D&D 5E Chains of Asmodeus: Official 286-Page Nine Hells Book & Adventure Released!

For Extra Life, the children's hospital charity, Wizards of the Coast just released Chains of Asmodeus on DMsGuild in PDF format. Written by James Ohlen and Adrian Tchaikovsky, this book includes an adventure for levels 11-20, stat blocks for Asmodeus and the other archdevils, a corruption mechanic, and more.

Arcanum Worlds Presents: Chains of Asmodeus
Chains of Asmodeus is a 286-page source book and adventure for the Nine Hells written by legendary game designer James Ohlen (Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate II, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age: Origins) and award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky (Children of Time, The Tiger and the Wolf, The Doors of Eden). This book is beautifully illustrated with haunting art from Sergei Sarichev, Sergey Musin, Julian Calle, Sebastion Kowoll, Paul Adams, Luis Lasahido, and the Aaron Sims Company.

Travel through the Nine Hells to save your soul in this tome that includes:

• 50+ High Challenge Monsters
• Stat Blocks for Asmodeus, Lord of the Nine, and all major Archdevils
• 20+ Infernal Magic Items
• New Item Corruption Mechanic
• Details on all Layers of the Nine Hells, with Beautifully Illustrated Maps created by John Stevenson
• A Fiendish Adventure for Levels 11-20

The book includes full stat blocks for Asmodeus (CR30), Beelzebub, Belial, Dispater, Fierna, Glasya, Levistus, Mammon, Mephistopheles, and more including Bel, Zariel, and a ton of monsters and NPCs.

You can pick it up for $29.99 on DMsGuild.

 

[Distracted DM]

I find it interesting that these is being advertised on the DriveThruRPG storefront, but not the DmsGuild storefront.

DrivethruRPG:
View attachment 319448

DMsGuild:
View attachment 319449

I'm trying not to be cynical
At least it's somewhere down there:

 

[dave2008]

Ok, so it is on DMsGuild storefront, but only listed in the from Wizards section. Interesting. I guess it is good they give prime virtual real-estate to 3PP.

Software.

I do not like the new interface. Could be I’m allergic to change. But I dint think so.

I'm trying not to be cynical
At least it's somewhere down there:View attachment 319492View attachment 319493

 

[Reynard]

I am not. I would rather monsters have interesting abilities than just throwing bonus actions and reactions in there. I know several DMs, myself included, that struggle to remember reactions in the heat of combat. More so if you have multiple combatants and now you want to give them to all monsters?! No thank you. Save them for the important ones, I don't want every goblin, orc, or kobold have unique reactions. I think the have a time and place, but I don't think that should be everywhere. all the time, all at once! I do agree they are not just for bosses though and that is they WotC is heading too. They are adding them to low and mid CR monsters too.

That's fair. I give my shifty guys all a reposition reaction in addition to their bonus actions, and my brutes have either counterattack or shield shove reactions. I don't find them terribly hard to remember, but only because I use them all the time. Plus, reactions are easier for me to remember because they are in response to something specific. I am much more likely to forget about Legendary and especially Lair actions unless I put them on the combat tracker.

 

[Rabulias]

Sure, but when we see LA excluded on creatures that should have them in recent books, and they instead have new legendary reactions, one would think the change is to streamline the running of such creatures. Seeing them come back in the newest book is interesting.

While pseudo-official, it was farmed out to Arcanum Worlds to develop, so maybe Wizards did not send them the memo about Legendary Actions?

 

[dave2008]

That's fair. I give my shifty guys all a reposition reaction in addition to their bonus actions, and my brutes have either counterattack or shield shove reactions. I don't find them terribly hard to remember, but only because I use them all the time. Plus, reactions are easier for me to remember because they are in response to something specific. I am much more likely to forget about Legendary and especially Lair actions unless I put them on the combat tracker.

For me legendary actions are easier as it is always the same trigger, every monster, every turn. But thematic reactions are a good way to go too.

 

[dave2008]

While pseudo-official, it was farmed out to Arcanum Worlds to develop, so maybe Wizards did not send them the memo about Legendary Actions?

There is a comment up thread that at least one statblock (from a preview) in the upcoming book Deck of Many Things uses Legendary Actions. So either not all branches of the D&D team got the memo or LA are still an option (at this time).

Though in my mind that doesn't necessarily mean they are not moving away from them.

 

[darjr]

There is a comment up thread that at least one statblock (from a preview) in the upcoming book Deck of Many Things uses Legendary Actions. So either not all branches of the D&D team got the memo or LA are still an option (at this time).

Though in my mind that doesn't necessarily mean they are not moving away from them.

Also these things are made over time. That could overlap any kind of design change and still make it to end product if they dint have an issue with it.

 

[Rabulias]

There is a comment up thread that at least one statblock (from a preview) in the upcoming book Deck of Many Things uses Legendary Actions. So either not all branches of the D&D team got the memo or LA are still an option (at this time).

Though in my mind that doesn't necessarily mean they are not moving away from them.

True, and it's also possible they are trying different things in different products to see the reactions (pardon the pun).

I would like to see thematic Reactions/Bonus Actions and Legendary Actions (and more!) as tools in the monster creating toolbox.

 

[dave2008]

I would like to see thematic Reactions/Bonus Actions and Legendary Actions (and more!) as tools in the monster creating toolbox.

Agreed, and it seems like that is where things are headed. Looking at Bigby's and Planescape we are seeing more reactions and bonus actions (quite a bit more actually); however, I don't think they will become as ubiquitous as @Reynard would like. I also fear LA may be going away and I would like to see it stay as an option as you suggest (I can still use it my own monsters regardless). Hopefully they make this change part of the playtest.

 

[bedir than]

Sure, but when we see LA excluded on creatures that should have them in recent books, and they instead have new legendary reactions, one would think the change is to streamline the running of such creatures. Seeing them come back in the newest book is interesting.
Having both on the same creature would be interesting, though possibly unwieldy.

It's the "newest" book but also not from the D&D Studio.
It's highly doubtful that the Studio gave guidance to a third-party producer the year+ ago that they started this project and said "The 2024 version won't have X"