D&D (2024) Dragon Delves Cover Revealed

At MagicCon: Chicago this last weekend, WotC revealed the cover art for July's Dragon Delves hardcover.

Two covers were revealed--the regular cover by Greg Staples, and the alternative cover by Justine Jones.

​

Dragon Delves, coming out July 8th, is an anthology of 10 dragon-themed D&D adventures ranging from levels 1-12. Each adventure features a different type of dragon.

 

[EthanSental]

As I said on another thread, that alt cover wouldn't look out of place on the wall of a '70s/'80s dorm room.

Spot on, probably the one I’ll get, but dorm room for me was 89-93

 

[pukunui]

Amanda Hammon seems to be the lead here, same as Golden Keys, so hopefully pretty similar to that in quality and utility.

I dunno, man. She was co-lead with Chris Perkins on Golden Vault. The two three books with her as solo lead are real mixed bags (Strixhaven, Shattered Obelisk and Eve of Ruin). Not a great track record in my book.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

I dunno, man. She was co-lead with Chris Perkins on Golden Vault. The two books with her as solo lead are real stinkers (Shattered Obelisk and Eve of Ruin). Not a great track record in my book.

I don't agree, I have liked both Shattered Obelisk and Eve of Ruin so far. Though we are pretty early into Eve of Ruin.

 

[pukunui]

I don't agree, I have liked both Shattered Obelisk and Eve of Ruin so far. Though we are pretty early into Eve of Ruin.

As a player or the DM? A ton of digital ink has been spilled on how bad they are, here and elsewhere.

I’ve read through Shattered Obelisk and there are a ton of nonsensical changes and errors. Honestly, it rivals Dragon Heist for worst 5e book. Here are two threads:

D&D 5E Thread 'A playthrough of The Shattered Obelisk (spoilers)'

Sep 11, 2023

My group is playing through Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk on every Monday evening. Although I will hopefully going into more detail on my blog, I wanted to give a few short notes here for any interested in how each session went.

We are playing on Roll20 using D&D Beyond (Beyond20 integration). Skype for voice.

Two players are quite experienced, the third, playing a sorcerer, not so much. A NPC fighter accompanies the party, choosing well.

Party:

• Human Noble Fighter
• Yuan-Ti Artificer
• Satyr Tempest Cleric
• Tiefling Divine Soul Sorcerer

From this point...

• MerricB
• Replies: 135
• Forum: *Dungeons & Dragons

• 
• 

D&D 5E Thread 'Shattered Obelisk - Zorzula's Rest and other problems'

Dec 24, 2023

Hi all,

I'm on holiday and am finally working my way through The Shattered Obelisk myself. I'm up to the Zorzula's Rest section, which has what might be the worst map I've ever encountered in a WotC product. This is especially surprising given it was done by Mike Schley.

You may recall that Justin Alexander took issue with the lack of a key on the Indigo Sanctum map. Well, that is potentially the least of the Zorzula's Rest maps' problems. These maps are really doing my head in trying to figure out how everything connects and what the vertical distances area between different...

• pukunui
• Replies: 12
• Forum: *Dungeons & Dragons

• 

I haven’t finished reading Eve of Ruin. Not sure if I ever will.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

As a player or the DM? A ton of digital ink has been spilled on how bad they are, here and elsewhere.

I’ve read through Shattered Obelisk and there are a ton of nonsensical changes and errors. Honestly, it rivals Dragon Heist for worst 5e book. Here are two threads:

D&D 5E Thread 'A playthrough of The Shattered Obelisk (spoilers)'

Sep 11, 2023

My group is playing through Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk on every Monday evening. Although I will hopefully going into more detail on my blog, I wanted to give a few short notes here for any interested in how each session went.

We are playing on Roll20 using D&D Beyond (Beyond20 integration). Skype for voice.

Two players are quite experienced, the third, playing a sorcerer, not so much. A NPC fighter accompanies the party, choosing well.

Party:

• Human Noble Fighter
• Yuan-Ti Artificer
• Satyr Tempest Cleric
• Tiefling Divine Soul Sorcerer

From this point...

• MerricB
• Replies: 135
• Forum: *Dungeons & Dragons

• 
• 

D&D 5E Thread 'Shattered Obelisk - Zorzula's Rest and other problems'

Dec 24, 2023

Hi all,

I'm on holiday and am finally working my way through The Shattered Obelisk myself. I'm up to the Zorzula's Rest section, which has what might be the worst map I've ever encountered in a WotC product. This is especially surprising given it was done by Mike Schley.

You may recall that Justin Alexander took issue with the lack of a key on the Indigo Sanctum map. Well, that is potentially the least of the Zorzula's Rest maps' problems. These maps are really doing my head in trying to figure out how everything connects and what the vertical distances area between different...

• pukunui
• Replies: 12
• Forum: *Dungeons & Dragons

• 

I haven’t finished reading Eve of Ruin. Not sure if I ever will.

I am the DM. And I just don't agree.

Probably because I just don't care about the little nitpicks you are making on the threads.

Why do you hate Eve of Ruin?

 

[pukunui]

Probably because I just don't care about the little nitpicks you are making on the threads.

I am far from the only one picking it apart!

Here’s another one for you: D&D 5E - Justin Alexander's review of Shattered Obelisk is pretty scathing

Here’s our very own @MerricB’s review: Review: The Shattered Obelisk - Merric's Musings

Why do you hate Eve of Ruin?

I don’t hate it. I even started a thread on how to make it better: D&D 5E - Enhancing Vecna: Eve of Ruin SPOILERS

That said, it has had generally unfavorable reviews for a variety of reasons (mainly, it’s railroady, especially with the main twist, and it’s too easy, with Vecna in particular not being a good enough challenge for the PCs as written).

This is why I say I haven’t been impressed by Amanda Hamon’s track record at WotC so far.

Again, I am hardly the only person complaining about these two adventures.

Suffice it to say, the fact that Dragon Delves has two uninspiring covers and an uninspiring lead designer makes me less enthusiastic about getting it.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I am far from the only one picking it apart!

So, you believe if the internet says it, it must be true?

it’s railroady

It needs to be, given the levels involved and the number of locations included. As with any other Adventure Path, the DM is expected to flesh it out as necessary. You want to visit a bunch of different classic locations? The players need to be up for taking the train.

it’s too easy

Also a product of D&D rules not working well at high levels, and the potential enormous difference in power levels between PCs of different classes. Four wizards would rollstomp everything, six fighters would find it impossibly tough.

What I am finding (I'm running it at the moment) is it's modular structure makes it easy to mix and match content to taste.

 

[Distracted DM]

Why do you hate Eve of Ruin?

Because it's a feel-good stomp-fest, and a GM trying to enhance it to be anything but is going to have their work cut out for them.

WotC is capable of making challenging adventures... But EoR is a paper tiger.

 

[Parmandur]

I dunno, man. She was co-lead with Chris Perkins on Golden Vault. The two books with her as solo lead are real stinkers (Shattered Obelisk and Eve of Ruin). Not a great track record in my book.

True, and Strixhaven as well, which is a mixed bag. But Golden Keys is the most similar product, and was excellent, so...we'll see.

 

[Parmandur]

mainly, it’s railroady

I mean, like a lot of the big campaign books that don't gel, the issue is that it is really an anthology of completely seperate modules with a thin connecting veneer that is, yes, a pure railroad.

Looked at as an anthology, it is very interesting. I particularly love the Tomb of Horrors inspired module on Greyhawk.