Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Toadkiller Dawg says "Smart, challenging and fun!", January 11, 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Return To White Plume Mountain (Paperback)
At first thought, the original WPM would seem to be a poor candidate for a "modernized" sequel. Contemporary players would probably laugh at Lawrence Schick's 1980 classic as an archaic dungeon crawl full of over-complicated traps and large, deadly monsters that sit in tiny rooms with nothing better to do than wait for a group of PCs to come along and (hopefully) provide some much needed feed. Which, of course, is exactly what WPM was, but it was loads of fun nonetheless. Revisiting WPM and injecting a more logical and realistic story framework without destroying the familiar aspects of the original is a daunting task, but the Silver Anniversary edition succeeds beyond any expectation. RTWPM starts by detailing many of the mysterious NPCs and strange locales that were only hinted at in the original. Thingizzard and her potions, the cursed ruins of Castle Mukos, the Great Swamp and the dracolich Dragotha finally get their due and Keraptis' infamous Indoctrination Center plays a central role in the scenario. While these details are entertaining in their own right, the strength of RTWPM is a central plot device involving "sentient magic" that is not only consistent with the events of the original WPM scenario, but is exceedingly clever in its own right. It wouldn't do to reveal the secrets of the story here, but the execution is a brilliant example of how to create a subtlety challenging and wildly novel situation for the PCs without violating the spirit of the D&D game, using heavy-handed DM tactics or requiring a substantial rework of any existing campaign standards. The NPCs are wonderfully sketched and run the gamut from sturdy locals to deranged gnomes and rebellious efreet. Hardened veterans and green novices alike will be entertained by ample doses of humor, danger and drama that culminate with a surprise ending. Flaws are few and minor in nature. The map are pleasing to the eye but have been printed on the inside front and back covers which means that the DM cannot refer to the map and text at the same time, but must flip back and forth. One area (the old inverted ziggurat) has a monster that should have been encountered and destroyed by the existing denizens long before the PCs come on the scene and the answer to the feasibility of feeding and keeping happy a large number of creatures in a relatively small number of caves doesn't seem entirely adequate. While the nostalgic aspects may be lost on the half-dozen or so players who didn't play the original version in their youth, RTWPM will definitely entertain all comers in high fashion. Although WPM was originally set in Greyhawk, there really isn't any setting specific material here and the scenario can easily be dropped into any campaign world. Best of all, RTWPM is a veritable bargain combining a relatively low price with enough high-quality material sufficient to keep the average group of players busy for several sessions. RTWPM deserves the highest recommendation.
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply a Great Module!, July 18, 2000
This review is from: Return To White Plume Mountain (Paperback)
In my opinion, Return to White Plume Mountain is one of the very best adventure modules out there! It features a very clever central plot, realistic encounters, logical combat situations, and several opportunities to roleplay and interact with the dungeon's inhabitants. This supplement provides very clear and detailed histories for both Keraptis and White Plume Mountain. The plot is unique, realistic, and intriguing. The effects of roleplaying and of interacting with the non-player characters is outlined. In addition, the dungeon crawl itself is not linear at all, allowing the players to roam at will. And the maps look great! Although a lot of information is presented, the module can easily be altered or customized. There is no setting specific material, so White Plume Mountain can easily be inserted into any ongoing campaign. However, no addition work is needed to fully enjoy this adventure. I have run this module with 3 separate groups of players, experiencing 3 very different, yet wonderfully memorable, adventures. Do yourself a favor, purchase Return to White Plume Mountain - it is worth every penny!
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I like what I'm reading and I think you will, too, March 22, 2001
This review is from: Return To White Plume Mountain (Paperback)
The original S2 was one of the more clever and interesting A&D modules I ever read. Most of the others were just an excuse for hack and slash and grab the booty. The original adventure encompassed more thinking and even a little negotiation which was uncommon in 1st edition AD&D. So, that's why I'm happy to see a revision to the old module into a book form. This new edition has some very interesting twists and a big moral dilemma at the end which I thoroughly appreciate. It also has a method in it that potentially will ruin the lives of foolish PCs so DMs may want to be careful in playing this one out if their players aren't the thinking or cautious types. Overall, there's a lot more room for negotiations in this series. I like that as I'm trying to push more roleplaying in my players. Moreover, the storyline is set up with four warring factions; all evil but I plan to change that to a few neutrals since the PCs in my campaign are all good and would never negotiate alliances with evil groups. This game is great for an adventuring group from 7-10. I would add that they should be interested in thinking out possible traps and tricks and also be adequate (or better) at negotiations. The weapons may unbalance the game so make them either super evil, which means good PCs must destroy them, or have them destroyed at the climax (will make sense when you read it). Lastly, you may want to give the different warlords more allies as the module gave them a skeleton crew of thugs.
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