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Waterdeep: Kitten Rescue
Publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
by Hiten D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/17/2020 20:57:42

Wonderful adventure concept and nicely executed! Can't go wrong for the price. Buy it!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Waterdeep: Kitten Rescue
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The Eye of Klothys
Publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
by Hiten D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 07/31/2020 02:16:58

Outstanding production quality aside, this is a fantastically written adventure. The story is multi-layered and compelling, read-aloud text boxes are crisp and devoid of poetic jargon, and NPC information is detailed in convenient, easy-to-locate places. The adventure also gives appreciable respect to the exploration pillar of the game.

This is a good adventure for a "thinking" group of players who proactively ask questions, take notes, and are resourceful with their surroundings during encounters (or creatively manage to avoid some battles entirely).



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
The Eye of Klothys
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Sir Alkian's Guide to Surviving the Apocalypse
Publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
by Hiten D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/05/2020 16:50:48

I finally had a chance to sit down with this and write up a review.

First thing I'd like to state is that you do NOT need to be running an apocalyptic world in order to make use of the material here. Anne's done a great job of making all parts of the book adaptable to relatively thriving worlds as well. The threats presented as being apocalyptic need not affect your entire world - it might only affect a particular region or city (in fact, there's a whole section of the book devoted to explaining localized apocalypses). If you were thinking about skipping on the book because you don't want to bring an apocalypse to your worlds, think again.

Chapter 1 is perhaps the most directly tied to being in a true apocalypse. It offers adventure ideas and advice for how to shift the culture of a world to adapt to an apocalypse. My favorite part of this chapter is the "Born in the Apocalypse" topic, which aptyl points out that no apocalypse is likely to wipe out all living beings. Small communities will survive, and life will "go on" in some fashion, but the nature of that life will be drastically different. People born into such a setting have "no concept of government or massive cities" and are likely to experience danger from a very young age. This ties in nicely with the revised character backgrounds and new backgrounds presented in chapter 7.

Chapter 2 presents ideas for creating apocalypses/mega threats, going over rules for how to incorporate them, as well as advice for overcoming potential limitations that existing D&D 5e rules might present to running this effectively (e.g., some classes being immune to disease, and the Turn Undead feature). I have some reservations about the work-arounds suggested, but that's barely a dent in the design. What's really cool about this chapter is it not only gives you rules for specific kinds of threats, but also explains how people and settlements adjust to a world in which this threat is prevalent. Those of you running Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus and looking to continue the adventure might find The Rapture or The Inferno events useful in for preparing a world after the events of that campaign.

My favorite part of this chapter is probably the creature templates provided at the end of each threat. I had made something similar to the cinder beast in the past, and it was great to see it here! The artwork is especially gorgeous.

Chapter 3 There's a lot of settlement-building advice here, which can easily be adapted to simplify modify existing settlements in an ongoing campaign. The chapter presents a few different types of "government" or "rulership" that might spawn from catastrophic events. While they are all logical possibilities, I would have also liked to have seen an attempt at describing an anarchic yet peaceful society...something similar to that portrayed in a book called The Dispossessed. Or maybe that's better suited for an actual adventure.

Chapter 4 presents optional rules for running a gritty game, some of which are adapted from existing official sources and others original. I especially love the Material Component for Healing Spells and Additional Rest options, which are elegantly designed and can be incorporated into any game without game-breaking consequences. I say this as a DM who very rarely uses any optional rules at all (even flanking). This chapter also has rules and tables for scavenging that can be used in any setting. It truly enhances the exploration pillar of the game and incentivizes taking skill proficiencies beyond just the Perception skill. It reads very much like it was written by an empathic DM who wants each player to be able to contribute to the group's progress. Icing on the cake here is the Sign Language and Stress and Trauma sections, which are incredibly elegant themselves and don't needlessly veer away from the core of 5e design.

Those of you running Out of the Abyss will find this chapter incredibly useful. The Stress Levels system makes for a great a supplement to the official Madness System (and is arguably less mechanically devastating than the Short-Term Madness effects).

The only part of this chapter I have some reservations with is the Physical Trauma section, but I have the similar feelings about the official Lingering Injuries tables. I generally don't like them in 5e. However, the traumas presented in this book are somewhat superior to the official ones, because instead of using an "all-or-nothing" approach to make things "elegant" (a common pitfall of 5e rules), Anne actually digs deeper and presents a set of rules that focus only on very specific injuries, instead of applying wide-spread debuffs. I always appreciate that kind of design, even if I am unlikely to use it. It's the sign of a creator who has a great sense of what can potentially frustrate players.

Chapter 5 and chapter 6 present some unique, thematic races and subclasses. I am in a bit of a "player option bloat" right now, so I haven't read this in detail and am unlikely to use it. All I'll say is that the flavor looks very compelling, and the artwork is quite gorgeous. Also, having read the other crunchy bits of this book, I'm positive that Anne has a sound understanding of 5e's mechanics and you are unlikely to be disappointed in these chapters. The book is worth its price even if you choose not to use these chapters.

Chapter 7 describes how a catalclysmic event can alter the existing backgrounds presented in the PHB, and also presents some compelling new backgrounds. Flavorful revisions to the backgrounds are very insightful and presented concisely, making for a very easy read. This makes it easier for DMs to explain to players how their character's backstories might be different in an apocalyptic campaign. In addition, the new backgrounds do not feel like they were simply tacked on for the sake of providing crunchy options. There is a lot of compelling lore attached to them, and some of the features are very relatable, such as the Afflicted's Not Long For This World feature. (Speaking of the Afflicted, why do they gain proficiency with a gaming set? Seems out of place, based on my understanding of this background).

Chapter 8 In this final chapter, we are presented with some really cool monsters: The four horsemen of the apocalypse, their mounts, a CR 30 boss monster, and different types of vampires. The four horsemen are very elegantly designed legendary monsters, smartly placed at CR 21 to prevent true polymorph shenanigans, while also not requiring a tier 4 party to defeat. Each of them also have the Shapechanger trait, which provides lots of roleplaying opportunities. This works on their mounts as well! Speaking of mounts, I LOVED reading their stat blocks as well. The mounts are intelligent and have some very flavorful traits (such as Despair's Visage of the End). You can very well use the mounts alone to terrorize PCs/NPCs, foreshadowing the arrival of their masters. The vampire variants are also flavorful, and their art is grotesquely evocative (that's a good thing). The only thing I'd change here is give the Bruxa some Legendary Actions.

Overall: This is a book no Dungeon Master will be disappointed with. It has content that will be easily transferrable to a hypothetical future edition of D&D. Anne's writing communicates to the reader very effectively, as though she's having a conversation with you. The crunchy bits seem to come from someone who has a competent level of interpersonal understanding at her tables, understanding what the core rules are missing and what they excel in addressing. There's nothing here that feels like it was just added to spam content...everything serves a compelling purpose.

If nothing else, this book makes for an excellent read in our current circumstances. It's not in-your-face pessimistic or depressing as I expected - in fact, there's some morally uplifting material here as well. It made me motivated to take on cataclysmic events, both IRL and in-game, rather than sink into despair.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Sir Alkian's Guide to Surviving the Apocalypse
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Bard College of Percussion: Drum Resource for Players and DMs
Publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
by Hiten D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 11/06/2019 15:41:21

Not only does this contain some of the most well-designed subclasses you are likely to find on the DMsGuild, it is also packed with information on how to contextualize a Bard following this college (from sample colleges to instrument varies, and more!). You are getting more than you money's worth by spending $5.95 on this.

Even if you're just a Dungeon Master who isn't as interested in the archetype, there is a lot of material here to aid you in world-building and NPC creation. I highly suggest at least checking out the preview before clicking away.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Bard College of Percussion: Drum Resource for Players and DMs
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Creator Reply:
Thank you, Hiten!
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Shield of the Hidden Lord
Publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
by Hiten D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 11/06/2019 10:41:48

A very insightfully-written adventure which plugs in a lot of questions I had after going through the first chapter of Descent Into Avernus.

The tact that went into filling in the details here is exemplary...truly a masterclass level of 5th-edition adventure design. My favorite (and possibly widely under-appreciated) feature is the larger font size, which makes each page easier to digest and run on the fly.

Shield of the Hidden Lord is worth more than the listed price. There's plenty to chew on in here!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Shield of the Hidden Lord
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Balduran's Guide to Kingdom Building
Publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
by Hiten D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 10/09/2019 23:17:15

If you love table-top roleplaying games, you will NOT be disappointed spending $24.99 on this! Balduran's Guide to Kingdom Building is not simply a toolset for in-world property management, but also has tons of resources for world-builders to create their own settlements (from tiny villages to bustling metropolises). There's a lot of inspiration to draw on from here if you need to whip up an original city for your next adventure, and you're unlikely to find something of this quality anywhere else.

Adam has taken a lot of bold, calculated risks in developing this, and that tangible desinger's authenticity is rare to come by. This product has great attention to detail, solid pacing of information presentation, and lots of insightful examples to keep you both informed and engaged. Don't let the price put you off...if you plan to continue playing and/or DMing any TTRPG, this book is an incredibly valuable investment for you.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Balduran's Guide to Kingdom Building
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Unlikely Heroes - Out of the Abyss
Publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
by Hiten D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/28/2019 19:08:14

A lovely mini-supplement for one of my favourite campaigns. An absolute steal for the recommended price!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Unlikely Heroes - Out of the Abyss
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The Malady Workshop
Publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
by Hiten D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/09/2019 23:41:50

Can't add much beyond what others have said. This is an absolutely stellar supplement that is worth a lot more than the listed price. Outstanding work!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
The Malady Workshop
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The Malady Codex II: Diseases of the Mind
Publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
by Hiten D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/09/2019 23:38:38

Definitely my favorite of the Malady Codex series. Diseases of the Mind has exquisite attnetion to detail and does a decent of staying sensitive (and paying respect to) real world analogs. This is a very good tool in the hands of a socioemotionally competent Dungeon Master.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
The Malady Codex II: Diseases of the Mind
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The Malady Chronicles
Publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
by Hiten D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/09/2019 23:28:23

This is definitely a work of extreme passion and dedication. Every creator that contributed to this has given their fullest, sparing absolutely nothing. From the wonderful art to the compelling and crunchy adventures, everything about the Malady Chronicles showcases an elite standard of DMsGuild design. I personally can't wait to run Rise of the Druid's Curse for my party, who are hungry for some adventuring closer to their home base in Waterdeep :)



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
The Malady Chronicles
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Marching to the peak
Publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
by Hiten D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 07/23/2019 09:43:10

This price an absolute steal for the quality of the adventure. Marching to the Peak is a very cool adventure that can be placed into any campaign (let's face it, all DMs benefit from a "fetch rare magic ingredient from X location"). The adventurers face a variety of compelling monsters, including mammoths, druids, yetis, and a silver dragon.

The adventure also features some nicely designed maps, which further reinforces my point above that the price is a steal. Grab it and enjoy it! As a DM, you're bound to need something like this at some point.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Marching to the peak
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Time Traveler's Guide to Chronomancy
Publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
by Hiten D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 07/22/2019 22:15:44

This is a very well thought-out supplement. The magic items and time travel DM guidance is very valuable, and everything really adds to the value of this book. After having spoken with the author, you can stay tuned for more great chronomancy content from Realmwarp Media!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Time Traveler's Guide to Chronomancy
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Ravnica: Heroes of the Guilds | Character Class Options
Publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
by Hiten D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 07/21/2019 22:03:54

Awesome collection of subclasses :) Worth the money for the flavor tables alone.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Ravnica: Heroes of the Guilds | Character Class Options
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Class Booklet Bundle
Publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
by Hiten D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 07/17/2019 18:42:39

Very well done! This is a great supplement that I'll definitely end up using.

The only elements I'd improve would be adding some large boxes for domain-specific features, and adding text such as "if you have one" or "if applicable" to the Bag of Holding part, so that players don't automatically expect one.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Class Booklet Bundle
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Bracelets of Friendship
Publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
by Hiten D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 06/26/2019 20:22:23

A wonderful product that is well worth the suggested price! This undoubtedly enrich my table. Well done!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Bracelets of Friendship
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