D&D 5E Justin Alexander's review of Shattered Obelisk is pretty scathing

[Micah Sweet]

I think the biggest weakness in both this adventure and most of WotC's adventures is encounter design.

Some encounter design is really cool, like the vampire spawn in the attic in Curse of Strahd. Other encounter design, like the fireballing wizard in the 2nd level DiA dungeon could use some work.

Likewise, it is very easy to make your adventure more internally consistent when writing it. For example, the Alexandrian points out the hydra issue. For many people, this isn't a problem. But by adding just a line or two of text about how/what it eats, or mentioning that it is starving and eating its own heads, can add a lot and give the DM more to work with despite the slightness of the addition.

These two things combine to turn me off of many WotC adventures. I either feel like my encounters could be way more interesting or that a little more cohesiveness would have a force multiplying effect on the adventure. Neither of these things are a big ask. Again, for the Hydra, one or two lines would suffice. For the adventure hooks, why not look at the adventure itself and program them in, or even wait on making them until the main book is finished?

When I look at other 3rd party adventures, I get these things. Indie creators and 3rd party studios go the extra mile on their products to make them cohesive and the encounters interesting. As a game designer myself, there's really no reason to not do these things. It doesn't take more effort, it just takes a bit of vision.

And for a game that's as focused on exploring hostile places as D&D, I'd expect these two elements to be superb in every adventure. That it's not is disappointing.

I do agree many of WotC's adventures, including this one, have great ideas in them. The mutations, the weird cow, even the idea of Mindflayers hunting down the obelisk I like a lot. DiA had many good ideas I've stolen, as has every book WotC has put out (even Spelljammer had some goodies I liked). But I'm not just buying these books to steal ideas. I'm buying these books to experience high-quality encounters and to receive coherent materials.

There really isn't a valid argument against this IMO. WotC just needs to try harder. They have the capability to be one of the best in the business, if not the best. What's so wrong with pushing them to do better?

As long as people keep throwing money at them, they simply have no motivation to do better

 

[Shardstone]

As long as people keep throwing money at them, they simply have no motivation to do better

Which is sad, honestly. It's like the artistic spirit at WotC itself has stagnated. To me, it makes sense to always try to push yourself to be a better artist. Even though WotC has gone full corporate, it's the designers themselves who are lacking the vision and fire needed to take D&D to the next level.

 

[mamba]

I really don't see the issue. Was Raiders of the Lost Arc a terrible movie because there was only one path through to the gold idol?

a book / movie is a different medium, having multiple options is meaningless as no one but the author is deciding what the characters do

 

[Reef]

I don't think that logic holds. Even if it's something 70% you and 30% me, adding the philosophy is still a net gain that doesn't harm the 70%. This really just feels like you telling me that because you and others don't care about my desires, my desires don't mean anything. That's a narrow-minded view. There is nothing to be lost from talking about game design philosophy in the book.

You’re right. But they are dealing with a limited page count. And this isn’t the first issue that has come up this year where it’s been said that “people who don’t want it can ignore it”. If they added in everything that everyone wanted (that other people can ignore), the book size would balloon.

They can’t include everything, so they have to pick what would be the most use to the most people.

 

[occam]

Well, you might have a chat with the water weird (or maybe not). Or drag a cow down into the dungeon. Or try to sneak by. Or wait for the hydra to sleep, or for it to be away.

So the players tell the DM they want to try one (or more) of those things, and the DM applies judgment and game rules to help determine the outcome. This isn't any different than role-playing has ever been, even when encounters used to be written as "There are 3 orcs in this room (hp 10, 8, 7)". The encounter you're referencing actually has a lot more than that, giving the two monsters names and personality sketches for the DM to expand upon in case the PCs decide to try something other than charging into the fight.

 

[maeve]

They can’t include everything, so they have to pick what would be the most use to the most people.

If page limits are really the issue, I'd personally be happy with a D&DBeyond article (series) – or even a separate product a la 4e's Wizards Presents books – dedicated explaining their design philosophy in enough detail for me to understand why they made the choices they did.

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

Which is sad, honestly. It's like the artistic spirit at WotC itself has stagnated. To me, it makes sense to always try to push yourself to be a better artist. Even though WotC has gone full corporate, it's the designers themselves who are lacking the vision and fire needed to take D&D to the next level.

Stagnated? Really? I think they have had some really great ideas, though it is true that some products suffered from some serious issues and missed the mark. If a new idea that pushes the envelope does not gain traction, I don't see that has stagnated artistic spirit. It was a gamble on an idea that some really loved, but not everyone did. Every book they've published has been good for somebody, even if it isn't for me, specifically.

Wild Beyond the Witchlight and Radiant Citadel were both delightful, groundbreaking publications. One being family friendly that can be resolved without combat (if wanted), and the other being all brand new lore content that introduces more about the Ethereal Plane, and alternate material planes that celebrate diverse setting seeds.

Strixhaven was a bold attempt at something new for a younger audience, and to me it looked like an attempt to capture CW tropes of teen academy romadramady (romance/drama/comedy), with jump-cut episodes rather than an organic day-to-day story. I like the idea of the setting, but I used it as inspiration for my own story, rather than utilize the adventure/mechanics of the published adventure itself.

The Book of Many Things is amazing, and offers so much variety that can be taken or left as needed.

They do push the envelope, but not all new ideas are going to sing to every gamer. And then there are the occasional serious missteps, like Spelljammer not having decent space combat, and messing up the Hadozee. It could have been good, but they missed the mark.

 

[Reef]

If page limits are really the issue, I'd personally be happy with a D&DBeyond article (series) – or even a separate product a la 4e's Wizards Presents books – dedicated explaining their design philosophy in enough detail for me to understand why they made the choices they did.

I’d certainly have no issue with that.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Stagnated? Really?

Given 5e's nature as the apology edition, such responses really shouldn't surprise you.

 

[Mort]

They do push the envelope, but not all new ideas are going to sing to every gamer. And then there are the occasional serious missteps, like Spelljammer not having decent space combat, and messing up the Hadozee. It could have been good, but they missed the mark.

Spelljammer may have missed the mark on a few things( To their credit, they owned up to the Hadozee misstep and acted on it), the lack of proper ship combat rules was a glaring omission.

But it also tried a few interesting things. The Adventure included has an interesting fail forward mechanic - basically pushing the characters through to the end and ensuring they experience the flash gordon like atmosphere. Now, to some who don't like that sort of thing (it is basically a railroad with very little actual choice for the players - they are spectating except for the combats) this is a big minus. But to groups who just want to experience the setting without having to push for it (often my group after a hard week of work)? I bet it goes over pretty well. Heck, my group asked me to run it straight and they enjoyed it immensly.

Point being, WotC DID try something a bit different, even with the old setting.