D&D 5E Thoughts on D&D Next playtest adventure

[zoroaster100]

I took my first quick look over the Blingdenstone adventure and really liked it. I have many reservations about the D&D Next rules system proposed in the test packet, but I wanted to express my praise for the playtest adventure's design in terms of providing a LOT of opportunities for roleplaying with a LOT of DM support to help get the roleplaying encounters sparked and to support the roleplaying encounters and storylines.

If D&D Next provides this quality of adventures in the future, I may consider running a 5E game even if the rules aren't my ideal set of rules (I prefer 4E to what I've seen so far).

 

[Blackwarder]

I agree, the advanture is excellent, one of the best first level advantures I've seen in a long time.

Warder

 

[MortalPlague]

I've only read the guide to Blingdenstone and the first adventure, but I already love the adventure. It takes great pains not to railroad the PCs into a particular course of action. When it mentioned that the PCs could decide to destroy the Boon, and the consequences thereof, I was thrilled. It's all too rare to see an adventure consider the PCs taking the less-than-good yet pragmatic path.

 

[Transformer]

I'm super glad to hear this; it's certainly a good sign.

 

[The Shadow]

Agreed, this was a really well-written adventure.

I was especially impressed with the merchant adventure, which was almost entirely roleplaying pillar, yet chock-full of opportunities and challenges. And there's lots of exploration opportunities too.

Also notice the paucity of magical loot, which I consider quite a good thing!

One question, isn't defeating Ogremoch's Bane worth any experience?

EDIT: Can anyone who's run it give me an idea of just how much more lethal the adventure is with, er, you-know-who, added?

 

[Blackwarder]

I wouldn't use you-know-who (A.K.A Voldmorte ) as is with a small party but for five PCs or more I think that it won't change much, maybe make things more challenging.

The most important thing will be hinting to the player that YKH is out there.

One thing I intend to do with my players on the trade mission is first thing upon eraival they will see a bloody brawl in the trade compound and it's consequences, other wise I'll have a TPK in the most peacefull part of the advanture.

Warder

 

[The Shadow]

I wouldn't use you-know-who (A.K.A Voldmorte ) as is with a small party but for five PCs or more I think that it won't change much, maybe make things more challenging.

Thanks for the advice. Since I'll probably have at most two players and a DMPC in the party, I'll pass.

One thing I intend to do with my players on the trade mission is first thing upon eraival they will see a bloody brawl in the trade compound and it's consequences, other wise I'll have a TPK in the most peacefull part of the advanture.

You can also have Fendrick warn them about fighting, in addition to the other covenants. In fact, I'm kind of surprised he doesn't.

Still wondering about experience for Ogremoch's Bane?

EDIT: Oh, and if your players have any experience of D&D, seeing the Hooded One and the Worthful should convince them that fighting would be a Very Bad Idea. I love how they don't even bother giving stats for them... Why bother, at this level?

 

[Blackwarder]

I'm pretty sure that Fendrick does supposed to tell them that, but I know my players

And I agree, I also got a kick from the fact that they didn't gave them any states I think that that chapter is the most colorfull of the bunch, should be great.

The entire advanture is written like the writers said "let's write an advanture about the story of the PC saving Blingdenstone" and not a bunch of encounters strung together.

Warder

 

[Agamon]

I find it odd that they release an update to the rules (sorcerer and warlock) and a new adventure, and don't email about the updates. If I didn't follow the news from GenCon, I'd have no idea that these exist.

 

[kerleth]

I'm happily amazed at the quality of the adventure (just for a playtest!) after a read through and can't wait to run it. It has all sorts of options and quirky little things the players actions and ideas can result in, as well as specific sections that say "The players might get other ideas here. We've described the motivations of those involved. Improv Man!" If they make a robust and customizable core (like they are attempting) with high quality adventures (like 3rd's Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil and the playtest adventure) and setting add-on modules ( not just random splat books, or if they are their only HIGH quality), this could be the holy grail of DND in my opinion.

 

[The Shadow]

Another couple questions about experience:

Anyone planning on giving out non-combat experience, as permitted in the DM Guidelines document? The trade adventure and the 'Wake the Stones' sections seem to cry out for it, and there are perhaps other places.

Is one intended to let players level during the adventure?

 

[Blackwarder]

My take on the xp levels is that they are intentionally low so that the players willbe able to play test all five levels.

I intend to only hand XP by completing chapters and only 1/10 of the suggested monster xp.

Warder

 

[MortalPlague]

I ran this briefly for two PCs the other night. We had a dwarf fighter (the pregen) and an elf sorcerer, and they both proved to be quite effective. I was cutting monster numbers in half, but they did not have any problems with any encounters. I eventually sicced Tally on them, but I omitted her bugbears. The fight was certainly the most dangerous, but the PCs were level 2 and managed to take her down.

A couple of observations:

• My players loved the adventure. The elf's player in particular really enjoyed all the options for things to do and quests to pursue.
• The XP values seem off. Especially for orcs. Apparently they're worth 460 xp each? Tally isn't worth that much herself, and she's a L3 elite.
• The adventure lists no stats for earth elementals. My PCs went to meet the Pechs, then decided to go negotiate with Karglen for Pech rights. Then they met Talabrina and captured her. The end result was Karglen asked them to lead an assault on the Hall of Miners, and they decided not to go get the Pechs. So they came into the chamber and an earth elemental attacked... I had no stats available. Since we were wrapping up, I just narrated the disaster as it unfolded, and told them how hellishly Ogremoch's Bane was pelting them with stone until they fled, most of their allies dead in the ill-fated offensive. I realize PCs aren't supposed to take on the elementals by combat, but going to get the Pechs seems like a foregone conclusion where my PCs treated it more like an option they could use.

Despite the minor gripes, the adventure seems superb. I've finished reading the whole thing, and I can't wait to run it for my usual group. I really want to see how they handle it. One of my players in particular has always had a love for svirfneblin, and has always complained that they don't show up enough, so this will be a real treat.

 

[Arytiss]

Ran through the first parts of the adventure with a small group of players. They liked the Pechs, as I was able to give them a nice mystical air, and a slightly threatening vibe after they saw one walk backwards in to a wall.

The Wormwrithings were enjoyable, and the traps that the kobolds set were of the sort that I would expect of kobolds. Fairly crude, and based around the idea of distracting the players and disadvantaging them while the kobolds make use of it to attack in force. I also liked that there was a note that the kobolds would flee if they lost more than half their numbers in any encounter.

The second feature I found interesting in this segment, however, was the potential encounter with the purple worm. The reason I found this one interesting was that it was a potential TPK, reliant on luck should the players decide not to run (as players so often do). Mine didn't have the guide with them as they had opted to head for the Wormwrithings before going back to talk with the gnomes. Purple worm came through, Reflexes were rolled. Reflexes were failed and the party was eaten.

A rather tragic end. The players actually liked that the encounter was present though as it showed that D&D next had encounters that presented actual threats and very real dangers. The combats were usually fairly quick, even against large numbers of kobolds supporting Giant Centipedes, but they carried an element of danger with them (though not too much, just enough to show that this is dangerous)

Does anyone else have opinions on the purple worm? Did your party encounter it?

 

[Blackwarder]

Nice to hear about the purple worm, sounds really cool.

One other thing I liked in this advanture is the map design, just like the advanture it's not linear, both the Blingdenstone map and the map in chapter 3 got multiplie paths in it.

Btw, can anyone tell what's the map on page 44 is for?

Warder

 

[Blackwarder]

One thing that bothers me though, is that the advanture don't say anything about what happens once the PCs finish all or some of the missions and fail in the rest or none.

A little a bit of info should have been nice.

Warder

 

[P1NBACK]

I Have to very much agree with the above this adventure is just chock full of awesome. A far cry from the 4E era adventures. Even if 5E brings us just more adventures like this I`ll be a happy camper since i can use this with old D&D editions with little adjustment.