D&D 5E Justin Alexander's review of Shattered Obelisk is pretty scathing

[Parmandur]

Im glad im not alone in how weird it is people are just going out of their way for argue for worse.

Oh, well, I've changed my mind now, I found another "unkeyed dungeon" in the very first chapter! I figure this has to have, like, six or seven keyed locations, or I might get confused:

 

[LordEntrails]

Im glad im not alone in how weird it is people are just going out of their way for argue for worse.

It seems to me there are some folks who really are just so set against the blog's author that they will die on any hill that belittles him.

I also don't see map keying as the biggest of Justin's critiques. There are plenty of others (did anyone notice there are multiple parts to the review?) But we are not discussing the validity of any of those are we?

 

[Parmandur]

It seems to me there are some folks who really are just so set against the blog's author that they will die on any hill that belittles him.

I also don't see map keying as the biggest of Justin's critiques. There are plenty of others (did anyone notice there are multiple parts to the review?) But we are not discussing the validity of any of those are we?

It was done, earlier in the thread: his crotique is a mixed bag covered in rhetorical monkry poop, at best. But he chose a battle map not keyed as a dungeon as a soap box to rant about how the Modernism introduced after the Second Vat...5E was corrupting the youth and threatening the future of Western Civilization.

 

[darjr]

It seems to me there are some folks who really are just so set against the blog's author that they will die on any hill that belittles him.

I also don't see map keying as the biggest of Justin's critiques. There are plenty of others (did anyone notice there are multiple parts to the review?) But we are not discussing the validity of any of those are we?

He made a third blog post on the topic. The conversation moves on. Justin chose the focus, ask him.

 

[theCourier]

It's especially funny, considering how many people are attributing that criticism to be a nitpick when by choosing to focus mostly on that portion, they themselves are nitpicking the whole review which is pretty legitimate in its grievances.

 

[Parmandur]

To me the big loss is that this book could have been a celebration of that adventure. The rest of it could have included the other box set and ways to tie it into the other 5e adventures.

New and old. Maybe include new NPCs and a bit about the place may have changed after the other 5e adventures.

Especially if it leaned in hard as a tutorial book. The thing you get after the new starter set.

Would have went well with the end of 2014 run.

Thinking om it further, they would have been better off just including it in an unaffiliated anthology, a la Ghoats kf Saltmarsh. Would have made as much sense.

 

[darjr]

Oh. I think this adventure was written over lockdown too. Like near the beginning. I can’t be sure but I do wonder.

Huh maybe.

Was Amanda on staff back then?

Edit: no it wasn’t, it’s late and I’m trapped in a time bubble.

 

[Parmandur]

Oh. I think this adventure was written over lockdown too. Like near the beginning. I can’t be sure but I do wonder.

Huh maybe.

Was Amanda on staff back then?

The first book she worked on was Van Richten's as a freelancer, the first book she led as a Designer internal to WotC was Strixhaven. This probably got started in 2021 at the earliest, as she wrapped up Strixhaven.

 

[darjr]

The first vook she worked on was Van Richten's as a freelancer, the first book she led as a Deaogner internal to WotCwas Strixhaven. This probsvly got started in 2021 at the earliest, as she wrapped up Strixhaven.

Ah. Thanks. That’s a no then.

It’s a weird time warp for me.

 

[Parmandur]

Ah. Thanks. That’s a no then.

I would assume "reprint Lost Mines in a hardcover" has been on the whiteboard of ideas for a while...but it was in print in Target until early last year, so while the current Starter Set was being produced is what probably pushed this into production.