Keep on the Shadowfell (Dungeons & Dragons, Adventure H1) by Bruce Cordell, Mike Mearls Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Keep on the Shadowfell (Dungeons & Dragons, Adventure H1)
Book Review: Looks nice, but for the cost I expected a hardcover
Summary: 3 Stars
Overall Presentation
The adventure module comes in a cardstock folder printed in full color. Inside are two pockets. Instead of the normal horizontal pockets opening up (or towards the top) they are vertical opening toward the spine. This keeps the adventure books and maps from being able to fall out when the folder is closed. Inside are two booklets printed in full color on light magazine paper. The first is a Quick-Start rules booklet intended for Players and DMs, the second is the adventure booklet itself. There are also three double sided full color battle maps of major encounter areas folded in quarters. These are scaled and suitable for D&D Miniatures.
Pros: The full color presentation is nice, though I'm not sure it justifies the significant rise in price. The folder design is great as is allows for the maps to be easily accessible without removing staples or tearing perforations.
Cons: The magazine paper is flimsy and tends to curl at the edges. For those that like to pencil notes in their adventures, I don't think that will work on this paper. Pen might. I think for the added cost a hardcover would be better with the same kinds of pockets on the inside front and back covers. Even a perfect bound trade paperback format might have been better (like Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil).
Quick-Start Rules
The Quick-Start Rules booklet contains an overview of the basic task resolution mechanic and a few specific examples of how this works for combat and skills. It explains the order of combat and the different kinds of actions that can be taken (standard, movement, minor and free). It also describes interrupts (such as opportunity attacks). There is a brief discussion of the use and acquiring of Action Points, and of Resting and Healing. There are five pre-generated PCs included in this booklet. They are; Dwarf Fighter, Halfling Rogue, Human Wizard, Half-elf Cleric, and Dragonborn Paladin. The write-ups include instructions for leveling to 2nd and 3rd level complete with power selections. There are no choices to be made when leveling these characters.
Pros: The rules provided in this booklet should allow even novice players to play their character. The booklet is separate from the adventure book so it can be handed to players with no worries they will peek at the adventure.
Cons: There are no choices presented to players for leveling up the characters. While even the section headings in this booklet are in color, the PC pictures are black and white sketches.
Miniatures Battle Maps
Three large full color double-sided battle maps come with this adventure, covering six of the major combat encounters. They are similar to the maps that come in the Fantastic Locations series of products.
Pros: These maps are beautifully rendered, and make great additions to the adventure product line.
Cons: None really. It is a shame they don't include battle maps for every encounter in the adventure, but that would probably be cost prohibitive.
Adventure Booklet
The adventure booklet begins with a welcome to 4th Edition, and introduction section. There is also a section of Quick-Start Rules for the DM covering rules that need not be presented to the Players, then the true adventure text begins. Encounters are presented in the now familiar format introduced in the "Expedition" series of 3.5 Edition hardcover adventures. The story seems pretty good, if fairly standard low-level D&D fare.
Pros: The new encounter format is really great for running combats. Everything seems to be well organized and geared toward making the DMs job easier.
Cons: The adventure booklet, because of the cheap paper, is likely to get very beat up at the gaming table.
Book Review: A decent intro... but pricey!
Summary: 3 Stars
There are two ways I could review this product, either in the context of its being released before the 4th edition core rules came out or after.
XXX(ADDENDUM - 07 JULY 2008)XXX
Having played this adventure for the first time on Saturday night with friends, I can say it's fun, but the maps, after ONE USE, are already about to come apart, and the ink in the folds is utterly GONE! Low-quality paper... bad idea for a debut!
REVIEW 1: BUYING JUST THIS ITEM
Simply put, DON'T. Its cost in that context doesn't merit the purchase, even at $19.77 through Amazon. It stands alone ONCE, and when you finish it, you're waaaay done with it.
REVIEW 2: BUYING THE CORE RULES ALSO
1] STILL EXPENSIVE. Almost $30 for an adventure... Sheesh. Granted, it takes you several sessions and with five characters. And yes, Amazon is charging just $19.77. And yes, with pre-order and other discounts, I paid only $10.41, so perhaps I shouldn't gripe.
But most gamers don't have $30 to throw on a game module, first-ever-for-this-edition or not. For those of you thinking of paying much more than that (i.e., $10.41), don't. You'll see why if/when you look over a Monster Manual and see the Dungeon Master's Guide rules on putting together encounters. Besides, as Ferengi Rule of Acquisition #141 states, "only fools pay retail." Amazon's price of just under $20 is more palatable, though, than $29.95 plus the inevitable shipping/handling gouge from others.
2] PRE-GENERATED PCs. You have the standard fare - a fighter, cleric, wozard and rogue, as well as a paladin thrown in (and the WotC site offers a sixth PC as a free download right now). So you get the typical intro-to-the-game mix, though with healing surges now, the value of a cleric, MHO, is very debased. But back to the review. The pre-gens are usable, and that's basically what they're supposed to be.
3] QUICK-START RULES. They do just that, basically, setting the table for you in, oh, about 20-25 minutes of reading, 30-35 if you are like me and jot down notes on potential "snags" in game flow. So, the rules function properly.
4] ENCOUNTERS. A variety, of increasing levels (go figure!), so the encounters are what they should be. I'll never get used to seeing kobolds with no class levels but with 27 hit points (and don't get me started on minions!), but they work, and the way combat's been revamped/ souped up/whatever, they do what they are designed to -- and then some. The 4th edition core rules say a typical encounter takes about an hour; I beg to differ unless, as was the case when my group first played this and everyone's dice (but mine as the DM) stunk. More like half that if you do it right. But then, I'm a nerd, so I tend to have a system for EVERYTHING which makes it go more quickly.
5] EXPLANATIONS. The explanations of NPC motivations, critter tactics, etc. are pretty straightforward and quite complete, so, again, it does what it's supposed to.
6] MAPS. They look a whole lot like D&D Miniatures maps; again, go figure. I'm not an artsy type, so I am not impressed overmuch by the maps. But, still again, they do their job.
ADDENDUM -- Don't expect to play this module more than once or twice without the maps going to pot on you. CHEAP MAPS! VERY CHEAP!
7] PACKAGING. It comes in a sort of two-pocket folder that makes me want to dig out my 25-year-old Trapper Keeper. Not too keen on the packaging method. I'd prefer the good old separate cover with maps on the inside, and that would be a bit cheaper, too.
In all, it does what it's supposed to, but if you don't make a point of getting this for a discount, it will not be worth the price. Of course, I go only to matinee movies and clip coupons, but a fool and his money are soon parted, no matter the product or intentions.
Enjoyable, but not something to set the gaming world afire. Maybe 3.2 stars if you are into artwork but 2.6 when you consider the poor quality of the paper, maps and item in general. A couple of the pieces of inside art are pretty good, though.
Book Review: A Good Start for 4th Edition
Summary: 4 Stars
Since I'm far from the first person to review this book, let me start by listing the following problems:
1. The paper does quickly get smudged, so this product doesn't look like it will last that long.
2. There are two near identical copies of the rules that should have been combined to make more room for more maps, more rules or other original content.
Those were the only two major problems I've had with the product thus far. Those aside, I found that the maps were beautiful, especially the outdoor areas. The adventure, though fairly standard, is an excellent first level adventure. The encounters were excellent, including the last fight provided there is a moderately original DM. The rules are easy to follow, with a few exeptions like recharging and buying items. The combat system is fast, fun, and plays differently even if you run the same encounter twice (great for running it with different groups!). Having run RPGs for about 10 years now, I can say that it is the best D&D adventure I've ever bought, including popular ones like Village of Hommlet/Temple of Elemental Evil and Sunless Citadel.
Book Review: a keeper
Summary: 5 Stars
I thought this intro adventure to D&D 4th edition was very well done. The quick start rules really gave a nice preview of the 4th edition rules ... of course, they're obsolete by now, with the release of the full game on June 6, but it filled a niche that was very important at the time - presenting enough of the flavor of the rules system to be able to get a sense of what it was like to play.
The actual adventure is also well done. There are a couple of features that make the roleplaying side of things more interesting: a kind of FAQ format, anticipating questions that the players may ask, and providing answers from various characters in the adventure. There is also a nice range of adversaries and adversary roles, which is important for demonstrating how there is a lot of variety possible in the new combat system.
Book Review: Keep on the Shadowfell (Dungeons & Dragons, Adventure H1
Summary: 2 Stars
After having read through all of this several times and began running it for my local group I feel KotS is mediocre at best. Having been a gamer for 18+ years, it feels like they borrowed much of the elements and ideas for the adventure from past products.
The format is nice. Monster blocks are all layed out and easy to use. The colour poster maps they provide make those encounters easy to run. For the price it would of been nice for them to provide encounter maps for all of the keep not just two rooms. While it is nice that they provided quick start rules and premade characters in one pamphlet. The adventure pamphlet is cluttered with additional information that would have been better placed in the quickstart guide.
Additionaly now that the main 4th edition rules are out most of my pc's have rebuilt thier characters. I see the quick start rules guide as a waist of space that could have been better spent on providing additional maps or information to the product.