D&D 5E WotC Announces New Critical Role Hardcover Adventure

Call of the Netherdeep will be out in March 2022. This adventure is set in Exandria and is for character levels 3-12. Interestingly, it also bears Critical Role branding at the top and bottom of the cover.

This is the third Critical Role D&D hardcover. The Tal'Dorei Campaign Guide came out in 2017, and the Explorer's Guide to Wildemount came out in 2020.

Darrington Press, CR's publishing arm, also announced the Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn in July of this year with a release date of late 2021/early 2022.

An epic Critical Role campaign for the world’s greatest roleplaying game.

The greed of mortals has awakened a powerful entity long thought destroyed. For eons, this mighty champion of the gods has been imprisoned in the darkest depths of Exandria. His name has been forgotten, as have his heroic deeds. Languishing in despair, he calls out for new heroes to save him.

Inspired by the campaigns of the hit series Critical Role, this adventure begins in the Wastes of Xhorhas and leads to the glimmering oasis-city of Ank’Harel on the continent of Marquet, and from there into a sunken realm of gloom, corruption, and sorrow known as the Netherdeep. Above it all, the red moon of Ruidus watches, twisting the fates of those who have the power to shape the course of history.

Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep contains seven chapters of thrilling adventure, new creatures and magic items, and a poster map of Ank’Harel.

• First major adventure module within Critical Role’s world of Exandria, taking players from levels 3-12.
• Multi-continental story that spans the scarred Wastes of Xhorhas, introduces the continent of Marquet, and eventually plunges players into the Netherdeep—a terrifying cross between the Far Realm and the deep ocean.
• Bursting with lore and all new art depicting Exandria.
• Includes new magic items and creatures and introduces new rival NPCs.

 

[Dire Bare]

But as an innovative campaign setting to run a different game style than normal (which is what I think setting books should be), Wildemount isn't as good. For streaming, Wildemount is perfect. As a product, less good.

Exandria, which includes Wildemount, being a relatively standard D&D campaign doesn't make the setting or it's books less good as products. Perhaps not your cuppa tea, but rather obviously tea that a lot of folks are interesting in tasting.

Exandria wasn't published to bring a new game style to D&D, it was published because Critical Role became an unexpected and huge success, and the world of Exandria now has fans.

The purpose of setting books can vary with the setting.

However, if you pay attention to Critical Role and other streams . . . . they are nudging play styles in new directions. We're moving away from inherently evil sentient races, we're moving towards not-quite-human style characters (green with fangs, blue with pointy ears) . . . not huge changes, but subtle shifts in tone and play style.

 

[darjr]

Exandria, which includes Wildemount, being a relatively standard D&D campaign doesn't make the setting or it's books less good as products. Perhaps not your cuppa tea, but rather obviously tea that a lot of folks are interesting in tasting.

Exandria wasn't published to bring a new game style to D&D, it was published because Critical Role became an unexpected and huge success, and the world of Exandria now has fans.

The purpose of setting books can vary with the setting.

However, if you pay attention to Critical Role and other streams . . . . they are nudging play styles in new directions. We're moving away from inherently evil sentient races, we're moving towards not-quite-human style characters (green with fangs, blue with pointy ears) . . . not huge changes, but subtle shifts in tone and play style.

Well if you'd ever been to a 4e Living Forgotten Realms game all those not-quite-human style characters were the norm. I think it was much the same in Living Greyhawk near the end. And it is absolutely that way in Adventurers League.

though I get your point. Even some of the players would remark on how strange it seemed back then, but not so much now.

 

[Dire Bare]

Well if you'd ever been to a 4e Living Forgotten Realms game all those not-quite-human style characters were the norm. I think it was much the same in Living Greyhawk near the end. And it is absolutely that way in Adventurers League.

though I get your point. Even some of the players would remark on how strange it seemed back then, but not so much now.

Critical Role and other streams didn't originate any of the stuff I mentioned . . . . just nudging us so that they are more prominent than before. At least, to my eyes.

 

[dracomilan]

I bought Wildemount and found it pretty similar to the 4e PoL setting - which wasn’t bad per se. It was a “good for all” setting, that made really easy to roleplay any PH race.
Since I’m curious of how other DMs and designers turn their adventures in products I’ll probably buy this one.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Well in preorder I think it #1 on Amazon, but I missed it. It's 88 now and bumped the players handbook to 2 in the "Dungeons and Dragons" category.

View attachment 145199

Does that happen often?

 

[Parmandur]

I bought Wildemount and found it pretty similar to the 4e PoL setting - which wasn’t bad per se. It was a “good for all” setting, that made really easy to roleplay any PH race.
Since I’m curious of how other DMs and designers turn their adventures in products I’ll probably buy this one.

It started as a 4E PoL campaign before they switched to Pathfibder, then 5E, then started streaming.

 

[darjr]

Does that happen often?

Not for every book. No. I'd have to double check but I think the last CR setting book, the three core, Witchlight, did. I think others did but definitely not all of them.

 

[Yenrak]

Too similar to squiggy real life narratives about real people for comfort. Toxic evil cultures are one thing, but inherently evil races are not really a great fantasy trope.

Ah. I got it. But isn’t that specifically not what the Curse of Strife is? The goblinkin aren’t inherently evil. They’re cursed by an evil god that deprives them of agency. They can be free of the curse.

 

[teitan]

Ugh. Yet more money being thrown at these overhyped celebs Not a fan of the money they put into them but it’s clearly for promotion.

That kind of stuff should go into someone more grassroots, like Keith Baker for Eberron. (The guy who actually won the contest fairly and got his campaign published as opposed to just putting a camera on a celebrity playing D&D and feeding Exandria on a silver platter).

I’d have been much more accepting of another Eberron book than another Exandria.

tell us all how you really feel! LOL

They legitimately built their campaign on the quality of their work, just like Keith, but in a different way. They weren't celebrities before, they were voice actors, D list at best. They weren't even sure it would work because streaming D&D was in its infancy and 5e was still very, very new. They built a brand with a strong sense of community and loyalty that many, many other brands would love to have. LIke them or not they aren't any different than Keith, just more successful at it.

 

[vecna00]

I'll take that over Dino Halflings, honestly.

How dare you, sir!? How dare you!? I will take ALL of the Dino Halflings!

Good day, sir! I said, Good Day!

Seriously though, this is one of those things that is both surprising and not surprising. I had a feeling it was going to happen, but also told myself "Nah, that can't happen again." And then it does. However, this does fully open things up for more adventures paths that take place in other settings.

That, I am really looking forward to seeing!