The Shadowfell: Gloomwrought and Beyond: A 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons Supplement (4th Edition D&D) [Game]

Andy Clautice (Author), Erik Scott De Bie (Author), Matt Goetz (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 17, 2011 | Series: 4th Edition D&D

Terror and suspense await you in the Shadowfell.

This boxed set is for Dungeon Masters interested in taking their heroes on excursions to the Shadowfell, as well as Dungeon Masters looking for a sinister setting in which to run thrilling urban adventures. A 128-page book presents the fully detailed city of Gloomwrought, complete with location descriptions, maps, quests, and game statistics for monsters and villains. It also includes provides information on other locations heroes are likely to visit beyond the city's dark walls. In addition, the box contains a 32-page book of encounters set in Gloomwrought and beyond, two card stock sheets of die-cut monster and villain tokens, a foldout battle map, and a deck of 30 cards that DMs can use to add suspense to any Shadowfell-based adventure.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

ANDY CLAUTICE and MATT GOETZ are freelance game designers who worked together on the Dungeons & Dragons Player's Strategy Guide.

ERIK SCOTT DE BIE has written several Forgotten Realms® novels and short stories, as well as adventures for the Dungeons & Dragons Encounters™ in-store play program.

Product Details

• Game: 160 pages
• Publisher: Wizards of the Coast; Brdgm edition (May 17, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786958480
• ISBN-13: 978-0786958481
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 9 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #294,499 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 59 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Shadowfell is your Sandbox May 19, 2011

By William M. Wilson

Format:Game|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have to hand it to WotC. No matter how controversial some of their player-centric decisions have been of late, they can almost always be counted on for great DM content. (Not great adventures, mind you - I'm talking about DM sourcebooks.)

I almost passed this one up. I'm not hugely interested in running a game in the Shadowfell, and it just doesn't seem right to use this for my Dark Sun game. Still, as part of my attempted rehab of P3 Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress, I dug deep into the Shadowfell, kept my players in Gloomwrought for a few sessions, and generally got to like the stuff that Wizards of the Coast had done with it. So, on a whim, I snagged it, and I'm glad I did.

Apart from some construction issues with the unnecessarily-large box (it's very light stock, think cereal box sturdiness but higher-quality; it unsurprisingly arrived squished), this is one heck of a quality product. Here's what I found inside...

* A nifty Despair Deck
* Two pages of Counters
* A 128 page softcover book (PHB-sized, not Essentials-sized)
* A 32 page encounter book (with stock similar to that used in the H-P-E modules)
* A two-sided poster map, with Gloomwrought on one side and a battle map on the other.

In order...

The Despair Deck is just cool. I love the idea of using non-collectible cards in my RPG. While I have no time for those silly Fortune Cards, non-collectible cards can add a lot to the game. These are no exception. More or less, these present additional challenges for the heroes after taking an extended rest in the Shadowfell. Characters draw one, are subject to a few random penalties, and are given a "mood" they can use as a role-playing tool.... If they can overcome their despair, they get a boon for the rest of the day. I really want to use them in a game.

The tokens ... eh. While I love tokens, these have the monster's name in big bold print across the bloodied side. I appreciate that this makes them easier to find, it's kinda ugly, and I don't really always want my players to know the names of the monsters they're fighting. Still, I'd rather have them than not.

The two books are, of course, the meat of the product. And whether or not you will like them is probably related to whether or not you liked adventure sites like Hammerfast and Vor Rukoth - particularly the latter. (In my opinion, Vor Rukoth is one of the best FRPG supplements released in recent memory, so you should be able to guess where I'll stand!) As a note - If you're not familiar with the term "sandboxing" or an "adventure site," a sandbox is basically a campaign style where the players are in the driver's seat, and the DM concentrates more on presenting an objective fantasy world than presenting a specific plotted adventure, and letting adventures arise naturally from the interplay between the players and the game world. So, while this isn't an adventure, it's potentially the basis for an entire campaign. Hence, "adventure site." The PCs have an entire city to explore.

The first half of the book is devoted to the bustling Shadowfell metropolis of Gloomwrought. If you think of an even darker Sigil, you'll be close. Gloomwrought is an ever-shifting place with dozens of fantastic sites, several important factions, and a ton of detail and interest suitable for both visits and entire campaigns. There's the perfect amount of detail, here, for DMs who want to run a fairly open sandbox-style game, set in Gloomwrought and its environs. Between the Keepers, Midnight's Own, the Raven Queen fanatics of the Ebony Guard, Prince Rolan and his Deathless Watch, the Ghost Talons, the cult of Zehir, the Tenebrous Cabal, and others - there's no lack of potential for some great political city-based adventuring. There are plot hooks on every page, and evocative illustrations and maps everywhere.

The second half of the book is split. The third quarter deals with other locations in the Shadowfell - Letherna, the Raven Queen's Stronghold, and a half-dozen or so other important or interesting sites. It's far from a comprehensive gazetteer, but fitting with the Points of Light setting, there's a lot of interest and a lot of flexibility.

The final quarter deals with new "monsters." "Creatures" would be more fair; only a few of the entries here are typical monsters. Detailed herein are typical members of the various factions found within the city, available at your fingertips for on-the-fly encounters. Each faction has a varied enough mix of entries, and enough flavor text and lore, that using them should be insanely simple for a sandbox-style game. What's more, these foes - like those in the Monster Vault and other new creature books - show some just superior design. Every single one is interesting in some way, and I think I'll find most of them useful even if I never run a game set in Gloomwrought. They're that good. (And thank goodness Keepers got an upgrade from their tepid Manual of the Planes entry. Now, they are substantial and cool.) Pretty much every faction is in the low- to mid-paragon range, which is perfect for the average level of adventures, here.

Enhancing the sandbox toolkit is the wonderful 32-page Encounter book. This isn't a module. It's not even a collection of Delves. It's a non-sequential series of interesting, fleshed-out, fully-mapped encounters which a DM can drop in whenever they need an encounter to move their game along. It's *great*. It's the perfect sandbox toolkit.

So, I have to say. I'm impressed. I'm glad I didn't pass this one up. It's every bit as good as Vor Rukoth, and probably even better. Read more ›

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice Box Set May 26, 2011

By Andrew G Smith

Format:Game|Amazon Verified Purchase

The first reviewer really summed it up. This is a quality box set with lots of options for the DM.

The Despair Deck is my favorite part. It's a fun tool for the DM's to play with. The book doesn't give many hard rules for its use, just some suggestions on how to incorporate it. I adapted an elite NPCs to attack and inflict "madness" or "fear" effects, then have players draw a random card. The players loved it.

I'd like to see more box-sets like this from WotC. This set is a very nice "DM's Toolbox" for the Shadowfell, which will essentially be the 4th Edition version of Ravenloft it seems.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good content June 28, 2011

By Jarod P

Format:Game|Amazon Verified Purchase

This supplement does a better job of relying on previous 4th ed. materials than other Essential period publications. The tokens are always a nice touch. I wasn't pleased that the tokens had the name of the monster written on the token. This limits the DMs flexibility with the image.

Overall, worth buying for the price.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great introduction to the Realm of Shadow March 15, 2012

By jaydynomite

Format:Game|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've been looking for info on the Plane of Shadow for quite some time and this module almost fits the bill. It includes very detailed info on Gloomwrought but sadly fails to venture much further into the realm. I'd prefer something a little more comprehensive, but a few new character classes and monsters are included. The City of Gloomwrought is thoroughly discussed, and info on the Raven Queen's environs is provided.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars If only all WoTC paper backed products where this good... December 31, 2011

By Tj

Format:Game|Amazon Verified Purchase

While digesting this product I nearly forgot it was a cheap paper backed boxed set...

It would be 5 stars had it a Hard Back.

Having said that, the idea of Gloomwrought as a living city that creates and destroys itself as needed, by the ebb and flow of its population, is really slick...

I particularly like the graveyard... An undead only district reminiscent of some lawless shanty town where you are just as likely to get shanked as find what you are looking for.

And the many conflicts inherent to its politics and history... This is a quintessential vanilla 4Ed Paragon Tier setting. Much love for this.

I also like the idea that Domains of Dread are often created in the Shadowfell rather then the outer planes, It is much more fitting to slip in and out of a mirror world behind everything then make the trip to the planes...

Over all this is a grand improvement in both vision and balance... 4Ed continues to surprise me.

4.0 out of 5 stars This is an amazing item. April 17, 2013

By Matthew M. Tobin

Format:Game|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is in a firm box, with an adventure guide, a guide to the setting (the Shadowfell), and a slim deck of cards that represent the feelings a gaming player's character may feel within the context of the setting. I'd recommend this to any gamer, whether they use D&D or not.

5.0 out of 5 stars very nice! March 26, 2013

By CHUCK

Format:Game|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have not played in many years and it was a relief to get entire town and monsters in one box. Wil help me a lot as I plan adventures for my new group.

5.0 out of 5 stars Shadowfell comes alive November 26, 2012

By JohnG1701

Format:Game

FINALLY the Shadowfell is flushed out in 4th Edition. While it isn't Ravenloft, I believe that this is the closest we will get.