Free Keep on the Shadowfell at Wizards.com

[Almacov]

I think this is a really, really cool move.
The funny thing is, even though I never run published adventures, and had no real desire to pick up a copy of this before now, I think this may actually make me want to.

I think it's likely a combination of seeing what the poster maps actually look like and mean in terms of setting opportunities, noticing the DMG-style advice sections I didn't know existed in the product, and just seeing how the adventure layout looks as a whole. I'm pretty impressed, and I didn't think I would be.

See, none of the sample encounter excerpts from their published adventures that have been posted on the site have really excited me, but seeing the sections that lay out multiple story hooks, or rumor tables, or NPC writeups... seeing that the adventure has some actual density in terms of RP-centric material, and something to offer beyond the adventure itself (advice sections, for instance), that does get me excited as a consumer.

 

[EricNoah]

I had no idea there was a character builder demo. So getting to see that was neat.

 

[darjr]

This is great. I wondered why there wasn't something like this, it seems lots of other games have done this.

I also think it's a neat way to also sell hard copies of the adventure. I would want the poster maps. Neat.

 

[SlyFlourish]

I think this is really really great, and a really smart thing for Wizards to do.

Now a group can sit down and play through an entire adventure, about 24 hours worth of gaming content, for free. They get PCs, they get a stripped down set of rules. They get an excellent adventure. I think this is the new Redbox as far as I'm concerned. I like this a lot better than the basic set (though it does come with minis and dice and all of that).

I think they'd be smart to build KOTS into the new redbox, redoing the starter set around it.

Others have criticized it but my group and I absolutely loved playing through KOTS. I played through it both as a player and ran it as a DM so I've gone through it twice. I think, though its a dungeon crawler (this is Dungeons and Dragons, mind you), it has plenty of roleplaying opportunity with a lot of NPCs. I think it is the great cornerstone of a campaign and I plan to use the general plot hook of this throughout my current campaign.

I really love this.

 

[ashockney]

Lots of changes:

On The Road - I think the kobolds' positions have been reworked.
A1 - Kobolds' positions reworked
A2 - Kobold skirmisher became Kobold slink
A3 - Dragonshields became Denwardens, Irontooth's Dual Axe must be against separate targets.
A4 - Motivations reworked, Halfling Slinger became Kalarel's Apparition
Area 8 - new stats for Sir Keegan, Skill Challenge reworked
Area 16 - Traps reworked
Area 19 - Deathlock Wight replaced with Shallowgrave Wight. Lots of skeleton minions. Skill Challenge added. Thing In The Portal is now a hazard. Two magic items added to Kalarel and the Wight.

/applauds
/applauds loudly
/stands
/standing ovation

Well done!

 

[El Mahdi]

After the whole pdf thing, I think this is a very smart and classy move. They needed to do something like this to show some goodwill towards their customers. This was a very good way to do that. Will it be enough to bring some people back? I don't really know. I do know it's not enough for me, but it is a move in the right direction. I also think it's a brilliant way to bring even more new players into the game. The page with the downloads was very effectively made with links to the core books. And the character builder teaser is a nice touch also.

Good job, WotC.

 

[MadLordOfMilk]

Sweet! An update to the one published 4e adventure I've bought!

It fixes a lot of the problems with it, I think. Also, it's GREAT to be able to just send my friends a link to the quick start rules

 

[darjr]

It is nice to have the quick start rules so easily accessible.

Can anybody at WotC say anything about an FLGS burning them to CD or something and handing them out?

 

[fanboy2000]

For people who want the posters: IIRC, most if not all of the poster maps in KotS were from the fantastic locations line. This could allow someone to buy the poster maps without having to buy an adventure they already have.

 

[Regicide]

So WotC still thinks that a L+5 encounter is appropriate for the 3rd encounter that a new player is going to experience? Um? It looks like it WAS made a little easier, but it's still L+5...