D&D 5E Auroborus: A Mountain-shattering Rock-and-roll D&D World from WoW Developers

What happens when some of the developers of Warcraft, Diablo, and Overwatch make a D&D setting? You get a 'rock-and-roll' high-powered world called Auroboros!

Coming to Kickstarter on April 20th from Warchief Gaming, Auroborus: Coils of the Serpent is set in a land called Lawbrand. Players can wield immense power, able to shatter mountaintops. The Kickstarter is for the first 'Worldbook' which details Lawbrand.

"Ancient magic flows through the grimy streets of Lawbrand’s bustling Trade-Cities. Tensions between the ruling Sularian Church and the new generation of upstart adventurers threaten to ignite a firestorm of societal upheaval. In the wilds beyond Lawbrand’s borders, long-forgotten races and newly formed cults rise to claim their own territories – and exert their will upon civilization. And beneath it all, the ancient World-Serpent, Auroboros, awakens to devour all…"

The setting contains 5 new races (including the aquatic Atsaad), and 4 subclasses (including the fighter Wildkeeper).

As for that 'mountain-splitting" power? Here's what they say: "The ancient World-Serpent, Auroboros, coils throughout Creation; its vast power capable of birthing startling new life or annihilating all that is. By taking the dread Mark of the Serpent, players can wield the Auroboros’ awesome power directly, gaining the ability to heal the sick and shatter mountaintops alike – but at great peril to themselves."

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

While it's popular in some quarters to scoff at Blizzard's game lore, I really enjoy Azeroth's lore and Metzen's infectious enthusiasm at Blizzcons before he left the company. I'm betting this will be another big fun setting. The fact that, in the video, he describes the church as "Lawful Good gone crazy" suggests that this will end up being another setting featuring the clash of civilization versus more "wild" people.

 

[Parmandur]

While it's popular in some quarters to scoff at Blizzard's game lore, I really enjoy Azeroth's lore and Metzen's infectious enthusiasm at Blizzcons before he left the company. I'm betting this will be another big fun setting. The fact that, in the video, he describes the church as "Lawful Good gone crazy" suggests that this will end up being another setting featuring the clash of civilization versus more "wild" people.

Oh,an, the time I spent poring over the lore in the Warcraft/Starcraft manuals when I was in Middle School...

 

[jayoungr]

Huh, interesting.

I do wish someone would redo the Warcraft setting books for 5E. The old ones had a lot of lore in them that is officially non-canon and is now contradicted by what's appeared in the game.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

While it's popular in some quarters to scoff at Blizzard's game lore, I really enjoy Azeroth's lore and Metzen's infectious enthusiasm at Blizzcons before he left the company.

I'd say Warcraft 3 actually has some fairly good world-building, and is the origin of arguably WoW's most iconic character the Lich King. I remember the "Wrath of the Lich King" ads being plastered everywhere, and I won't deny that it is some pretty great design.

 

[overgeeked]

The name and that beautiful snake made me think this was going to be some kind of Sword & Sorcery setting. I got Conan and Set on the brain. Still, looks interesting.

 

[Dausuul]

"Where regular 5th edition D&D campaigns can get bogged down in low-level fights..."

This is a... very strange problem to have. If I feel the stakes of a campaign are too low or the fights are too small, I can just advance the game to a higher level. In 33 years of playing and DMing this game, across editions from Basic to 5E, I have never once had a player object to leveling up.

If the players feel bogged down in low-level fights, well, that's something to resolve with the DM.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'd say Warcraft 3 actually has some fairly good world-building, and is the origin of arguably WoW's most iconic character the Lich King. I remember the "Wrath of the Lich King" ads being plastered everywhere, and I won't deny that it is some pretty great design.

And it does a much better job than Lucas did with Anakin Skywalker, despite hitting overall similar beats. At every step of the way, Arthas' choices are reasonable (if debatable), even as he walks himself into a trap.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

"Where regular 5th edition D&D campaigns can get bogged down in low-level fights..."

This is a... very strange problem to have. If I feel the stakes of a campaign are too low or the fights are too small, I can just advance the game to a higher level. In 33 years of playing and DMing this game, across editions from Basic to 5E, I have never once had a player object to leveling up.

If the players feel bogged down in low-level fights, well, that's something to resolve with the DM.

Metzen likes things to be EPIC with loud heavy metal booming in the background.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

And it does a much better job than Lucas did with Anakin Skywalker, despite hitting overall similar beats. At every step of the way, Arthas' choices are reasonable (if debatable), even as he walks himself into a trap.

To be fair, writing a "fall to evil" arc that is better than Anakin's isn't that difficult.

I'll add, I still find most of Warcraft's lore pretty uninteresting. It does swipe a ton of stuff not just from things like Lord of the Rings and Dungeons & Dragons, but even products like Warhammer Fantasy. And IMO is less interesting than all three.

Of Blizzard's fantasy IPs, Diablo is the most interesting IMO. Does a pretty good job of recontextualizing a lot of Angels vs. Devils stuff from the real world, into something that feels unique. I mean, the "big bad devil" being named Diablo (instead of something reused a million ways like Beelzebub, Mephistopheles, etc) is a pretty good win.