D&D 5E Rebalanced Tyranny of Dragons Coming In January

According to Amazon a 'rebalanced' version of Tyranny of Dragons is being released by WotC in January. There's no indication if there's a new cover, but the "adventure has been rebalanced to be easier for a new Dungeon Master to run and a better play experience".

2019's Tyranny of Dragons combined 2014's Hoard of the Dragon Queen and The Rise of Tiamat with errata and new cover art. It was originally produced for WotC by Kobold Press during the early period of 5E when adventures were outsourced to local companies run by ex-WotC employees, such as Kobold Press, Green Ronin and Sasquatch Game Studios. This will be the third version of these adventures.

Tyranny of Dragons combines and refines two action-packed Dungeons & Dragons adventures—Hoard of the Dragon Queen and The Rise of Tiamat—into a single sweeping campaign. It also includes a gallery of concept art providing a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of an epic adventure spotlighting Tiamat, one of the most legendary foes in D&D.

• A wonderful re-introduction to 5th edition’s first published adventures for new fans
• Begins as a low-level adventure suitable for new players and evolves into an epic, sprawling campaign bringing players all the way from level 1 to level 15
• Adventure has been rebalanced to be easier for a new Dungeon Master to run and a better play experience.
• Book includes gallery of concept art spotlighting Tiamat, one of the most legendary foes in D&D

 

[GMforPowergamers]

We don’t know for sure it’s being redone for One D&D.

that's worse though... if they are saying to update an early 5.0 adventure to late 5.0 what does that mean for 1D&D

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I do do a little bit of paid DM work, and I will say that it makes me much more resentful when looking at the playtests, because where other people might see interesting rule experiments they might try or ignore I see a bunch of arbitrary rule changes that, if adopted, I will be obligated to master and semi-obligated to incorporate into my game if I want to keep being able to market myself as a paid DM of the most current edition.

yup that is what even non paid DMs that plan to and have run at stores and cons are facing.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

that's worse though... if they are saying to update an early 5.0 adventure to late 5.0 what does that mean for 1D&D

why not update an adventure just to make it better?

 

[GMforPowergamers]

why not update an adventure just to make it better?

I mean I am super happy with improvements... but not when they should be errata.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

I mean I am super happy with improvements... but not when they should be errata.

I am not sure what you are talking about. Can you clarify your statement?

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I am not sure what you are talking about. Can you clarify your statement?

sure... if you think that you can make a better dragon adventure that is great. If you think the rules have moved on and as such redoing the adventure is worth it great (I love that sunless citadel and castle ravenloft have been updated to 5e). I have no issue with improvments... my issue is when a 'rebalanced' version of Tyranny of Dragons is being released by WotC it sounds like it is already NOT BALANCED, and as such should be fixed through errata not a new rerealase.

 

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

I mean I am super happy with improvements... but not when they should be errata.

To my knowledge, WotC has made it a policy in 5e to essentially only announce errata when they're doing a reprint anyway (except in situations like the Hadozee debacle), so it's pretty much the same thing.

 

[pukunui]

sure... if you think that you can make a better dragon adventure that is great. If you think the rules have moved on and as such redoing the adventure is worth it great (I love that sunless citadel and castle ravenloft have been updated to 5e). I have no issue with improvments... my issue is when a 'rebalanced' version of Tyranny of Dragons is being released by WotC it sounds like it is already NOT BALANCED, and as such should be fixed through errata not a new rerealase.

The first time they combined the two adventures and reworked the early chapters, they released the changes in an errata document. I see no reason why they wouldn’t do the same thing again this time.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

The first time they combined the two adventures and reworked the early chapters, they released the changes in an errata document. I see no reason why they wouldn’t do the same thing again this time.

I honestly doubt that there will be much difference between that reworking and this one, besides cover and maybe a few errors that snuck through getting fixed. I doubt it will be yet another full revision. Especially because it has no hype behind it. It looks to me like a non-special edition (read: special cover) re-release of the one-volume. Which is what I always expected them to do, and was surprised that they reprinted the two-volumes instead.

 

[agrayday]

Any thoughts if WOTC would have the kobold team (Wolfgang at etal) work on this version or if its all in house "tweeking" ?

I would assume Rich Baker wont be back to work on the Phandelver Campaign that's due out next year. Unless he's working on it contract wise.