D&D 5E The Gaming Gang Pages Through Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

In this video from The Gaming Gang, you can watch a page-through of Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frost Maiden, including a look at Aurils three forms. There's a few snippets posted below, but check out the full video for a look at every page in the book, which comes out next week.

"Jeff dives in to take a look at and page through the latest adventure supplement for Dungeons & Dragons, from Wizards of the Coast. D&D Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frost Maiden transports the characters to the frigid lands of the Far North to save the inhabitants of Ten-Towns and foil a trio of evil plots. The 320 page hardcover arrives in stores September 15th, 2020 and will carry an MSRP of $49.95."

 

[Weiley31]

Okay, ,upon actually squinting on the Living Blade of Disaster Spell, am I reading that correctly that on a Critical it deals a whopping 78 points of force damage?

That's gonna ruin somebody's day if not prepared or anybody that's squishy.

 

[pogre]

The flip through the book convinced me I do not need or want this one. The climactic last few adventures are definitely not my style.

 

[Jeff Carpenter]

Looks sweet, but doesn't scream "horror" to me, like they've been saying this is.
Still, looks sweet!

Yeah i feel the marketing and buzz words they throw in before the release of the adventures dont always jive with the finale release. Sure D into A had some strange vehicals but it wasnt realy that much of Mad Max Fury Road (other than both were railroads) and LMoP wasnt B10 Nights Dark Terror.

Oh well i will judge it once i get it and ignore the marketing.

 

[Parmandur]

I mean, it has undead, Doppelgangers, Mindflayers, and an ancient lost city buried in the ice. The Lovecraft/Carpenter vibes are strong.

 

[Reynard]

I mean, it has undead, Doppelgangers, Mindflayers, and an ancient lost city buried in the ice. The Lovecraft/Carpenter vibes are strong.

And horror in RPGs is at least 75% presentation. You can sell a troll as a horrific monster that Just Won't Stop Coming if you want.

 

[Weiley31]

You can sell a troll as a horrific monster that Just Won't Stop Coming if you want.

I'm sure a number of adventurers have cursed a Troll's Regeneration when it kicks in.

 

[Reynard]

I'm sure a number of adventurers have cursed a Troll's Regeneration when it kicks in.

Horror in D&D is funny because in other media the fear usually comes from the unknown. In D&D you almost have to use the known quantity to create the dread. But it's a balance. If the party just burns the troll to ash at first sight, it's regeneration is no longer frightening. Now you can pull tricks -- fire heals THIS troll! -- to try and recapture that sense of the unknown but in my experience it never works for long. Better to use the known horrors like level drain or death without resurrection or incurable mummy rot.

 

[Rhineglade]

If you are familiar with John Carpenter's "The Thing" this adventure is heavily influenced on that. Much of this of course will also depend on how the DM runs the game. If the "Player Character Secrets' are handled correctly, it would be very interesting. Not knowing who you can really trust. Is someone in your party not even who they pretend to be? And then you stumble across an ancient lost Netherese necropolis buried in the snow. Good times. In the Frozen North, no one can hear you scream...

 

[Wishbone]

View attachment 125744

A Living Demiplane? Neth, is that you?

 

[thatparanoidguy]

So one of the secret summaries mentions that the player is unable to remember what exactly happened due to trauma but if greater restoration is cast on them they will be able to recall everything.

Has Greater Restoration always worked like that or do they mean magically inflicted trauma? I'm not a fan of the idea that mental trauma from horrid experiences can be just magicked away.

Just seems a bit insensitive to run it that way but I've never had to suffer such a thing so who am I to say.