snazel's review against another edition
4.0
Yeah, I'd run this! There are definitely parts that I'd run differently or skip (I think treatment of enslaved people and tribal people needs a little more care than this book managed, for one), but those parts would not be difficult to skip, because this is a HUGE book with a ton of stuff in it. Very sandbox-y, very road-trip-around-the-whole-world-to-save-it. A good map for the players would be invaluable.
pickett22's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed running this one. My players were kids/teens, and I ran it more or less exactly by the book, with a little bit of massaging around the book's casual racism to make it less... racist.
However, there's a ton of space in here to add in your own side adventures and NPCs and stuff. It desperately needs a few more maps, though.
Personally, I think this is one of WOTC better adventures.
However, there's a ton of space in here to add in your own side adventures and NPCs and stuff. It desperately needs a few more maps, though.
Personally, I think this is one of WOTC better adventures.
dpmcalister's review against another edition
4.0
A good campaign that needs a little work to truly bring it to life. Worth the effort though.
cslwoodward's review against another edition
4.0
4th of August 2018 to 25th of May 2019 I dm’d this. And tonight I finished. (Although this is set on my goodreads account I’d actually read the book cover to cover last year, the dates just show the time I played the game with my friends even if it includes on my books read this year idk it’s 10:41pm rn.)
What a feeling. Having my own little ending where the King of all giants bowed before the party truly felt right. I’ll write a proper review soon but this is just me rambling and dot pointing now. Anyway:
Pros:
-The setting. I love the north of the Sword Coast as a setting and I’m probably going to use it in nearly every dnd thing I do now. It has something written for every location (nearly 100 pages worth!) and some of it is boring but a lot of it can spark your imagination.
-The story. Trim bits of it and you’ve got a solid narrative. (See cons for that)
-Characters. You’ll have fun creating your own characters and personalities to place in your world but it offers enough for you to use even if you lack any imagination.
-the art in the book is fucking dope.
Cons:
- rarely any text boxes. You have to stop, read a paragraph of text and isolate sentences to read out for the players, changing words and omitting things in the middle because spoilers.
- how the story flows: Just skip nightstone, start in Bryn Shander at level 5 (or do another adventure to get to level 5 but starting here is easiest as you’re not worrying about getting the party to BS after 1-5), have Harshnarg help the giant threat in BS and take the party to the temple. Cut out the fetch quest and let the oracle tell the party exactly where the giants are and let the party choose. Or give illusion of choice somehow. Then when they’re done at the temple, kill a giant lord, get to maelstrom, unveil Iymrith (who they already know from the temple), save Hekaton and go kill Iymrith. Just cut off all the fat and make it much more streamlined with meeting the big bad much closer to the start. Make her a real bitch or something, make her taunt the party. Make them WANT to kill her.
It’s a good campaign if you trim the fat and know what you’re doing. Know the areas and keep the pacing up. It’s a damn fun adventure and I am glad to have had the privilege of running it for my friends.
Okay in hindsight, this ramble is probably my review. 🤷♂️
What a feeling. Having my own little ending where the King of all giants bowed before the party truly felt right. I’ll write a proper review soon but this is just me rambling and dot pointing now. Anyway:
Pros:
-The setting. I love the north of the Sword Coast as a setting and I’m probably going to use it in nearly every dnd thing I do now. It has something written for every location (nearly 100 pages worth!) and some of it is boring but a lot of it can spark your imagination.
-The story. Trim bits of it and you’ve got a solid narrative. (See cons for that)
-Characters. You’ll have fun creating your own characters and personalities to place in your world but it offers enough for you to use even if you lack any imagination.
-the art in the book is fucking dope.
Cons:
- rarely any text boxes. You have to stop, read a paragraph of text and isolate sentences to read out for the players, changing words and omitting things in the middle because spoilers.
- how the story flows: Just skip nightstone, start in Bryn Shander at level 5 (or do another adventure to get to level 5 but starting here is easiest as you’re not worrying about getting the party to BS after 1-5), have Harshnarg help the giant threat in BS and take the party to the temple. Cut out the fetch quest and let the oracle tell the party exactly where the giants are and let the party choose. Or give illusion of choice somehow. Then when they’re done at the temple, kill a giant lord, get to maelstrom, unveil Iymrith (who they already know from the temple), save Hekaton and go kill Iymrith. Just cut off all the fat and make it much more streamlined with meeting the big bad much closer to the start. Make her a real bitch or something, make her taunt the party. Make them WANT to kill her.
It’s a good campaign if you trim the fat and know what you’re doing. Know the areas and keep the pacing up. It’s a damn fun adventure and I am glad to have had the privilege of running it for my friends.
Okay in hindsight, this ramble is probably my review. 🤷♂️
dozens's review against another edition
4.0
Gonna start running this game next week!
A very epic story. Love how huge and sprawling this is, and I love giants vs. dragons.
I'm having a hard time seeing how the middle part connects the beginning and the ending. But I have time to figure that out!
A very epic story. Love how huge and sprawling this is, and I love giants vs. dragons.
I'm having a hard time seeing how the middle part connects the beginning and the ending. But I have time to figure that out!
lethalballet's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
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