Dead Man's Chest - Who's got it, what's in it

[diaglo]

Wooden Ships and Iron Men

 

[Pinotage]

Check out this thread. The idea is from Mearls' Portals & Planes.

Thanks, Psion! Very cool thread!

Pinotage

 

[JoeGKushner]

I just hope that Dead Man's Chest is more adventure than Glades of Death was. The pages nad pages of Tome of Horror monsters was not what I look for in an adventure sourcebook.

 

[DaveMage]

Alright, DMC is in my posession so here you go:

There are a few introductory pages (6-7) about the ocean floor, reefs, tectonic plates, trenches, tides, and tidal waves.

Then there are supplemental ship and sea rules (10 pages) which cover ship speed, and ship modifications. Modifications include a ram, special sails, armor plating, etc. There are also a couple of pages which describe ship types (caravel, frigate, etc.). There's also a couple of pages of notes on underwater adventuing (swimming, breathing, etc.).

The next section is all about weather (30 pages). There are several tables (similar to AEG's Toolbox) which list the effects of weather based on the climate (arctic, tropical, etc.) and the time of day. It describes the condition and also lists the effect the weather has on skills. (For example, in rainy conditions, search and spot are affected.)

The next chapter (10 pages) contains new skills, feats, and prestige classes. I would reserve most of the feats here as for NPCs, as land-based PCs may find most of them of limited use. (For example, "Fast Swim" which is like the "Run" feat, but for swimming.) There are 4 prestige classes: Diver, Mariner, Navigator, and Songchanger. Only the songchanger seems to have a real benefit to land-based campaigns (YMMV and all that).

Then we have new magic items (11 pages), followed by new monsters (43 pages), and new spells (8 pages).

Adventures then follow, with the first (12 pages) being for 5th level characters. That is followed by one (18 pages) for 6-8th level characters. Finally, there is one for 9th level characters (22 pages).

The book then ends with two appendices: one an appendix of stat blocks of monsters and NPCs for the adventures, and the other has two tables: a "random shipboard event and monster encounter" table (d100), and an Aquatic Monster Encounters table (d1000).

So there you go.

 

[Psion]

Thanks all.

The toolbox style material sounds cool, but much of the rest sound like stuff that is pretty well covered. :/

 

[grodog]

So, if one doesn't own any sea books yet except for Seafarer's Handbook, what's the consensus on DMC---forget it or buy it?

 

[DaveMage]

So, if one doesn't own any sea books yet except for Seafarer's Handbook, what's the consensus on DMC---forget it or buy it?

I can't say yet. DMC actually mentions the Seafarer's Handbook (and others) as good compliment products (since DMC has no rules for naval combat).

I have not had a chance to study the monsters or read the adventures yet. If those are good, then it's a good buy. The weather charts are pretty neat, but (for me) the value of the book is going to show itself in the adventures and monsters.

 

[Pinotage]

There's also a couple of pages of notes on underwater adventuing (swimming, breathing, etc.).

Thanks, DaveMage. I was really hoping for a more detailed look at Underwater Adventuring. Does DMC provide an alternative to the core rules for combat underwater?

Pinotage

 

[diaglo]

The Deep?

why the question mark?

CMG/MEG/whatever Hal i'm sure would say the book would work for you.

 

[DaveMage]

Thanks, DaveMage. I was really hoping for a more detailed look at Underwater Adventuring. Does DMC provide an alternative to the core rules for combat underwater?

Pinotage

I don't think so. I'll recheck the book when I get home from work tonight, but I think the goal was for the book to be a compliment of (and enhancement to) the core rules, not a replacement.