D&D's October Product Revealed to Be Stranger Things Tie-In

[Burnside]

How does it present itself? Is it an intro to D&D for beginners? A way to capture back old lapsed players? A way to try something a little different for current players? Something else?

It’s definitely shooting for all of the above. It does not assume you have ever played before, and there is a 32-page rule book akin to what’s included in previous starter sets, but for 2024 rules. The conceit is that Eddie has prepared this box and the included adventures for you to take over once he graduates from Hawkins High. Throughout, the books are annotated by him in the first person and he is talking to the reader as if they are a newbie DM, so he offers lots of advice.

I would say it would definitely work for new players and DMs, but it’s also not exclusively for them - it works on a nostalgia basis, and for Stranger Things fans, and also just for seasoned players looking for 4 low-level adventures.

I have so far only read the Level 1 adventure (The Vanishing Gnome) and I really like it very much, although one encounter (level 1 party vs three gnolls) strikes me as probably too deadly.

Incidentally, these are the first official D&D adventures I can recall that include profanity (Eddie writes pretty much in the style that his character on Stranger Things would) which for me was a pleasant surprise. Granted, Baldur’s Gate 3 has tons more than these books do, but the first F-bomb I encountered here was kind of a double-take for me.

Content is fairly robust physically in the same way that Heroes on the Borderlands is: cards for spells, items, and monsters, tokens for creatures, initiative tracker pad, DM’s Screen, really nice double-sided color battle maps.

The main stylistic differences from the Borderlands set are retro-styled pre-gen character sheets rather than the “character boards” of Borderlands, and the 4 included adventures are much more in the style of what we would generally consider structured adventures with quests and goals.

The adventures also reference Stranger Things stuff but don’t really rely on any knowledge of the show and are totally usable in almost any D&D setting.

I’m kinda surprised, but for me personally I feel like I’m likely to get more use from this box than Borderlands.

 

[Parmandur]

Is this being marketed at a different segment than the HotB set or as an alternative to it?

Yes, different audience: this box is going to be part of Stranger Things merchandise displays (which are huge in a lot of department stores when the new Season hits), so this is aimed firmly at fans of that TV show. The general sarter set is on board gamebshelves, aimed at general board game fans.

 

[Parmandur]

Incidentally, these are the first official D&D adventures I can recall that include profanity (Eddie writes pretty much in the style that his character on Stranger Things would) which for me was a pleasant surprise. Granted, Baldur’s Gate 3 has tons more than these books do, but the first F-bomb I encountered here was kind of a double-take for me.

The Rick and Morty box set went there first.

 

[Von Ether]

Watched the unboxing.

LOL! Honestly, I like the stat block better than in 5e proper. It's been one of my long standing pet peeves through various editions the challenge rating is buried in the middle. As a GM, I want to see it big and bold so I can make a snap decision as I'm flipping through the book.

Some of the art reminded more of the 70s underground comic scene than early D&D art but it's not a deal breaker for me.

 

[Burnside]

Some of the art reminded more of the 70s underground comic scene than early D&D art but it's not a deal breaker for me.

The art definitely doesn’t look like very early D&D art from the 70s, but it definitely looks like early-to-mid-80s D&D art.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The art definitely doesn’t look like very early D&D art from the 70s, but it definitely looks like early-to-mid-80s D&D art.

It’s supposed to be from 1985, so that’s about right.

Line drawings wouldn’t have much visual impact anyway.

 

[Clint_L]

I just grabbed the digital pack - I have group of 6 Grade 11s who want to check out D&D so I’ll try the level 1 adventure with them.

 

[Burnside]

I just grabbed the digital pack - I have group of 6 Grade 11s who want to check out D&D so I’ll try the level 1 adventure with them.

Having now read all 4, the level 1 is probably the strongest adventure of the set.

 

[Parmandur]

Having now read all 4, the level 1 is probably the strongest adventure of the set.

What's the elevator pitch for each i
Of them.

 

[Burnside]

What's the elevator pitch for each i
Of them.

Mild spoilers:

Spoiler: Basic plot points

Level 1 - gnome challenges you to find him in a dungeon which includes portals to a Shadowfell/Upside Down version of same dungeon. Light-hearted challenge is complicated when creature from Shadowfell crossed over into "regular" dungeon. Very good level 1 dungeon (one encounter is too deadly).

Level 2 - farmer needs help when crops die and daughter vanishes. Turns out hungry ankheg disturbed ancient destroyed vampire/Gulthias tree situation under farm. Solid level 2 dungeon crawl, lots of plant-based enemies.

Level 3 - Murder spree in docks calls for investigation and fighting lots of rats. Underdeveloped; abrupt resolution.

Level 3 - Cambion (roman a clef Eddie Munson) invites party to participate in an infernal gauntlet to win membership in Hellfire Club. Quite fun but some parts require a "don't think about it too hard" attitude.