The Hero Snare does a few things I like right out of the box. First, it uses an existing monster in a way that's not often done. In this case, kobolds. Second, it does this without adding a lot of prestige classes, feats, or special items and abilities to the kobolds. Combine those two things with a good old fashioned dungeon crawl, and you've got a few nights entertainment for your 7th-8th level party.
The book starts off simple enough with the standard introduction including how best to prepare to use the module, the background of the main characters, a map of the surrounding area, a quick adventure overview and character hooks, and then gets into the first location, the Village of Kimbul.
The party will have opportunities to learn about the strange events going on outside the town. They'll have the opportunity to mix and match with locals as well as replenish their supplies. Now if anyone's reading this has read many of my past reviews, they'll know I'm not greatly fond of towns and small villages but I'm in the minority so rejoice those who love the wilderness and it's dark environs. I felt that Monkey God did a nice job with the set up here. There are some elements going on behind that scenes that potentially will never be revealed and that's a nice change up from most standard events where the bad guys have to be caught.
After being in town and learning of some of the incidents, the party has a few options of how they'll go out and about. The main point of the adventure though, is by hook or crook, and this is the kobolds doing, that they'll be dragged into the dungeon, a place designed specifically to kill adventurers.
Now as I mentioned earlier, it doesn't do this with lots of new game mechanics, but instead relies on the size of the kobolds and the size of the dungeon. See, it's cramped down there. In addition, the kobolds aren't going to engage in melee but use missile weapons and surprise. In addition, the kobolds make sure to target mages and clerics, especially at night to insure that they don't get a full night's sleep. In addition, they use the terrain for hit and run tactics, and they use their minions to insure that the party doesn't just walk through the adventure despite the low level of the creatures. One of my favorite things though, is that fighters don't get away without damage. Yo usee, the kobolds use rust monsters and breed the little buggers.
As far as dungeons go, this one is different in many aspects. The only real flaw isn't one in design, but in meta-gaming. As my rogue characters always tells the sorcerer who has an equal hide and move silently due to that character's race, “Don't trump my ace.” By this, I mean that deliberately targeting the spellcasters, while making perfect sense, really weakens them. In addition, due to the layout of the dungeon, unless they're in front, mages aren't going to be casting any lighting bolts as the size of the bolt will insure that who ever is in front has a good chance of getting tagged. I know I wouldn't want to be a wizard in a game like this. So in short, don't play a mage in this dungeon.
The adventure uses standard two column layout. Interior covers are used, the front for the OGL and the back for a Stone To Steel ad. Editing and game mechanics are fairly good in a casual read but on page four, a pull out box is repeated word for word in the text. Art is fair but isn't above the industry standards. Price, $14.95 for 72 pages, is a little better than average as most books would be 64 pages for that price. White space is a little off as gaps are caused by the layout in text that's meant to be read aloud and pull out sections. Maps and tables are readable, but not quite in Necromancer Games or Mystic Eye Games league.
The material is original and provides the GM with ideas that he can apply to almost any monster once he sees how its done. With four levels and a detailed setting to place further adventurers in, The Hero Snare will provide the GM with reasons to make the party fear the common kodold again.
