I like DnD 5E, however did  I ever point out how sick I’m of WoTC always rehashing previous materials for the Forgotten Realms? (*Hint, sure I’ve!* Please take a look at my critiques of Rappan Athuk, Tome of Beasts, Tanares RPG, The Hallowing of Ground, and Tasha’s Caldron of Everything (in EBG Magazine, challenge 3) to listen to extra of my rants on this topic!).

The final takeaway from these critiques for many who lack time to learn them is that I firmly consider that the way forward for DnD lies with third occasion writers. 

The purpose why largely has to do with unique content material that hasn’t been recycled time and again for the previous 30-40 years. As a DM (and the uncommon events the place I’m a participant), I don’t want the protection and luxury that pre information of your environs can present. 

And it does get tiring already understanding the overall plot strains of settings resembling Curse of Strahd, Dungeon of the Mad Mage earlier than I’ve even performed the marketing campaign, having already engaged in earlier incarnations of them. 

As such, I flip constantly to various content material for my DnD repair.

Torrents of the Spellhoarder is presently operating on Kickstarter with only a few days remaining, and whereas I would not have entry to the complete materials for the needs of this evaluate, I do have the Adventure Summary to purvey as DM materials. I’ve additionally been granted the complete digital recordsdata for Crown of the Oathbreaker to offer me an thought what a “full” marketing campaign could seem like.

I’ll do my finest to keep away from spoilers, and communicate solely generally and obscure descriptions as a lot as potential. 

Torrents of the Spellhoarder begins in a primarily sea-faring / maritime setting. The very first thing that I seen as a potential DM / participant for this marketing campaign is that it will present some nice use for “useless” 5E feats and proficiencies that almost all gamers most likely by no means decide. It could even be supremely advantageous to “think outside of the box” as a participant on this regard. That is unquestionably a giant perk.

The second factor that I seen (which I ought to have seen within the first place!) is that that is no low stage cakewalk! And that is fairly a blessing really, as a result of I’d say conservatively that not less than 90% of the DnD supply books on the market are written for characters which can be ranges 1-12. It can consequently be a ache to search out issues to do for characters as soon as they hit later phases of character life. 

Torrents of the Spellhoarder has a minimal stage requirement of 15! Thank God there’s lastly an organized setting the place gamers can absolutely unleash all of their skills for as soon as!

Narrative smart, I’ve been ready to take a look at the entire synopsis of the storyline (not particular person chapters, however a birds’ eye view of the marketing campaign and its development), and general it seems very promising, roughly equal to what I’ve seen in Tanares RPG (and that was some actually good world constructing!). Without delving into the story an excessive amount of, it begins with a sea journey, and includes a treasure, a shipwreck, an altercation with a Sea Kraken and extra. 

Simply put, it throws you proper into the motion, which is to get sense of immersion going!

The artwork can be implausible! I’d say it stands out with a aptitude that not even WoTC places out on their supplies, which I discover to be comparatively droll.  

Now the subsequent factor I want to speak about is a secondary product of Elderbrain, Crown of the Oathbreaker, and I consider this was supplied to me along with the pattern of Spellhoarder so I may higher gauge what the entire product and storyline could encompass for Torrent of the Spellhoarder…

…and I’m actually at a lack of phrases in relation to describe the fabric for Crown of the Oathbreaker.

Simply put, I can’t consider any tome or marketing campaign within the DnD that’s bigger than the supplies in Oathbreaker. 

Capping out at greater than 940 pages, I used to be first introduced the chance to evaluate this materials a couple of weeks in the past, and was anticipating the extra regular 250-400 web page vary for such troves. I believed that I had the biggest marketing campaign ebook on the market (Rappan Athuk , about 500 pages of content material derived from a number of many years of labor), however I used to be flawed.

Holy crud. 

Now I didn’t get to take a look at all the pieces on this ebook exhaustively, as I had underestimated the scope of the providing earlier than committing to the two weeks I had left earlier than Spellhoarder’s Kickstarter deadline expired, however I’ve checked out it sufficient to know that that is simply the stuff that DnD desires are fabricated from. DM’s and gamers searching for a world and marketing campaign you can be caught in for years needn’t fear—it will positively have the ability to occupy your classes for years to come back, very similar to the beforehand referenced Rappan Athuk.

It is really jaw-dropping. Everything from the maps to the NPCs has been exquisitely detailed, with an entire open-world sandbox with a wealthy and tragic Angelic world historical past shaping the fashionable occasions of your gaming expertise. New objects, spells, subclasses and extra abound, respiration way more life into the setting. 

If even a fraction of this monstrosity of quantity manages to hold over to Torrents of the Spellhoarder, I feel most gaming teams may simply spend an actual variety of years on this setting.

Now granted that the fabric for Spellhoarder is for stage 15-20, I’m guessing that properly, possibly you gained’t spend fairly as a lot real-life time on this world as a lot as you’ll for those who began from stage 1 in one other setting, however that’s the factor…

Spellhoarder is a DIRECT CONTINUATION of Crown of the Oathbreaker! 

For me, what this implies is that you would conceivably spend the whole lot of your DnD adventures solely on this setting!

For me, this represents the very first homogenous, self-contained journey / pathway I may personal may take a gaggle from low ranges all the best way up into the stratosphere close to stage 20. (Well, technically Oathbreaker begins at round stage 5, however has some suggestions for sidequesting as much as the required / really helpful ranges. No biggie for me there, as I’ve a plethora of fabric designed for low ranges that can be utilized in nearly any setting, as I think most DM’s do.)

Now maaaaaybe. Just maaaaybe, WotC has lastly made some stage 15-20 materials that may very well be used to tie decrease stage adventures collectively. But as of two years in the past or so, I had kinda gotten uninterested in ready for such a hyperlink, so I gave up on them. So possibly such materials exists already, however once more, for me personally, it is a first.

Other issues that I like are that they’re promoting maps and decks of playing cards with participant choice / skills. One can by no means have too many useful references accessible, as nothing can sluggish your video games down as a lot as incessantly paging by your supply books searching for spell, merchandise and skill descriptions!

All in all, given my very own previous historical past of DnD purchases and what I’ve seen introduced to me for this evaluate / preview, I feel anybody who invests in both Crown of the Oathbreaker or Torrents of the Spellhoader will not be solely getting an ideal worth, however in really excess of what you’re paying for. The sheer quantity of labor that should have gone into this manufacturing is really boggling, and in lots of respects I feel that the oldsters at Elderbrain could be promoting their product brief on the costs they’re providing. My recommendation to anybody trying to develop their DnD world is to look by these campaigns with critical consideration. But don’t take an excessive amount of time, as there are mere hours earlier than the marketing campaign on KS ends, and on the time of this writing, it’s unsure as as to if or not they are going to be taking late pledges!