[UPDATED] Out of the Abyss Reviews Have Started Rolling In

I just found one of the first reviews of Out of the Abyss. I thought it could be nice to keep all links to reviews in one thread, so here is the first I found:

http://diehardgamefan.com/2015/09/0...he-abyss-dungeons-dragons-fifth-editiondd-5e/

The previews have been okay, but this review is what has me stoked. This kind of adventure is right up my alley. Can't wait for it to show up!

 

[camilaacolide]

I preordered this on Amazon as soon as it was announced, and since you always get the lowest price between your preorder and the shipping date, I managed to get this book for $26.16. This is a great deal: always preorder as soon as possible with Amazon, you have nothing to lose and you'll manage to get the best prices possible. You can always cancel it anytime before shipping if you regret it later.

 

[Coredump]

I find all of these glowing reviews kinda funny.... I really like the adventure, and it really does make a great sourcebook. (almost a better sourcebook than adventure)

But there are some issues.... but mostly ones that don't become apparent until you are getting nitty-gritty and prepping to run the adventure.

I guess that is what they mean about needing an experienced DM willing to put in the time.....

 

[Gnashtooth]

We played this for 8 hours this past Saturday, and only just got our stuff back. We all had fun, as the NPCs are a blast to interact with, but I don't know how well this is going to go down as an Encounters module. The pace is just too slow. I found it hilarious, because our DM likes to fill out the party with random NPCs, and this time we have 12 of them coming with us. We've also done a good job keeping them alive (we only lost 1.)

 

[smiteworks]

The idea of having terrible things happen to poor hapless NPCs allied with the players sounds like a great tool for a DM to have available. I have found that often times my players care quite a bit about their pet NPCs. If the NPC is annoying, you can also wait for karmic retribution to land on them.

 

[Queer Venger]

I personally don't mind the hardcover format. I just think it would be really helpful for DMs if they'd release, say, some web enhancements that help with running the thing. You know, like cheat sheets with summaries of all the important NPCs and locations or whatever. Little things that perhaps they couldn't fit into the book.

It's great that they're letting the cartographers sell the maps, so you can print those out and have them at the table. That's one less page to flip. But it's only a start. There's so much more they could do in terms of helping DMs run these massive adventures. Like giving us a pdf of the monster stat appendix, so we don't have to flip back and forth during a combat. Or selling pdfs of the adventures so we can print out that section or just have it up on a screen.

couldnt agree more Pukunui, it would be great if Wizards would allow a purchase coupon and sell these maps already printed for table-top play. One of the really nices things with 4e is that modules came in a folder/pack, one side with the booklets, the other with these stunning maps. I use mini's with all my games and its a chore to print these oversized pdf's. I dont mind supporting the talent of the cartographers, but I need maps, to scale, that I can use at my table. I'd buy these map packs for $10-15, just makes sense to me.

 

[Queer Venger]

Ok Pukunui, you inspired me to email Wizards customer support to ask them to consider selling pre-printed maps

 

[DEFCON 1]

Shame on all you people trying to put Chessex out of business! Whatever happened to the good old days of actually drawing out your maps on gridded wet-erase mats?

 

[Staffan]

Shame on all you people trying to put Chessex out of business! Whatever happened to the good old days of actually drawing out your maps on gridded wet-erase mats?

I prefer Paizo's flip-mats. They work with both wet and dry erase markers - a good thing, since at least in these parts it's hard to find someone selling wet-erase markers these days.

 

[CapnZapp]

It's a shame that Wizards are regressing on the digital front, though. Back in 3e, they used to put art and map galleries up on their website for free. Not super-high resolution, but good enough. For example, for Expedition to Castle Ravenloft they had these maps and these illustrations online. I can't see why they don't do that anymore - if it's a matter of artist compensation, pay the artists more so you can provide maps and stuff online.

I just don't think that such value adding things are very high on the list of important things for Hasbro/WoTC. Kind of sucks but oh well.

It's especially depressing considering how this only shafts legitimate customers.

 

[redrick]

Bryce Lynch over at tenfootpole.org has posted a review as well. http://tenfootpole.org/ironspike/?p=2755

It is a serviceable adventure that will takes mountains of time to prep to play.

Mr. Lynch has been very critical of the other adventure path books published by Wizards for 5e, so this is probably his most positive review of one of those books to date.