Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress - any good? [spoilers]

[Plane Sailing]

So, has anyone got Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress? Has anyone played it or run it?

Basically, is it any good, and how does it compare with the other P series adventures?

Cheers

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

I've looked through it, and it looked pretty good.

The final encounter has a very neat mechanic that I really enjoyed:

Spoiler

There is a random method for either the villain or the PC's to gain extra action points during the fight, which can be spent immediately. Should make it highly entertaining as these extra attacks go off all over the place!

 

[Plane Sailing]

That's interesting, thanks.

I've heard from one 'mini-review' on RPG.Net that it might be a bit of a railroad out of the box. Any views on that?

 

[Jack99]

A bit does not quite cover it.

 

[Stoat]

That's interesting, thanks.

I've heard from one 'mini-review' on RPG.Net that it might be a bit of a railroad out of the box. Any views on that?

I haven't finished reading it, but the first half of the adventure at least is pretty railroady and linear.

Getting to the keep requires a little dungeon crawl through the underdark and a tomb. IIRC, both maps are pretty linear.

To get into the inner keep, the players have to collect four plot tokens from an area of the fortress that is "too big to be mapped". The adventure gives the DM four separate encounter areas, each with 3-4 rooms. That's where the plot tokens are. The encounter areas are very straightforward, like the dungeon-delve maps. Go to room 1, then room 2, then room 3.

The DM is expected to handwave the vast network of passages between these four areas, and there isn't a lot of advice given as to how to do that. As a result, I think most groups will find it to be a pretty linear experience.

Maybe the end is really strong. Like I said, I'm not finished reading it.

 

[Plane Sailing]

...from an area of the fortress that is "too big to be mapped". The adventure gives the DM four separate encounter areas, each with 3-4 rooms. That's where the plot tokens are. The encounter areas are very straightforward, like the dungeon-delve maps. Go to room 1, then room 2, then room 3.

The DM is expected to handwave the vast network of passages between these four areas, and there isn't a lot of advice given as to how to do that.

I found that approach just didn't work well in Thunderspire labyrinth, and I'm disappointed to hear that they are using it again. They could at least have done a skill challenge (or reference the 'Lost in the wilderness' skill challenge from DMG p79 or something)