Scourge of the Howling Horde [SPOILERS]

[AnthonyRoberson]

...I'd like to see if people really like the thing, because it sounds like something I could recommend to a newbie GM and players. Any thoughts?

--Steve

In my opinion, it is the best adventure for a newbie DM that WOTC has ever released. The new encounter format (while not very space efficient) has lots of advice for a new DM on how to run each encounter. I was also impressed that there is information on monsters aiding others (and not just sitting in their rooms). There is even information on resolving some encounters through diplomacy - in a WOTC adventure!

The only downsides to the adventure for me are the price (it should have been $10) and the fact that the very busy backrounds make some of the encounter pages hard to read. I think Ms. Kestrel did a very good job with this one.

 

[Shroomy]

In my opinion, it is the best adventure for a newbie DM that WOTC has ever released. The new encounter format (while not very space efficient) has lots of advice for a new DM on how to run each encounter. I was also impressed that there is information on monsters aiding others (and not just sitting in their rooms). There is even information on resolving some encounters through diplomacy - in a WOTC adventure!

The only downsides to the adventure for me are the price (it should have been $10) and the fact that the very busy backrounds make some of the encounter pages hard to read. I think Ms. Kestrel did a very good job with this one.

I agree, it's great for a newbie DM and players.

 

[Vocenoctum]

In my opinion, it is the best adventure for a newbie DM that WOTC has ever released. The new encounter format (while not very space efficient) has lots of advice for a new DM on how to run each encounter.

I've come to like it from Ravenloft. I bought a cookbook stand long ago for this purpose, and having the book open and no page flipping during combat is a great help.

Hopefully they put these maps online also, since I play online it's a great help, though I wish they wouldn't MARK so much (monsters, secret doors, etc) on them, thats usually easy enough to edit it.

 

[DM_Jeff]

So I saw this on the shelf today, and was thinking about picking it up. It uses the new encounter format a lot more than Ravenloft did, and it looks interesting. Then I saw the price: $15.

You're right! I ordered this off Amazon (it arrived today) and from them I paid $10.17 which is about what I'd usually pay these days for a 32-page adventure and so I didn't even think twice. Don't get me wrong, this is a really great book (especially for folks new to the hobby), but all their other 32-pagers have been less recently. I wonder why the hike? Oh well. Still, I know some fledgling DMs to show this to.

-DM Jeff

 

[HandofMystra]

In addition to my monthly Savage Tide campaign, a weekly Shackled City campaign I play in and a bi-weekly WFRPG game, I've created a new group of players for a bi-weekly core only D&D game. It takes place in my own homebrew version of a fantasy Northern California inspired D&D world. The game takes place in the Kingdom of Sutter in the Sacramento Valley. The kingdom is entirely plains and farmland with the exception of the Sutter Buttes, an isolated mountain range in the heart of the kingdom. The king's castle and several forts in these mountains provide an excellent view of the entire kingdom and any potential invasions. Signal towers warn countrymen to head for the Buttes in times of disaster.

I assume that there is gold in Sutter Buttes?
Jim - 3rd gen native Californian

 

[SteveC]

You're right! I ordered this off Amazon (it arrived today) and from them I paid $10.17 which is about what I'd usually pay these days for a 32-page adventure and so I didn't even think twice. Don't get me wrong, this is a really great book (especially for folks new to the hobby), but all their other 32-pagers have been less recently. I wonder why the hike? Oh well. Still, I know some fledgling DMs to show this to.

-DM Jeff

You know, I think it would be a real shame if this product does not sell all that well and WotC thinks it's because "adventures don't sell." If it was at a lower price point, I'd already have a copy. It's too bad.

--Steve

 

[Ryltar]

Nope, the HD total is not next to the hit points. They added a hp tracker to the stat blocks (a line of blank boxes corresponding to the number of hit points), which probably ate up that space.

While okay for a low-level adventure with enemies' hp ranging from the single digits into the low 20s, the checkbox system is okay. But, honestly, what's supposed to happen at mid to high levels? Do they honestly expect that a DM will check 32 single squares because a hit dealt that much damage? I hope that this is a single experiment not repeated in further adventures, but because I don't own Ravenloft, I can't really comment. Any takers?

Take a look at the "returning" dragon on the next to last page. To run this one with a check-box system would already be bothersome to the extreme.

The rest of the adventure is really, really good, only the flavor text is sometimes a little too much in the "You see two men. They are not running. They are walking. They are not laughing." department.

 

[Emongnome]

For those that have it, what level is the characters expected to be at the end of the adventure?

 

[Davelozzi]

Do they honestly expect that a DM will check 32 single squares because a hit dealt that much damage? I hope that this is a single experiment not repeated in further adventures, but because I don't own Ravenloft, I can't really comment. Any takers?

Expedition to Castle Ravenloft uses the new encounter format but does not use check boxes for hp, it gives them as numerals (and includes HD too, I'm pretty sure).

 

[MerricB]

You know, I think it would be a real shame if this product does not sell all that well and WotC thinks it's because "adventures don't sell." If it was at a lower price point, I'd already have a copy. It's too bad.

I think Wizards have enough data on how 32-page adventures sell recently to get an idea of the effect of what the price will be. I'm also pretty sure that $10 was just too little now; it was fine in 2000, but I don't think it was sustainable. Sure, you might get more sales, but if you're not making any profit on them, it isn't worth it.

Cheers!