Waiting for Hoard of the Dragon Queen to arrive, I picked up a copy of Legacy of the Crystal Shard (http://ift.tt/1vh5B69) which was released last year as a part of D&D's Encounters. As with Hoard, it doesn't contain any stats but you can download stats for 3.5e, 4e and 5e from WotC direct.
I have had some experience with early Encounters adventure and they were dreadful. Nothing but a string of linear encounters with nothing but combat. However, Legacy of the Crystal Shard (and I understand other Encounters adventure since Murder in Baldur's Gate) is nothing like that.
Instead, it presents an excellent sandbox adventure that reminded me of AD&D2e days given its focus on intrigue, travel and investigation. Though the packaging is flimsy the adventure consists of a 64 page setting book for Icewind Dale, a 32 page adventure book, and a 4 panel GM screen. The screen is particularly cool as it displays a map of the region to the players that the PCs will be travelling all over. On the GM side there is more detailed maps and random event and name generators to the GM.
The adventure starts with an encounter that introduces the three threats at work in the Dale. However, from that point the PCs are able to pursue any one or more of these threats. This is followed by a section on what happens next based on which threats haven't been neutralised. Then two more threats emerge mixing the initial three threats. The whole thing wraps up with an epic climax, which despite being open, is relatively likely to happen.
Overall, I was impressed in how much flexibility it contained, whilst still providing some structure and momentum. If you are wanting a prewritten adventure to start your 5e campaign with, and something a little more open and advanced than Phandelver, it may be worth checking out.
I have had some experience with early Encounters adventure and they were dreadful. Nothing but a string of linear encounters with nothing but combat. However, Legacy of the Crystal Shard (and I understand other Encounters adventure since Murder in Baldur's Gate) is nothing like that.
Instead, it presents an excellent sandbox adventure that reminded me of AD&D2e days given its focus on intrigue, travel and investigation. Though the packaging is flimsy the adventure consists of a 64 page setting book for Icewind Dale, a 32 page adventure book, and a 4 panel GM screen. The screen is particularly cool as it displays a map of the region to the players that the PCs will be travelling all over. On the GM side there is more detailed maps and random event and name generators to the GM.
The adventure starts with an encounter that introduces the three threats at work in the Dale. However, from that point the PCs are able to pursue any one or more of these threats. This is followed by a section on what happens next based on which threats haven't been neutralised. Then two more threats emerge mixing the initial three threats. The whole thing wraps up with an epic climax, which despite being open, is relatively likely to happen.
Overall, I was impressed in how much flexibility it contained, whilst still providing some structure and momentum. If you are wanting a prewritten adventure to start your 5e campaign with, and something a little more open and advanced than Phandelver, it may be worth checking out.
[5e] Legacy of the Crystal Shard is kind of amazing
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