D&D 5E Princes of the Apocalypse Hits the Shelves!

[Matrix Sorcica]

I'm going to be running either this or an attempt at a conversion of Rise of the Runelords. Thoughts? RotRL has so much incredible depth, so many npc's for the pc's to interact with, possibilities for tons of home-brew to be thrown in, etc. Does it look like PotA will have that much depth? I'd much prefer not to have to convert everything from PF but the first 5e adventures left me extremely cold. Combo of overly linear and not well fleshed out, imho.

Any thoughts would be hugely appreciated from those who have purchased it as I'd rather not shell out the cash unless I'm pretty certain that I'm going to run it. Thanks!

There's a very thorough conversion RotR to 5e here. Also includes links to other great PF to 5e tables. http://www.reddit.com/r/dndnext/comments/2rinj5/rise_of_the_runelords_converted_to_5e_wip/

 

[Nebulous]

So I'm gathering this adventure is really, really, good. I'm getting pretty interested. But... urgh, as someone who has never purchased a published adventure before, ~$50 just seems like a lot to me. I mean, that's how much a core rulebook costs. I only considered the rulesbooks worth it because I'd be using them all the time. What makes books like this worthwhile? I'm not being skeptical or anything, I'm just curious what makes them so fun.

You'll probably get more use out of the adventure than the 3 core books, to be honest. Well, if you're already familiar with D&D. I don't touch the DMG or the PHB hardly at all, and just thumb through the MM as needed. Well, i use the DMG if I need a magic item on the fly, but that is very uncommon.

Edit: And what makes them "fun" is having a long plot already worked out in advance, NPCs and tricks and traps and hooks done for you, maps done for you, and being able to share your experiences with other people who have played the same scenario and comparing notes. It's like when you share a movie in common with someone - "Hey man, remember when that cave troll attacked them in Moria? Damn, that scene was awesome...."

 

[pontinyc]

Thanks for the link, Matrix Sorcica. That was definitely the info I was going to use in a conversion attempt. Wondering, in addition, if anyone feels that PotA will make doing so unnecessary. I know any answers will be subjective and one can't really know what I'd enjoy most in a game, but I'm just wondering overall if PotA will hold the same depth of story (specifically) and rp opportunities that RotRL does, as well as some of the other PF AP's.

When I was a player in RL we spent so many sessions just rp-ing with no combat encounters at all. That's the kind of game I'm looking to run again and was wondering if people who've purchased PotA felt that such a thing might be possible. Thanks!

 

[Drammattex]

When I was a player in RL we spent so many sessions just rp-ing with no combat encounters at all. That's the kind of game I'm looking to run again and was wondering if people who've purchased PotA felt that such a thing might be possible. Thanks!

Yes, provided the players and DM make choices in those directions. In 5e fashion, the adventure encourages those choices without enforcing them. Multiple ways to overcome obstacles.

 

[Hussar]

Was that one very long adventure/chain of adventures, or a whole bunch of unique adventures going off a central theme? I wish I could play this game that often. As it stands, it seems like books like these are more for people who don't need to take proficiency in whips just to get enough friends in the same place long enough for one session. Sigh... >:

World's Largest Dungeon is more of a sandbox in that the 16 modules are not directly linked, but, there are definitely ways to link them in a chain.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Question does anyone know about a bunch of origins for Princes of the Apocalypse that was posted. I can't remember were I found it.

 

[Nebulous]

Hey, for those that have the book and don't mind sharing some spoilers....in my campaign Mt. Hotenow just erupted and did some damage to Neverwinter. What in PotA could account for or be loosely tied to that event?

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Hey, for those that have the book and don't mind sharing some spoilers....in my campaign Mt. Hotenow just erupted and did some damage to Neverwinter. What in PotA could account for or be loosely tied to that event?

In Cannon it was because Red Wizards awakened a Primordial sleeping in the mountain. It would be quite simple to change it to the Cult of the Eternal Flame doing it to cause fiery destruction and death to please their lord Imix.

 

[Nebulous]

In Cannon it was because Red Wizards awakened a Primordial sleeping in the mountain. It would be quite simple to change it to the Cult of the Eternal Flame doing it to cause fiery destruction and death to please their lord Imix.

That's exactly what I'm looking for. Are there any fire giants in that Imix scenario or branch of the fire cult?

 

[MonsterEnvy]

That's exactly what I'm looking for. Are there any fire giants in that Imix scenario or branch of the fire cult?

I don't know I don't have the book yet.

(I will have it in the next hour or so however so I am pretty happy)