What do we know about 'Revenge of the Giants'?

[gribble]

With regards to the book: clearly it's in hardcover format, does this mean there will likely be no poster maps?

I'd expect one to be included in a similar way to the FR and Eberron CG books - i.e.: perforated at the back.

 

[Scribble]

I'd expect one to be included in a similar way to the FR and Eberron CG books - i.e.: perforated at the back.

That is one thing I've HATED.

First hated it in a couple of products in basic D&D, and continued to hate it when they started it as the main map distribution method in 3e.

I'm one of those "DON'T DEFACE MY BOOKS!!!!" players. I just can't bring myself to pull that map out no matter how hard I try to convince myself everything will be ok... I just can't.

I can't even stand it when it's not perforation, but that stupid glue stuff.

If they were gonna do that I wish they'd sell the maps as a separate product. I'd buy it.

 

[gribble]

Once some reviews roll in, then I'll decide whether to pick it up (hey, good maps are good maps).

I'm pretty much in the same boat. The introduction hasn't impressed me at all, and I don't really have a burning desire for a paragon level 4e adventure (or a WotC adventure for that matter - the quality of their 4e adventures has really disappointed).

Still, I said the same thing about Red Hand of Doom when that was first announced. If this adventure is of similar quality to that 3e classic, then I'm sure I'll eventually pick it up.

But right now I'm saving my pennies for the new SPACE HULK set from GW!

Ditto. The 4e release schedule after DMG2 really hasn't grabbed me. I think the next book I pick up will probably be PHB3... Which is probably a good thing, because between the new Space Hulk, the collectors edition of Rogue Trader, and the new starter set for Monsterpocalypse in Oct my budget for new stuff is already pretty much spent for the rest of the year!

 

[scourger]

But right now I'm saving my pennies for the new SPACE HULK set from GW!

For the Emperor! Cleanse! Purge! Kill!

Thanks for the link, that game looks cool.

 

[TerraDave]

I looked at this in the store today.

Yes, I was confused by the preview. Yes, there is plenty of giants attacking the locals...

But Argent is a not a normal comunity, by any stretch. And it does have a "save the cosmos from the freed god" element that feels a little trite.

But, again, some of it also looked really cool, and it does envoke much of the originals. It also tries for a good amount of variety, so it is not all giant all the time.

My main problem now: its too much! Would definately have to scale it back for my groups semi-regular play.

 

[Crothian]

I got Wizards to send me a copy, but I haven't really gotten a good chance to look at it yet. I was somehow thinking it would be thicker.

 

[Primal]

I looked at this in the store today.

Yes, I was confused by the preview. Yes, there is plenty of giants attacking the locals...

But Argent is a not a normal comunity, by any stretch. And it does have a "save the cosmos from the freed god" element that feels a little trite.

But, again, some of it also looked really cool, and it does envoke much of the originals. It also tries for a good amount of variety, so it is not all giant all the time.

My main problem now: its too much! Would definately have to scale it back for my groups semi-regular play.

I leafed through the pages, concentrating mainly on the maps and encounters, and I wasn't too impressed with this module; it did have some skill challenges, but mostly it seems to be just an endless string of combat encounters against different types of giants in different types of lairs. All the maps are rather "bland" and, well, unexciting; in fact, they're obviously quickly drawn and boring (IMO a well-designed map is one that actually makes the players think "I want to explore this place! I want to open the next door to see which kind of room is there"). Even the city map reminded me of the old TSR computers games more than the well-designed city maps of Eberron or FR.

 

[crash_beedo]

This is why looks are deceiving and flipping through an adventure for 30 seconds really doesn't lead to a good review... Revenge of the Giants actually appears to be one of the better adventure modules put out there by WOTC in the 4E era.

The basic framework of Revenge of the Giants is the players get recruited to be members of an ancient order of 'world-defending heroes' - it has a very strong 4-color comic book feel, like the Justice League or something. Even down to spiffy uniforms, er capes, and a secret base.

The campaign is fairly free-form, with certain events happening in the meta-story and moving the campaign forward (as the forces of the giants attack different parts of the campaign world). In addition to going out and battling the giants directly, the group can do various side quests that either make their new secret justice-league style headquarters more functional, there's a side-quest (and time travel opportunity, again very 4-color comic-like) to retrieve powerful weaponry, quests for knowledge, and a handful of diplomatic side-quests to rally the forces of the world against the giants. It's also got githyanki pirates, a trip to the astral plane, and an extended adventure in the elemental chaos. What's not to love?

I think the delve format of presenting encounters leads folks to dismiss adventures as endless combats.

 

[Primal]

This is why looks are deceiving and flipping through an adventure for 30 seconds really doesn't lead to a good review... Revenge of the Giants actually appears to be one of the better adventure modules put out there by WOTC in the 4E era.

The basic framework of Revenge of the Giants is the players get recruited to be members of an ancient order of 'world-defending heroes' - it has a very strong 4-color comic book feel, like the Justice League or something. Even down to spiffy uniforms, er capes, and a secret base.

The campaign is fairly free-form, with certain events happening in the meta-story and moving the campaign forward (as the forces of the giants attack different parts of the campaign world). In addition to going out and battling the giants directly, the group can do various side quests that either make their new secret justice-league style headquarters more functional, there's a side-quest (and time travel opportunity, again very 4-color comic-like) to retrieve powerful weaponry, quests for knowledge, and a handful of diplomatic side-quests to rally the forces of the world against the giants. It's also got githyanki pirates, a trip to the astral plane, and an extended adventure in the elemental chaos. What's not to love?

I think the delve format of presenting encounters leads folks to dismiss adventures as endless combats.

Yeah, but I *did* admit that I just leafed it though and mainly focused on maps and encounters. And I'm not just speaking about room by room evaluation on the basis of the delve format -- I thought the maps (the whole dungeons/keeps/cities/giant villages/dragon lairs) were rather bland and "rushed" for my taste, and the main idea seemed to be that "oddly" shaped rooms or spaces are not allowed because they mess up with squares. But that's just my opinion -- I like "exciting" maps, and consider them to be essential in a good adventure. YMMV, naturally.

I also think the plot hook ("Join the ancient order of heroes on the edge of the world!") is pretty weak, and won't work for many groups; if I ever ran this, I might play for player greediness and hint at powerful artifacts being hidden in the city (I'd do this at a suitable opportunity when PCs are looking for exotic and powerful magic items; whether the items they're looking for are actually there is another matter).

 

[frankthedm]

I got Wizards to send me a copy, but I haven't really gotten a good chance to look at it yet. I was somehow thinking it would be thicker.

when you get the time, could you post a list of the critters and their numbers that are in the modules?

EDIT what is this? Looks a lot like a dreamblade Scragglemaw.

wizards.com/dnd/images/4new/galleries/RevengeGiants_art/tn/tn_9.jpg
img199.imageshack.us/img199/3972/scrag.jpg

Edit again: Oh, that is a scragglemaw. Now I wonder if there is a chance some the the Serrated dawn sculps will see the light of day.