Creative Director
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With the final chapter only a few weeks away, I hope Dawn of a New Age will live up to everything we are hoping for. There is nothing worse than going to a movie that you have great expectations of, and it doesn't live up to the hype, but the last four chapters of AoW have rocked, so I expect this one will as well.
In addition, I was wondering if the editors plan on having another 2 pages worth of art with all the major villians/NPC's of AoW in it, like they did for the previous adventure path?
I think you'll like how Age of Worms wraps up; it's suitably epic! "Dawn of a New Age" is also the longest adventure in the series, if only by a few thousand words. It's one of the longest adventures Dungeon has printed, at 30,000 words (for those playing at home, that's roughly twice the length of the normal word-max for an adventure in the magazine).
There will not be any spreads of major villain/ally NPCs in this issue. Those things cost a lot! Further, Age of Worms is a lot less focused on recurring NPCs than Shackled City, so there wasn't as much a need for something like this. It still would have been cool to do a "Faces of Diamond Lake," a "Faces of the Free City," and a "Faces of Alhaster" spread. Maybe some day in the future...
Incidentally, I just saw the tiny little thumbnail of the cover painting of Dawn of a New Age in the latest Dungeon. And my rictus of evil DM glee did not fade for a full five minutes.
Me too. Judging from the thumbnail the cover for the finale is awesome.
I'm interested in finally seeing Kyuss (or his aspect, or whatever) statted up and ready to smack down some players who think they're all that just because they're epic level.
I'm interested in his weapon, as well... I mean it looks funky (and for a lot of players, style matters), but it's gotta be a munchkin's dream; something that deals bludgeoning, piercing AND slashing damage :)
EDIT: We had a lot of previews and editorial cackling about Dragotha's CR...any word on the Wormgod's?
I too grinned the evil DM grin when I saw the preview picture in the latest Dungeon. I suspect that the final battle will level what is left of Alhaster. The wiz is a big fan of summoning help as much as possible. I can definatly see the group going against him while Kyuss swats at Angels and Elementals. This is going to be good.
Well, Dragotha's CR was 27, which, oddly enough, is equivilent to Adimarchus' CR. I'm guessing Kyuss will be at least 30... If not far past that. I'd almost want to say 35-40, but I don't really know how Epic CR breaks down...
It's possible that Kyuss's CR is at 27 or less. For the Dragotha fight, the PCs will most likely have Bucknard's aid, shifting the encoutner from "We're already dead" status to a mere "We're all gonna die" status.
Unless there are similar tools/conditions to fight Kyuss in "Dawn of a New Age," I wouldn't figure his CR to be any higher. But then again, I'm just speculating.
Either way, it's gonna be cool. . . I can't wait to see the conclusion.
Unless there are similar tools/conditions to fight Kyuss
Such as a sphere of anihilation ? :D
How about "Faces" as a web supplement?
Also, will the fragment of the rod of seven parts come in useful if the PC's still have it?
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Creative Director
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SPOILER ALERT!!
Since people asked nicely, here's a few teasers/spoilers for "Dawn of a New Age."
—Kyuss has no CR. He's a deity, and deities have no CR scores. That said... he's got 30 class levels, and an Epic template, and he's divine rank 1. So whatever his CR would be, it's certainly no less than 32. That said, like the Dragotha encounter, if the PCs handle this one right, it's a MUCH lower EL encounter than 32+.
—The method of defeating Dragotha by collecting allies and the Balakarde fragments during that adventure is a sort of "sneak preveiw" of how you'll have to confront Kyuss. Except that it's what you've been doing for the whole campaign, not just what you accomplish during the adventrue that'll help.
—Artifacts are indeed useful against Kyuss. Be sure to bring that talisman of the sphere, any Rod of Seven Parts fragments, the Hand of Vecna, and even Zosiel's Circlet if you still have it.
—Kyuss' weapon of choice is detailed, and there are lesser versions of it all over Alhaster by the time this adventure begins. It's a martial 2-handed weapon called an executioner's mace that deals 2d6/x3 damage and can inflict bludgeoning & piercing or bludgeoning & slashing damage.
I am drrrroooling in anticipation of the showdown with Kyuss; my players are sooo dead! Hopefully it will be a memorable way to be flung into their respective afterlives.
I am going mad with excitment and often find myself smiling while thinking about our next few games leading up to this 'Final Confrontation!' *BBEG LAUGHTER!*
They are about to mix it up with the Dracolich 'Grongaraht the Ebony Grimace' (in my game) and are still hanging onto lots of those dangling story threads and waiting for answers, I cant wait to see how this plays out, it's like when your a kid and trying to get to sleep on christmas eve!
Thanks for the great campaign Dungeon staff and all the D&D players involved in making this so much fun.
Alright, lets start bets!
My guess goes so far as Wizard 8/Cleric 8/True Necromancer 14 Worm That Walks. Tack on the deific stuff and you have my bet.
Thanks a lot, James, we all really appreciate it. The info will help me remember to keep an eye on who the players are and aren't so nice to. I'm sure the parties that gave up the Rod for the extra items will take a collective "D'oh!" moment when they get to the final battle.
That executioner's mace is nice, and I've been meaning to ask... I didn't get into DnD until 3rd Ed., is the mace another nostalgic throwback? And if so, where did it first show up?
I'm sure the parties that gave up the Rod for the extra items will take a collective "D'oh!" moment when they get to the final battle.
I don't think so... there are other artifacts in the AOW to help in the final battle, including 3 in Dragotha's horde I think. But the gifts from Tenser/Manzorian will likely be of more use to the PCs by helping them live to see the end. It was made clear in SoLS that the Rod was only one possible means of fighting Kyuss and I can't imagine Dungeon screwing an entire genration of gamers like that.
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Creative Director
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That executioner's mace is nice, and I've been meaning to ask... I didn't get into DnD until 3rd Ed., is the mace another nostalgic throwback? And if so, where did it first show up?
The first place the executioner's mace showed up is on page 68 of issue #130 of Dungeon, in Eva Widermann's illustration of Kyuss before the change. It wasn't statted up until issue #135's "Dawn of a New Age."
—Kyuss' weapon of choice is detailed, and there are lesser versions of it all over Alhaster by the time this adventure begins. It's a martial 2-handed weapon called an executioner's mace that deals 2d6/x3 damage and can inflict bludgeoning & piercing or bludgeoning & slashing damage.
Martial??? MARTIAL?!
How do you broken game?
Wow, if this ever gets printed in an official source, nobody will ever use anything else. Including myself.
Martial indeed!
Gotta' get me some of that!
If that's the weapon that Kyuss uses, shouldn't that be his favored weapon? I mean, the club is a pretty tasteless choice for someone as cool as The WormGod.
*Changes Kyuss' Favored Weapon immediately*
Thats not especially powerful....besides the damage types its basically the same as a greataxe or greatsword.
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Creative Director
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Martial??? MARTIAL?!
How do you broken game?
Wow, if this ever gets printed in an official source, nobody will ever use anything else. Including myself.
It's certainly a good martial weapon, but it's nowhere near as good as any of the exotic weapons in the PHB. It was a tough choice, but in the end I think making it a martial weapon's the right one since that way a lot of players will be able to pick them up and use them immediately; they won't need to wait for a feat to get rid of the penalty.
Compare it to a greataxe or a greatsword and you'll see it's not really any better. The main advantage is the damage type versatility.
I'd take the executioner's mace over a greataxe any day! The ability to do two different types of weapon damage at a time, and have all three types available to you is very useful. The dice damage is comparable and the crit. is the same, but it's much more useful against creatures like undead, rakshasa, oozes...
I think it's too useful to be considered a martial weapon, but it could use a slight buff to make it a more vibrant exotic weapon. I think perhaps giving the wielder a +2 or +4 to sunder checks is nice. And I'll make it a Karrnathi regional weapon, since Kyuss was born in Karrnath in my AoW Eberron campaign. Native karrns get it as a martial weapon.