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Meanders All-Purpose Map Pack - MODERN CITY EXTERIORS
Publisher: Game Tile Warehouse
by Timothy J. L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 07/15/2022 17:04:16

The primary conceit of this pack is that each tile offers connections to any other tile. The reality is, the vast majority of them don't line up at all.

Furthermore, the traffic lights are arranged makes me wonder if the designer has ever driven a car. There are multiple places where a lane has a light at an intersection, and the continuation of that lane has a light too, facing the opposite direction. The lane actually travelling in the opposite direction doesn't have a light at all.



Rating:
[1 of 5 Stars!]
Meanders All-Purpose Map Pack - MODERN CITY EXTERIORS
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Creator Reply:
Hello Timothy, thanks for leaving a review. Good or bad I appreciate your time and taking the effort to engage with others customers and myself and share how you feel about one of my products. One of the primary misconceptions about the way in which Meanders line-up is the belief that the map tiles can be rotated end-on to join up - that is, trying to match a sideways map to a long-ways map. No. Meanders act as bricks in a wall and must all have the same orientation to join to each other. I don't have graphics or link capability in my reply so I have to rely on symbols. They orient like this: [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ] You can stack them like this and they will indeed make continuous city layouts. But if you tried to join one end on - no, it will not match-up. You're the first to criticize the lighting placement in the four years I've been selling them - and your critique is valid. Unfortunately, my map-making skills in 2018 were not as developed as they are now in 2022, but a computer crash in 2019 stripped my layered files from my hard-drive making it impossible to go back and correct features that signaled my entry into the map-making business. Nonetheless, beyond such mistakes such as traffic-light facing and not using Meanders how they were designed to be used (which I admit I should address in some form of attached instruction guide with future products), I suppose I have just gotten so used to the product and had so few complaints (under 10 in seven years across 4 platforms) that I sometimes forget what is intuitive to me, is not intuitive to others. and developed a bias of utility. Thank you for your review, I will address the lights in future sets. PS, yes, I have driven many cars. Switching from primarily fantasy maps to sci-fi and then to modern proved very challenging, and admittedly, mistakes were made, for which I apologise, though I personally neither noticed or had anyone else notice, until now. I hope though, that it will not sour the high-points of my products for you which includes over 2000 non-modern, non-street lighted, other maps in dozens of other genres. Kind Regards, Kris
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DDAL08-05 Hero of the Troll Wars
Publisher: D&D Adventurers League
by Timothy J. L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 12/05/2018 10:23:52

I really wanted to love this adventure more. Individually, the puzzles are interesting without being too difficult to figure out for novice players - a little logic goes a long way.

That said... it cleaves too closely to the model of other Season 8 adventures. There is really very little guidance for why the player characters are here and what they are supposed to do. These adventures need a summary - the flowchart doesn't help. They also need a summary of what came before and after. If these adventures are meant to be a trilogy, they should be written in collaboration and include details of what came before and what's coming after.

The orthographic maps are a terrible choice. They're well drawn, but that particular style of mapping is so uncommon as to make it incomprehensible to some DMs. It's certainly not useful for the creation of a battle map. Perhaps if they were color and dispensed with the grid, they might be a usable drawings, but as is, not so much.

I also think this module misses a good opportunity for a flavorful variant magic item. Considering the burning of the fields and trolls "vulnerabilities" related to fire, it would have been wonderful to see the magic item reward deal fire damage instead of lightning. It's not much of a departure mechanically (fire tends to be resisted more often, sure), but it would have dramatically increased the story-relevance of this item.



Rating:
[2 of 5 Stars!]
DDAL08-05 Hero of the Troll Wars
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DDAL08-04 A Wrinkle in the Weave
Publisher: D&D Adventurers League
by Timothy J. L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 12/05/2018 09:24:09

This module seems to have the same slapdash editing and lack of consistency as the rest of the Season 8 content. Even the first scene doesn't get away without one: "...along with her apprentice, Corlin Cardin, her apprentice." So, you're telling me this Corlin guy is her apprentice, right?

Episode 2 would be far better if it started with a summary of which NPCs the PCs are supposed to get what information from: Hilather, Malcar, and Artor. Near as I can tell, the ring was made or owned by Hilather. Great... But what does that mean? Why does it have an effect on the Weave a millenium later? As for Malcar and Artor, they exist to further Episode 3... but, well... we'll get to that. (And yes, I realize that the Gost name has come up before, but why should the player characters care?)

Futhermore, if the "Playing the Pilars" sidebars are supposed to help less experienced DMs figure out how to manage the pilars, then it should appear on every scene - it's missing from half of them here. Lastly... where are the listed Treasures and Rewards supposed to be located, and why is it meaningful?

Episode 3 is a serious let down. If the characters have been told nothing they do can change the past, why would they even bother trying to help anybody escape? There's another error like the first one I mentioned here, too: "The guards and the bandits all attack the party in the confusion, the guards." The guards, the guards, the guards what?

All in all, disappointing... but exactly what I expect from Season 8 of D&D Adventurers League.



Rating:
[1 of 5 Stars!]
DDAL08-04 A Wrinkle in the Weave
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DDAL08-02 Beneath the City of the Dead
Publisher: D&D Adventurers League
by Timothy J. L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 10/09/2018 12:14:11

Another hot mess does not bode well for Season 8. Other that assorted typos and bad grammar, this one as a few elemental flaws...

  • The map is unmarked; it requires a lot of flipping back and forth to figure out which scenes are supposed to take place in which rooms.
  • The magic item listed in the module doesn't actually appear anywhere in the module.
  • No printable version.


Rating:
[2 of 5 Stars!]
DDAL08-02 Beneath the City of the Dead
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DDAL08-01 The Map with No Names
Publisher: D&D Adventurers League
by Timothy J. L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 10/08/2018 14:17:02

The module itself is okay (maybe three stars), however...

The organization is a mess. Experienced DMs with good critical reading skills can handle it, but the layout is a strong blocker against weaker DMs. So much for accessiblity and acceptance of all skill levels and types, huh?

The lack of a printer-friendly version is a huge strike. Best practice for convention DMing is always to have a printed copy - electronic devices can fail or run out of power.

Lastly, there's a major slap in the face on page 10: "In exchange for a good tale, Duric offers their next stay at Green’s Rest on the house (and politely suggests that two percent would be a suitable finder’s fee)."

Two percent of what, exactly?



Rating:
[1 of 5 Stars!]
DDAL08-01 The Map with No Names
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DDAL08-00 Once in Waterdeep
Publisher: D&D Adventurers League
by Timothy J. L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/12/2018 09:26:33

Not Right for Adventurers League First off, I want to say that I understand and agree with the concept of taking player input and getting thier buy-in when crafting a campaign. I think its a brilliant idea to help new DMs kick off a campaign, but one of the core benefits of organized play systems is the drop-in/drop-out nature. The techniques outlined in this module are fabulous if you expect to have a consistent group, but that's not what Adventurers League is about. It's for limited-time store play and time-restricted module play. People running actual campaigns don't have all the restrictions DDAL makes, their compromises towards portability.

On my first run, I tried the suggest approach to get the players involved, but it was with a standing group. They trust me to get the game going, find ways for characters to be involved - I didn't need help from the players, and they weren't expecting to be asked. The described collaborative approach will be a shock to new players (or even experienced DDAL players), and I don't think it actually adds anything to the organized play format.

Too Many Faces This four-hour module features over a dozen named NPCs - the barkeep, the "interesting person," two criminals, a watch sergeant, two faction agents, two links to the hardcover, the acting troupe, plus the module villain and his pet wizard. The fact that they've got characterization ideas in the back is great... but there isn't enough time in an organized play window to introduce them all - it's wasted effort.

In my first run, I avoided introducing the vast majority of them. The "interesting person" was just a courier, and the MacGuffin was one of many letters she was transporting - I made her physically distinct enough that if there's a good reason to bring her back, the players will recognize her. It was fortunate that I had a player character who provided a good hook for one of the faction NPCs, otherwise the party would have had zero reason to do anything they asked - the agents are complete strangers, and Adventurers League has removed the true perks of faction membership, so none of them are going to start as members.

Combat as Abattoir The combats are brutal as written - multiattack and lair actions are utterlly inappropriate for APL 1 content. In fact, I found the lair actions (which is what they were, even if not called that) absurd. There are significantly more powerful creatures in Tomb of Annihilation that are denied lair actions because the Tomb isn't actually thier lair. Why should some random travelling wizard get lair actions in a rented room when these other creatures do not?

The final battle is an issue too. Take all the things listed previously, then outnumber the players between 3:2 and 2:1. Throw in some enemies with Pack Tactics and there's no way an APL1 party can survive, or even get away. This is not appropriate for what's meant to be an introductory module. It takes far too much effort from the DM to par it down to something less-than-lethal.



Rating:
[1 of 5 Stars!]
DDAL08-00 Once in Waterdeep
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DDAL00-04 Winter's Flame (5e)
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
by Timothy J. L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 07/27/2018 12:45:03

A mildly interesting change of pace, with the games and whatnot, but I'm not sure it's something I'd run more than once.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
DDAL00-04 Winter's Flame (5e)
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DDAL07-18 Turn Back the Endless Night
Publisher: D&D Adventurers League
by Timothy J. L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 07/27/2018 12:42:38

The best part of the mod was the variety of encounters - there was something that tapped on each of the gameplay pillars, and it gives plenty of room for repeat DMings without feeling stale. A few rooms could have used a little more flair, or better reasons for the characters to interact, but mostly good. There were some nice call-outs to older content, too.

That said, the final battle was a little bit too hectic - it felt like it had too many moving parts. The reward, however is very underwhelming. Considering what was at stake and what it took to get there, it feels like more of a letdown than it should have been. Still, I think it was a decent wrap up for the season.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
DDAL07-18 Turn Back the Endless Night
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DDAL07-17 Cauldrons of Sapphire
Publisher: D&D Adventurers League
by Timothy J. L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 07/27/2018 12:36:25

This one felt quite a bit quicker than 07-15, which is a good thing. The first few fights were good, but it kind of crumpled after that, turning into a generic hunt-and-fetch. The final fight could have been much better; it was really forced/contrived insert-boss-battle-here.



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
DDAL07-17 Cauldrons of Sapphire
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DDAL07-16 Pools of Cerulean
Publisher: D&D Adventurers League
by Timothy J. L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 07/27/2018 12:00:43

I was rather disappointed to see the "dream" introduction repeated from the previous entry, along with a very similar plot line - go chasing after people who are already ahead of you. Most of the challenges presented are simplistic for a T4 party - flight, teleportation, and other transportation spells make a long wilderness pursuit an inconvenience, not a challenge.

It's pretty straight forward, but frankly most of the encounters are pushovers as written. There is no excuse for CR1/2 and CR1 creatures in a T4 module; they're fodder that drop to the first area spell (of which T4 charactes have many).

Even the final fight was disappointing. There weren't any interesting interactions to challenge a T4 party - in effect, it was like a T2 fight, just with bigger numbers. There may be some black humor amusement factor in the enemy using the modules' magic item reward against the PCs, but they're likely to have defenses in place to make it irrelevant.



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
DDAL07-16 Pools of Cerulean
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DDAL07-15 Streams of Crimson
Publisher: D&D Adventurers League
by Timothy J. L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 07/27/2018 11:40:21

The basic story of this adventure is pretty simple. The characters are chasing down some terrible people before they do something as terrible as expected. There's some nice added complexity in having to choose between the lesser of two evils, and wether or not to spare people usually considered foul and irredemable - I could see different parties making different calls. With a small party, I ended up going beyond the four hour runtime while skipping all of the optional quests.

My only true complaint is the scale of the encounters. The chambers are so large that they are impossible to draw out at the customary 5-feet to 1-inch scale. That said, not enough to ding a star for - it's T4, things have to be big to suit the scale of some abilities.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
DDAL07-15 Streams of Crimson
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DDAL07-08 Putting the Dead to Rest (5e)
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
by Timothy J. L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/12/2018 22:16:23

I can't in good conscience rate this any more than three stars. It is the weakest of the three parts of The Rot from Within trilogy. Other than the lead-in (which is to say, the other two parts of the triology), almost all of the plot elements are recycled from the author's Guild Adept work.



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
DDAL07-08 Putting the Dead to Rest (5e)
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DDAL07-07 Rotting Roots (5e)
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
by Timothy J. L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/12/2018 22:13:18

This one is pretty direct and straight forward. The intro is a bit goofy, but sufficiently amusing that I don't mind it that much.

The second part offers five possible encounters, two skill/puzzle, two combat, and the final one to tie them together. The variety is nice to see, and each of them offers a slightly different kind of challlenge.

The third part is pure roleplaying. Each time I've run it, the characters have enjoyed it - even the ones who didn't catch on to the clues.

The final part is a great climax. The first fight is pretty much a pushover, leaving the characters (and players) wondering what gives... and then it gives hard. There are callbacks to other popular properties, but it works very well.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
DDAL07-07 Rotting Roots (5e)
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DDAL07-06 Fester and Burn (5e)
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
by Timothy J. L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/12/2018 22:07:36

This is a reasonably enjoyable adventure to play and run. It introduces characters to the workings of the Executioner's Run, which is one of my favorite parts of Port Nyanzaru society.

The mission moves on to a few simple battles, though they have enough interesting content in them to keep players on their toes. There's one particular enemy in the first battle that has a nice lore tie in. The final battle can be made challenging, and includes a bit of a timed element to it.

All in all, I'm rather fond of this module.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
DDAL07-06 Fester and Burn (5e)
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Beasts of the Jungle Rot
Publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
by Timothy J. L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/06/2018 10:08:35

This serves as a great addition to play in Chult. The additional basic dinosaurs are interesting, but the special abilities of the zombie dinosaurs are the real gold.

This one easily integrates into DDAL play, too. Dropping in thematically appropriate monsters is 100% with in the rules.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Beasts of the Jungle Rot
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