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DDEX03-13 Writhing in the Dark (5e) $2.99
Average Rating:4.2 / 5
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DDEX03-13 Writhing in the Dark (5e)
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DDEX03-13 Writhing in the Dark (5e)
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
by Jeremy X. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/04/2019 20:16:42

I've played and run this module. Overall, Mind Flayers are always fun. It's a little odd to have Gith allied to a Mind Flayer, even a rogue one, but I can work with it. I think I've had it stay around its 2 hour design target, though usually a little over (having a party whose APL is below the target probably makes it run long).

This is a nicely contained module to run since, aside from introduction and cleanup, it's a four room dungeon plus the boss room. Each of the rooms has its own interesting nature. Note that I say interesting rather than particularly deadly. If the dice are particularly unlucky, particularly on saving throws and party composition, this module can turn super deadly in a couple of places, but without bad luck it's flavourful while still within a party's capabilities (disclaimer: I've only played and run this module with Very Weak / Weak parties; I'm certain that if I threw the Very Strong version of this module against a Very Weak party, it would be deadly). I have not yet seen the boss get to his flee condition, because he has always been defeated before it can take place.

The puzzle / trap room was fun to run. I suggest being ready for players to try all sorts of things to avoid their character triggering the trap (use Mage Hands, Unseen Servants, 10' poles, etc.). Since the damage is most psychic, I explained that it followed the chain of intent back to the PC triggering the tiles to be revealed. Side note: Paladin auras can really take the sting out of that room.

Oh, right: I kept nearly forgetting (or outright forgetting) about the faerzress wild surges; they added some hilarity to the table, though they can slow things down a bit (I keep a printed copy of the wild surge table with my notes for the module).

Update: I played this module one more time and the whole party failed its Int save to the Mind Blast. Being stunned certainly made it feel more threatening than the previous two runs. It took until the second round for two of the Monks to make their Int saves, at which point they stunned and totally rolled the enemies starting at the top of round three (which was good, because the other 3 PCs failed their saves for the full 1 minute duration).



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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DDEX03-13 Writhing in the Dark (5e)
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
by Brendan N. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/27/2018 15:28:17

This is a pretty good mod. Illithid are always fun and scary for players, as one bad move can result in a costly resurrection. I've got one problem with it, a lack of a built in way to recover from a certain creature's debilitating effects. If your party lacks specific spells, you could easily end up with a player sitting there waiting for the module to end so they can buy a greater restoration. A potion (or more thematically, a magic brain) to remedy the effects hidden in the brainteaser would have been nice.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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DDEX03-13 Writhing in the Dark (5e)
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
by Petrina H. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/19/2018 17:52:00

It is not a bad mod; it being a medium sized puzzle dungeon, but it does progress quite slowly. Time keeping and making sure the players are moving along and not stalling was a big thing for me. so some extra DM work may be required.



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
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DDEX03-13 Writhing in the Dark (5e)
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
by James B. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 06/17/2018 14:58:31

I really loved this adventure. I thought it was very unique compared to some of the other adventures since you get to be employed by a mind flayer, hunt a rogue thought, and encounter some gith!

The reward for this adventure is ridiculously OP, but it still must be earned. The combat is no joke...but the puzzle was really fun. I loved watching people try the memory game and getting zapped! The players seemed to really enjoy it as well. The boss did seem a bit lame in that he wasn't really involved in any way with the players. It would have been better if the rogue thought was tormenting the players as they progressed through the story.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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DDEX03-13 Writhing in the Dark (5e)
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
by Jordan C. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/31/2018 08:34:38

I found the adventure hooks rather frustrating, my players hate being 'voluntold' to go do things, and it doesn't leave them invested in the story or their involvement. Given that it's a 2-hour slot and time is of the essence (and the tendency for modules to run over) searching for background appropriate adventure hooks is a luxury many don't have. That is however, more of a pet hate than world shattering problem. Still would have been nice to have some further hooks listed.

That being said, the rest of the adventure was good overall. The overall theme and concept war fun and the interactions with NPC's made for some fun encounters. The puzzle was basic but fun, and the combats were good too.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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DDEX03-13 Writhing in the Dark (5e)
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
by Shane Y. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/22/2018 11:54:44

Writhing in the dark is a flavourful module which primarily consists of a medium sized puzzle dungeon. Compacted within a 4 room dungeon with a final encounter which can easily lead to a TPK, Writhing's main weakness is the simplicity of it's overarching puzzle. What initially seems like an intricate easter egg hunt is solved by completing a single puzzle style mini-game which provided all the items needed to open the final area and face the boss.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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DDEX03-13 Writhing in the Dark (5e)
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
by Jordan B. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/10/2018 16:48:02

I'll admit - I'm a sucker for the kind of adventures that involve, as this one does, the opportunity to crawl around a dungeon in preparation for a final battle. The creepiness factor only adds to the tension. The final boss is adequate, but as usual in the DDAL adventures, is no match for an optimized party. (That's a good thing - players should feel powerful and have fun!)



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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DDEX03-13 Writhing in the Dark (5e)
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
by James U. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/21/2018 15:21:49

This module is fun, but feels like it progresses slowly. The interesting thing is that it does not progress slowly, it just feels that it does. The final fight is tough and can turn into a TPK easily.



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
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DDEX03-13 Writhing in the Dark (5e)
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
by Rachel S. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/08/2018 11:57:59

I love an adventure that makes my players squirm. This one did just that! It starts off that they are Volen-TOLD by their factions that they need to go meet a contact and help him out. The fact that the contact ended up being an illithid made them more than a little uncomfortable.

I love the whole concept of the Rogue Thought. My players caught onto it, too, and also enjoyed it. The puzzle was fun and the NPCs very interesting. My only complaint is that the boss was too squishy, but that may just be because I need to practice playing caster-bosses stratagies more.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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DDEX03-13 Writhing in the Dark (5e)
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
by Siu K. L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 10/18/2017 02:03:17

A flavourful module of the Underdark, featuring some of adventurers' worst nightmares. You can tell an excellent story with adventurers through their encounters in the den and it should keep them on their toes and leave them some lasting memories. However, there remain some undesirable portions, such as trying to figure the motivation of the final boss, and wondering why he would not be any more intelligent given his species.

To really draw out the story potential, the DM would have to spend some time to research the lore of the mind flayers and be creative with how to run the final boss encounter. Assuming you're not there to totally murder the adventurers, try to prevent save-or-die scenarios and give the adventurers a real chance to save themselves.

(One point to note - a consumed brain would mean adventurers need access to Resurrection or Reincarnation to continue playing their characters, both options not likely available at their levels).



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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DDEX03-13 Writhing in the Dark (5e)
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
by Jon K. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/26/2017 04:15:04

Very good module. The setting is cool and the puzzle is an especially good addition. My party steamrolled the combat because they were very optimized, but I can see the potential of the encounters, especially in the final boss room.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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DDEX03-13 Writhing in the Dark (5e)
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
by Ben C. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/23/2017 04:10:27

This adventure combines my favorite class and favorite monster in D&D, and I highly recommend it. It allows DMs to cover creatures and lore that isn’t covered in most hardcovers and modules. If you want to teach your players about Astral travelers and brain eaters, then this is a good adventure for you.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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DDEX03-13 Writhing in the Dark (5e)
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
by Joshua N. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/19/2017 15:20:47

Recommend Purchase: Yes. XP Range: 2,250-3,000 Note: a rare instance where WotC/DDAL actually updated the moduel because the way it was originally release was a complete mess.

I recommend downloading the State of Hillsfar document and reading that before running any Season 3 module.

Why is Hillsfar a relevant setting at this time? Walls and refugees. The Great Law of Humanity: Only humans are allowed within Hillsfar. The Great Law of Trade: Do not interfere with any legitimate trade.

Does Hilsfar have anything to do with the Season 3 Hardcover - Out of the Abyss? Not really.

+++++++++++++++++++ Note: No Season 1, 2, or 3 module has a digital certificate to print because WotC says they can't accept volunteer help for legal reasons and won't allow their paid employees to create the certificates even though they have the templates.

The DMSGUILD site segregates reviews between people who've purchased it here and everyone else. They do NOT have a robust rating system, relying instead on the 5-star model.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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DDEX03-13 Writhing in the Dark (5e)
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
by Charlie G. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 07/17/2017 03:01:03

Love this adventure. It has a great macabre horror element to it, which is always nice. The Puzzle is a fun one that anyone can enjoy and solve (it just might give them a headache ;) ). I definitely recommend encouraging the entire group to work on it and definitely use the suggestion of dark thick sleeves for the puzzle pieces, I went with dragonshield card sleeves as they get the job done. The Combat can be a fun challenge, and perhaps punishing, depending on the party build and the DM. The only complaint I can make is that I wish it was longer. I would highly recommend this adventure, whether you're running it or playing through it.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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DDEX03-13 Writhing in the Dark (5e)
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
by Daniel E. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 06/08/2017 21:24:44

Ran this for my normal group because the warlock really wanted the RotPK +2... It only cost him his brain. :D Seriously, for a party that's not used to plane-shifting, psychic-damage dealing, brain-eating enemies, this is a fun module with a couple fights that will kick them in the pants!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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