RPG Retro Review: Waterdeep Dragon Heist

[@roberttreble2690]

Your review prompted my purchase this adventure. Congratulations on reaching passing the 5000 subscriber mark.

[@captcorajus]

Thanks!! I'm pretty happy about it!

[@williamaitken7533]

I'm currently running a Waterdeep Dragon Heist game and I'm having a lot of fun! It's a great setting and (as hamfisted as it might have been to get there) I'm glad a lot of the spellplague changes were reverted. I'm running the Alexandrian version, which is a fan retooling that helps organize and make it so all 4 villains can be used. It's been great. It solves the most criticized problem with the module of the open city turning into a linear chase sequence after the players get the Stone of Golor. I can really tell why people like the setting so much. It's got tons of resources available from decades of products and the city has a lot of charm to it. And I like that Undermountain is always an option if the players get bored or once they get to a higher level.

[@TeeeCeee]

Fantastic review with great research. Thank you very much!

[@jctxcboy36]

Have you seen the new LOS function on Fantasy Grounds Unity. It’s excellent

[@captcorajus]

Yep! Sure have! As a legacy player who had the ultimate license since the mid 2000s I got unity at a big discount and upgraded at the start of the pandemic. Love it!!

[@jctxcboy36]

@@captcorajus They are now working on some dynamic lighting features also.....exciting. I really enjoy the 2e rule set for FG, allows a way for me to play some of the more classic game settings.....kids love it!

[@SupremeCleave]

I just wanted to thank you for posting these reviews. You're doing great work. I've been gaming for over 32 years and I find your takes on current and classic adventures refreshing and insightful. Keep it up!

[@captcorajus]

Thank you! As long as people want me to do them, and I'm able, I will!

[@Se7enBeatleofDoom]

It Might have been my favorite part of any 5E book.

[@gimpzilla]

I don't really want to support roll 20, but can't realistically afford a 200$+ starter set for fantasy grounds. What are my options for digital tables?

[@doombunnybomb]

FoundryVTT

[@mlfetlesjdrenbref1306]

Great stuff! Bravo!

[@ItsMrFresh]

Theme song sick

[@Sesheyan101]

Thanks for the breakdown, this product actually looks good! Oh *clears throat* still waiting for a review of the adventures Pharaoh, Oasis of the White Palms, and the Lost Tomb of Martek, I am very patient and look forward to you talking about then showing the good and bad of those adventures.

[@captcorajus]

Stay tuned. Castle Amber is next, but I'm trying to cater to the comments section as much as I can. :)

[@alanhaddy7499]

Excellent Captn, I want to play this as a 1st ed conversion,this is really helpful, I will check out fantasy grounds and volos guide online for it.

[@TheEldarGuy]

I love that Lankhmar style of city mapping. It might be worth it for the sole reason of possessing it.

[@Simi822]

Jarlaxle is most definitely not a Pirate, he is a mercenary and a leader of a mercenary group.

[@captcorajus]

A mercenary, on ships... raiding trade lanes at sea between Luskan and Waterdeep. using a Sabre, wearing a wide brimmed feather hat. Hmmm... Pimp Pirate.

[@Simi822]

@@captcorajus maybe in this "Blasphemy" but show me in the novels one part when he is on a Ship or doing piracy like things...I thin RAS did not even approves this shit, and even in the FR wiki it is written that he is a mercenary leader...he is not a swashbuckler or a thief...he makes his money mostly with exotic Trade and information trade...this shit is like the Last Jedi to Skywalker...it ignores the whole existing history of Jarlaxle and makes a mockery out of it.

[@captcorajus]

@@Simi822 You should take a stress pill my friend. Me thinks this is upsetting you a bit much.

[@Simi822]

@@captcorajus its not upsetting, its amusing and sad...

[@erikmartin4996]

Love your reviews of modules better than all the other “reviewers”. Look forward to your review of Mad Mage

[@jeremiahzempter1057]

It is a really good adventure book with everything I'd want as a DM except for the fact that the one plot point that everything in the module depends on doesn't make any sense.

[@captcorajus]

I don't know, I think it's fine myself. The cool thing though... the villain characters.... especially the Casselanters.... any DM worthy of the name can surely come up with something with the juicy story there. I'm sort of in love with the tragedy of it. lol

[@jeremiahzempter1057]

Agreed I chose them as the villians too. Very cool

[@captcorajus]

They were the best choice IMHO. They appeal to my sense of tragedy.. I mean, there really is no completely satisfactory resolution to this storyline, and it certainly creates a moral dilemma for the characters. Of course I made the twins, as cute, sweet and innocent as I could.

[@jeremiahzempter1057]

But spoiler alert... Why Dagult think magic stone smart way to keep stash secret? His own brain ain't safe enough? His brain is where he keeps the memory of the stone's hidden location, and that secret is just as important as the stash location anyway. According to the book and the DMG attunement to the stone should only take concentration for short rest. How long Xanathar have it? How everybody know about this damn stone?

[@sunsin1592]

I don't play 5E and I've never cared that much for the Forgotten Realms, but at least this sounds like something original, as opposed to the string of re-boots WOTC has trotted out the last few years.

[@bartwipkink2418]

Love your RPG Retro Reviews! I run a sci-fi game using a very different system so some of these adventures I convert to make fit with my campaign. For instance, an entire world below the surface full of cold-blooded reptiles. So I used The Tomb of The Lizard King. I'd love to see a review of 'A1 - Slave Pits of the Undercity' and also 'A4 - In The Dungeons of The Slave Lords'. It help me understand them better to be able to use them. Thanks!

[@deathmetal926]

List of things I would like to see reviews of: "A" series "U" series 2e ravenloft modules, more specifically "Night of the Walking Dead" and "Feast of Goblyns" I know the work required for this and wouldn't dream you would get them all as you probably have a huge list of things you want to review already. I just figured I'd put in my 2 cents.

[@eburns-nc]

66 7 7777777777777777

[@dreamlandnightmare]

0:38 - Thanos?

[@captcorajus]

lol... I didn't even see the resemblance till you pointed it out! Good catch.

[@Bondanalloy]

Can't wait for undermountain

[@mclimbin]

I'd like to see how you use all those supplements with FG and this module, if you were interested in doing such a video...

[@captcorajus]

yeah I was thinking about doing just that, but was curious if anyone would be interested.

[@olschoolgamer1869]

I am glad to see this kind of module presented by WOTC. I was disappointed when most of the adventures released in 5th editions early days were complete campaigns that, as you stated, revolved around world end events. Excellent video as always.

[@captcorajus]

Thank you! Yes, I was glad to see a 'non- complete campaign module as well.

[@djtigon]

I LOVE your content. In 2017 i picked up the City of Speldors, City System, and Volos Guide to Waterdeep from ebay and used bookstores. Then WOTC announced the upcoming 5e revamp so i waited before integrating it into my campaign. In your opinion, if i were to mount and hang the City System maps on my wall, will they work when running Dragon Heist? I know you mentioned some changes, but how well would it work?

[@captcorajus]

Dragon Heist doesn't use any of the 'new area' and pretty much sticks to the traditional parts of waterdeep, so if you're using city system it will work just fine. I had those maps on my game room wall at one point as well. Its so MASSIVE! Love it. Please, let me know how it works out!!

[@djtigon]

@@captcorajus at what point would it not work? I know the City System doesnt include the Field Ward, but i can work around that. I'm more concerned with stuff like moved houses and different streets/alleys

[@captcorajus]

@@djtigon Really, nothing in any of the adventures will matter. you're fine.

[@carragorby3004]

I'm wondering if you know of any old school modules in Waterdeep that I could convert and run after dragon heist. DoMM is too much dungeon crawl for my group.

[@br0adsw0rd65]

I've so far only read the adventure as my players still dwell in chult. But so far i've got mixed feelings about this campaign. On the one side the main adventure seams extremely railroaded (even more the hoard of the dragon queen?) and easy to derail, on the other side the book provides enough background informations to play it sandbox style and create your own side quests. One one side you have some deus ex machina reasons why the powerful anthagonists don't just kill off the adventurers when they cross their plans and on the other side you have the great Cassalanter storyline.

[@captcorajus]

I personally just viewed the thing as a series of location set pieces. Its a city. The heroes can go do what they want. You have a group of villains each with motives and goals. It seems to me that the DM can just run with it as appropriate to the character's actions. yeah, the Cassalanter storyline is my personal favorite.

[@dragonballtalk8527]

Do new dnd books please

[@5d6bestof32]

dude what is going on with your audio, seriously. i can hear dishes being washed in the background.

[@captcorajus]

Well, you know, gatta get clean dishes!