The Emerald Spire Superdungeon
- Thread starter Morrus
- Start date
Jester David
Hero
4 out of 5 rating for The Emerald Spire Superdungeon
The Emerald Spire is certainly a cool idea for a product: lots of Name authors collaborating and making a unique product. And lots of people like a good extended dungeon crawl. The Emerald Spire will certainly keep people occupied for a year of twice-monthly delving.But the product is inconsistent and is very episodic. For a group of players meeting for long sessions of delving, each layer could be a single session. The superdugeon might feel like a long series of Pathfinder Society dungeons. There’s a little foreshadowing and some suggestions of a larger menace, but for the most part the PCs just kick in the door of a level and fight their way to the next staircase down.Thankfully, the problems of the adventure are nothing a skilled GM cannot overcome. Knowing that the menace of the “Crowned Skull” needs to be emphasised and reiterated, the provided random encounter table can be used. Signs of former expeditions and passage can also be added, suggesting the Hellknight’s previous delves. The GM can also add as much motivation for their players as required, adding extra quests and problems (although, as these will lack a card, they’ll be a little more obvious).
The Emerald Spire is certainly a cool idea for a product: lots of Name authors collaborating and making a unique product. And lots of people like a good extended dungeon crawl. The Emerald Spire will certainly keep people occupied for a year of twice-monthly delving.But the product is inconsistent and is very episodic. For a group of players meeting for long sessions of delving, each layer could be a single session. The superdugeon might feel like a long series of Pathfinder Society dungeons. There’s a little foreshadowing and some suggestions of a larger menace, but for the most part the PCs just kick in the door of a level and fight their way to the next staircase down.Thankfully, the problems of the adventure are nothing a skilled GM cannot overcome. Knowing that the menace of the “Crowned Skull” needs to be emphasised and reiterated, the provided random encounter table can be used. Signs of former expeditions and passage can also be added, suggesting the Hellknight’s previous delves. The GM can also add as much motivation for their players as required, adding extra quests and problems (although, as these will lack a card, they’ll be a little more obvious).
3 out of 5 rating for The Emerald Spire Superdungeon
Good production values but the content is lackluster. A fair amount of work will be needed to make this product enjoyable as written. I thinks it best use would be to use of the one of the levels to fill a night or two of gaming if you are short on time.
Good production values but the content is lackluster. A fair amount of work will be needed to make this product enjoyable as written. I thinks it best use would be to use of the one of the levels to fill a night or two of gaming if you are short on time.
Starfox
Adventurer
5 out of 5 rating for The Emerald Spire Superdungeon
This is a dungeon. A big one, but parcelled into small levels, and with an "elevator" that lets the players get back to base almost at will. Each level is written by a different author, making them diverse, but there has been editorial control keeping them on some kind of theme. The book is very light-hearted. There is no angsty drama or misery in this, just a fun and good romph trough a big amusement park. I love it! This is way outside what I normally play. I generally loathe dungeons, with their emphasis on resource management and claustrophobic feel. None of that here. Also missing is the tedium of fighting room by room towards a distant goal, or any kind of "fun later" - the fun in this dungeon is right here, right now. Another thing I like about this game is the reward structure. A very big chunk of the rewards are given for exploring the dungeon itself. Treasure is actually a secondary concern. And that means there are few mandatory magic items, and the PCs instead get money to spend as they like. Very player empowering. The bad? Well, some parts of it are a bit hard to understand as a GM, and some parts really don't make much sense. It is not a campaign as I generally play them, with an environment for the characters to grow attached to. There is a story, but it is rather weak, and very few opponents are proactive as written. It is a dungeon, and one of separate, pretty isolated parts. If you enter it knowing this, you will hardly be disappointed.
This is a dungeon. A big one, but parcelled into small levels, and with an "elevator" that lets the players get back to base almost at will. Each level is written by a different author, making them diverse, but there has been editorial control keeping them on some kind of theme. The book is very light-hearted. There is no angsty drama or misery in this, just a fun and good romph trough a big amusement park. I love it! This is way outside what I normally play. I generally loathe dungeons, with their emphasis on resource management and claustrophobic feel. None of that here. Also missing is the tedium of fighting room by room towards a distant goal, or any kind of "fun later" - the fun in this dungeon is right here, right now. Another thing I like about this game is the reward structure. A very big chunk of the rewards are given for exploring the dungeon itself. Treasure is actually a secondary concern. And that means there are few mandatory magic items, and the PCs instead get money to spend as they like. Very player empowering. The bad? Well, some parts of it are a bit hard to understand as a GM, and some parts really don't make much sense. It is not a campaign as I generally play them, with an environment for the characters to grow attached to. There is a story, but it is rather weak, and very few opponents are proactive as written. It is a dungeon, and one of separate, pretty isolated parts. If you enter it knowing this, you will hardly be disappointed.
Lwaxy
Cute but dangerous
5 out of 5 rating for The Emerald Spire Superdungeon
It does have some weak points, mainly that as a GM you need to strengthen the story, infuse the opponents with some more life and not have a group who takes their dungeons too seriously. Other than that it's perfect for me.
It does have some weak points, mainly that as a GM you need to strengthen the story, infuse the opponents with some more life and not have a group who takes their dungeons too seriously. Other than that it's perfect for me.
Similar Threads
AD6_gamerati_skyscraper
Recent & Upcoming Releases
-
April 16 2024 -
May 31 2024 -
June 3 2024 -
June 4 2024 -
June 18 2024 -
July 16 2024 -
September 17 2024 -
October 1 2024 -
November 12 2024 -
February 18 2025
