The New D&D Book Is Called "Ghosts of Saltmarsh" [UPDATED!]

It seems those who suggested that the upcoming 'nautical themed' book was based on the old Saltmarsh trilogy were correct. Ghosts of Saltmarsh is the new book, with a release date of May 21st, 2019. UPDATED WITH NEW INFORMATION ON ALT COVER & RELEASE DATES!

Explore the waves above and the fathoms below in these watery adventures for the world’s greatest roleplaying game.

“D&D acolytes are everywhere...Tech workers from Silicon Valley to Brooklyn have long-running campaigns, and the showrunners and the novelist behind ‘Game of Thrones’ have all been Dungeon Masters.”—Neima Jahromi, The New Yorker

Ghosts of Saltmarsh brings classic adventures into fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons. This adventure book combines some of the most popular classic adventures from the first edition of Dungeons & Dragons including the classic “U” series, plus some of the best nautical adventures from the history of Dungeon Magazine: Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, Danger at Dunwater, Salvage Operation, Isle of the Abbey, The Final Enemy, Tammeraut’s Fate, The Styes.

• Ghosts of Salt Marsh includes a variety of seafaring adventures, enough to take characters from level 1 to level 12.

• This supplement introduces the port town of Saltmarsh, the perfect starting point for a nautical campaign.

• Each adventure can be played individually, inserted into your ongoing game or combined into a single epic nautical campaign.

• Dungeon Masters will find rules for ships and sea travel, deck plans for various vessels, an appendix with rules for new and classic monsters, and much more.

• Dungeons & Dragons is the world’s greatest roleplaying game. Created in 1974, D&D transformed gaming culture by blending traditional fantasy with miniatures and wargaming.

It's already on Amazon.

[video=youtube;GajoKmh9-68]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GajoKmh9-68[/video]

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Updates!

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WotC has just announced the book. Full press release below, but a couple of key points:

• There's an alternate cover (below)
• Preferred stores and regular stores get it on the same date, instead of WPN stores getting it early

Sail the Seas in Dungeons & Dragons with Ghosts of Saltmarsh Adventure Releasing Everywhere May 21

Renton, WA – February 25, 2019 – Dungeons & Dragons is excited to announce a new adventure book called Ghosts of Saltmarsh, which takes classic sea-faring adventures and updates and expands upon them for use with D&D fifth edition. The book details the port town of Saltmarsh and the surrounding lands players can explore using their own ship and the vehicle mechanics included in the 256-page book. Unravel sinister secrets of the sea with Ghosts of Saltmarsh releasing in game stores, digitally and everywhere on May 21, 2019. An alternate art cover with a distinctive design and soft-touch finish is available exclusively in game stores on May 21.

“The Saltmarsh series consistently ranks as one of the most popular classic D&D adventures,” said Mike Mearls, franchise creative director of D&D. “With its ties to ocean-based adventuring, it was an obvious step to augment it with additional sea-based adventures and a robust set of rules for managing a nautical campaign.”

The book includes details on the port town of Saltmarsh, as well as plenty of adventure hooks for each chapter. Fans can play through the whole story in a seafaring campaign leading characters from level 1 through level 12, while Dungeon Masters can easily pull out sections to place in ongoing campaigns in any setting. The appendices cover mechanics for ship-to-ship combat, new magic items, monsters and more!

Ghosts of Saltmarsh will be available both in game stores and everywhere else on the same date – May 21st. Fans are encouraged to pick up the adventure in the way that’s most convenient for them, but there is an alternate art soft-touch cover that will only be available in game stores. The alternate cover image was created by N. C. Winters and features a snarling sahuagin.

For more information on Ghosts of Saltmarsh and all things D&D, please go to dungeonsanddragons.com and check out the breadth of live D&D programming and interviews available on twitch.tv/dnd. You can also listen to interviews involving Ghosts of Saltmarsh as well as D&D mechanics and lore on Dragon Talk, the official D&D podcast.

Ghosts of Saltmarsh combines some of the most popular classic adventures from the first edition of Dungeons & Dragons including the classic ‘U’ series, plus some of the best nautical adventures from the history of DungeonMagazine:

• The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh
• Danger at Dunwater
• The Final Enemy
• Salvage Operation
• Isle of the Abbey
• Tammeraut’s Fate
• The Styes

All adventures have been faithfully adapted to the fifth edition rules of Dungeons & Dragons. Furthermore, this book includes details on the port town of Saltmarsh, as well as plenty of adventure hooks for each chapter. Play through the whole story in a seafaring campaign leading characters from level 1 through level 12, or Dungeon Masters can easily pull out sections to place in ongoing campaigns in any setting. The appendices also cover mechanics for ship-to-ship combat, new magic items, monsters, and more!
[h=3]WHERE CAN I BUY IT?[/h]Unravel sinister secrets of the sea with Ghosts of Saltmarsh releasing in game stores, digitally and everywhere on May 21, 2019. An alternate art cover with a distinctive design and soft-touch finish is available exclusively in game stores on May 21.

Price:[FONT=&amp] $49.95 [/FONT]
Release Date: [FONT=&amp]21 May, 2019 [/FONT]
Format:[FONT=&amp] Hardcover

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[sim-h]

On a related note Beadle and Grimm's (who did the Platinum Edition of Dragon Heist for $500) seem to be teasing an announcement coming tomorrow - 'Silver edition' of the new book seems likely from their emails...

Haha so they sent an email delaying the announcement, of the product they refer to as "The Sinister Silver thing". So yeah, we know what it is. Just not what's going to be in the package (yet).

 

[Imaculata]

I am very curious to know what rules the book introduces for ships and naval combat.

 

[R_J_K75]

Not knowing any of the adventures listed, here's my attempt. Don't use the Sea of Silt, but instead the Last Sea. Have a Mind Lord go rogue to explain anything in the adventures that wouldn't normally make sense in Dark Sun.

I was half joking when I posted that, but I had thought about the Last Sea afterwards and actually seems like a fun idea. Also considered putting it in Spelljammer, either in Wild Space or the Phlogiston. With a little creative thinking anythings possible.

 

[R_J_K75]

I am very curious to know what rules the book introduces for ships and naval combat.

If I had to guess it'll have rules for breathing underwater, weather and non-combat ship speeds. Grappling ships & boarding, ramming, and artillery combat. Underwater combat, (being three-dimensional) & what spells and weapons are affected. Most likely it'll have ship deck plans, cargo space, crew sizes, and weapon expansion slots. Water related magical items and spells.

 

[SkidAce]

If I had to guess it'll have rules for breathing underwater, weather and non-combat ship speeds. Grappling ships & boarding, ramming, and artillery combat. Underwater combat, (being three-dimensional) & what spells and weapons are affected. Most likely it'll have ship deck plans, cargo space, crew sizes, and weapon expansion slots. Water related magical items and spells.

Hmmm, if the underwater 3d combat is included, and works well, I could adapt it (increased movement and speed) into Astral combat.

 

[R_J_K75]

Hmmm, if the underwater 3d combat is included, and works well, I could adapt it (increased movement and speed) into Astral combat.

Yep should work the same, but Im just guessing whether it'll be in there or not.

 

[Gorath99]

I was half joking when I posted that, but I had thought about the Last Sea afterwards and actually seems like a fun idea. Also considered putting it in Spelljammer, either in Wild Space or the Phlogiston. With a little creative thinking anythings possible.

I figured as much. But it's fun to try and make these things work.

Cool idea to put it in Spelljammer!

 

[R_J_K75]

I figured as much. But it's fun to try and make these things work.

Cool idea to put it in Spelljammer!

Biggest challenge with doing a Dark Sun game would be to come up with rules for psionics, so I think Id do a Spelljammer game instead. Since Im currently running an Undermountain campaign that wouldnt be too hard. Considering none of my current players have ever played it before I just might do that if I decide to run any of those adventures. It would be fun to see the look on their faces when they realize where they are.

 

[vecna00]

I am very curious to know what rules the book introduces for ships and naval combat.

I was half joking when I posted that, but I had thought about the Last Sea afterwards and actually seems like a fun idea. Also considered putting it in Spelljammer, either in Wild Space or the Phlogiston. With a little creative thinking anythings possible.

It's bad that I was up until 4 am drafting some notes for a 5E Spelljammer conversion, and I figured I may need to wait for this book for more ship stats that I can try to reverse engineer. The Scavenger in DotMM is a good start, but I need a few more examples.

 

[Zardnaar]

It's bad that I was up until 4 am drafting some notes for a 5E Spelljammer conversion, and I figured I may need to wait for this book for more ship stats that I can try to reverse engineer. The Scavenger in DotMM is a good start, but I need a few more examples.

Would you be oppsed to overhauled 2E rules for Spelljammer or using parts of another d20 game like Star Wars Saga Edition ship combat?