D&D 5E Chains of Asmodeus: Official 286-Page Nine Hells Book & Adventure Released!

For Extra Life, the children's hospital charity, Wizards of the Coast just released Chains of Asmodeus on DMsGuild in PDF format. Written by James Ohlen and Adrian Tchaikovsky, this book includes an adventure for levels 11-20, stat blocks for Asmodeus and the other archdevils, a corruption mechanic, and more.

Arcanum Worlds Presents: Chains of Asmodeus
Chains of Asmodeus is a 286-page source book and adventure for the Nine Hells written by legendary game designer James Ohlen (Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate II, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age: Origins) and award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky (Children of Time, The Tiger and the Wolf, The Doors of Eden). This book is beautifully illustrated with haunting art from Sergei Sarichev, Sergey Musin, Julian Calle, Sebastion Kowoll, Paul Adams, Luis Lasahido, and the Aaron Sims Company.

Travel through the Nine Hells to save your soul in this tome that includes:

• 50+ High Challenge Monsters
• Stat Blocks for Asmodeus, Lord of the Nine, and all major Archdevils
• 20+ Infernal Magic Items
• New Item Corruption Mechanic
• Details on all Layers of the Nine Hells, with Beautifully Illustrated Maps created by John Stevenson
• A Fiendish Adventure for Levels 11-20

The book includes full stat blocks for Asmodeus (CR30), Beelzebub, Belial, Dispater, Fierna, Glasya, Levistus, Mammon, Mephistopheles, and more including Bel, Zariel, and a ton of monsters and NPCs.

You can pick it up for $29.99 on DMsGuild.

 

[Reynard]

I would expect such a product to be professionally edited. And that includes sensitivity reading.

Do you think editing and sensitivity reading are the same job? Because they aren't, and that means hiring another person.

 

[TravDoc42]

Now that I've picked up my copy, I gotta say, the monster designs are really neat, and the maps of the various layers of the Nine Hells are done well, too! I haven't read through all of it yet, of course, but from what I've seen, I'm impressed!

 

[TravDoc42]

Also, the spells in the stat blocks are capitalized, which is true also of the spells in Asteria's stat block reveal. I wonder if that's a new stylistic choice they're going with? Also, that might mean that the Chains of Asmodeus team and WoTC's main team were in touch about formatting and stuff.

 

[darjr]

Folks gotta remember that WotC generally has an NDA for these kind of things. While it might not actually cover disclosure of how closely any one worked with WotC internal folks I’d bet it certainly makes it the better part of caution not discussing it.

Just my two cents.

 

[Scribe]

There's a cultural consultant for hell?

All kidding aside, I bet one is called out on every product WotC wants to associate itself with going forward. Content independent.

 

[Reynard]

Folks gotta remember that WotC generally has an NDA for these kind of things. While it might not actually cover disclosure of how closely any one worked with WotC internal folks I’d bet it certainly makes it the better part of caution not discussing it.

Just my two cents.

It is also essentially irrelevant except as a point of interest. I am curious if WotC is farming out work more and more, and if so what that means for the future. But RPGs have relied so heavily on (usually underpaid) freelancers for so long I can't entertain the idea that there is a substantive quality difference between the in house work team and the outside team when the same people are developing both.

 

[Parmandur]

Do you think editing and sensitivity reading are the same job? Because they aren't, and that means hiring another person.

They are different jobs, but both part of having a professional publication, particularly for RPGs.

 

[Reynard]

They are different jobs, but both part of having a professional publication, particularly for RPGs.

So just to be clear, you think all of those people producing work on itch, DTRPG, DMsGuild and elsewhere should have sensitivity readers for everything they produce?

 

[Incenjucar]

All kidding aside, I bet one is called out on every product WotC wants to associate itself with going forward. Content independent.

We do not, after all, need a depiction of a fiend to resemble a currently-worshipped deity or a cultural stereotype.

 

[Scribe]

We do not, after all, need a depiction of a fiend to resemble a currently-worshipped deity or a cultural stereotype.

Thats certainly the view I would anticipate yes. Spelljammer isnt about racism, and yet we had that issue. So it being a product in Hell doesnt mean someone wont put their foot in something. Just the nature of the beast these days.