D&D 5E DM's Guild print books / Scourge of the Sword Coast / Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle

[Davelozzi]

A few somewhat related questions...

I am considering picking up Scourge of the Sword Coast in order to get an updated version of Daggerford and environs (I have long owned and enjoyed the AD&D module N5 Under Illefarn). I see that DM's Guild sells it in multiple formats: PDF, and softcover color books in both standard and premium heavyweight (print on demand, I believe), or some combination thereof. However there doesn't seem to be much in the way of description or photos of the different versions. Can anyone with experience in these formats tell me more about them? Are they saddle-stitched (stapled) booklets similar to say the two in the D&D Starter Set? Is there a cover that is in any way heavier than the other pages, similar to most retail published adventure modules? On the PDF, is the text searchable or is it just images of the pages?

I was led to the product by seeing/purchasing Mike Schley's excellent map set of the adventure, and as mentioned above, am mostly interested in it as a resource for Daggerford and environs. Also looking for a good small-mid size dwarven dungeon comparable to the original dwarven stonghold in Under Illefarn and was wondering if that is what Firehammer Hold was?

Finally, reading up on the above adventure, I see that it is a loose sequel of sort to Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle which also seems to be pretty connected to the Daggerford area, and is also sold on DM's Guild (though only as a PDF). Can anyone who is familiar with both tell me (a) which is the better resource for a Daggerford campaign and/or which, if either, has a better dwarven stronghold/dungeon such as I described above?

Thanks in advance!

 

[aco175]

I was thinking to do the same thing in my next campaign. I remember playing Under Illefarn and still have it. I did not buy the playtest and wish I had. I would like to see an updated version ,but Do not think it will happen. I may get the PDF to have and just print off the pages I need and the maps.

I do not know how the quality of print on demand would be, I would hope at least as good as the 4e modules with glossy paper and staples in the middle.

 

[pukunui]

I just got a print copy of Scourge. It's the premium version, and it looks pretty good. I'll take some pics.

EDIT:

Can anyone with experience in these formats tell me more about them? Are they saddle-stitched (stapled) booklets similar to say the two in the D&D Starter Set? Is there a cover that is in any way heavier than the other pages, similar to most retail published adventure modules? On the PDF, is the text searchable or is it just images of the pages?

The print version of Scourge is perfect bound, not saddle-stitched. The cover is indeed heavier. (My one complaint is that I expect I'll have trouble keeping it open at the table.) The pdf version is fully searchable.

Also looking for a good small-mid size dwarven dungeon comparable to the original dwarven stonghold in Under Illefarn and was wondering if that is what Firehammer Hold was?

Both adventures contain dwarven strongholds of the size you want. While the stronghold in Ghosts is actually under Mt Illefarn, I would say that Firehammer Hold (which is located in the Forlorn Hills to the north) is the better of the two.

Can anyone who is familiar with both tell me (a) which is the better resource for a Daggerford campaign

Scourge is the better resource, complete with a map of Daggerford and a thorough description of the town's major businesses and points of interest and NPCs, though Ghosts has a few tidbits that got left out.

Please note that both adventures are set during the Sundering. For a more up-to-date snapshot of the situation in Daggerford, please see either the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide or Storm King's Thunder.

[sblock=pics] [/sblock]

 

[Davelozzi]

I just got a print copy of Scourge. It's the premium version, and it looks pretty good. I'll take some pics. (snip)

Awesome, thanks for the info and the pics, this looks great, I will order it up.

ures are set during the Sundering. For a more up-to-date snapshot of the situation in Daggerford, please see either the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide or Storm King's Thunder.

Yep, I have both of those sources already, thanks. I am partially looking for it just because I have a soft spot for Daggerford, but I am actually running a Lost Mine of Phandelver > Storm King's Thunder campaign, modified to campaign year 1368 D.R. and... [sblock]in my game Gauntlgrym has not yet been re-discovered, and I am aiming to have Nezznar from LMoP be a member of House Xorlarrin working with Duke Zalto, and that when the forge from the former adventure turns out not to be up to snuff for their purposes with the Vodinod, they press the search for Gauntlgrym, successfully, in pursuit of Maegera. However, I don't want to derail the whole STK campaign by making Gauntlgrym the focus, so I was looking to use a smaller dwarven stronghold that can be played in a few sessions as a stand-in for the relevant/accessible portion thereof. Note that at least part of the idea for that came from someone else on these boards in the Enhancing STK thread (though I tweaked it a bit to fit my own game).[/sblock]

 

[pukunui]

Cool. The Ironaxe Halls (Ghosts) are a partially ruined dwarf stronghold in Mt Illefarn inhabited by dwarves, orcs, and their "dworc" offspring (half-dwarf, half-orc), as well as some Red Wizards and their undead minions.

Firehammer Hold (Scourge) is a temple-fortress + mine that has been taken over by duergar.

 

[hastur_nz]

Ghosts is a massive, sprawling set of adventures designed for PC's level 1-10, but given it was pre-release rules if you ran it using published 5e rules that might push it up a tad. Personally I've only skimmed its near 300 pages, and nothing got me excited.

Scourge I like, although I've only used it for inspiration. It has more 'mini site adventures', spread as far north as the Ardeep, and east of Daggerford etc and it includes a good map of the area, which ties in to Storm King's Thunder nicely, as well as a detailed map and info on Daggerford; more so than Ghosts (unless I missed something). It was written for level 2-4, but again as it was pre-release most likely 3-5 is more appropriate and could be scaled even higher if you desire. It's designed to be a set of little adventures the PC's have with a home base in Daggerford.

I'm running Storm King's Thunder myself, and I threw away most of Chapter 1, using an old Basic module instead (B5), then on to Goldenfields.

I think you could definitely get enough mileage out of Scourge of the Sword Coast. For example, PC's start in Daggerford, get sent to Nightstone to clean up the problems there, then do the various adventures in Scourge of the Sword Coast, before finally heading to Goldenfields or maybe Triboar. Scourge has pretty much all you'd need to replace most of the rushed and lackluster parts of SKT Chapter 1, so you can go from level 1 to 5 in a more "natural" manner.

 

[pukunui]

[MENTION=771]Davelozzi[/MENTION]: In case you weren't aware, Daggerford was, at one point, going to be included as a starter town in the DMG. All that remains of that is a map commissioned from Mike Schley that shows the region around Daggerford in greater detail than the map from Scourge: http://prints.mikeschley.com/p530730153/h358C84AE#h358c84ae

 

[Davelozzi]

I was not aware. Intriguing. Thanks.


Sent from my iPhone using EN World

 

[pukunui]

I was not aware. Intriguing. Thanks.

No worries. Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help.

 

[Koren n'Rhys]

Scourge I like, although I've only used it for inspiration. It has more 'mini site adventures', spread as far north as the Ardeep, and east of Daggerford etc and it includes a good map of the area, which ties in to Storm King's Thunder nicely, as well as a detailed map and info on Daggerford;
I'm running Storm King's Thunder myself, and I threw away most of Chapter 1, using an old Basic module instead (B5), then on to Goldenfields.

I think you could definitely get enough mileage out of Scourge of the Sword Coast. For example, PC's start in Daggerford, get sent to Nightstone to clean up the problems there, then do the various adventures in Scourge of the Sword Coast, before finally heading to Goldenfields or maybe Triboar. Scourge has pretty much all you'd need to replace most of the rushed and lackluster parts of SKT Chapter 1, so you can go from level 1 to 5 in a more "natural" manner.

Exactly what I'm doing. PCs started in Daggerford before heading north to Nightstone. After clearing that area (NS and Dripping Caves) they'll need to get to Goldenfields on foot (no Xephyros for us) so around Ardeep one way or the other to hit up Phylund Lodge or Harpshield Castle for the XP missed by cutting the Xephyros section. If they come back to the Daggerford area, there's more to do there as well.