5E arrives at Goodman Games
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5E arrives at Goodman Games
Fifth Edition Fantasy #1: Glitterdoom
A level 3 adventure for 5E, by Michael Curtis
Centuries ago, the glitterdoom came to the dwarves of Steelhand Clan! This divine curse transformed the dwarves into hellish forms with an insatiable greed for gold. Now, a chance encounter breaks open long-sealed gates to unleash the glitterdoom again. Can your adventurers delve into the forgotten halls to confront the subterranean menace?
This all-new 5E adventure module includes a new dwarf sub-race and a new PC background!
Fifth Edition Fantasy #2: The Fey Sisters' Fate
A level 1 adventure for 5E, by Chris Doyle
The cries of battle echo in the rustic wilderness, as a pair of fey sisters defend the ancient Briarwood against invaders. When the town of Bur Hollow sends militia men to support their fey allies, they disappear without a trace. The adventurers must enter the Briarwood and save them!
This all-new 5E adventure module includes two new spells and a new PC background!
Both are supposed to be released at GenCon!
A level 3 adventure for 5E, by Michael Curtis
Centuries ago, the glitterdoom came to the dwarves of Steelhand Clan! This divine curse transformed the dwarves into hellish forms with an insatiable greed for gold. Now, a chance encounter breaks open long-sealed gates to unleash the glitterdoom again. Can your adventurers delve into the forgotten halls to confront the subterranean menace?
This all-new 5E adventure module includes a new dwarf sub-race and a new PC background!
Fifth Edition Fantasy #2: The Fey Sisters' Fate
A level 1 adventure for 5E, by Chris Doyle
The cries of battle echo in the rustic wilderness, as a pair of fey sisters defend the ancient Briarwood against invaders. When the town of Bur Hollow sends militia men to support their fey allies, they disappear without a trace. The adventurers must enter the Briarwood and save them!
This all-new 5E adventure module includes two new spells and a new PC background!
Both are supposed to be released at GenCon!
Marv / Finarvyn
DCC Minister of Propaganda; Deputized 6/8/11 (over 11 years of SPAM bustin'!)
DCC RPG playtester 2011, DCC Lankhmar trivia contest winner 2015; OD&D player since 1975
"The worthy GM never purposely kills players' PCs, He presents opportunities for the rash and unthinking players to do that all on their own."
-- Gary Gygax
"Don't ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!"
-- Dave Arneson
"Misinterpreting the rules is a shared memory for many of us"
-- Joseph Goodman
DCC Minister of Propaganda; Deputized 6/8/11 (over 11 years of SPAM bustin'!)
DCC RPG playtester 2011, DCC Lankhmar trivia contest winner 2015; OD&D player since 1975
"The worthy GM never purposely kills players' PCs, He presents opportunities for the rash and unthinking players to do that all on their own."
-- Gary Gygax
"Don't ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!"
-- Dave Arneson
"Misinterpreting the rules is a shared memory for many of us"
-- Joseph Goodman
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
Yay! A 5E forum!
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
I think it's really cool that you've written one of these modules, Michael, and I can't believe that I didn't hear any whispers about it before the Goodman Games announcement e-mail. Here I think I'm an "insider" and I find out I'm not really.
Anyway, sounds like a great adventure. Do you know if it will be on sale anywhere before GenCon for those of us who probably won't be there?
Anyway, sounds like a great adventure. Do you know if it will be on sale anywhere before GenCon for those of us who probably won't be there?
Marv / Finarvyn
DCC Minister of Propaganda; Deputized 6/8/11 (over 11 years of SPAM bustin'!)
DCC RPG playtester 2011, DCC Lankhmar trivia contest winner 2015; OD&D player since 1975
"The worthy GM never purposely kills players' PCs, He presents opportunities for the rash and unthinking players to do that all on their own."
-- Gary Gygax
"Don't ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!"
-- Dave Arneson
"Misinterpreting the rules is a shared memory for many of us"
-- Joseph Goodman
DCC Minister of Propaganda; Deputized 6/8/11 (over 11 years of SPAM bustin'!)
DCC RPG playtester 2011, DCC Lankhmar trivia contest winner 2015; OD&D player since 1975
"The worthy GM never purposely kills players' PCs, He presents opportunities for the rash and unthinking players to do that all on their own."
-- Gary Gygax
"Don't ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!"
-- Dave Arneson
"Misinterpreting the rules is a shared memory for many of us"
-- Joseph Goodman
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
Are these modules going to have a kickass weird feel like the current DCC RPG modules, or they are good old general D&D fantasy?
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
The blurbs sound like pretty standard fantasy (as opposed to DCC). Maybe Michael will chime in on this.
Marv / Finarvyn
DCC Minister of Propaganda; Deputized 6/8/11 (over 11 years of SPAM bustin'!)
DCC RPG playtester 2011, DCC Lankhmar trivia contest winner 2015; OD&D player since 1975
"The worthy GM never purposely kills players' PCs, He presents opportunities for the rash and unthinking players to do that all on their own."
-- Gary Gygax
"Don't ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!"
-- Dave Arneson
"Misinterpreting the rules is a shared memory for many of us"
-- Joseph Goodman
DCC Minister of Propaganda; Deputized 6/8/11 (over 11 years of SPAM bustin'!)
DCC RPG playtester 2011, DCC Lankhmar trivia contest winner 2015; OD&D player since 1975
"The worthy GM never purposely kills players' PCs, He presents opportunities for the rash and unthinking players to do that all on their own."
-- Gary Gygax
"Don't ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!"
-- Dave Arneson
"Misinterpreting the rules is a shared memory for many of us"
-- Joseph Goodman
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
I haven't written an "orc stands in a 10' square room guarding a chest" adventure in years, so don't expect anything so ordinary in "Glitterdoom." I do aim closer to what one might expect in a D&D adventure as opposed to a DCC scenario, but my own weird fingerprints are all over this one. If you like my DCC stuff, you'll find "Glitterdoom" to your tastes as well.
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
But why is the orc standing in a room the size of my kitchen guarding a chest?michaelcurtis wrote:I haven't written an "orc stands in a 10' square room guarding a chest" adventure in years, so don't expect anything so ordinary in "Glitterdoom. . . ."
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
After playing DCC RPG it's obvious that the chest is a trap that curses whoever touches it. Then he will have to guard the chest until someone else touches the trap. The orc is friendly and offers the chest to the players hoping someone will touch it and he will be released from the curse.JediOre wrote:But why is the orc standing in a room the size of my kitchen guarding a chest?michaelcurtis wrote:I haven't written an "orc stands in a 10' square room guarding a chest" adventure in years, so don't expect anything so ordinary in "Glitterdoom. . . ."
Vorpal Mace: a humble rpg blog with some DCC-related stuff.
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
Oh, he looks like an orc but in reality is a demonspawn under an illusion spell, and the chest is actually a portal to another dimension. And that 10' square room is actually a series of extra dimensions folded together whereby there are actually six rooms here -- on on each face of the cube. So there are actually six different "orcs" guarding six different "chests"JediOre wrote:But why is the orc standing in a room the size of my kitchen guarding a chest?michaelcurtis wrote:I haven't written an "orc stands in a 10' square room guarding a chest" adventure in years, so don't expect anything so ordinary in "Glitterdoom. . . ."
Heck, this could be a whole adventure in itself.
Marv / Finarvyn
DCC Minister of Propaganda; Deputized 6/8/11 (over 11 years of SPAM bustin'!)
DCC RPG playtester 2011, DCC Lankhmar trivia contest winner 2015; OD&D player since 1975
"The worthy GM never purposely kills players' PCs, He presents opportunities for the rash and unthinking players to do that all on their own."
-- Gary Gygax
"Don't ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!"
-- Dave Arneson
"Misinterpreting the rules is a shared memory for many of us"
-- Joseph Goodman
DCC Minister of Propaganda; Deputized 6/8/11 (over 11 years of SPAM bustin'!)
DCC RPG playtester 2011, DCC Lankhmar trivia contest winner 2015; OD&D player since 1975
"The worthy GM never purposely kills players' PCs, He presents opportunities for the rash and unthinking players to do that all on their own."
-- Gary Gygax
"Don't ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!"
-- Dave Arneson
"Misinterpreting the rules is a shared memory for many of us"
-- Joseph Goodman
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
JediOre wrote:But why is the orc standing in a room the size of my kitchen guarding a chest?michaelcurtis wrote:I haven't written an "orc stands in a 10' square room guarding a chest" adventure in years, so don't expect anything so ordinary in "Glitterdoom. . . ."
Dude,that's not a orc! That's your wife!
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
No one make disparaging comments about JediWife without getting a free limb removal via a light saber!Gameogre wrote:Dude,that's not a orc! That's your wife!
Besides, I've been the one in the kitchen these past two weeks when I'm not at work. She had bunion surgery on her right foot and has been couch ridden for most of these past two weeks. We've had several meals provided by my mom or ladies from church. I've cooked a lot of canned biscuits or had food delivered. She did fix breakfast yesterday, but after that she needed the narcotics for the pain.
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
Sorry,I was just putting myself in your situation!
I can't count the times I got up and found the wife standing beside the fridge with both tusks flaring and a spear clutched in her hairy little hands.I think she would kill me in my sleep but I made myself irreplaceable by not showing her how to open the fridge. She would starve without me!
I can't count the times I got up and found the wife standing beside the fridge with both tusks flaring and a spear clutched in her hairy little hands.I think she would kill me in my sleep but I made myself irreplaceable by not showing her how to open the fridge. She would starve without me!
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
Gameogre wrote:Sorry,I was just putting myself in your situation!
I can't count the times I got up and found the wife standing beside the fridge with both tusks flaring and a spear clutched in her hairy little hands.I think she would kill me in my sleep but I made myself irreplaceable by not showing her how to open the fridge. She would starve without me!
You should have spent more time with your future in-laws to see what your young, beautiful bride would age into!
Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
These are both very good modules written with a more mainstream aesthetic than the DCCRPG material. Without spoiling, I can say both are excellent stories that will play to traditional players expectations without being in service to them. They are "Goodman-esque" in that they are filled with challenging encounters that are not predictable and a logical extenstion of the story being told. In short, THEY ROCK.
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
When will the print copies be available in your online store? Kind of chomping at the bit and couldn't make it to Gen Con...
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
The PDF edition is available now but it may be a month or more before print edition is available again. These sold well at Gen Con and I have to do another print run.
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
Glad to hear it sold well. I am really looking forward to running them for my two sons.
I am interested in the print and PDF bundle for these adventures, so I will wait out the month.
Thank you for getting back to me so quickly!
I am interested in the print and PDF bundle for these adventures, so I will wait out the month.
Thank you for getting back to me so quickly!
"Sometimes I feel like a 1st level wizard in a 15th level dungeon." -- Eliot Resol
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
Same here. I want the print version! Guess I have to wait.magehammer wrote:Glad to hear it sold well. I am really looking forward to running them for my two sons.
I am interested in the print and PDF bundle for these adventures, so I will wait out the month.
Thank you for getting back to me so quickly!
Any more 5th edition stuff coming? Care to share anything about it?
To defend: This is the Pact.
But when life loses its value,
and is taken for naught -
then the Pact is to Avenge.
But when life loses its value,
and is taken for naught -
then the Pact is to Avenge.
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
I didn't make it to GenCon, but I wish I had just so I could have these modules in hand already. I've been looking at WotC's Hoard of the Dragon Queen and it seems well written but way too linear for my liking. I much prefer the Goodman stuff, assuming that they are as open-ended as the earlier DCC ones we've seen. That fits my DM style a lot better.
If I buy through my local game store will there be a print+PDF option? I know that Pelgraine Press does that (and I assume other companies as well) and it's a cool way to buy a product.
Yeah, I'd rather go that route as well.magehammer wrote:I am interested in the print and PDF bundle for these adventures, so I will wait out the month.
If I buy through my local game store will there be a print+PDF option? I know that Pelgraine Press does that (and I assume other companies as well) and it's a cool way to buy a product.
Marv / Finarvyn
DCC Minister of Propaganda; Deputized 6/8/11 (over 11 years of SPAM bustin'!)
DCC RPG playtester 2011, DCC Lankhmar trivia contest winner 2015; OD&D player since 1975
"The worthy GM never purposely kills players' PCs, He presents opportunities for the rash and unthinking players to do that all on their own."
-- Gary Gygax
"Don't ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!"
-- Dave Arneson
"Misinterpreting the rules is a shared memory for many of us"
-- Joseph Goodman
DCC Minister of Propaganda; Deputized 6/8/11 (over 11 years of SPAM bustin'!)
DCC RPG playtester 2011, DCC Lankhmar trivia contest winner 2015; OD&D player since 1975
"The worthy GM never purposely kills players' PCs, He presents opportunities for the rash and unthinking players to do that all on their own."
-- Gary Gygax
"Don't ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!"
-- Dave Arneson
"Misinterpreting the rules is a shared memory for many of us"
-- Joseph Goodman
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
In reading Hoard of the Dragon Queen, I would say linear isn't quite the right term. As there are nodes for the players to choose from in each chapter as per this theory of adventure design: http://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/801 ... ode-design
"Sometimes I feel like a 1st level wizard in a 15th level dungeon." -- Eliot Resol
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
I plan on running Hoard for my regular game group and these 5E adventures for my boys. Right now I am translating the Idylls of the rat King using 5E on the fly for my boys. We are loving it, but I am looking forward to having all the stats in sync to make the games run that much smoother after they conquer the Rat King.
"Sometimes I feel like a 1st level wizard in a 15th level dungeon." -- Eliot Resol
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
Thanks for the link. The visual nature of that webpage gave me a better idea of the "big picture" for that style of module.magehammer wrote:In reading Hoard of the Dragon Queen, I would say linear isn't quite the right term. As there are nodes for the players to choose from in each chapter as per this theory of adventure design: http://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/801 ... ode-design
Marv / Finarvyn
DCC Minister of Propaganda; Deputized 6/8/11 (over 11 years of SPAM bustin'!)
DCC RPG playtester 2011, DCC Lankhmar trivia contest winner 2015; OD&D player since 1975
"The worthy GM never purposely kills players' PCs, He presents opportunities for the rash and unthinking players to do that all on their own."
-- Gary Gygax
"Don't ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!"
-- Dave Arneson
"Misinterpreting the rules is a shared memory for many of us"
-- Joseph Goodman
DCC Minister of Propaganda; Deputized 6/8/11 (over 11 years of SPAM bustin'!)
DCC RPG playtester 2011, DCC Lankhmar trivia contest winner 2015; OD&D player since 1975
"The worthy GM never purposely kills players' PCs, He presents opportunities for the rash and unthinking players to do that all on their own."
-- Gary Gygax
"Don't ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!"
-- Dave Arneson
"Misinterpreting the rules is a shared memory for many of us"
-- Joseph Goodman
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Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
Glad I could help!
"Sometimes I feel like a 1st level wizard in a 15th level dungeon." -- Eliot Resol
Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
Report from the gaming trenches:
I charge the orc.... no wait I can't because I don't have the right feat....
With the exception of two really awesome DCCRPG games that I got to play at Tacticon, I've been stuck playing 5e for the last 4 months. Near as I can tell Hasbro took all the worst aspects of 3.5e & 4e and repackaged them with new art. Though I can say that the beta rules we were playing under are IMO vastly superior to the uber-nerfed classes and baby-food level spells and powers that got released recently. We've been playing every week and as yet we've not failed to have a rules argument in every session... we've also got munchkin power-builds and rules lawyers aplenty; none of which is my fault I'm happy to say. I also must endure constant lectures by the other players about how badly my characters are built... at which point I re-explian the difference between 'role' playing and 'roll' playing and that I choose my character's abilities based on what makes sense for the character, not a statistical review of the rule-set. (mostly I just get glassy-eyed looks and a few nostalgic sighs) I've also watched a procession of 3 really good DM's quit running their 5e sessions because they are so frustrated at only having a player's handbook to work with. I suspect someone over at Hasbro seriously fumbled an intelligence check when determining the release schedule... or maybe it was a critical success... because at $50 a book I don't know too many gamers who could afford to plop down $150 for PH, DMG, and MM at the same time.
I'm also fairly certain that someone over at Hasbro has been paying attention to DCCRPG, because they copied (and seriously watered down) several of DCCRPG's tropes: lucky halflings, patrons for wizards, background histories... there's probably more, but I refuse to pay $50 to experience that much disappointment.
I do think it's funny that all 3 DM's that I've played under at this point have had the same house rule that strips the 'lucky' trait from the Halflings on the grounds that it's totally broken.
Maybe you guys can explain to me what's so cool about 5e because I just don't get why people like it.
I charge the orc.... no wait I can't because I don't have the right feat....
With the exception of two really awesome DCCRPG games that I got to play at Tacticon, I've been stuck playing 5e for the last 4 months. Near as I can tell Hasbro took all the worst aspects of 3.5e & 4e and repackaged them with new art. Though I can say that the beta rules we were playing under are IMO vastly superior to the uber-nerfed classes and baby-food level spells and powers that got released recently. We've been playing every week and as yet we've not failed to have a rules argument in every session... we've also got munchkin power-builds and rules lawyers aplenty; none of which is my fault I'm happy to say. I also must endure constant lectures by the other players about how badly my characters are built... at which point I re-explian the difference between 'role' playing and 'roll' playing and that I choose my character's abilities based on what makes sense for the character, not a statistical review of the rule-set. (mostly I just get glassy-eyed looks and a few nostalgic sighs) I've also watched a procession of 3 really good DM's quit running their 5e sessions because they are so frustrated at only having a player's handbook to work with. I suspect someone over at Hasbro seriously fumbled an intelligence check when determining the release schedule... or maybe it was a critical success... because at $50 a book I don't know too many gamers who could afford to plop down $150 for PH, DMG, and MM at the same time.
I'm also fairly certain that someone over at Hasbro has been paying attention to DCCRPG, because they copied (and seriously watered down) several of DCCRPG's tropes: lucky halflings, patrons for wizards, background histories... there's probably more, but I refuse to pay $50 to experience that much disappointment.
I do think it's funny that all 3 DM's that I've played under at this point have had the same house rule that strips the 'lucky' trait from the Halflings on the grounds that it's totally broken.
Maybe you guys can explain to me what's so cool about 5e because I just don't get why people like it.
Re: 5E arrives at Goodman Games
I think most of your bad experiences with the game are down to people and not any system or ruleset. Unfortunately their is nothing Mike Mearls and his team can do about that.
What's so cool about 5e?
Not as much as DCC for sure, which is the coolest system around for my money. It is reasonble to say that most games will feel watered down after playing Dungeon Crawl Classics. It is turned up to eleven...it's one louder
But, 5e on paper is a pretty nice game. It's a roleplaying game and we like those right..?
It promotes imagination and interpretation. It doesn't have a rule for everything and plays out quite quickly with freedom to try new and interesting things. It can be played without looking up charts and tables for the most as modifiers are elegantly taken from the equation by the 'advantage' mechanic. It borrows ideas from many d20 simulcrum, cloned and inspired games like DCC or Castles & Crusades. Immitation is the best form of flattery right?
In my first games of it, I had players using skill, coming up with clever solutions to problems through creative use of spells and ability,..and of course a barbarian who liked to hit them wiv axes....I ran my group through the first part of 'Hoard of the Dragon Queen' last night. I ran the adventure as suggested and suffice to say...it has issues! That baby needs tweeking. I wish I had started my players off on the Goodman adventures as they are usually more to my liking. I think HotDQ is a terrible module to demonstrate a new system...unless the message you are trying to send is...BANG, you're dead! It has a couple of real killer moments right from the off that are not really very fair to the players. A difficult challenge is great and deadly combat is exciting but...I like to give the players a fair deal...and this module is heavy handed for sure. Hopefully it gets better as the story unfolds. Interesting ideas but a bit poorly put together. Maybe it was a rush job due to the system launch requirements etc..
Anyway, we are having a go at 5e to see what we make of it. So far we like the way it plays. I think it plays better than it reads actually, if that makes sense. The game will need good adventures for busy DMs and luckily our friends here at Goodman have already made a start for us if I hadn't just laid out a dragon's retirement fund on DCC books and dice then I would have ordered these new modules as well.
What's so cool about 5e?
Not as much as DCC for sure, which is the coolest system around for my money. It is reasonble to say that most games will feel watered down after playing Dungeon Crawl Classics. It is turned up to eleven...it's one louder
But, 5e on paper is a pretty nice game. It's a roleplaying game and we like those right..?
It promotes imagination and interpretation. It doesn't have a rule for everything and plays out quite quickly with freedom to try new and interesting things. It can be played without looking up charts and tables for the most as modifiers are elegantly taken from the equation by the 'advantage' mechanic. It borrows ideas from many d20 simulcrum, cloned and inspired games like DCC or Castles & Crusades. Immitation is the best form of flattery right?
In my first games of it, I had players using skill, coming up with clever solutions to problems through creative use of spells and ability,..and of course a barbarian who liked to hit them wiv axes....I ran my group through the first part of 'Hoard of the Dragon Queen' last night. I ran the adventure as suggested and suffice to say...it has issues! That baby needs tweeking. I wish I had started my players off on the Goodman adventures as they are usually more to my liking. I think HotDQ is a terrible module to demonstrate a new system...unless the message you are trying to send is...BANG, you're dead! It has a couple of real killer moments right from the off that are not really very fair to the players. A difficult challenge is great and deadly combat is exciting but...I like to give the players a fair deal...and this module is heavy handed for sure. Hopefully it gets better as the story unfolds. Interesting ideas but a bit poorly put together. Maybe it was a rush job due to the system launch requirements etc..
Anyway, we are having a go at 5e to see what we make of it. So far we like the way it plays. I think it plays better than it reads actually, if that makes sense. The game will need good adventures for busy DMs and luckily our friends here at Goodman have already made a start for us if I hadn't just laid out a dragon's retirement fund on DCC books and dice then I would have ordered these new modules as well.
Playing since about 1980
Latest games: DCC RPG of course!
Quote I like: "I am on a computer therfore I am" (Alan Plater)
Latest games: DCC RPG of course!
Quote I like: "I am on a computer therfore I am" (Alan Plater)