Freelance writer, player of games, writer of words, recorder of videos and tabletop role-playing aficionado.
Over 30 new variants of everyone’s favorite ooze, the Gelatinous Cube.
A review copy of “The Cubonomicon” 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: Micah Watt, Elise Cretel, Drew Dawes, Kerry Jordan, Paul Siegel
Do you like oozes? Really, really like oozes? The Cubonomoicon provides over 30 new variants of one of the most iconic monsters in Dungeons & Dragons, the Gelatinous Cube.
The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Not too many books end in an apocalyptical scuffle between demigods, mythological creatures, and a near-future robot uprising. The Prey of Gods is an overwhelming story that blends coming of age demigods with a unique mythology involving spirit animals, all during a near-future South Africa full of helper robots nearing self-aware sentience.
To its benefit and detriment the story focuses on several interesting characters that begin awakening to their powers – including a monstrous and manipulative villain who’s already well-aware of her own. The POV of each chapter shuffles between these characters, and while I liked each character, I was less enthusiastic about their own little dramas and journeys they take before they finally get together. Like the diva Riya dealing with her crazy dad, or the cross-dressing politician Stoker dealing with his weird mom.
Because of all these individual adventures, the main plot takes forever to unfold, and we jump from 200 pages of side adventures into a huge climactic event that lasts the rest of the book, with our unlikely heroes joining forces in their own unique ways. I enjoyed Drayden’s breezy style, effortlessly bouncing between breathless romance, slasher-horror, and big action set-pieces, but too much of the book is character backstory, build-up, and side plots, and not enough main story.
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Over 20 new subclasses for all 13 classes, along with new spells, infusions, invocations, and more.
This review has been sponsored by the publisher. Find more reviews on my website and YouTube channel.
Support my work by using affiliate links for shopping and pledging via Patreon.
Designed by: Leprous Harry (Charles Bouchard)
With a title like Ravings of the Mad Leper, I expect dark, evil, and madness-inspired content. Disappointingly, the 79-page player-focused supplement provides nearly two dozen subclasses without any kind of shared theme. Each class is given one to five new subclass options, and some I certainly liked more than others.
Continue reading “DMs Guild Review – Ravings of the Mad Leper”
15 tables for generating history and connections between player characters.
A review copy of “How Do I Know You?” 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: Justyn Johnston, Ken Carcas, Ben Milligan
Creating intertwined backstories between player characters is highly recommended for every RPG campaign, as just about anything beats randomly meeting at tavern looking for work.
“How Do I Know You?” offers nearly 200 relationship ideas that can be generated at character creation, including individual tables for each class – though I found many of the ideas lacking.
The final showdown between the Marshals and Kadroth’s forces unfolds beneath the castle.
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 4 Eladrin Bard of Eloquence
Fray, level 4 Halfling Barbarian of the Beast
Celeste, level 4 Half-orc Sun Soul Monk
Edmond, Level 4 Human Alchemist Artificer
Thimbleweed, level 4 Gnome Swarmkeeper Ranger
Having explored the cistern and found the bodies, and the prisoners, the Marshals were on their way back to deal with Kadroth, when he appeared at the ledge of the cistern, a small army around him. Roll for initiative!
Continue reading “Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden Session 16 Recap”
Forty monsters inspired by Norse Mythology.
A review copy of “The Book of Monstrous Kennings: A Norse Bestiary” 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: Thieves’ Cant Games, (Evan Jackson)
God of War. Skyrim. The Banner Saga. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. What do they have in common? They’re all great games! But more obviously, they all draw from the rich tapestry of Norse Mythology, as does the The Book of Monstrous Kennings, a Norse-inspired bestiary that includes 40 new creatures, including some truly titanic threats.
Continue reading “DMs Guild Review – The Book of Monstrous Kennings”
Deal with train robbers and escaped monsters aboard a speeding locomotive in this Western-Horror one-shot adventure for 3rd level.
A review copy of “The End of the Line” was provided by the publisher. Find more RPG reviews on my website and YouTube channel.
Support my work by using my affiliate links and pledging via Patreon.
Designed by: Bring Your Own Dragons
“The End of the Line” is one of my favorite songs from the Traveling Wilburys, an awesome folk-rock group from the late 80s that included Bob Dylan and George Harrison. The End of the Line is also an western-themed and horror-themed one-shot adventure that takes place almost entirely on a speeding train.
Continue reading “DriveThruRPG Review – The End of the Line”
The Marshals delve beneath the castle and discover Kadroth’s buried secrets.
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 4 Eladrin Bard of Eloquence
Fray, level 4 Halfling Barbarian of the Beast
Celeste, level 4 Half-orc Sun Soul Monk
Edmond, Level 4 Human Alchemist Artificer
Thimbleweed, level 4 Gnome Swarmkeeper Ranger
With the upstairs guards defeated, Edmond opened the door to the Speaker’s bedchamber (C14), letting the body of one of the guard’s announce his presence as it fell forward into the room. Speaker Crannoc was inside, disheveled, raggedy, and annoyed, but not bed-ridden or ill as Kadroth had claimed.
Edmond flashed his badge and the Speaker became a bit more grateful, though the party was unimpressed with his deposed predicament. He confirmed Avarice’s story: Kadroth had taken over the castle after they had agreed to work together to produce magical items from chardalyn. But Kadroth betrayed Crannoc, slew his guards, and kept him under house arrest to sign official documents and reply to letters.
Continue reading “Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden Session 15 Recap”
Seek out a magical orb that manifests past memories in this one-shot adventure for level 4.
This review has been sponsored by the publisher. Find more reviews on my website and YouTube channel.
Support my work by using affiliate links for shopping and pledging via Patreon.
Designed by: Marcos Lopez
The 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind plants an intriguing twist on the romantic comedy, by exploring the human mind through past memories. The Orb of Goodbyes doesn’t go nearly that far, but does feature an interesting little dungeon crawl based on experiencing scary, sad, or harrowing memories that others have chosen to forget.
A collection of ten straightforward side quests built for Phandalin, but suitable for any small starter town.
A review copy of “Tales from the Stonehill Inn” 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: Matthew Ashcraft
As you may have forgotten, as I have, Stonehill Inn is the name of the inn from Phandalin, made famous from the D&D starter adventures Lost Mine of Phandalin and Dragon of Icespire Peak. Tales from Stonehill Inn is a collection of low level, straightforward side quests that all begin at the Inn, aimed at newer DMs and players.
Continue reading “DMs Guild Review – Tales from the Stonehill Inn”
