RPG Retro Review: Waterdeep - Part 1
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- Опубліковано 2 лис 2016
- Back once again, this time, taking a retro look at Waterdeep and undermountain.
Waterdeep Links:
Waterdeep and the North: www.drivethrurpg.com/product/...
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Volo's Guid to Waterdeep: www.drivethrurpg.com/product/...
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My Patreon Page: / captcorajus
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captcorajus on Twitter: / captcorajus - Ігри
Your videos are very cool and informative. I play second edition D&D with my family and friends. My boys are 9 & 7 and its really something to DM with them. I find my wife shaking her head and face palming a lot! I also play on line with friends at rolld20. Like you I got into D&D back in 1980. I played a lot in high school but sort of drifted away from in the first part of my career in the Navy. During the second part of that career I really got into it again when a guy I was stationed with, who has become a great friend, asked me and my wife to join his gaming session with his friends and family. From then on I've been playing. I really enjoyed your video where you broke down the top 5 facts about yourself. Meeting Gary Gygax must have really been something. The game has been more than a game for me to. I've met a lot of great people and I especially enjoy the sessions with my family. Its a lot of fun playing and painting figures with them. I hope to be DMing for my Grandchildren some day! Anyhow thank you again for what you are doing. Keep up the great reviews and may your d20 roll true!
Awe man... thank you for your great post! This is why I love doing these videos. Gaming is more than just about a game. Its about bringing people together!
Forgotten Realms was a fantastic setting. I used to bike to Hobbytown to see if the new Dragon Magazine had come in, so I could read (hopefully) about something Elminster let drop during a visit. I might even have had the money to buy the mag!
2nd edition was by far the most expansive as far as information about the world/worlds goes. Too bad 5e can't even match it. I think we all just need to agree that 4th edition didn't happen. Kind of like Ghostbusters 3.
I would say the 5E is stunningly close to 2E in them and play, but in a more cohesive and streamlined form.
If you play 5E in its default form I can relate to your criticism. (i.e. 24 hour full healing, feats and so forth). However, if you scale back the healing, eliminate feats and such, you end up with a very old school feeling game, and its entirely designed that way.
As far as supplements go, 2E just ruled. I really miss those days, and the variety that D&D had back then.
All of that said, 2E is very playable, and I'd play it in a minute. Castles and Crusades is also pretty amazing as well.
Yep. It doesn't even try. I have the beautiful (yet worn) box sets 2nd edition used to release. 3.5 though also has its benefits. The amount of PC and DM options there is just staggering. 5e has *NOTHING* other than _celebrities_ (the word is used *very* loosely) playing it, streaming it and advertising it.
I used to play a private WoW server, playing my sister's character doing just stuff like fishing and herb-collecting at first and then evolving as I grew older. Be it a coincidence or not, the WoW version was also 3.something. It was named The Fall Of The Lich King. I had never played Warcraft before but that game made me desperately want to. I devoured all the novels, buying them, borrowing them and even renting them! Then it got worse and worse... dumbed down, lackluster. Cataclysm doesn't come close to what the LK era was. And it gets worse and worse. I wasn't actively playing back then, my first experience was with Mists of Pandaria, then my sister suggested the private server she played in and it was a revelation.
I bring this comparison for obvious reasons, but also to ask a few questions:
Do the heads of those projects, the creative directors themselves loose their edge with age, not only them but those underlings who were once bright sources of new ideas, do they get settled in a chair on the ruling board eventually? Even virtuoso musicians most often than not perfect their technique but loose their creativity and innovation/experimentalism to age. Could it be that there's some sort of inevitable decay through time to humans ability of innovation?
Or could it be that there are polls among the general public and they simply give the public what they want? Money over quality (quality is meaningless if it doesn't return its monetary value). Do old artists like Chris Metzen feel out of place in such modern, ever changing and interconnected markets? Are we trading Picasso for people like Shia LaBeouf? Is it our fault?
@@captcorajus In 5e, the classes feel way too balanced against one another; in AD&D 2e, a Fighter plays like a fighter, a Wizard plays like a wizard, a Thief plays like a thief and so on.
@@davizitopa7252 Excellent post, friend. A detailed response from me is forthcoming.
@@davizitopa7252 it's always about money. There's no polls, no complaint, it's just easier/panda bears/ages 3 and up equals broader audience. It happened to EverQuest, wow, and now it's happening to d&d. Nevermind it's core players weren't into 'streamlined or bonehead rules' and couldn't give a shit if the company hired celebrities to play-- these games tend to be niche products. I never could understand why wotc went for the lowest common denominator-if you wanna be a huge game company that's all about money, buy fucking Parker brothers and update Operation or fucking chutes and ladders. I don't really play anymore (go figure) but I wasn't interested in it after 2.0/3.5
My new campaign is coming back to Waterdeep. I had most of these books 20 years ago, but all ruined in a flood. :( -- Just got PDFs of several of your recommendations -- after a first quick run-through, those Volo Guides are worth their weight in gold. Thanks for another great video!!!
Great Video. I enjoyed it. I also love the dungeons you build. I drool with jealousy 😋.
Your breakdown of all the relevant products is extraordinarily helpful. I thank you very, very much!
Glad you found it helpful!
This was incredibly helpful. The fact that you reviewed what products are available on Waterdeep is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for the recommendations on the most helpful products. Particularly regarding the maps and there keys. Your videos are the best. Would love more videos on the Forgotten Realms in general. Thanks again!
Great video and series as always... For completeness' sake, I would add that the 1991 Westwood/SSI computer game, Eye of the Beholder, was set in the twelve level sewer beneath Waterdeep, and introduced to canon the beholder NPC, Xanathar, the final boss in the game, and the namesake of the game's title. The skeletal warrior box cover art of Eye of the Beholder was the same as the cover art used for the book, Undermountain Adventures. Of course in more recent times, especially with the release of, Xanathar's Guide to Everything, Xanathar, and the guild named after him, have had a bit of a renascence of late, but it was that classic PC game, (well..., I had it on Amiga...), that introduced him to the world. For detailed maps and descriptions of the twelve levels of the sewer of Waterdeep, I would reference you to the Eye of the Beholder Cluebook, which was one of the early PC game guides that SSI would separately publish and sell back in the day. Even though they were designed for an oldschool computer game, the maps and descriptions I still feel are canon, and can at least be used to provide inspiration to a DM, should a party want to explore the sewers of Waterdeep. Here's a link to an abandonware pdf of it, from the MOCAGH, (Museum of Computer Adventure Game History), website... www.mocagh.org/ssi/eob-cluebook.pdf
I've been looking for 2 years for a video on waterdeep with this much detail
Been 5 years but I'm here now
undermountain and waterdeep have provided more hours of fun for my group than just about any setting. Nice dungeon set up!
And another wonderful video from one of the best RPG reviewers on UA-cam! Keep it up!
"Get the Sea Ward out of here!" He said.
The old lady responded "I'll leave when I'm damn ready!"
Lol.. thanks for the funny!
Very comprehensive and detailed, this was delightful and helpful. Thank you.
City System is insane but kinda a shame it's not a modular system and just.... bIG mAp
Nice review! Keep 'em coming. Also, I'd like to see your dungeon terrain project.
Started my campaign at 1354 with. The undermountain so i could build up to hoards of dragonspear keep and time of troubles adventures so my group has both a dungeon and a dragon to deal with
Shame that they didn't have Eilistraee.
Didn't help that Salvatore said that he dislike Eilistraee, so no appearance in Drizzt, which his main spotlight and appeal to edgy characters meant that she won't make many appearances.
Part of me kinda imagine, Waterdeep being one of the few places where Drows aren't greeted with torches and pitchfork (much). due to Underport, not!Evil Drow communities, and Eilistraee church. Though not sure about Calimshan trip since not everyone will accept Eilistraee missionaries.
seriously great stuff man
Your audio is better then A.J. Pickett channel teach him good audio with no hissss at end of words
I greatly enjoyed your review. I am looking forward to seeing part 2. I have Volo's guide and I will confirm that it is a good read. I would also like to see your Hirst Arts projects. I have been contemplating getting some for myself or just trying to create something on my own. Any advice you have would be welcomed.
Bet you will love the upcoming Waterdeep Dragon Heist. I hope there is comparable information, as the Quest Giver is Volo. :)
That "3D dungeon terrain"... it is rumored to have given the archwizard Halaster Blackloak the insiration for his perfect miniatures of every level of Undermountain where he enabling him to
manipulate things as a god. He was then visiting Earth in its the 2010's ("on vacation", Elminster said with a wink... whatever he meant by that is lost to the likes of normal people such as ourselves), Halaster was said to be an energetic fellow for his age (he looked not a year older than 80, as legend goes), yet a wise man, with wits enough to learn and master his teacher in the ancient game of Chess in one honeyed-tea filled afternoon. A prodigy of intelligence, even when taken into consideration his long centuries of age... Halaster was most interested in the concepts of virtual reality, game-design and things like that, and, he didn't only read such books, he hand copied them into heavy volumes of notebooks, writing with a speed unmatched even by the most skilled typist of the ages, always complaining all the while how the task would be much easier through magic. After returning to Faerun, Halaster Blackloak soon became known as Halaster the Mad, his obsession with his dungeon taking levels no being in the known planes has ever took before.
I am thinking about using Waterdeep to flesh out my Yoon-Suin setting.
Yeah!!!
I have them all. The 3.5 book does have some useful plot hooks and new organization's. I tend to use FR1 and Volo's Guide for my Waterdeep. Along with the Old Grey Box. I'm actually thinking of running a Waterdeep game using OSE. Waterdeep has always held a special place in my heart. Great review. The Volo's Guide Review. brought me. On to Undermountain...☠☠👻😈👿👹👺
Awesome! OSE Would be GREAT to use with Waterdeep/ Undermountain for sure. Especially with the Advanced options IMHO. Let me know how you liked my Undermountain review. Game on!
This is me, showing my interest in more Hirst Arts videos!
This review was awesome keep up the good work also I would like to set your hirst arts dungeon set up also ,as I too have the hirst arts addicition as well . Cant wait to part 2. I think, you should think about making a third video about Skullport the slaver city under Waterdeep .
~Lol... I was tempted to do a part 3 on skullport. I might give it its own video in the future.
I feel like you're one of the more under-rated youtubers in the RPG community, I love all of your videos. Do you have a patreon or anything similar? I'd love to support you in someway beyond just my view.
Thank you. I really appreciate that. I have been considering Patreon, but sort of waiting till I hit 3K subs before I took the plunge!!
I'm still waiting for the 2nd video!
Working on it!! lol
I agree, the Spellplague just sloppily warps the world-building done before it. I'm assuming Greenwood wasn't a fan of it..? All of my NWN Faerun mods (FA1, Accursed Tower, etc.) are pre-spellplague.
I'm rather happy to say that pretty much every thing wrought by the spell plague is undone at this point. Its almost as if it never happened!
Huzzah!
I agree, reading the where the spellpague took place I felt I could feel the author's eyes rolling as they were directed to weave the changing in the world based on the changes during company changes. The FR were fine they way they were (crotchety old man voice)....
*Slight, Respectful Corrections* _(made only when the error seemed like an actual error, and not just examples or similar illustrations)_
1) Piergeiron's first name has the emphasis on the 'geir' syllable, which sounds like _geer_
2) The image shown while mentioning the Watchful Order is actually The Plinth
1) I mispronounced something? Get out! 2) Truth. There's no watchful order pic. :P sometimes you gotta make do. :P
@@captcorajus I agree, it's no big deal, it's just inaccuracies like those have a way of spreading. That's the main critic to stuff like wikipedia: if you use it at the wrong time, and assume it is a credible source, you get wrong information and spread it around. (especially the mispronunciation, since nobody actually speaks any language of Toril, an error like that could easily spread forever, from video to video, from table to table, without ever being corrected if nobody speaks out like I did)
@@davizitopa7252 Can't really validate the name pronunciation as I've heard it pronounced by WOTC people that way, so I assumed it was correct. :P In then end, those little details don't really matter that much to me, and I don't think it affects enjoyment one way or the other, so I'm less picky about those things.
My priority in this video was simply to provide as much detail about WHERE the content could be found, and what content was worth getting. :) Thanks for the kind words and conversation!!
Hey Captain, what’s that funky intro music from? Serious groove
Very nice video, thanks! But where did you get the information that "all wizards and sorcerers must join" the Watchful Order? I can't find confirmations of that anywhere.
Its in "Waterdeep and the North" (In the guilds section... that teeny tiny print), "Volo's guide to Waterdeep", and the Waterdeep boxed set.
Looks good fun
Ahhh, but your shelf looks a lot like mine:)
Have you thought of doing overviews of Forgotten Realms cities?
Not really. That's a bit beyond the scope of my channel reviews. If there was a retro product to review in regards to that I would do it, but to just do an overview in general is not something I've really considered.
If you are going to do a part 1 and part 2, you should give them the same title- I saw the "undermountain - part 2 review" and went looking for the "undermountain - part 1" but couldn't find it.
A better title for the video might have been "RPG Retro Review: Waterdeep & Undermountain Part 1: Waterdeep" and the second video "RPG Retro Review: Waterdeep & Undermountain Part 2: Undermountain"
The videos are pop up linked so there shouldn't be any need to search for the video. In the video I give the titles to each part, and the videos are on a playlist. You can also just click my channel, the videos are listed back to back.
The title of the videos reflect their content and short titles are better for mobile viewing. I hope you enjoyed them once you found them, and they were useful. Thanks for watching.
Your voice sounds exactly like Lin-Manuel Miranda.
It kinda freaked me out. :D haha
I actually had to google him. Lol. I'll take it as a compliment. :)
@@captcorajus Definitely a compliment. Listen to a video with him talking!
Why does the audio change every time you say"Khelben Blackstaff Arunsun"?
lol.. because I mispronounced the name during the initial recording, so I recorded myself pronouncing it correctly, and then dubbed in the correction every time I said it. :)