Chains of Asmodeus Review | Nerd Immersion
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- Опубліковано 3 лип 2024
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Randomly the @DNDWizards /Wizards of the Coast team dropped a pretty fantastic new sourcebook/adventure on the DM's Guild called Chains of Asmodeus. It's 286 pages (one of the longest books we've seen from WotC), it has a high level adventure (level 11-20), over 50 monsters, a ton of lore, new magic items and a new corruption mechanic!
Check out Chains of Asmodeus: www.dmsguild.com/product/4579...
Introduction 00:00
Sponsor 00:45
DM's Guild 01:32
Content of the pdf: 01:53
Rant 02:25
Actual Book Coverage 07:05
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Nerd Immersion is an entertainment network focused on Dungeons & Dragons. Our UA-cam Channel currently has over 1000 D&D videos covering everything from D&D advice, D&D product reviews/unboxings, Top 10 videos, DM's Guild Module reviews, and play throughs of over 13 different D&D campaigns, and more.
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I DMed a Descent into Avernus campaign which turned into a homebrew romp through all 9 layers. It took 4 years, and we JUST finished and then this came out. I'm dead.
🫡
And back to the hells you go.
🫡
If you ever feel like it, have a second generation adventure with this book to keep in your back pocket or the reverse where Asmodeus found a way to stop the blood war and has a full scale invasion on the mortal plane
@@lasonris8934 Thanks for the suggestion, but I feel like I have given them enough Hell. 😄
Last I remember if you’re currently hired by wizards you can’t release any original dnd works by contract. And usually what happens when someone has something they were working on when they take a wizards job is they release it under wizards to the DMs guild as a charity release. This has all the signs pointing to that being the case. Though normally they’re working on a book release for wizards and not a video game. An example of a prior release like this is Minsc and boo’s journal of villainy.
This would explain a lot!
That sucks
This or i thought about that Hasbro is not okey with Devil and Hell stuff - because toy/kids company does not want to upset the christian community…
@@ringhofnope, descent into avernus
@@codymarshall587 true!
This is by far one of the best books WOTC has made for 5e. Lore, Monsters, Items, a HIGH LEVEL ADVENTURE. Its got it all and yet so strange that they just released it without any press or advertisement. This is a winner and they could have milked that to win a few fans back.
They are in middle of a press tour for other stuff. I think they might cover it when their current press tour stuff is done. Not like they need to sell a bunch of copies opening week. They can wait.
Idk, I was under the impression Hasbro/Wotc were struggling with the IP. Its a strange business move to not push this forward to the front page. Especially with the Book of Many things blunder@@Alex-pu5dx
Far from it. Starter kit, ROT, COS, Xanathar and Yawning Portal should be the standards. Minsc and boo was great for crunch that got skimmed, but bulk of chains is a sore disappointment RAW almost as much as Radiant Cidadel and Spelljammer content was. At least for Phleg, Stygia and Cania, the challenges are already easy for 4 man party 2-3 levels lower than recommended level and bulk of DCs is in the 12-16 range except for the archdevils that are pale imitations on threat level to the Demon Lords from Out of the Abyss and MTF after CR adjustment.
I'm really glad you did a review of this. I haven't seen one yet and I'm very curious. I ran DIA and set it up for an asmodeus focused follow up campaign and I'm curious if this is the resource I needed.
Yeah this is basically just what you're looking for
The crazy thing about Ring of the Copycat, you don't have to be a spellcaster.
A rogue or a fighter can copy the wizard's true polymorph spell with no issue. That's nuts.
I really need this to be added to DDB because it looks awesome. I'd also love a POD version for DM's Guild.
Now we need to see one of the Demonomicon, so we can finally see in 5e the Lore of the Obyriths
I think bg3 caps at 12th level because of huge game changing spells of 7th level spells and beyond, but either way pushing back a level or two isn't hard
I don’t see this “op spells” as an argument. First of all, they do not have to put the FEW spells that are too strong or complicated ( hello Simulacrum ). Second, it’s not like we have ALL the spells from 1-6 anyway. I think it caps at lvl 12 because that’s what most adventures stop at (11-13).
@@valentinrafael9201 It isn't just spells that are an issue, but other abilities, power scaling, narrative focus, game length, etc. Basically all the same problems DMs have with higher-tier play beyond just throwing down with strong monsters lol.
@@valentinrafael9201 Well you could just cast regenerate on Karlach and completely invalidate most of the conflict of her storyline
@@RnGDuvallDivine Intervention for healing is already accessible, so its not like we don't have solutions to the problem in BG3 already.
they cant keep just making the game. at some point you need, as a project, to determine what teh scope wil be. IT would probably be years more to add another 8 or so levels of content, etc. EVen older D&D based games were broken up into multiple games (bg series, gold box, etc)
This is actually what I was waiting for, and I only heard of it because of this video
You're absolutely right, where the hell is the marketing
Even if you don't care for the nine hells you can use this monsters for a magical savage world setting, so many great and dangerous prehistoric creatures
I'm going to wishlist this and hope for a Print on Demand option in the near future
Print on Demand is promised soon.
What is print on demand?
This book looks amazing hopefully they do a hardcover soon because I’m a fan of physical copies. If it’s ever print to order can you give us a heads up.
Thank you for the review, I was one of the few people who actually got an add for this book (not a post or something, just a regular Facebook add) and I thought "Oh cool, another high level adventure made by a 3rd party and is actually on GM Guild" .. without this video I would most likely never know the publisher is WOTC
This is the book I've been wanting for years, I've planned for my campaign to end with a fight against an avatar of Asmodeus, and potentially tearing a path through the hells to fight him for real, depending on how the players feel and how some plot points I've planned go.
This has to be released on DDB or at least a physical copy. The new monsters in the hells sound amazing but fiends might be bloated more so than undead now but frankly the Styx Dragon makes me forget that
A print option for this book NEEDS to happen!
Side Note: That Styx Dragon is AWESOME!
I had a Styx Dragon in my home game a few weeks back but I didn't have a statblock since I didn't know it exists 😅
@@backonlazer791 Haha, always happens like that. Our group ran a whole adventure with Zariel as the BBEG, a year before the Descent into Avernus book came out. Would have been dope to have some of those stat blocks.
If I was still running 5e I would purchase this. If this was done by the same guy that wrote the Minsc & Boo book it is a quality product.
Great review! I need this now!! Also need a miniature set for this book too!!!
I saw this on the DMs guild the other day but was unsure about it since it only had like 3 reviews. Thank you for posting this video!
This book was godsent for me. I'm currently running a campaign that has strong connections and ties to the hells and Asmodeus himself so this is going to be a big help.
James Ohlen! Minsc and Boo's Journal of Villainy is my favorite 5e book. Now I'm definitely taking a look at this.
Thanks for covering this!
Looks great, I hope they do a Fantasy Grounds conversion.
I agree. I’d buy it.
Any reference to material found in 'Mordenkainen's Tomb of Foes?' A number of the devils in that book are intended for higher challenge rating encounters.
Mostly as random encounters (abishai on first and seventh, a few as mercenaries, etc), but bulk of encounters are between trivial to medium difficulty for recommended level. Much like minsc and boos journal, doesnt use much of the secondary systems from main books beyond group patron rule at start.
Print on demand is exactly what I'm waiting for. I NEED this book!
What is print on demand?
@@brannenpfister2579 it's when you buy a book and a fresh copy is printed just for you.
I am excited to check this out now!
Detailed information about all 9 hells, stats for ALL the Archdevils, a bunch of new magic items, and a new corruption mechanic? Did they specifically make this for me? Because of all the outer planes stuff I like the Hells the most.
A module that reprints a good portion of 'Mordenkainen's Tomb of Foes.' That was published in 2018 and delisted in 2022. How convenient.
@@josephpurdy8390 If you meant "Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes", there's basically no overlap with it except for a couple of stat blocks (and you're referred to "Monsters of the Multiverse", so they don't take up page count). Everything else is new, all nearly 300 pages of it. It's INCREDIBLE.
@@tibot4228 I just love watching cynics being wrong.
Shame that bulk of baseline encounters except for the final (optional) layer encounters (cant diss the fire-tentacles and oozefire even if they are optional) and 2 of the origin sin "puzzle" fights are between trivial to low end medium difficulty to compensate for badly balanced encounter tables that most likely wont even bother rolling for, making the recommended levels 2-3 higher than actually needed, corruption doesnt do jack if party doesnt intentionally fuck up or forget their patron group, magic items are by bulk shit short of the hut ring, ice rapier as elemental sorc buff source on a sorcadin, dispaters poke stick as replacement healblock weapon if one cant get a wounding (or on a fighter) and OHKO 10 min polymorph-bait based knife (no, rest of artifacts might be upgrades, but by core function are 2 non-attunement items+1 attunement worthy effect combined like how the ruby rod of asmodeus is a shitty +2 and best in the hands of a cleric to get extra lower aoe nova spells and compensate for the self damage with heals).
Oh and all the archdevils are innate casting only wimps that the M&B Mephisto rapes turn 1 solely by ability to actually use RAW spell prep as wizard and buff in addition to having better version of the chains statblocks innate casting.
Im not even mad at the items being meh and archdevils shit (beyond mephisto as same fucking authors wrote a good one and refused to use it), just that its marketed as if it were 11-20 when its closer to 8-15 except for a few random encounters that are mostly frontloaded (2 glabrezu at 8 would be dumb so 11 is at least reasonable enough, same for party fucked over by bad fleshwarping stumbling on more than 4 barlguras) with the bulk of non-combat challenges (and i do mean challenges, not discounts, self inflicted idiocy and "oh no you walked too close to x, roll DC 20 save or take 2d4-4d4/7 to 10 fire damage when hp average is over 85" in a context that by the book isnt happening during a combat encounter") also being in DC 14-16 range WITHOUT noting that its for a casual beer and chips play.
thought that said "Chads of Asmodeus". still waiting for the coffee to kick in.
That'd be one hell of a book
an all tiefling warlock adventuring party JoJo style out to defeat their Lords enemies
or Asmodeus's personal guard he sends out to torture through comedically timed one shots for his pleasure
1.) This content was released by an author that still cares.
2.) The timing is great for Planescape.
3.) The people who worked on this product are connected to the game and know the pulse of the community, in which many larger publishers lose over time.
4.) On top of these things, return on investment for WotC to advertise a free release might play into this lack of advertising.
5.) It's likely not fully embraced by WotC because it's not focused on the new upcoming 2024 releases or potential rules updates.
I'm already planning to DM adventure for my high lvl characters in outlands/sigil with heaven vs hell war and all those books releasing really come in handy
I've just bought it and it's incredible. It's not just the high-level campaign 5e has never really had, it is the exploration campaign it has never had. The quality is outstanding, miles above most (any?) of 5e's modules, even if you aren't into it.
The DM workload is enormous, but if you're running this kind of campaign, that's to be expected; however, the tools you are given are formidable.
I'm just speechless. 10/10.
You are the only reason id ever find out this existed, same with Minsc and Boo's book. thank you very much
This looks amazing and Im shocked it was just plonked unceremoniously onto dmsguild. Thanks for sharing!
I WISH they'll do this with every plane.
This PDF is already beyond 280 pages, and The Nine Hells has only nine layers. Do you have any idea how big the PDF would be for the 666 Layers of the Abyss? Even if you only focused on the major ones, that would be at least as many pages as layers!
So, I first found out about this book from D&D's Facebook page on Halloween (possibly from a promoted post, I don't remember.) Also, the double damage from the Amulet of the Inferno happens before vulnerability is applied, so it does quadruple damage (or double if delt fire damage to a necrotic vulnerable target.) This is different than the True Ice thing because the later is a replacement effect.
Looks great! So good that I wish they'd make one of all of the various planes.
Holy cow this looks amazing i cant wait to dm this!
I'm guessing this was recorded yesterday before they tweeted about it but yeah, always love more higher level stuff.
Thanks for letting me know this book exists!
Just stopped running a level 14 nine hells campaign where I had to homebrew literally everything and piece together stories based off lore from other editions.
Thanks man needed something like this I will use the link
seems like this contains more magical items described than the last 3 releases prior combined (or maybe more). This feels like an exemplary release that should demonstrate what level of content they are capable of putting out and I hope it represents the quality of future primary releases.
I would buy this just for the stats on Asmodeus.
Pretty high price for 2 pages, but you do you, bud.
Goodness! Gracious! This material RULES! Mephistopheles is my favorite archdevil. I love the idea of robust materials for The Nine Hells and stat blocks for all of the archdevils! All of the proceeds benefit charity as well!
Grab the Minsc and Boo one. Mephisto as a non-caster/innate casting only devil whose objectively best option is to copy the basic dragon idea of flyby attacks, but with worse fireballed-version of a breath attack after self cast darkness and melee enemies with his poke fork is just disgraceful.
Thanks for the review! I will definitely have to get it (especially for charity) looking forward to the print on demand
In reference to alot of groups these days falling apart or just not happening and fizzling out quickly I gotta say that as a Roll20 DM I totally feel you on that. Comes with the territory. Planescape season is helping out though and Phandelver is helping out alot as well.
After finishing Decent into Avernus, I left the campaign open ended so our group could do something later. This is perfect for that. After Drakkenheim we might revisit that campaign using this
You seem to want to go back down the road to the Nine Hells while seeming to have the best intentions.
😈
WotC: "Players don't play beyond level 13."
Also WotC: *refuses to write adventures beyond level 13 aside from anthologies*
In addition to Ohlen doing Minsc and Boo’s Journal of Villainy he also did a 5e supplement called Heroes of Baldur’s Gate available on the DMs Guild which can be POD’d. But I can’t find a lot of info on that one. I’d love a deep dive video like this one for that book.
I would love if they made it available in print like the Misc book.
It does state Print On Demand coming soon. I will wit for that and get both PDF and Hardback. This will be the first thing I have bought from them since the OGL crap at the beginning of the year. It will probably be my last as I have wanted something like this for a LONG time.
The Asmodeus state block is op but I think the great wyrms and all dragon god stats still take the cake for most op in the game.
Looks better than the recent Planescape books XD
Not a high bar to pass.
Well I’m getting this next month thanks Ted for covering.
When this video popped up I thought the YT algo was throwing me something from 2018, very pleastly surprised!
At the VERY least, I’ll be running a level 20 Asmodues fight one shot. I was planning on using an older editions version of his abilities, now we have this one. Great timing for me!
With this many recharge mechanics for Asmodeus, would you roll a separate d6 for each ability recharge, or one d6 for all of them?
Not sure if its RAW, but id roll once, rechargine any feature that would recharge given the die's result. Mostly for the sake of brevity.
Better bring some counterspells for Asmodeus' Mass Heal and Wish.
idea: make the Styx Dragon neutral and make a pact (hexblade, draconic sorcerer, whatever) and at mid campaign have them dive into the river and gain resistance like a bear totem or something kind of like greek mythology
whats interesting is in the asmodeus block, it mentions some potential lore - basically his lore from the end of 2e - from the Guide to Hell.
I'm wondering if this is confirmation that Asmodeus is Ahriman. The most popular orgin for him is pact primeval which they use in 5e but in this they use the serpent backstory
isnt the same team that did Minc and Boo journal of Villany?
Yes, pretty much.
Perfect timing!
I bought this yesterday, mainly for the statblocks but it's impressive and something Ive wanted for a while.
Another example of the team that working hard to create amazing products and a company undermining that hard work. Thank you for advertising this amazing product.
Thanks for the news
Finally something good from WotC
Do they have files for the maps for VTTs?
I could see some DM's making a campaign or One shot around some of the items.
Thanks for covering this Ted, could you please make a short video to let us know when/if it goes on POD for those of us that prefer physical copies? You seem to be more on top of the news than WOTC as per usual 😂
Adrian Tchaikovsky? Damn, I loved Children of Time. That's super cool.
Thank you for your information video
Finally a CR30 that feels like a CR30.
Asmodeus is an absolute behemot, gald to see a wel made stat block.
You said it in the video, just like the Minsc and boo supplement its the same writer, they are doing things separate from the main line WoTc, they just slapping their name on it.
Whats even stranger is ive theorized for a while there would be an Asmodeus themed release eventualy, as most of the modules (which are canon) seem to only be possible if Asmodeus isnt paying attention or is mia/occupied. Even the very first module, Tyranny of Dragons, is someone openly rebelling against Asmodeus' rule, and attempting to escape. Descent to Avernus is also one of his underlings fuckin shit up. For years I've asked, "Where is Asmodeus in all this?" So the fact that the Asmo based book is just... silently released? So weird.
"Technically there is Dungeon of the Mad Mage exists, but that's neither here not there..." 👀👀 Do you a video unpacking that statement?
The listing on Dungeon Master's Guild has now been updated to read "PRINT ON DEMAND COMING SOON".
Neat.
I like the idea of this as a companion to decent into avernus, is that adventure actually worth running though? and is the transition fairly smooth?
Descent into Avernus is imo one of the most incomplete adventure books that WotC has released. That said, if you are up for essentially doing 80% of the work yourself and look at the module more as an inspiration for a very heavily homebrewed campaign, there are a lot of good ideas in there to work with. I ran the entire thing and did a lot of work to cover its many holes and my players mostly enjoyed it, but I still would never recommend it to any group unless the GM is majorly vibing with it and up for using the book more as an inspiration for the adventure than as the adventure itself.
@@ASaladI highly disagree, there are much more incomplete adventures for 5e lol, descent is a breeze compared to OotA
Adrian tchicovsky (I can’t spell) wrote the children of time series! Awesome!
I wish WotC would release this stuff on D&D Beyond. It's so weird that they don't.
And here I am one single session into my heavily modified take of Descent into Avernus. This is interesting timing 😂
This does seem like a great candidate for Print on Demand, at the very least, since WotC did not decide to add this to their actual normal 5E book print line, which I think is an oversight quite honestly. At least them not releasing as their normal 5E book line allows players to get the book in a PDF format, so if PoD comes online that would be an added benefit. The next question it generates for me is, will this be added to D&D Beyond, with their new Maps functionality and all the Magic Items and such, would like to see this on D&D Beyond.
I wonder if this was being made during the OGL scandal, and that’s why it’s only on DMs guild
I just love that many of the item or stuff in that book does not have simply mechanical applications but also roleplaying ramifications. That's something that was missing for quite some time!
This not being hardcover or POD is a death knell for it. I want a book on my shelf just like minsc & boos
I got wind of it from a FB post from DnD Beyond so maybe they also tweeted it.
Also Turn of Fortune's Wheel jumps up to level 17.
Holy s*** I need this book!
They had one post on facebook yesterday, but thats all ive seen other than this video
They used to put versions of the Extra Life supplements on D&D beyond too, but not this one! I want those stat blocks in my account.
I agree it would be great to start a line of lore/adventure releases that are PDF/digital only!!!! so many people want to spend on remiagined/updated lore.
4:05
Wait, Heroes of Baldur's Gate? I had no idea it had been for Extra Life.
My friend got the PDF and printed it out, putting it into a binder. My group started a game of HoBG, and it was going well. Unfortunately, scheduling issues and other problems keep us from getting back to it. I really want to get back to my fighter/barbarian, as my friend (the DM) allowed me to take one of the book's Epic Backgrounds, which adds a lot of roleplay and character-focused quests.
Edit: Also, I bought the book of Minsc and Boo's Journal of Villainy, and it is pretty damn good.
Rock me, Asmodeus!!
The only thing that needs to change is the cover art. But overall, happy to see this!
This sounds really cool! I don’t wanna have it spoiled for me but I’m definitely gonna share with my DM since I know he’s playing with the idea of continuing our CoS game with a more infernal vibe… 👀
any word as to whether or not this will become available on dndbeyond?
I was shocked it wasn't marketed! I only saw an article on my google feed on the 30th. But holy moly it was the best surprise! I couldn't pay the $30 fast enough. I hope they keep making material this good.
Out of the Abyss was before CoS as first WoTC written module.
Out of the Abyss was written by Green Ronin Games
@@NerdImmersion Sorry my bad. Bu I remember one of them before CoS. If not OoTA, its SKT or PotA...
I've been wanting a book on the hells. Gonna nab this
I think this book will do me just fine, my table is about to finish ID:RotF, and going down the river Styx to pay the Frozen Prince a visit will be interesting.
To be completely honest, the only 5E books I'm interested in are a series of books offering individual classes player options and a Dragonlance campaign setting. Ravenloft, Greyhawk, and Dark Sun, or any NOT Forgotten Realms setting would be gold, too.
I'll run this for you. I like being a GM more than a player
I love this book, it has deadly rollercoaster mechanics in chapter 2!!! Why aren’t the normal publications like this???
I happen to be running Descent into Avernus again O.O. The timing is amazing... Asmodeus wills it.
I had to do a double take. Adrian Tchaikovsky, my favourite fantasy/sci-fi author, is the lead writer? Now I'm very interested.
I have been wanting to play/run a 9 hells mega dungeon style game for a while. This may be the one thing to get me to do that without having to do a hiddeous amount of prep and design