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

[darjr]

In Whither the Dungeon? I talked about the fact that the Dungeon Master’s Guide no longer teachers new DMs how to key or run dungeons. (It doesn’t even include an example of a keyed dungeon map.) And I talked about how this has had, for example, an impact on adventures published through the DMs Guild, with an increasing number featuring dungeons with no maps or maps with no key.

It’s a disturbing trend that bodes ill for the health of the hobby.

This kind of thing?

So when? When does it cause ill for the health of the hobby?

The DMG came out TEN YEARS AGO!

Waiting for the dull thud of the hobby's dead corpse any second now. No? Now? How about now? My response a little hyperbolic?

Look, I think Justin has great insight and I think he's right that the DMG should have had something about keying a dungeon. I'll go further and say that I think there are disappointments with this adventure. But "bode ill for the health of the hobby" is hyperbolic, don't ya think? Kinda like the rest of the review? Maybe?

 

[Umbran]

Imagine a world where people form their own opinions instead of extolling the virtue of any opinion expressed by white men who think everything has to cater to them and them alone, and who profit off of making other white men angry at people angry white men have decided deserve to be hated.

Mod Note:
We were going to let the first comment you made go.

But you just came off a tempban. You need to stop insulting people, individually, or en masse.

The next interaction a moderator has to have with you will probably be a permanent ban, without warning or further discussion.

 

[mamba]

Yeah, food seems like the real issue. Why is the hydra sticking around here? (Also, why is it named? It's an Int 2 creature that speaks no languages.)

agreed, there is no good reason for it to be here and plenty of reason for it to rather be elsewhere. Not sure why it has a name either, its name is not referenced anywhere outside the description of this room either, so it's not like it is the pet of the head cultist or anything

 

[Parmandur]

This kind of thing?

So when? When does it cause ill for the health of the hobby?

The DMG came out TEN YEARS AGO!

Waiting for the dull thud of the hobby's dead corpse any second now. No? Now? How about now? My response a little hyperbolic?

Look, I think Justin has great insight and I think he's right that the DMG should have had something about keying a dungeon. I'll go further and say that I think there are disappointments with this adventure. But "bode ill for the health of the hobby" is hyperbolic, don't ya think? Kinda like the rest of the review? Maybe?

I mean, keying a dungeon may even be something that the new DMG goes over more clearly. Certainly keying a single room with one boss and some treasure seems a bit overkill.

 

[Parmandur]

Yeah, food seems like the real issue. Why is the hydra sticking around here? (Also, why is it named? It's an Int 2 creature that speaks no languages.)

The naming stuff is pretty clearly the writers just having some fun, but "why a hydra here?" is pretty clearly answered by "What Would Ray Harryhausen Do?"

He'd throw in a claymation Hydra abomination, that's what.

 

[mamba]

The water connection to the outside has been there for hundreds of years, not necessarily the Hydra.

yes, I understand that, hence the 'if it had been'

 

[Parmandur]

yes, I understand that, hence the 'if it had been'

Fair enough.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The naming stuff is pretty clearly the writers just having some fun, but "why a hydra here?" is pretty clearly answered by "What Would Ray Harryhausen Do?"

He'd throw in a claymation Hydra abomination, that's what.

I'm not sure this is sufficiently cool to have the Rule of Cool take the day.

 

[Parmandur]

I'm not sure this is sufficiently cool to have the Rule of Cool take the day.

A hydra jumping out of the lake and attacking is actually the illustration right next to the "Rule of Cool" in the dictionary, probably.

Look, it ain't the Tomb of Annhilation here, admittedly. The big criticism I would have of the vook is that Innis pretty meat and potatoes dungeoneering when the Far realms connections should have been the basis for something way more weird. But the beer and pretzel dungeons are perfectly cromulent and bare minimD&D logical. The final dungeon, at least is a bit of a...head trip (sorry, I'm a sleep deprived dad, trust me it's hialrious)

 

[darjr]

A hydra jumping out of the lake and attacking is actually the illustration right next to the "Rule of Cool" in the dictionary, probably.

Look, it ain't the Tomb of Annhilation here, admittedly. The big criticism I would have of the vook is that Innis pretty meat and potatoes dungeoneering when the Far realms connections should have been the basis for something way more weird. But the beer and pretzel dungeons are perfectly cromulent and bare minimD&D logical. The final dungeon, at least is a bit of a...head trip (sorry, I'm a sleep deprived dad, trust me it's hialrious)

Except for the extra heads it’s almost the very cover of B/X.