D&D 5E Out of the Abyss in my grubby hands (pic attached)

[Uller]

 

[Remathilis]

Question: Can you skip that sort of intro and just introduce them to the adventure at a higher level (possibly after adventuring somewhere else in the region?) And if you do so, how much of the product are you losing?

Ditto this question. My DM is buying this, but we're third (almost fourth) level already. Are we looking at all new characters to run this or can we somehow get our PCs (and their magical gear) down there somehow?

 

[Sacrosanct]

You would think, though I have to admit that my most successful campaign ever was a homebrew that started exactly that way ...

Question: Can you skip that sort of intro and just introduce them to the adventure at a higher level (possibly after adventuring somewhere else in the region?) And if you do so, how much of the product are you losing?

From a cursory glance skimming that I've done, I think this is possible. But you would miss almost half of the page count by doing so. As is, you're already going to miss a lot of the page count because there are three main ways to try to escape The underdark, so you won't run into several areas from the paths you didn't choose.

*Edit* To be specific, you can skip the whole escape the underdark portion and go right to be summoned by Bruenor in Gauntlygrym. But that starts on page 120. You can do it, but you'd be missing half the campaign.

 

[Uller]

More spoilers!!!


OK, after skimming though a bit more:

* I totally want to create a human barbarian named Thundarr just to get the Sword of Dawnbringer
* some people will HATE this campaign, as you start off as prisoners without gear. I personally really liked module A4 (which this reminds me of), but I've heard a lot of people absolutely hate being railroaded by starting as a prisoner with no choice of their own
* I really, really wish that if you bought the hardback, there was a code to download the maps. More than HotDQ or PotA, having maps is going to be critical just by the nature of how they are used. I.e., a lot of overland style stuff, and having a copy outside of the physical book would help me tremendously.

I hear ya about the railroad thing...but I pretty much always start my campaigns with some sort of excitement...an ambush, a raid, a disaster. How the characters got there is up to them but that's where they are at now. Fans of fantasy and sci-fi can't really complain too much about this. Lots of interesting stories start out this way. Several of the Conan stories start out that way (with him in a cage, with him fleeing the city guards, with him fighting off an assassination attempt, etc).

As for the map thing...I agree. At least some player maps to print out and use. I have been buying the maps for PotA on an as needed basis.

If my group liked to play with minis and battle maps, we'd probably be willing to pay a pretty penny for a set of battlegrids and tokens for all the monsters/NPCs. Probably in the $150 to $200 range.

 

[designbot]

Looks like at least one of the cartographers is Jared Blando, and digital maps will be available 9/15:

Upcoming 5E release of "Out of the Abyss" features my maps, they will be available as prints and digital downloads 9/15! #dnd5e #dndj #RPG

Mike Schley also contributed and is planning to make his maps available soon:

The digital version of my contribution to Out of the Abyss (I'm not the only cartographer that worked on the project) should be live on the books early release day.

They will presumably be available here and here.

 

[Geistrin]

What level are the characters supposed to be when they start the official story line?

 

[Sacrosanct]

Ditto this question. My DM is buying this, but we're third (almost fourth) level already. Are we looking at all new characters to run this or can we somehow get our PCs (and their magical gear) down there somehow?

Can't speak for your DM, but if it were me, I could work with 3rd level PCs to start with. You wouldn't have your gear initially, but would have to retrieve it after escaping. All I would have to do is beef up some of the early encounters a bit, but what DM worth his or her salt can't do that?

 

[Sacrosanct]

What level are the characters supposed to be when they start the official story line?

the campaign is level 1-15. But starting out at 2nd level (or even 3rd) is doable.

 

[Green1]

You would think, though I have to admit that my most successful campaign ever was a homebrew that started exactly that way ...

Question: Can you skip that sort of intro and just introduce them to the adventure at a higher level (possibly after adventuring somewhere else in the region?) And if you do so, how much of the product are you losing?

Also depends on what kind of players. The min max combat monster player crowd would frown even if the items were pickpocketed or broken. They see their equipment like Thor's hammer or Wolverine's claws and it is a player identity. A more diplomacy, story driven RP type session running this or the resource/ strategic management/ builder who may have armies, henchmen, etc it wouldn't matter as much.

But I really with 5e do not see a big deal. Gear is nice, but it is not as "defining" as has been previously.

He could just have the gear in some closet in the dungeon right near with big red arrows and exclamation points if they are going to throw a hissy. Then, you can use all the content.

 

[Remathilis]

Can't speak for your DM, but if it were me, I could work with 3rd level PCs to start with. You wouldn't have your gear initially, but would have to retrieve it after escaping. All I would have to do is beef up some of the early encounters a bit, but what DM worth his or her salt can't do that?

What little he's told us is that he's got one more adventure planned, then he's taking a week off to read OotA and then working us into it. We are very close to leveling, so we'll be fourth when we start the module. Hopefully, it doesn't screw things up too much.