D&D 5E Heroes of Baldur's Gate is a D&D Adventure From Bioware's Baldur's Gate Designer

James Ohlen and Jesse Sky of Bioware fame have released the 160-page PDF and hardcover Heroes of Baldur's Gate over on DMs Guild.

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It's an adventure which takes PCs from levels 1-6, and also includes stats for fourteen characters from the video games, including Minsc, Jaheira, Imoen, Edwin, Viconia, and more. Also included are eight new monsters, four new backgrounds, and lots of maps of Baldur's Gate and the Sword Coast.

"The city of Baldur’s Gate is the pride of West Faerûn—a mercantile stronghold ruled by the famous Grand Dukes. One year ago, a powerful merchant leader named Sarevok nearly catapulted the city into war with the neighboring nation of Amn. This crisis was averted, and the remnants of the organization were scattered throughout the Sword Coast.

Now, the city is threatened from within by agents of the nefarious Zhentarim, who seek to fill the power vacuum left behind in the wake of these events. Meanwhile, the Shadow Druids plot to destroy the city by performing terrible rituals, deep within the Cloakwood. Who will rise to oppose them?"

There's even a trailer!

[video=youtube;F581HTuZX-M]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F581HTuZX-M[/video]​

 

[Myzzrym]

Aaaaaand that's an instant buy.

 

[Beleriphon]

I'm surprised by the trade dress, it looks a lot like an official WotC product?

DM Guild products can use WotC trade dress. There's even a document provided by Wizards showing how to do it, with the proportions and fonts they use.

 

[Ash Mantle]

That trailer looks amazing, not gonna lie. That artwork looks awesome, as do the sample pages.

Gather your party and venture forth indeed.


For those who have purchased this supplement, what are your thoughts of it?

 

[robus]

DM Guild products can use WotC trade dress. There's even a document provided by Wizards showing how to do it, with the proportions and fonts they use.

I remember them getting upset about people using their own trade dress for their products. I didn't realize they encouraged adopting their own so thoroughly

 

[Von Ether]

So I wonder how many people who crow, "If it ain't WotC, it ain't official D&D for me and that goes double for the Guild Adepts to boot," are going to change their minds when it comes to this product?

I wonder when OBS is going to let other companies offer POD for their community content projects?

 

[Demetrios1453]

That trailer looks amazing, not gonna lie. That artwork looks awesome, as do the sample pages.

Gather your party and venture forth indeed.


For those who have purchased this supplement, what are your thoughts of it?

It's really well done.

It's about a 50/50 split between adventure and setting guide to the region, which is the area of the first Baldur's Gate game, from Baldur's Gate to the north to Nashkell in the south. Anyone who has played the game will find the locations immediately familiar.

Many of characters from thw game are statted out as NPCs, as are a few monsters (such as gibberlings) which haven't been updated to 5e yet.

It's officially set in 1369 DR, but describes the situation and background history in detail for those who might be unfamiliar with the era, as well as giving instructions on how to convert to the preaent day for the setting.

 

[BMaC]

Can I just say how refreshing it is for a company to just go ahead and make a product and release it rather than do a KS?

 

[sevenbastard]

I want it but it's 160 pages for $45. The WOTC releases are $30 on Amazon free shipping and 100 more pages. I am not sure the economy of it all and I get they are a small publisher but it's a lot for a small book.

I will wait for some reviews then make a decision. Hopefully it's a sandbox like the original Baldurs Gate game.

 

[akr71]

^ then get the pdf

This is very tempting, but I am not sure when I would get a chance to use it for the level 1-6 adventure. However, my wife may decide it is a necessary purchase - she probably logged more hours on BG & BG II than I did.

 

[DEFCON 1]

You can pretty much ignore the chronology if you want.

Oh sure, I'm sure some folks will absolutely do that. I was just thinking though that many folks are probably so used to thinking of new products as "current" that they'll be kind of surprised when they discover this one is actually is more of a historical document from the 2nd Edition era of the Forgotten Realms.

It'll be most interesting for those D&Ders who actually played the original Baldur's Gate games. If they try and run this in the "current" FR year (especially if they attach it to other 5E Realms adventures)... they might have a harder time coming to terms with the idea of people like Jaheira and Edwin showing up as NPCs (who they remember actually existing during the Time of Troubles).

Not saying folks won't be capable of doing it... but just that it might take a little bit of brain wrangling for some folk to be willing to accept it.