Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall will be Level 11-20 adventure

Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall will be a high-level Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Today, Wizards of the Coast officially made the upcoming adventure and its companion rulebook Arcana Unleashed, available for pre-order. The listing for Deadfall reveals that it will be a Level 11-20 adventure, pitting players against the undead lich Szass Tam. The new adventure is billed as a "magical spy thriller" with Tam set to unleash a demonic undead horde upon the Forgotten Realms.

The adventure will also feature 20 dedicated maps, a Thay gazetteer, 6 "high-CR" creature statblocks, including Szass Tam, and 14 magic items.

Historically, Wizards of the Coast has shied away from high-level adventures for its 5th Edition campaigns, although there were a few exceptions like Dungeon of the Mad Mage and Vecna: Eve of Ruin. It's interesting that, for the first official campaign adventure for 5.5E, Wizards is opting for a high-level campaign as opposed to an entry level campaign.

Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall will be released on September 15th.

 

[Superchunk77]

So 29.99 for 128 page adventure from level 11 to 20. Pass.

I got Pulp Hummock's Gods of the Forbidden North Volume 1 (480 pages) for 25.99 instead. Volume 2 and 3 are there too and are even higher page counts (if I need them).

 

[Paul Farquhar]

One thing to remember is that all those megacampaign hardcovers (at least the ones I'm familiar with) have multiple plot branches that are completely optional or even assumed to go unused depending on the choices of the players. Storm King's Thunder for example - in a typical playthrough you might not even use fully half of it.

Most didn’t, and were fairly linear. SKT and the Elemental Evil one were the exceptions, not the rule.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Sounds like a great plot for a D&D movie........

I’ve wondered to what degree this is a sequel to HAT.

 

[CommodoreKong]

Its noy a lot of pages for for 20 levels.

Its about half the size of level 1-10 Adventures. And theyre kinda rushed.

I think the reality of the situation is that long term campaigns are getting to be more and more rare - so WotC and other TTRPG companies are responding with shorter adventures and anthology adventures.

 

[Savage Wombat]

I kind of expect that "magical spy thriller" means a James Bond movie. In other words, the party goes from one evocative location to another when they find the clue to the next set-piece.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

It looks like the Demonic undead thing is literal.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I kind of expect that "magical spy thriller" means a James Bond movie. In other words, the party goes from one evocative location to another when they find the clue to the next set-piece.

It seems to tie in to "The Ninth Quill" organisation from AU as questgiver. Which appears to be a revamp of the Golden Vault idea. Which would make it more Mission Impossible than James Bond.

Although if my lot play it it would probably be more Slow Horses.

 

[mamba]

I think the reality of the situation is that long term campaigns are getting to be more and more rare - so WotC and other TTRPG companies are responding with shorter adventures and anthology adventures.

this is a long term campaign in all but page count…

 

[Maxperson]

Which begs the question how much of the "new" gazeteer will be a rehash of parts from the "Dreams of the Red Wizards", "Spellbound" and "Unapproachable East" sourcebooks from previous editions? My guess is a good portion, but maybe I'm wrong.

It kinda has to. Most of the 5e/5.5e players haven't played prior editions and can't be assumed to have that prior information. Anything in an area not detailed yet in 5e/5.5e needs to be a rehash of old stuff, combined with some new stuf.

 

[R_J_K75]

It kinda has to. Most of the 5e/5.5e players haven't played prior editions and can't be assumed to have that prior information. Anything in an area not detailed yet in 5e/5.5e needs to be a rehash of old stuff, combined with some new stuf.

Yeah I had thought of that too, that the majority of newer players wouldn't have much if any info on Thay. The gazetteer is the only thing I'd be interested in, but not enough for the price. I miss the 3.x days when they would release free web enhancements for products. I feel like that's what the gazetteer should be because the old material is available on DMs Guild if people want it. That way they could flesh out the adventure a bit more.