Aberrant Reflections: Old-School DnD Adventure Review

[@grimmtales503]

The publishing of 'The Waking of Willowby Hall' has reset the standard for how modules are made - and you can see it here! Room Titles (with page number), thumbnail maps on each page, indentation of room contents ('from most noticeable to least') and so on - all of this is fantastic. Please Ben: continue to revolutionize the gaming community. Watching his videos has transformed my GMing planning & style in seconds - it is just that damn good.

[@directsun]

Thanks for the glowing review! I think my previous comment was deleted. Probably because it had links in it. Aberrant Reflections is available in print shipping from the US as well as UK. Coming soon to Germany and Finland.

[@QuestingBeast]

What's the name of the website to get it from?

[@directsun]

@@QuestingBeast Available shipping from the US at the directsunGames store and indie press revolution.

[@tdworwood]

And tell us about your other adventures?

[@delteigeler-illustrator2099]

Thank you for the review and Kind words about the artwork!

[@paulbigbee]

Purchased. Gonna run this with the new Shadowdark RPG.

[@scottroberts9067]

That is the most interesting dungeon idea I have seen in a long time.

[@tdworwood]

The same authors have another puzzle dungeon called Seer's Sanctum IIRC. It's a bit simpler than this one but similar in style. I don't think Ben has reviewed it

[@bloodrunsclear]

‘Fresh lemon scent’ Someone played Beyond Zork :)

[@drillerdev4624]

The puzzles did sound like ideas they wanted to add in a lucasart adventure, but the engine wouldn't allow.

[@directsun]

My other puzzle dungeon, The Seers Sanctum, was also reviewed by Ben a while back: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oGeQm51nl9aIoa8 It's vision themed and shorter. Seer's Sanctum can be run as a one-shot in about 2-3 hours. Aberrant Reflections has run 5-6+ hours.

[@gpn962]

Great overview. I've changed my mind since your poll from a few months ago. Your OSR reviews are my favourite part of your channel. Thanks.

[@claudiofreitas9425]

They are doppelgoopers!

[@geoffdewitt6845]

Oh, this is going right at the bottom of my Ravnica-inspired city.

[@magicgeek1237]

On the list for sure

[@toddpickens]

Purchased PDF. It is surprising they don't have an on demand print copy option on drive-thru RPG. The shipping from the UK puts this at like $50 for a printed copy.

[@directsun]

My comment seems to have gotten deleted. Maybe because it has links in it. Sorry! AR is available in print in the US as well as UK. Coming soon to Germany and Finland.

[@floatingchair]

not sure where you're located, but definitely can get it to you for way less than $50 come through floating chair club

[@Madkingstoe]

This looks like a fun book to own and read, and I'm very impressed with the creativity, but I'm not sure where you guys find these players who love puzzles and are good at them. I once had a group give up on a dungeon after being unable to solve a basic anagram puzzle on a wall. In 25 years of gaming with many different players I've only met a couple who have the patience for puzzles, but never once met a player who actually loved them. So if you're that kind of player, or have a group of players who like puzzles, I salute you. Treasure them! :P

[@archersfriend5900]

I am lucky, my group likes puzzles. I do not use them where it effects the plot going forward. That way, if they cannot solve it, it doesn't matter.

[@josephshriner2850]

Ben, stealing my man Bud's energy.

[@QuestingBeast]

Get 10% off of #intotheam apparel: intotheam.com/questingbeast Get entered in my RPG giveaways by subscribing to the newsletter: bit.ly/TheGlatisant Support the channel on Patreon: Patreon: bit.ly/QBPatreon Get Aberrant Reflections in PDF: bit.ly/AberrantPDF Get it in print: bit.ly/AberrantPrint2

[@floatingchair]

didn't realize links wouldn't be posted in my other comments, also available in print in the US (and can ship worldwide) at Floating Chair Club

[@QuestingBeast]

@@floatingchair Thanks, I'll add that to the description.

[@brentnorton1602]

This is the style and format I will definitely use as inspiration for my first adventure. So how do I do this?

[@jamesstern9578]

This dungeon is just fantasy Metroid Prime 2 lol. I love it!

[@jimmd68]

Looks fun! My players may not agree.

[@andrewdiaz3529]

This is so genius

[@kristianwichmann9996]

This sounds like a lot of fun

[@edwardromero3580]

Looks fun.

[@TitularHeroine]

This really reminds me of the Razael games for Playstaion, part of the whole Legacy of Kain saga.

[@etheretherether]

For some reason this is giving me a weirdly Troika-esque vibe.

[@MisterF946]

Any thoughts on how long this would take to run? Could it be a one shot?

[@directsun]

It'll take about 5 to 6 hours to run. Seers Sanctum comes in at about 2 to 3 hours. Happy gaming!

[@MrGareth1973]

Looks great. Maybe I missed it but are there character premade or I need to use some other supplement to create characters? Thank you

[@directsun]

Growing list of retailers carrying Aberrant Reflections in print: US: directsunGames Indie Press Revolution Exalted Funeral US/international: Floating Chair Club UK: Dungeonland Finland: Pelikrypta

[@WarDogMadness]

These mirrors slabs of thin polished brass . Or are they 16ce to 18ce gothic mirrors. In a 14 ce dungeon setttin

[@dubuyajay9964]

Puzzle Dungeon? *Runs screaming in opposite direction.* Edit:. Changed my mind after revealing the Lovecraftian monster in a crashed meteor storyline.

[@danielrowan4716]

Color Out of Space, Engaged!!!

[@dubuyajay9964]

@@danielrowan4716 Yup.

[@kalleendo7577]

Awesome!

[@blackstone777]

Man, this sounds like it would fit right in with Operation: Unfathomable.

[@TheLordUrban]

This will fit right into my post magical apocalypse world where reality is in constant flux.

[@chestercopperpot8647]

Spoiler Alert around 14:50. Who does that!?

[@chestercopperpot8647]

I know your telling all the cool things we might encounter… but tell the actual ending!!??

[@dubuyajay9964]

11:56. Then you better be ready for the campaign to collapse then. I am not a fan of that. You should allow the party to roll something if they have been stuck at least for 30 mins. If not longer.

[@etheretherether]

You could give enough context hints and telegraph stuff in a way that players aren't completely left hanging

[@jamesstern9578]

Some people enjoy diegetic problem solving. And it's okay if the players aren't able to solve every problem. Part of the fun of old school play is the fact that not everything goes in the PCs/party's favor, amd some "content" will just be missed/go unsolved.

[@dubuyajay9964]

@@jamesstern9578 That's the thing...SOME do. I doubt that's the whole party. I just don't want the whole adventure derailed and people up and leave out of boredom or frustration because they needed x MacGuffin to succeed, but failed because they couldn't solve a mandatory y puzzle.

[@jamesstern9578]

​@Dubuya Jay I would agree it depends on the party. The people I play with love diegetic puzzle solving. I've run entire sessions without rolling dice outside of combat. It seems you/you're group aren't as fond of it, which is totally cool. My point was moreso that blanket stating "Be prepared for the campaign to collapse [because rolling for stuff is discouraged/not allowed for puzzles]" is a touch narrowminded. I see where the sentiment comes from though. With regards to the specific instance in the video, I'm doubtful the specific item in this dungeon is needed to succeed; old school modules are rarely so linear that not having a specific item locks you out of more than a small handful of rooms. If the item is "mandatory", then I agree it's a bit silly and poor dungeon design.

[@alexanderdzuricky5398]

I'm a little confused. Why would the campaign have to collapse if one player dies? This adventure is directed mostly at an OSR playstyle, which tends to involve semi-frequent character death. If anything, this would at least allow the PC to live on through the sword, which is LESS punishing than the normal consequence.