WotBS Release schedule for WoTBS 5e?

[simonf]

Hi,

I've started running WoTBS 5e for 2 groups using roll20, and so far we are all enjoying it. Are there any news on releasing 5e conversion and roll20 modules beyond #8?

Thanks,
Simon

 

[Tormyr]

Episode 9 is close to release, and the last three adventures will continue to be released over the following months.

There have been some fairly complex parts to convert in the last few adventures. Some of these include:

• Massive combats with dozens of enemies. This worked in 3.5 as the high level heroes could slice through everyone, but 5e is meant to run more quickly than the time it would take to defeat all the bad guys, and there is a decent chance that the heroes would take some significant damage an not be able to continue on the timetable that the adventure was written around.
• Massive combat with hundreds of units. I spent some time figuring out a system for squads of soldiers that allows the GM to look up average damage against a squad's target without needing to roll for attack or damage.
• Set pieces for heavy hitting enemies. The 5e version of WotBS has a sliding difficulty scale on encounters to accommodate large and small groups. A lot of times, this is an easy prospect as you just add or subtract some enemies, but sometimes the story does not really allow for that. In those cases, I essentially write 3 versions of the NPC in the encounter (normal, large group of heroes, small group of heroes) and then include instructions for how to adjust the NPC between those.
• Figuring out how to adjust difficulty in an encounter with eight participants whose names are set.

With all the new features that are adding something to vanilla 5e, sometimes the solution to something comes up later than when it was first released (like how to make inquisitors masters of counterspell). You should follow the following resource to keep up with any changes. It contains errata, including some things that have not yet been updated in the released versions of adventures.

WotBS Errata

Do you have a print version of War of the Burning Sky or just want to know the significant changes in a new version of an adventure? Check the errata to stay up to date or download the new maps. If you find an error in one of the adventures...

www.enworld.org

 

[simonf]

I can't tell you how grateful I am to you all for both the original adventure and the 5e conversion!

Looking forward to the new releases - I'm buying all the pdfs!

(BTW, I feel that WoTBS is undermarketed - it took me a while to learn it even exists.)

 

[Tormyr]

I can't tell you how grateful I am to you all for both the original adventure and the 5e conversion!

Looking forward to the new releases - I'm buying all the pdfs!

(BTW, I feel that WoTBS is undermarketed - it took me a while to learn it even exists.)

Thanks! I am glad you are liking the 5e edition.

And I agree with you. War of the Burning Sky is an amazing amazing adventure path. I remember reading through it and thinking, "Great, great, cool," and then I got to the escape down the trench in chapter 6 and thought, "This is bonkers and amazing. I love it." And the chapters got more amazing from there.

Oh, and when you finish, check out Zeitgeist. It is everything the War of the Burning Sky is, expanded and turned up to 11.

 

[simonf]

I had a hard choice between Zeitgeist and WoTBS, but since my two parties started in a fantasy world with several elves, I felt they won't fit as well the world of Zeitgeist.

BTW, I have 2 questions about Innendottar - is this the right place to ask?

Spoiler

1. It seems Vuhl should have many more options to free Indomitability, especially now that the party is here. He's strong enough already to kill most of Seela. Obviously, it would break the adventure as written, but I'm trying to figure out aconvincing motivation for him.

2. If the party decides to kill Indomitability, wouldn't Vuhl intervene? But if he does, the fight is going to be impossible.

 

[Tormyr]

Spoiler

1. Deception's mission is to retrieve his brethren. Normally, freeing Indomitability would be a simple matter, but the Seela Song of Forms has created a vulnerability for him, and the entire village might be able to take him. He is almost compelled to use deception to free Indomitability. It is literally who he is. Each trillith the party meets is going to exemplify their trait, almost to a fault.
2. If the party kills Indomitability, obviously he was not powerful enough to be worth the time of the trillith. Deception shrugs and moves on.

 

[simonf]

Nice, thank you!

 

[carlwithac]

Is Episode 12 going to be released on Roll20, or at least on DriveThruRPG? I've only just made it to Episode 2 so I'm probably being a bit optimistic, but I would love to have my campaign go all the way to the end.

 

[Tormyr]

Is Episode 12 going to be released on Roll20, or at least on DriveThruRPG? I've only just made it to Episode 2 so I'm probably being a bit optimistic, but I would love to have my campaign go all the way to the end.

Yes, it will come out for both platforms. Episode 12 is significantly bigger and denser than most of the other adventures, so it is taking longer.