![Wizards of the Coast MTG Planechase 2012 Chaos Reigns Deck [Japanese] [Sealed Deck]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61ccv8g5qYL._AC_UF480,480_SR480,480_.jpg)
First thing first, the product arrived in perfect condition and promptly. I was pretty excited to get my hands on it as I am a huge fan of Baldur's Gate and its lore. It's divided into three parts, a Campaign guide, the Adventure, and a custom DM screen.
Campaign guide: Holy cow, there is a lot of info in this book. Honestly it's almost too much info and I can foresee it being a tad overwhelming in a game but it really seems to have an answer for everything. There are a lot of maps and cutouts within the book so you really have something to show your players or help you describe the setting. The book really has a lot to say about some history and different factions within the city and honestly makes for a good read all on its own. My only real issue is what seems to be the lack of a foldout map of anything, but I think that's more due to how the adventure works.
Adventure: I'll be honest here in that I haven't read through the adventure in it's entirety. But from what I did read it sounds very open. If you're expecting to pick this up and run it that night I would say you probably don't want to do that. Similar to the campaign guide, there's a ton of info. And a lot going on. Unlike traditional adventures there's none of the "Bad guy reveals plans, good guys stop plans, fight bad guy" in this book. There's just a lot happening at once and I think the idea behind this module is to allow the players to have some freedom in choosing what is important to them to do. Depending on party makeup this could be difficult because sometimes when you have a neutral or evil party, they just don't care about things that don't have clear rewards or present dangers attached to them. The adventure is essentially a time table. There's a list of events that will happen with or without player involvement. It's essentially a giant DM railroad but one that allows the players to get on and get off where they please and ultimately they have the ability to change the outcome of the last event.
DM Screen: Guys. They need to make DM screens like this more often. The actually quality of the screen itself is a bit flimsy and thin but the content is amazing. First it's beautiful, I'll try to upload some pictures later, but what I love so much about this is the fact that it has all the important random things about Baldur's Gate listed on it. It has a table for naming shops, a shop functions table, some NPC names, and a map with 90 locations marked on it and color coded. You also have a list of manors, ranks within three of the various factions, and 40 street encounters. Those are pretty simple but it's nice to have something like that already there. For running this session or even spending a campaign in Baldur's Gate, this thing is really awesome.
Overall: Strangest part about this was that it's a setting with no stats. This is nice because it means that this is adaptable to any system. You can run it with whatever stats you want it to have, throw in your own monsters, do whatever you want. At the same time, it's a disadvantage because you won't have everything right off the bat. You'll want a few monster blocks and skill DC's ready for when you do start it up. All in all I'm very happy with this but if I find a glaring issue while running it, I'll make sure to come back and amend my review.
Product information
| Product Dimensions | 8.4 x 0.3 x 10.7 inches |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 14.1 ounces |
| ASIN | 0786964634 |
| Item model number | WOCA45370000 |
| Manufacturer recommended age | 12 months and up |
| Best Sellers Rank |
|
| Customer Reviews |
4.3 out of 5 stars |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Release date | August 20, 2013 |
| Manufacturer | Wizards of the Coast |
Feedback
Brands you might like
Page 1 of 1Start over
Brands in this category on Amazon
Sponsored
You get what you pay for... Which isn't much.
You get what you pay for... Which isn't much. If you're a brand new DM, this may be a good purchase if you're on a budget. Otherwise, seriously consider any other options that may be available. Then again, if you're a fan of Baldur's Gate, this could be what you're looking for. Pros: - It’s system neutral. Well, not quite, but it’s edition neutral. There are stats for it online for 3.5, 4, and 5. - It’s not a dungeon crawl, but instead a series of events, many of which happen regardless of player involvement. - It’s got just a touch of fanboy pandering in it by placing the thing in Baldur’s Gate, making those of us who still worship that game (and its sequel) all warm and fuzzy inside. While some might whine about that strategy because it’s “bad for D&D to look backwards,” it’s also important to remember that losing your fanbase is a bad business model and WotC is betting it can woo back some old players and still win the new ones. Finally, it gives players the ability to make choices in multiple directions and it doesn’t railroad DMs with the “here’s 47 ways to make your players bite this hook but once they’re on NO CHOICE EVER AGAIN” stuff. Cons: -DM screen is made of standard card stock (not the thicker cardboard you may be used to) and may not wear well over time. A friend of mine says his has already started to show wear and tear after a week. - Some of the tools on the inside of the DM screen are almost useless and take up space that could otherwise be used for more practical tools. The random name generators are a good example of this, taking up a full page and not providing better quick reference tools that some of us have grown to love.
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2013
Top reviews from other countries
-
-
-
- vobeskhanReviewed in the United Kingdom on October 1, 2013
Murder in Baldur's Gate
