D&D 5E (2014) Princes of the Apolcalypse/Adventurer's Handbook by Sasquatch Game Studios

[GX.Sigma]

It disappoints me that save-the-world railroads are apparently the most profitable, since I have no desire to play or run them, and I think they're generally bad design for an RPG (where you're supposed to be able to do anything).

 

[Jer]

What are iconic big villains in D&D? that is pretty much what they are doing.

Tiamat
Temple of Elemental evil

next up? Vecna? Lolth?

Strahd. Acererack. Baba Yaga. Orcus. Asmodeus. Demogorgon.

But Lolth's a safe bet I'd think. I'd honestly be surprised if we didn't get a Underdark/Drow centered storyline at some point in the near term just because of how popular those themes seem to be.

Interesting - not being a big FR person I can't think of any iconic FR baddies that are just FR baddies. (The big one that comes to mind for me is Tyranthraxus, but I have zero idea how much of a major villian he really is since my exposure to him is entirely through the old Gold Box SSI PC games).

 

[Thaumaturge]

Interesting - not being a big FR person I can't think of any iconic FR baddies that are just FR baddies..

Szass Tam, lich emperor of Thay is a pretty big baddie is a pretty good candidate.

Thaumaturge.

 

[Saplatt]

I'm not an expert in FR lore, but if this adventure is tied to the Neverwinter online game, the "elemental evil" in question might be the primordial trapped in the "Great Forge" of Gauntlgrym - as mentioned in the 4E Neverwinter book.


Also, taking a cue from 4E, the Player's Guides frequently contained new classes, feats, races, etc. So we probably are looking at the first real "splatbook."

 

[RangerWickett]

What was the last new big-bad created for D&D? Did Eberron actually have you square off in any epic conclusions against Vol or the Dreaming Dark?

Let's not get stuck on nostalgia, folks.

 

[Mirtek]

So that's their strategy to generate the "fresh core book" sales spikes for 5e? Well, in 4e calling them PHB 2, 3, etc. failed and people saw them as the splat books that they are rather than real PHBs. I don't think this new approach will have better success.

Could you list all of the Tiamat-based adventure paths published so far? Admittedly, I'm not a big adventure buyer anymore, I didn't know there were any.

The Tiamat adventure path (Scale of War) was THE big adventure path for 4e. I still perplexed that they chose to start two consecutive edition with a Tiamat path.

 

[Bolongo]

Re: my initial enthusiasm that something might be set in a not-FR world.

No, the article mentions Realms organizations.

Yeah - it seems more likely that the Temple of Elemental Evil has just become kind of iconic to D&D, and the Realms are supposed to have everything that is iconic to D&D. So here's how the Temple of Elemental Evil fits into the Realms.

Well, bugger that for a lark, then.

So friggin sick of FR.

 

[DMZ2112]

awesome! I'll play that!

Background: Transplant from Modern Earth

Skills: Player Knowledge, Whining
Tools: video games, dice

Background trait
DM buddy
A physically representation of the DM, known as Dungeon Master appears when you need help, or don't know what to do next during downtime to help railroad you or give you an obvious clue as to what you should do next.

Best background ever, no need for further game development, stick a fork in D&D5 -- it's done.

Interesting - not being a big FR person I can't think of any iconic FR baddies that are just FR baddies. (The big one that comes to mind for me is Tyranthraxus, but I have zero idea how much of a major villian he really is since my exposure to him is entirely through the old Gold Box SSI PC games).

We may yet see Tyranthraxus in this arc; the Pool of Radiance is definitely relevant in some way.

If it were me at the helm, I'd've done this (keeping in mind that my experience with FR is also pretty limited):

- Stop Lolth from taking over the Weave in the wake of Shar's gambit, and in the process restore all the other drow gods
- Kick Szass Tam in the jimmies and restore Thay to its slightly less undead but still totally evil glory
- Deal with Kazgoroth on the Moonshaes when High Lady Ordalf summons it in an attempt to prevent Sarifal from separating from Faerun, sealing her fate
- When it turns out Lolth, Szass Tam, and Kazgoroth were all really working for Shar after all, thwart Shar's master scheme once and for all and restore balance to the Weave and the Realms.
- Move on to Greyhawk

I don't object to these paths being world-shaking because it's the future history of the setting. It's the most important things that are happening in the Realms for the next few years, of course they're world-shaking. Also, there's no onus on anyone to run them. Personally, I don't intend to play any of these, just purchase them to read. I'll run my own content, just like I always have. And if I decide to run in the Realms someday, my version of the Realms may incorporate these changes or it may not.

I don't really need the developers to write bread-and-butter missions for my PCs -- I can do that myself. I'm far less comfortable manipulating, exalting, and killing major setting NPCs. I'm happy to leave that to the experts.

 

[Mirtek]

- Stop Lolth from taking over the Weave

Was just done. She actually tried right before Shar made her latest attempt

were all really working for Shar

Not her again, she just had 3 or 4 attempts in a row. Cyric, Bane and the others are already impatiently tapping their feet in the waiting line

restore balance to the Weave

Actually that has just been done recently too

 

[Wrathamon]

I am so tired of Lolth.

I would like to see Vecna or Demogorgon to be honest.

Vecna had his last big thing at the end of 2nd edition (right?) and Demogorgon had an AP near the end of 3.5?

Orcus had a run in 4e

Asmo has never been that cool imo ...

Manshoon is the other FR guy but doesn't transcend other campaign worlds.

The Transcendent One ?

Maybe the players are the Villains and the NPCs are trying to stop them from taking over the world?