New "Stranger Things" D&D Starter Set Announced

That's really freaking cool! Thanks heaps for sharing, bro.

 

[Ash Mantle]

Some photo previews from the Hasbro 2019 New York Toy Fair, from Purple Pawn.

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[MockingBird]

Did you happen to get a page count and level range for the adventure?

 

[Ash Mantle]

Did you happen to get a page count and level range for the adventure?

Oh, my bad, bro, should've posted the source, it's from the Purple Pawn website. Have added that in. Thanks heaps!
Other than that, can't seem to find any more concrete information, hopefully we'll get more additional information closer to the release date.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

"Will" can draw a lot better than I could back then!

 

[ProfessorDetective]

With only 6 dice, it look like by "80's style dice" they mean there is no second d10 for percentiles.

Nope, that's how the original 5e Starter Set shipped, only one of each die. That's half of the reason I'm interested, I want two d10s in the same finish.

 

[ProfessorDetective]

Also, Sage Advice did an unboxing: https://www.sageadvice.eu/2019/02/28/unboxing-stranger-things-dd-starter-set/

 

[EthanSental]

Apparently released a month earlier than initially projected..was May but just got my Amazon notice that I should have it by Friday.

 

[timbannock]

Got mine at my FLGS (technically FLCS). Here's my vid going over the contents after a brief read-through:

Dungeons and Dragons Starter Set Stranger Things version - DnDLoremaster Presents

 

[MNblockhead]

Came back from a business trip and had my copy waiting for me. I wrote a review here: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?658407-Stranger-Things-Dungeons-amp-Dragons-Starter-Set

In short, some collectors will not be thrilled. Also, Lost Mines of Phandelver is a far superior adventure than Hunt for the Thessalhydra, but I think that Thessalhydra is much easier to prep for and run for younger, new players.

This is a good choice for younger fans of Stranger Things who want to try out D&D. It is an okay choice for collectors. I'm sure many completionists or uber Stranger Things fans will get it, just to have it.

I got it partly just to have it as a fan of both Stranger Things and D&D, but also for my 9-year-old son to run. He's played D&D both as a player and as a DM (with me helping out with the rules) and when younger played Hero Kids and No Thank You, Evil! So he's not new to TTRPGs. But Phandelver is still a bit much for him to run. Thessalhyra, on the other hand, is very doable for him. Also, there is a bit more replayability in that the random-dungeon generation rules can be used to run some games on the fly. Moreover, it is easy for him to look at the crude, hand-drawn maps (supposedly created by the Mike Wheeler, a character from the TV show who was the group's DM), and make up with his own dungeons.

I expect this set to get a lot of hate and I'm already seeing it in various comments and reviews on different sites. Most seem to be from disappointed collectors or adult players who already are experienced D&D players. I'll be more interested in the opinions of young, new players. If it brings more young players into the game, it will see this as a success.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Picked up my copy at my FLGS on Friday. I have to say, I love the Stranger Things photos used for the chapter headings. The choice for the Combat chapter is perfect.

As for The Hunt for the Thessalhydra, while it’s not as good as Phandelver, it is shorter and probably easier to run. It’s one part an introduction to 5e, one part homage to early 80s adventure design, and one part Stranger Things tie-in. It mostly gets things right, but stumbles a bit in a few places. The one section is only resolved by the DM rolling the right number on a d6 – that reminds me a whole lot of some fan-made adventures back in the day, but in practice could be frustrating or a let-down. And it references the Upside Down in the adventure, and includes the show’s Demogorgon. Since it purports to be the adventure written by the Mike Wheeler, wouldn’t it instead have the Vale of Shadows? I think they also reference Will the Wise being a cleric, which doesn't match his casting of fireball in the show.

It seems like it'd be fun enough, and I think it's pretty cool (though it is weird to see the Netflix logo on a D&D product). The Lost Knight (a show reference that works) reminds me of Dark Souls’ Solaire. The Thessalhydra itself is a nasty piece of work, and one I will gladly use at some point.