Monte Cook Games’ Next Kickstarter Is Ptolus (for 5E and Cypher)

Monte Cook Games’ February Kickstarter (they tend to operate on about two per year) is Monte Cook’s massive city setting Ptolus. It will be available for both D&D 5E and for their own Cypher System.

The original was a nearly 700-page book which came out in 2006.

“The critically-acclaimed Ptolus: Monte Cook’s City by the Spire is a 672-page hardcover with additional physical and digital content and premium production values. It details the fantasy city of Ptolus, an adventurer’s haven built atop vast underground dungeons and adjacent to a massive, mysterious spire. The book is lavishly illustrated and contains scores of detailed maps, along with uncountable NPCs, creatures, locations, and items. The original printing sold out upon release, and is one of the most highly sought-after RPG titles on the collector’s market. It has since been available as a print-on-demand title, but in a two-book format that lacks premium features.

The new Ptolus will release in two versions: one for 5e, and another for the Cypher System. The book will follow the format of the original as closely as possible, and retain all of its premium design features. The Ptolus Kickstarter campaign launches in February.”

 

[Carmen Sbordone]

And maybe this time we can find a place for ptolus discussion that will stick around. ALOT of good ptolus information, ideas, campaign writeups and other stuff got lost forever after montes forum crashed.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

And maybe this time we can find a place for ptolus discussion that will stick around. ALOT of good ptolus information, ideas, campaign writeups and other stuff got lost forever after montes forum crashed.

there’s this forum platform I know of, that I’m typing in RIGHT NOW, that could possibly work…

 

[Todd Roybark]

The good news is that, even in the Big Book, Monte suggests that most campaigns will use a slice of it.

Sooth.

 

[MichaelSomething]

How possible is it to just dump a party at the gates and let them do whatever? Would it work as a gaint sandbox?

 

[Nebulous]

How possible is it to just dump a party at the gates and let them do whatever? Would it work as a gaint sandbox?

As a DM I think you would be overwhelmed by all the options unless you were ridiculously familiar with the material.

 

[Todd Roybark]

Actually Nebulous, the layout of Ptolus and other MCG products is rather conducive to “On the Fly DM’ing”. The chapter heads are a different color for easy identification, and a lot of the pages are from the formatting, which has wide margins with quick stats for Major NPC’s at the locations, interesting tidbits that might spark a creative thought, maybe a quick NPC like a doorman etc.

I hate in WOTC adventures, the secret door info is always at the front, never in the room description, where you need it. Ptolus has information, like that where you need it and it is incredibly easy to read.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

How possible is it to just dump a party at the gates and let them do whatever? Would it work as a gaint sandbox?

I think it'd be pretty easy. There aren't gates in every quarter, so that already limits where they could possibly enter.

After that, there's limited things they're likely to do. There's a giant honking Spire over the city they might want to either check out or ask someone about. Or they're going to check in at an inn. If they look like Delvers (adventurers), everyone in the city will assume they want to go to Midtown, where they can join the Delvers Guild, get a license to carry weapons and other adventuring gear, and either check out the Delvers Guild Library or just check out Delvers Square and check in at a nearby inn (likely the Ghostly Minstrel, which is the rough equivalent of the Yawning Portal in Waterdeep).

But given the book's clear organization, after a once-over by the DM to familiarize themselves with the symbols and organizations, it's not to hard to say "OK, you're in this quarter and looking for this sort of shop. OK, I see it on the map, and here's some sample NPCs you might encounter on the way," and you're off.

Seriously, I've never seen an easier-to-use city book.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Oh, and worst case scenario, just start the Banewarrens adventure once they get inside. It's partly set in the city, and partly set in a dungeon adjacent to it, and gets you right into the action pretty fast, as well as barrelling the group straight at the thematic heart of the setting.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Oh, and worst case scenario, just start the Banewarrens adventure once they get inside. It's partly set in the city, and partly set in a dungeon adjacent to it, and gets you right into the action pretty fast, as well as barrelling the group straight at the thematic heart of the setting.

Welp, you’ve pretty much sold me on this thing now.

 

[Nebulous]

yeah, you're kinda wanting me to get the 5e version of this thing as well, it really was a unique product.