was coming, imagine that... The Hook Horror is going for the lay up, he's got 'em by the long and curvies, CAN HE DO IT?!?! HE

COULD...

GO...

ALL...

THE...

WAY!"

[Nebulous]

SLAM DUNK!!!

The Fighter is slain.

[doctheweasel]

Sheer Freakin' Genius:

"...as well as add a magical, mean-spirited announcer that taunts visitors as they blunder from one room to another."

My players would kill me. :-)

I'm tempted to add another voice whom the announcer will occasionally talk to and that may only speak in some arcane language.

"Wow, they're really burning through that healing. It may sustain them now, but they could be setting themselves up for failure later. How do you think that strategy is going to play out for them, Glorb?"

"Dughk Raam ien tkthu. Choar fooch tuk Mauag dorfre jka jka oop shallak. Ungk toor fuul khror malack."

"That's right, they are. They gotta hope there are no creatures with petrification down the line. Now back to the action ..."

[Von Ether]

I'm tempted to add another voice whom the announcer will occasionally talk to and that may only speak in some arcane language.

"Wow, they're really burning through that healing. It may sustain them now, but they could be setting themselves up for failure later. How do you think that strategy is going to play out for them, Glorb?"

"Dughk Raam ien tkthu. Choar fooch tuk Mauag dorfre jka jka oop shallak. Ungk toor fuul khror malack."

"That's right, they are. They gotta hope there are no creatures with petrification down the line. Now back to the action ..."

Mandatory research: The announcers in Best in Show.
https://youtu.be/yeifMjqpsg0

[Banesfinger]

Mandatory research: The announcers in Best in Show.
https://youtu.be/yeifMjqpsg0

Or Cotton & Pepper on Dodgeball
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLr0v9MyGgM

[Retreater]

I'm still not getting a good idea of what this book is. After seeing these previews and reading the synopsis, I still can't tell what kind of book it is. I mean, is this an entire campaign's worth of encounters with actual maps, room descriptions, etc., or is it just sort of an overview of the dungeon with a few sample areas detailed on each level? Is it "roll on these random charts and make your own dungeon?" (which is what I remember the 2nd edition Undermountain being like - just lots of empty space).

[Parmandur]

I'm still not getting a good idea of what this book is. After seeing these previews and reading the synopsis, I still can't tell what kind of book it is. I mean, is this an entire campaign's worth of encounters with actual maps, room descriptions, etc., or is it just sort of an overview of the dungeon with a few sample areas detailed on each level? Is it "roll on these random charts and make your own dungeon?" (which is what I remember the 2nd edition Undermountain being like - just lots of empty space).

The book provides 23 mapped out and detailed Dungeon levels, and Skullport. The mapped out areas have open connections for expanding the dungeon, so it is not a complete map of Undermountain, though it goes all the way to the bottom.

So Level 15 here starts on page 193, and the book is 256 pages: within those last 60 pages, Levels 15-23 get detailed and have maps, with any appendix material. Levels 1-14 and Skullport get detailed in the first 192 pages, along with any introductory or framing information. I'd guess each level gets about nine or ten pages, on average.

[Turgenev]

It is an adventure that runs from levels 5-20. Each level will have its own theme. Some of the levels have been visited before (in previous editions) while many are new levels of the Undermountain. Naturally one book can't cover all of the Undermountain so there will be spaces/sections that the DM can expand if he/she wishes. Even if one doesn't play the adventure as written, a DM could probably lift levels from the book and plug them into his/her own campaign with a little bit of tinkering.

Cheers,
Tim

[darjr]

Also look for expansions on the DMSGuild by AL authors and the Guild Adepts. As well as unofficial content and ports of older material.

[BBShockwave]

Lava Children? Man, never expected to see those creepy things again. I think no edition used them after 1E...

[Superchunk77]

DM's will want to watch "MXC" for tips on the play by play announcements I'm thinking.

[LordEntrails]

I'm still not getting a good idea of what this book is. After seeing these previews and reading the synopsis, I still can't tell what kind of book it is. I mean, is this an entire campaign's worth of encounters with actual maps, room descriptions, etc., or is it just sort of an overview of the dungeon with a few sample areas detailed on each level? Is it "roll on these random charts and make your own dungeon?" (which is what I remember the 2nd edition Undermountain being like - just lots of empty space).

It's both.
- It is a complete campaign taking you from 5-20th levels.
- It is also ONLY an overview of the Undermountain.

Yes it has maps for all 23 levels. But, from hints given it seems it will only be partial maps of most levels, and it certainly will not be describing each and every room/location.

Depending upon what maps you use (or make) and what you count as a room or location, Undermountain has somewhere between 4000 and 6000 locations. Even if you only gave a simple room description and had no artwork etc, you are talking over 2000 pages. when you add in locations with detailed descriptions, new NPCs, magic items, traps, art/maps you are really talking somewhere close to 10,000 pages. WotC will never publish such a thing.

But I'm working on it; www.facebook.com/UltimateUndermountain

[Parmandur]

It's both.
- It is a complete campaign taking you from 5-20th levels.
- It is also ONLY an overview of the Undermountain.

Yes it has maps for all 23 levels. But, from hints given it seems it will only be partial maps of most levels, and it certainly will not be describing each and every room/location.

Depending upon what maps you use (or make) and what you count as a room or location, Undermountain has somewhere between 4000 and 6000 locations. Even if you only gave a simple room description and had no artwork etc, you are talking over 2000 pages. when you add in locations with detailed descriptions, new NPCs, magic items, traps, art/maps you are really talking somewhere close to 10,000 pages. WotC will never publish such a thing.

But I'm working on it; www.facebook.com/UltimateUndermountain

The DMsGuild is a better format for a full Megadungeon, I reckon.

[LordEntrails]

The DMsGuild is a better format for a full Megadungeon, I reckon.

Actually a database is a better format for a full megadungeon I'll begin releasing a FG version within a day of DoMM early release date.

Even a PDF is a poor format, but I will be making a PDF version available once I overcome some of the challenges getting the content from the database to a print ready format.

Facebook is not a "format", it is a networking platform where I keep people informed on the project as well as give previews etc.

The project will be released on the DMsGuild, since it includes intellectual property owned by WotC and needs the CCA license available there.