D&D 5E (2014) Rime of the Frostmaiden Previews Include a Scroll of Tarrasque Summoning

Some D&D designers and freelancers have been sharing previews of what's inside Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden. Take a look!

When a wizard puts their brain inside a helmless horror.

David Sladek

A ring of warmth.

Claudio Pozas

And this last item... perhaps the less said the better? Ouch!

 

[Nebulous]

D&D: "... Includes a Scroll of Tarasque Summoning."
Me: "Congratulations on breaking the game."

I mean it can have a great story reason and be limited to a single item, but they've created it. It will be put as an item in Roll20, D&D Beyond, etc. It's a scroll that (I'm guessing) can now be scribed during a wizard's downtime activity.

So yeah, they pretty much just broke 5e.

I do wonder for what story reason they put it into the adventure. I admit, it does somewhat trivialize one of the most iconic and deadly of D&D monsters into a 1 action nuke set piece. And who the heck scribed the scroll???

 

[Retreater]

I do wonder for what story reason they put it into the adventure. I admit, it does somewhat trivialize one of the most iconic and deadly of D&D monsters into a 1 action nuke set piece. And who the heck scribed the scroll???

It sounds like something I would've thought was cool when I first started playing (in middle school).
But I completely accept that I'm no longer the target audience for WotC.

 

[GMMichael]

Could be worse. Could be this guy.

Well I was in trouble because I apparently dropped my Scroll of Tarrasque summoning. Now I'm in even bigger trouble because I don't have it to fend off Fenrir!

 

[jayoungr]

I was thrilled by the arctic horror theme, but the scroll, the gonzo creature and the kobolds in a trenchcoat are a little damaging to the theme.

Afraid it's going to be goofy?

 

[kettite]

Beautiful and clever design work on that Ring of Warmth. I wonder if the art order describes the details, or if they let the artist run wild?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

God, I wish this was an April 1st joke.

Who does God wish to?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

D&D: "... Includes a Scroll of Tarasque Summoning."
Me: "Congratulations on breaking the game."

I mean it can have a great story reason and be limited to a single item, but they've created it. It will be put as an item in Roll20, D&D Beyond, etc. It's a scroll that (I'm guessing) can now be scribed during a wizard's downtime activity.

So yeah, they pretty much just broke 5e.

I'm assuming it's meant to be a big nuke and a McGuffin that's not expected to be used. (I would also assume there's huge costs and conditions attached to prevent high-level adventures from turning into tarrasque summoning wars.)

Or, if it is going to be used, it's how you can beat Auril, and whatever expensive/difficult components and "stars as right" conditions go with her when she's defeated.

But this isn't "breaking the game," since DMs and players who want to do that have always been able to, whether it was tween-age munchkins using Deity and Demigods as a shopping manual of characters to defeat and treasures to plunder (Mjolnir in one hand and the Rod of Orcus in the other!) or homebrewing ridiculous content for level 200 games. (A buddy of mine keeps wanting to tell me about his campaign at that level and I always black out and am unable to process anything he says.)

DMs Guild even has a nicely selling adventure called Planet of the Tarrasques. We're a long way from the days this was a singular monster in the 1E MM2.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Beautiful and clever design work on that Ring of Warmth. I wonder if the art order describes the details, or if they let the artist run wild?

It certainly makes me want a Ring of Warmth for the first time ever.

 

[TarionzCousin]

God, I wish this was an April 1st joke.

Apparently, you have no one but yourself to blame.

 

[THEMNGMNT]

Yoink!