You mentioned late in the video that there was no way to put players on different maps. There actually is. Drag their profile picture at the bottom down onto the map. They're now on that map, even if the player ribbon is on a separate one. A little box appears to merge them all back onto the ribbon map too. Hope this helps!
Killing a player feels crazy? I mean, you definitely need to discuss this with your players beforehand, but in my experience - and I generally play with mature people who are solid roleplayers and who really really REALLY love their characters - having permadeath makes a game far more emotionally relevant. Risks matter because a loved PC can actually die and wont ever be coming back. It reinforces the story and makes decisions meaningful. There are, of course, players who dont like this, and this is why it is so important to have this discussion up front with your players to avoid hurt feelings later on. I have and do run games without permadeath, where resurrection is available, mostly to suit players emotional temperament - and also for a more beer and pretzels style game. That said, campaigns with permadeath have always been the most memorable ones, with real drama and tension brought about by the fact there are real risks, real consequences to decisions. The best way to handle death is to make sure the players are onboard before you start. Run properly, with the agreement of your players, permadeath is a powerful method to help the imaginary have incredible emotional impact. Players WILL remember their characters death, a unique story that only they have, more than they will the games where death was a momentary inconvenience, a speedbump, a use of resources generally readily available, like gold. Permadeath tends not to sit well with younger players or those who treat the game more as a power fantasy about accumulating power. It is always a divisive topic and Ill again emphasize making sure the players joining your game are onboard before rollling up their characters. That said, I recommend trying it, as you might find, as I have, the most memorable games have the possibility of permanent PC death. In DND 5e, its generally pretty hard for characters to die - though this campaign sounds like it ups the ante quite a bit in the deathtrap department. Note: you can drag a single player to another map, for those violating rule 1 (never ever split the party) - a really handy feature in roll20. Click and drag the player portrait at the bottom (where video shows) to the other map. You can merge it back in by dragging it back to the ribbon afterwards. Edit: I guess someone already pointed this out. Also, a T-Rex zombie that vomits zombies? Shut up and take my money! Thanks for the great review, this module looks excellent.
Did you see the Stream of Annihilation that they did to promote the module? The High Rollers crew did exactly that. They started in the middle of a tomb, but played out the journey there via a playable flashback! I thought that was really creative.
+Online-Tabletop.com please do! Mark the DM fudges his words a lot, but he's a really imaginative story teller. If you go to the official D&D youtube page you'll find the 'SoA' play lists. High Rollers was on day 2.
Guys, Hello! I had a question about buying it. Does somebody know, does ToA pack have already prepared monsters stat blocks (for this adventure) for those who are not in the book but in the Monster Manual?
The ToA module includes every monster that's mentioned or reference within the book, including each area and random jungle encounters. That's far more than the new statblocks in the book itself - but not the entire breadth of the MM. For example, there aren't many demons or devils in this campaign, so it doesn't include those.
I'm actually doing a very different setup and introduction for my players on this campaign. This won't really work if your players typically play a good aligned or LG type of party. Most of my players tend to be well...of a questionable moral compass. As such, I have changed the rules for the Death Curse in my game, where it gets worse as the game goes on, but when you are revived, you have the death curse, but don't feel any effects other then an increased DC to stabilize for several months, they on the second phase of the disease, that's when people start to lose 1 HP per day from max and current hp, then on the third phase, you have to roll a save or you gain one level of exhaustion that you cannot recover from. The on the final phase, I burrow from Neverwinter Nights and have the final phase end in ultimate suffering with the Wailing Death. Where dying becomes a release. Inform the players early the communicate with the dead no longer works at all with anyone who has died after obtaining the Death Curse indicating that something happens to their soul when dying from said Curse. Why do all of this? Simple. At the beginning of the game, I have each player killed via hanging for a crime they committed or a crime that they were accused of and are actually innocent of. Then a head priest takes their bodies and revives them for the purpose of testing his theory out that those with the Death Curse are only those that were revived after being dead. But he revives them through the reincarnate spell. so they end up being revived in a different way they when they died. He gives them a target, the island where the campaign takes place, and enough money to get there. Basically creating his own Suicide Squad. So, How do you get a group of convicted criminals who were just hanged for their crimes to do what you want. Tell them they are going to die in 10 months and it is up to them if they want to save their own necks or not. So they can live new free lives for a little under a year and then die horribly or go to a very dangerous place and while they may die horribly, they may also live. And thus the quest begins...
Also one thing that I have, as you mentioned this was an issue was the level 1 to level 3 scenario. I have also purchased the tales of the yawning portal, so I'm including the Sunless Citadel as their low level dungeon area. Even keeping the magic apple from the yawning portal scenario as a false hope for a cure for the Death Curse. Thus they hit level 3 before they get into the meat and potatoes of the actual campaign.
I can't thank you enough for that review, i was really wondering if i should buy the Roll20 version or the physical copy, i guess im set for Roll20 now. Also i can't fucking believe the final boss is an atropal, i've been trying to set players against an atropal for YEARS but never figured how, and the freaking tomb of anihilation (wich is probably the official adventure that hyped me the most in the past 12 years or so) brings it to me... That's an instant buy.
Thank you so much for the review now am torn between the physical book or the Roll20 module. Is it possible to import additional maps into the module as I agree a seaavoyage is much better than a lame teleport to reach Chult?
Prior to roll20 offering official content there were much bigger reasons, but now its mostly a set of tradeoffs. Official content in general is in my opinion organized much easier with everything being cross referenced, and mechanically much more complete with functional condition tracking that automatically adjust dice rolls with everything having links back to the source content. including SCAG, Volo's, the Elemental Evil players guide, and even all Unearthed Arcana. Whatever gets people playing I like both systems, and like I said for this campaign I think roll20 has the advantage (at least until FG's Unity update coming up) FG isnt as expensive as people think. and despite not trying to sell anyone I would like to clear that up. Only the DM needs to purchase the handbooks they choose to use and campaigns. If the DM has an ultimate license the players dont even need to buy the core game, and that's only 10$/mo if the one and done is too big a pill to swallow. different strokes for different folks... I am just much more comfortable paying a bit more once rather than having to pay monthly, and a dedicated app that has no storage limits and isn't dependant on roll20's servers preferable to me. I even do the 5E complete bundle, where I wait for the steam sales and get all content for 50% off instead of the usual 25% for bundling. I paid like 35$ for SKT, Volo's, and YP
competition causes innovation... you and me both! (and for the record I don't recommend purchasing on steam... but FG has the same sales on their website)
Eric Watson And even if you do kill it, Daddy Lich shows up, though he is slightly nerfed by not having lair actions. Honestly really excited to play TOA.
I always felt the first sight of the Atropal and Soulmonger reminded me of the final battle from Mass Effect 2. The abomination that's being made from the dead, it's a dark troupe I want to see done more often.
Fantastic very indepth brakedown! I believe the blue/orange dynamic lighting is a colourblind consideration. Certain types of colourblindness make it hard to tell the difference between red and green, whereas blue and orange are far more distinct.
Doesn't draggable mean from the sidebar/journal. At least for the roll20 MM if you drag from the journal side bar the monsters are linked and stated. But I could be wrong I don't own an adventure on roll20.
A great review Eric- a couple of quick notes: You can totally put players on separate map pages, just drag their name from the panels on the bottom left (where the avatars and webcams show up) onto the page you want to separate them on to. Also, if you drag the token from the journal pane, rather than the creature handout, it'll bring it out with all of the information in the bubbles.
Thanks for showing the content. Did you find you had more content on roll20 with this module than SKT? It seems like it's better value for money with all the premade maps and such.
The wrong guide will get you powered up in a hurry, also there's getting there. Remember its random encounters after random encounters and so many side locations to check out it's easy to get to level five fast. Adventurers League also has some cheaper downloads to start characters off getting to level 5 before heading out of the port.
I hated that they only gave you one ship layout, takes away the option of having a ship on ship battle with the pirates and also stops you been able to run any encounters on the brazen pegasus
Hi Tim, I'd be remiss if I didn't plug my own content - I ran ToA for 2 years, 80+ sessions, all live streamed here on the channel. Platinum patrons gain access to all my notes and content I used (minus anything I purchased, see below). I used the following additional content: Tomb of Annihilation Companion (DMs Guild) - mostly as inspiration for using the Sewn Sisters and expanding the Dino Races Adventurer's League City on the Edge (DMs Guild) - specifically I ran Mission 4. Tortle Package (DMs Guild) - We had a tortle PC, and I ran the entire dungeon that's included (Dangwaru). The Viper's Pit (DMs Guild) - I replaced Orolunga with this dungeon. Quick Encounters: Jungles 1 (Roll20) - maps Save Vs. Cave Mines 1 (Roll20) - maps Quick Encounters: Jungle Ruins (Roll20) - maps
I like this over any of the other campaigns WotC has put out. I hope the desert is used for a fair bit of content, or else you can draw from Dark Sun for more grueling adventure. (Too much Forgotten Realms in the last, oh, 30 years!). You guys planning on playing this next or something else? I miss harassing you through old videos. All these other boobtube D&Ders use theater of the mind and/or set around 'acting' (which they call roleplay) for hours on end without killing anything. I might watch if you all stop rolling up warlocks and witches. You need a full party of dwarven warriors! vs vampires or dinosaurs, they are best. (I am sure your review was fine. I did not watch much as I will either play ToA or read the print book first, which I have but have not even flipped through).
What about higher-level characters? My players are at level 6. I really want to run this adventure but fear they won't be challenged until the later chapters.
Hi Eric, Thanks for taking the time to respond! Super helpful. My players have decided to roll new characters for this adventure - so we can experience the full ToA module. This works out really well since my crew started off with the pre-fab characters that came with the LMoP starter set; they're interested in building their own characters now that they have a better grasp on game-play. As DM - I'm kind of meh on the whole teleportation to Chult bit - so I think it's going to work out for all. Thanks again! Really appreciate you content.
Awesome! I just watched Episode 0. Your team seems really well-balanced....except that 5 on Intelligence. ha! Good on her for rolling with it. Should be fun. I need some time to prep the Roll20 module, so we're planning to start September 24. I'll be following your stream closely. So psyched t get started.
