D&D 5E NewbieDM Posts Avernus Previews

NewbieDM on Twitter has received an early copy of Descent Into Avernus from WotC, and has been busy posting photos of the book. Lot of images of the interior. I've posted a handful below, but check his Twitter stream at the link for many, many more.

 

[DWChancellor]

Color me intrigued. The stain glass account of Zariel's fall is just such a wonderful detail. Incredibly atmospheric. I've avoided the whole heaven/hell motif for years but now I'm being... tempted =)

 

[Inchoroi]

I want it just for that spread of Baldur's Gate. I really hope we get that as a digital file somehow...

 

[vpuigdoller]

Maps are once again by Dyson Logos to those who care.

Edit: Encounter maps.

 

[Parmandur]

Maps are once again by Dyson Logos to those who care.

Badass.

 

[gyor]

Good news: Tiamat stat block. Bad news: They still list her as Chaotic Evil. Unless they really meant to change her alignment, they needed to fix that. I suppose she will also be listed as Chaotic Evil in the single-book combined reprint of Hoard of the Dragon Queen and Rise of Tiamat?

I never liked the stat block, she should have more spellcasting and reality altering Godly power. Look at what Tiamat could do in 2e and 3.5e. Gods shouldn't have simply high level monster stats, they should have versitility and reality bending abilities.

 

[DWChancellor]

I never liked the stat block, she should have more spellcasting and reality altering Godly power. Look at what Tiamat could do in 2e and 3.5e. Gods shouldn't have simply high level monster stats, they should have versitility and reality bending abilities.

The lair mechanics bridge some of this. I had a lot of success using powers built and balanced against lair mechanics but flavoring it like you describe. I capstoned my three year campaign with an Orcus fight that left the players pretty stunned.

Even just changing the battlefield without much mechanical consequence really amps the atmosphere of big power combats (ground rupturing, light effects, skeletons coming out of ground, etc.)

 

[MechaTarrasque]

That is intentional. There is mention of her being chaotic evil in MtoF as well (mention that she is the square peg in the Hell's lawful evil round hole). My guess they made the change to align her more with the Tiamat of myth? A mistake, IMO, if the only thing you do is change her alignment.

I tend to think of her as a thoroughly CE type who realizes that CE makes lousy servants. So (making the best of a bad situation), She has been recruiting devils and turning them in Abishai (also a devil that screws up and doesn't want to be demoted can "volunteer" to be Abishai instead). Of course, much like a LG angel serving a CG god, the most power Abishai tend to try to manager Her like Jeeves does Bertie (with the full support of the Lords of the 9, who hope to change Her alignment in the fullness of time).

 

[Parmandur]

I tend to think of her as a thoroughly CE type who realizes that CE makes lousy servants. So (making the best of a bad situation), She has been recruiting devils and turning them in Abishai (also a devil that screws up and doesn't want to be demoted can "volunteer" to be Abishai instead). Of course, much like a LG angel serving a CG god, the most power Abishai tend to try to manager Her like Jeeves does Bertie (with the full support of the Lords of the 9, who hope to change Her alignment in the fullness of time).

This is good: honestly, I think she as depicted is a bit schizo, she has multiple heads, representing five species of varied alignments!

 

[pukunui]

They've finally given the mountain that has grown up next to Baldur's Gate a name!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EDu6e8QXoAAOgpN?format=jpg&name=medium

 

[dave2008]

I never liked the stat block, she should have more spellcasting and reality altering Godly power. Look at what Tiamat could do in 2e and 3.5e. Gods shouldn't have simply high level monster stats, they should have versitility and reality bending abilities.

Conversely, look at what she could do in 1e and 4e. It’s not like D&D has been consistent in how it represents Gods.

That beings said, gods are more than this in my games. At best her 5e stat block is weak avatar of her true form