DMs Guild Review – Dragons Remastered

Enhanced statblocks for all the dragons in the Monster Manual, plus several new additions.

This review has been sponsored by the publisher. Find more DMs Guild Reviews on my website and YouTube channel.

Support my work by using my affiliate links and pledging via Patreon.

Designed by: Magnus Andersen Vogel, Lucas Anderson

Beholders, liches, and goblins are beloved by DMs, but there’s no arguing the celebrity status of dragons. Even the lowliest dragon conjures respect and fear from every adventuring party [see our most recent DM Roundtable discussion, all about dragons!].

Dragons are given over 30 pages and 40 statblocks in the D&D 5e Monster Manual. But we could always use more!

Dragons Remastered adds 100 pages of enhanced dragon statblocks, with new breath weapons, traits, legendary actions, and spells for all the dragons in the Monster Manual — plus a few newcomers to 5e.

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Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden Session 45 Recap

After a dangerous journey across tundra and ice, the party arrives at the Dark Duchess pirate ship in search of treasure. But more danger awaits below deck.

Live streamed and uploaded every week on YouTube. Join us live on Fridays at 7:30 pm Pacific/10:30 pm Eastern!

Original character art by Jimmy McClure.
Music by Kevin MacLeod.
Chat with us in the Official Discord Server.
Support the channel via Patreon!

Previously on Rime of the Frostmaiden

Starring:
Valravn, level 8 Eladrin Bard of Eloquence
Fray, level 8 Halfling Barbarian of the Beast/Fighter
Celeste, level 8 Half-orc Sun Soul Monk
Edmond, Level 8 Human Alchemist Artificer
Thimbleweed, level 8 Gnome Swarmkeeper Ranger

We left off last week with a frost giant mounted on a woolly mammoth barreling down on the party. Like many D&D encounters, it didn’t quite go as anyone would have planned.

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DriveThruRPG Review – Extraordinary Expeditions

Four subclasses and ten mini-adventures, from levels 1 – 10.

This review has been sponsored by the publisher. Find more reviews on my website and YouTube channel.

Support my work by using my affiliate links and pledging via Patreon.

Designed by: Crit Academy

An encounter is a single one-off event. A lair is a self-contained dungeon crawl. An expedition, from what I can tell, is the next step toward full-length adventure.

Extraordinary Expeditions (also available on the Crit Academy website) includes ten mini-adventures, from levels 1 – 10. Each expedition is 10-12 pages in length, and typically features outdoor monster hunts rather than dungeon crawls.

The quality varies; I enjoyed some of the expeditions far more than others, but the overall layout, presentation, and organization is top-notch.

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DMs Guild Review – Inspiration 2.0

A new card-based Inspiration system inspired by 4e’s Fortune Cards.

A review copy of “Inspiration 2.0” was provided by the publisher. Find more DMs Guild Reviews on my website and YouTube channel.

Support my work by using my affiliate links and pledging via Patreon.

Designed by: Ken Carcas

Inspiration is a clever tool in D&D 5e that awards players a free re-roll for doing whatever the DM deems rewardable: an awesome kill, a clever plan, or stellar role-playing.

Inspiration 2.0 adapts the Fortune Cards system from D&D 4e, transforming the bonus cards into Inspiration rewards. The result is a player-focused Inspiration supplement that feels unnecessarily restrictive.

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Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden Session 44 Recap

A journey across the tundra leads to tense encounters with dangerous creatures, and a surprise reunion.

Live streamed and uploaded every week on YouTube. Join us live on Fridays at 7:30 pm Pacific/10:30 pm Eastern!

Original character art by Jimmy McClure.
Music by Kevin MacLeod.
Chat with us in the Official Discord Server.
Support the channel via Patreon!

Previously on Rime of the Frostmaiden

Starring:
Valravn, level 8 Eladrin Bard of Eloquence
Fray, level 8 Halfling Barbarian of the Beast/Fighter
Celeste, level 8 Half-orc Sun Soul Monk
Edmond, Level 8 Human Alchemist Artificer
Thimbleweed, level 8 Gnome Swarmkeeper Ranger

The marshals return to Bryn Shander, minus Vellyne. Ten Towns remains in dire shape, with Speaker Shane doing all she can to run the only two functioning towns in the region.

Others leave to rebuild (or never left) but request aid that will never come. If the everlasting night isn’t solved soon, surviving the dragon’s assault won’t matter.

With that in mind, let’s so searching for pirate treasure!

Continue reading “Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden Session 44 Recap”

DMs Guild Review – Monster Weaknesses

Hundreds of optional combat and social weaknesses for every creature in the 5e Monster Manual.

This review has been sponsored by the publisher. Find more DMs Guild Reviews on my website and YouTube channel.

Support my work by using my affiliate links and pledging via Patreon.

Designed by: Daniel Kahn, with Ari Messenger, Devilin DM, GlitchyPixie, Maddison Nichol, Michael Rosenthal, NevernotDM (Benjamin Ragan), Phaerlax, Purple Bog Press, Xhango Games, Eventyr Games

When I think “monster weakness” I picture glowing red parts of a monster’s body in old school boss fights. In D&D, exploitable weaknesses are few and far between, such as a skeleton’s vulnerability to bludgeoning damage.

Monster Weaknesses includes over 500 new traits that clever player characters can discover and exploit, all of which are far more interesting and detailed than simple damage vulnerabilities.

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Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden Session 43 Recap

An epic battle turns even deadlier when another player character’s dark secret is revealed.

Live streamed and uploaded every week on YouTube. Join us live on Fridays at 7:30 pm Pacific/10:30 pm Eastern!

Original character art by Jimmy McClure.
Music by Kevin MacLeod.
Chat with us in the Official Discord Server.
Support the channel via Patreon!

Previously on Rime of the Frostmaiden

Starring:
Valravn, level 7 Eladrin Bard of Eloquence
Fray, level 7 Halfling Barbarian of the Beast/Fighter
Celeste, level 7 Half-orc Sun Soul Monk
Edmond, Level 7 Human Alchemist Artificer
Thimbleweed, level 7 Gnome Swarmkeeper Ranger

In a span of a few seconds, the ghost of Nass Lantomir possessed Vellyne and summoned an otherworldly mass of tentacles from the Far Realm (Hunger of Hadar).

The gnome bodies exploded, transforming into Deathlock Wights. Thimbleweed’s player secret was violently revealed when Vellyne-Nass ripped the insectoid growing inside him, reducing him to 1 hit point and changing his secret from The Host into The Evolved.

Vellyne-Nass grabbed the orb from the gnome body and the insectoid hatchling from Thimbleweed and teleported away, as the Earth Elemental continued to rampage.

Normally I would dramatically declare, “Roll for Initiative!”, but we were already in combat. Initiative continues!

Continue reading “Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden Session 43 Recap”

DMs Guild Review – Crimson Snow

Discover the horrors lurking in an isolated camp in this one-shot for levels 10-13.

A review copy of “Crimson Snow” was provided by the publisher. Find more DMs Guild Reviews on my website and YouTube channel.

Support my work by using my affiliate links and pledging via Patreon.

Designed by: Jonny Cordova

Isolated snowy areas and horror go together like vampires and freshly-washed necks. Crimson Snow blends several reliable horror tropes into the beginnings of an interesting story, though the inevitably bloody final act comes way too quickly.

The mini-adventure is designed for levels 10-13. It’s exciting to review a Tier 3 one-shot, but the entire thing is barely 10 pages long. Lack of content and a sprint towards the big climax are its biggest problems.

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Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden Session 42 Recap

The elusive fourth member of the Arcane Brotherhood finally reveals herself; Thimbleweed is forced into a dramatic metamorphosis.

Live streamed and uploaded every week on YouTube. Join us live on Fridays at 7:30 pm Pacific/10:30 pm Eastern!

Original character art by Jimmy McClure.
Music by Kevin MacLeod.
Chat with us in the Official Discord Server.
Support the channel via Patreon!

Previously on Rime of the Frostmaiden

Starring:
Valravn, level 7 Eladrin Bard of Eloquence
Fray, level 7 Halfling Barbarian of the Beast/Fighter
Celeste, level 7 Half-orc Sun Soul Monk (played by Valravn this sesh)
Edmond, Level 7 Human Alchemist Artificer
Thimbleweed, level 7 Gnome Swarmkeeper Ranger

Having explored about half of the dwarven mining facility, the Marshals were left with the magically protected security door to the arcane laboratory. Valravn had dispelled the Arcane Lock, but only Edmond knew how to properly pick locks, and he couldn’t safely make it across the yawning chasm.

After scratching their heads a bit, the party decide to find another path (and hopefully a key). They explore the eastern side of the dungeon, through more half-destroyed hallways and storage rooms.

Continue reading “Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden Session 42 Recap”

DMs Guild Review – Xanathar’s Secret Stash

Over 100 magic items, each with beautiful artwork.

A review copy of “Xanathar’s Secret Stash” was provided by the publisher. Find more DMs Guild Reviews on my website and YouTube channel.

Support my work by using my affiliate links and pledging via Patreon.

Designed by: Grim Press, R P Davis, Trevor Armstrong

The beholder crime boss of Waterdeep is sure to have more than a few treasures stashed away. Xanathar’s Secret Stash features over 100 magic items, including armor, weapons, boots, belts, staves, and wands.

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