I think this should have been a sourcebook, similar to the Guide to Ravenloft. The Radiant Citadel sounds like a really fun place to center plane-hopping adventures around. It sounds like the adventures are the weak link in this chain. I don't mind linear adventures, but not exclusively. Old-school D&D adventures used to combine linear and sandbox areas very well.
thank you for the review, Trevor. I think if they have put those 30 extra pages (probably 60) from Journey beyond the RD (dmguild) in the book, that adds a bit more of background/lore to the locations would have been better for many DMs, specially those starting or don't have much time to prep. i still don't have it, and if I buy it would be for the adventures/ideas, that seem easy to adapt to others adventures/campaigns. And also for the new ideas of cultures
I like the idea of a book filled with adventures you can plop anywhere. I'd like to see a book similar but in already existing locations like the sword coast and chult. I imagine with all the unused Map locations in chult they could easily make a book filled with 20 extra adventures you could put in chult. Either to expand exploration in tomb of annihilation or add on to the campaign after players complete the ToA main quest. Same with the sword coast. They need to fill in the unexplored areas they've had mapped out for years. Books filled with pop in adventures could do that.
The 3 pillars ranking is super helpful. My RP focused group always enjoys a good Scooby Doo mystery so it sounds like a good one for me to pick up. I wonder if this one could be paired with Spelljammer or if the settings are too disparate?
The gazettes are great campaign seeds. Parts of the first chapter are fun to read. As to people who are upset. I can understand. A good example of bad marketing is Waterdeep Heist. No heist no gold and the pcs are the detectives. So some people are going to be cautious. When you are not mentioning the stories, plots, arts but just the authors. I have worked with various magazines/art projects who have issued various specific calls. Ex Alabama authors only, only active students can submit art etc. Some of these has worked out and some have turn into standard McDonald’s fare. The first three adventures will make good modules for Adventure League but it looks again the book is not giving out much gold. More after the AL adaption Guide drops.
Linear adventures... my favourite one is Tomb of Annihilation... let's say that I'll wait for a future sale to get it, surely not something that I'll instant buy. Although Candlekeep Mysteries was pretty good for oneshots, I enjoy the feeling of an overarching plot, the Radiant City doesn't speak to me. About the controversy: I'm European, so maybe that "signaling" wasn't pushed so much over here, but I'm sorry that once again a book suffers/has success not for how it's written but depending by who it was written. That's generally terrible and in DnD, which is such a welcoming environment, particularly so.
I'm running a buffet table-esque oneshot campaign for two groups right now based initially on Candlekeep Mysteries. Before each level they can vote for the adventures they want to go to. So honestly, I'm really excited to add these adventures to the roster. I don't mind the linear format and I really dig the diverse cultural influences represented here.
Nice to see a review based on the actual content of the book that responds to the all controversy but does not make that a reason to buy or not buy the book. I saw a review on Amazon that made a pitch to buy the book and "make a racist upset". I for one don't really have the $$ to buy a book just to make a political statement. But, will buy it if the content is good. If the content is more inclusive that's a plus, but I still have to work it into a campaign... I got VGTR to supplement my COS campaign. That book is perhaps too sand boxy, but does have some great additional monster stat blocks and character sub-classes. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said WOC is getting complacent. In VGTR we could have used stat blocks for the dark lords and had more fleshed out domains. All of which would require a huge amount of work on my part to create as a GM. It sounds like JTTRC wuld have benefited from some sort of unifying thread that ran through everything with adventures that could work both as a sandbox and linear adventure. WOC still needs to edit their products and play test them, but is producing content that IMHO is half baked. For god's sake, as a GM, I need as much material as I can to run the adventure. I'm not a big fan of having just a collection of one shots, so I probably will pass on this one. Thanks for this excellent review!
Just waiting to kill my virus so I can get to my hobby store and buy the book. Its interesting you described the adventures as less diverse than candlekeep because they're all linear where other reviews have described them as more diverse because they aren't all mysteries. Of course both these things can be true. Thanks for an interesting review.
Hi NFA! I appreciate your review and your adventure-by-adventure advice on Candlekeep Mysteries helped me efficiently prep a successful run through of that book for three (3!) different parties. Your honest review of this book in that context is really helpful. I'm very likely to run it as a loose campaign like that again soon, so I'll know to be mindful of letting each adventure carry the players away on a "roller coaster". Unfortunately, I'm disappointed that you gave so much air to the bad-faith controversy crowd that you agree wouldn't be interested in the contents of the book no matter what. Your presentation of "both sides" when one side is about the book contents and one is about perceived social grievances undermines a fair and thorough review of the authors' diverse work and designs. I hope that you can find another outlet, video, or social media format to do a deeper editorial dive on future D&D and WOTC controversies or rumors, but leave that out of your reviews unless it directly affects the content of the material on the table. Repeating surface-level knee-jerk complaints at the start of the video soured my perception of your valid critiques at first, but your insight is valuable in this field and I wanted to return to it. I'm rooting for you and best of luck!
I have not seen or heard much around this book as of recently so a review is nice. I do intend to pick it up because one shots and the city don't interest me but I might eventually. I will so Wizard's marketing did not help this book whatsoever. Whether a virtue signal, apology, or any other reason for its creation advertising as such they did gives me no excitement. I want to hear about the stories and the things included, not really interested in the authors. Furthermore advertising as such just gives them an out to blame if the book does not do well not regarding the work itself. Overall though I hope that those who get the book enjoy it and that the writers can be proud of the work that they published.
@@theophrastusbombastus1359 I didn’t know this was for GMs only. I thought this book, and thereby this video, was about a campaign setting like the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book.
Got this book a few months, and have read through it entirely. It was… disappointing, to say the least. While I think that’s it good that WOTC is trying to move away from DnD’s traditional medieval Europe/ Scandinavian style of setting, I found the locations described within the book to be lackluster, and the adventures to be bland and boring. Personally, I think that WOTC should stop trying to introduce new settings and instead focus on developing their existing ones. Quality over quantity.
I’m on the not buying it side. As WOTC as gone more woke the products have suffered from overall mediocrity. The thought and effort goes into woke check boxes. Also I don’t want politics in my game, I buy these products for escapism. If you are going to promote one part of the culture war you are going to lose the other half and a good portion of people in neither camp. I think right now the company is in good shape but they risk falling like the comic book industry or the Star Wars Franchise.
Bad timing on this one for me. Looks interesting but money is tight and I'm saving for Spelljammer.
we need those space galleons haha!
I'm also saving for spacejammer. To the Moon
I think this should have been a sourcebook, similar to the Guide to Ravenloft. The Radiant Citadel sounds like a really fun place to center plane-hopping adventures around. It sounds like the adventures are the weak link in this chain. I don't mind linear adventures, but not exclusively. Old-school D&D adventures used to combine linear and sandbox areas very well.
for sure!
thank you for the review, Trevor.
I think if they have put those 30 extra pages (probably 60) from Journey beyond the RD (dmguild) in the book, that adds a bit more of background/lore to the locations would have been better for many DMs, specially those starting or don't have much time to prep.
i still don't have it, and if I buy it would be for the adventures/ideas, that seem easy to adapt to others adventures/campaigns.
And also for the new ideas of cultures
For sure! A little bit more could go a long way!
I like the idea of a book filled with adventures you can plop anywhere. I'd like to see a book similar but in already existing locations like the sword coast and chult. I imagine with all the unused Map locations in chult they could easily make a book filled with 20 extra adventures you could put in chult. Either to expand exploration in tomb of annihilation or add on to the campaign after players complete the ToA main quest. Same with the sword coast. They need to fill in the unexplored areas they've had mapped out for years. Books filled with pop in adventures could do that.
For sure!
You talked about things here that I had not seen in other reviews. Good insights, Good job!
thank you!
No chance that JTtRC is more controversial than Strixhaven. People are venomous against that book.
i have personally seen more hate toward this book, but maybe thats just my personal view!
For sure.
The 3 pillars ranking is super helpful. My RP focused group always enjoys a good Scooby Doo mystery so it sounds like a good one for me to pick up. I wonder if this one could be paired with Spelljammer or if the settings are too disparate?
It for sure could!
Yes thank you for the pillar rankings
The disparate settings make it perfect for spell jammer
Kirk never went to the same type of world twice in a month
I'm definitely planning on using the Radiant Citadel as a hub world to go back to and launching point for a Spelljammer campaign!
The gazettes are great campaign seeds. Parts of the first chapter are fun to read.
As to people who are upset. I can understand. A good example of bad marketing is Waterdeep Heist. No heist no gold and the pcs are the detectives. So some people are going to be cautious. When you are not mentioning the stories, plots, arts but just the authors.
I have worked with various magazines/art projects who have issued various specific calls. Ex Alabama authors only, only active students can submit art etc. Some of these has worked out and some have turn into standard McDonald’s fare.
The first three adventures will make good modules for Adventure League but it looks again the book is not giving out much gold. More after the AL adaption Guide drops.
for sure, these will be great for AL adventures!
Linear adventures... my favourite one is Tomb of Annihilation... let's say that I'll wait for a future sale to get it, surely not something that I'll instant buy. Although Candlekeep Mysteries was pretty good for oneshots, I enjoy the feeling of an overarching plot, the Radiant City doesn't speak to me.
About the controversy: I'm European, so maybe that "signaling" wasn't pushed so much over here, but I'm sorry that once again a book suffers/has success not for how it's written but depending by who it was written. That's generally terrible and in DnD, which is such a welcoming environment, particularly so.
ToA is my most favorite 5e module!
Old Dungeon stuff is better for me to use. Thank you for your work.
Thank you!
I'm running a buffet table-esque oneshot campaign for two groups right now based initially on Candlekeep Mysteries. Before each level they can vote for the adventures they want to go to. So honestly, I'm really excited to add these adventures to the roster. I don't mind the linear format and I really dig the diverse cultural influences represented here.
heck yeah!
Sweet, I have been waiting for this review. Love your content, keep it up
Thank you so much!
Nice to see a review based on the actual content of the book that responds to the all controversy but does not make that a reason to buy or not buy the book. I saw a review on Amazon that made a pitch to buy the book and "make a racist upset". I for one don't really have the $$ to buy a book just to make a political statement. But, will buy it if the content is good. If the content is more inclusive that's a plus, but I still have to work it into a campaign...
I got VGTR to supplement my COS campaign. That book is perhaps too sand boxy, but does have some great additional monster stat blocks and character sub-classes. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said WOC is getting complacent.
In VGTR we could have used stat blocks for the dark lords and had more fleshed out domains. All of which would require a huge amount of work on my part to create as a GM.
It sounds like JTTRC wuld have benefited from some sort of unifying thread that ran through everything with adventures that could work both as a sandbox and linear adventure. WOC still needs to edit their products and play test them, but is producing content that IMHO is half baked. For god's sake, as a GM, I need as much material as I can to run the adventure. I'm not a big fan of having just a collection of one shots, so I probably will pass on this one.
Thanks for this excellent review!
Thank you so much!
Great breakdown as always! Love the longer hair btw.
Thank you so much!
Ahhh POC = People Of Color, took like 5 minutes for me to figure that one out, lol
haha probably should have said it
Just waiting to kill my virus so I can get to my hobby store and buy the book. Its interesting you described the adventures as less diverse than candlekeep because they're all linear where other reviews have described them as more diverse because they aren't all mysteries. Of course both these things can be true. Thanks for an interesting review.
Thank you!
Thank you for the review! Love the fist few minutes!
haha thank you!
Good review.
Im definitely not gonna run this campaign, let alone buy the book. Such a shame because the art and ideas are so good.
The art is fantastic!
Thanks for the review!
Thanks for listening!
Hi NFA!
I appreciate your review and your adventure-by-adventure advice on Candlekeep Mysteries helped me efficiently prep a successful run through of that book for three (3!) different parties.
Your honest review of this book in that context is really helpful. I'm very likely to run it as a loose campaign like that again soon, so I'll know to be mindful of letting each adventure carry the players away on a "roller coaster".
Unfortunately, I'm disappointed that you gave so much air to the bad-faith controversy crowd that you agree wouldn't be interested in the contents of the book no matter what. Your presentation of "both sides" when one side is about the book contents and one is about perceived social grievances undermines a fair and thorough review of the authors' diverse work and designs.
I hope that you can find another outlet, video, or social media format to do a deeper editorial dive on future D&D and WOTC controversies or rumors, but leave that out of your reviews unless it directly affects the content of the material on the table. Repeating surface-level knee-jerk complaints at the start of the video soured my perception of your valid critiques at first, but your insight is valuable in this field and I wanted to return to it.
I'm rooting for you and best of luck!
Thank you so much!
Feels like it’s for introducing friends to the game
for sure it is great at that!
An excellent review.
I am looking forward to getting my copy soon.
Cheers
P.S. Looking sharp mate
Haha thank you!
This is the 3rd or 4th review I’ve watched. I still haven’t heard enough for me to buy the book.
I’m waiting for spelljammer and or Dragonlance
Can't wait for spell jamming!
Had to Google PoC.
Haha I maybe should have said it
I have not seen or heard much around this book as of recently so a review is nice. I do intend to pick it up because one shots and the city don't interest me but I might eventually. I will so Wizard's marketing did not help this book whatsoever. Whether a virtue signal, apology, or any other reason for its creation advertising as such they did gives me no excitement. I want to hear about the stories and the things included, not really interested in the authors. Furthermore advertising as such just gives them an out to blame if the book does not do well not regarding the work itself.
Overall though I hope that those who get the book enjoy it and that the writers can be proud of the work that they published.
Heck yeah!
This looks interesting but I’m still not sure if I want to get it or not
its a tough sell for some!
You gave a spoiler away about who the villains are generally at around 9 minutes in the video.
haha I wouldnt say calling the adventures "Scooby Doo" style is much of a spoiler!
@@NoFunAllowed As a player in a group running this campaign, I felt this kind of ruined the surprise element for me.
@@nathanialisaacson1843 Why are you looking up videos of these adventures if you're a player.
Kinda your own fault there buddy, sorry
@@theophrastusbombastus1359 I didn’t know this was for GMs only. I thought this book, and thereby this video, was about a campaign setting like the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book.
akso how many use a festival hook?
Looking good No Fun :)
thank you!
Love your content im here for it. If you ever need spare dms holla
haha will do!
Got this book a few months, and have read through it entirely. It was… disappointing, to say the least. While I think that’s it good that WOTC is trying to move away from DnD’s traditional medieval Europe/ Scandinavian style of setting, I found the locations described within the book to be lackluster, and the adventures to be bland and boring. Personally, I think that WOTC should stop trying to introduce new settings and instead focus on developing their existing ones. Quality over quantity.
It's a shame really
No baldness allowed? whats is going on here
haha i may have a bad hair line, but my hair has never been stronger!
Sorry, cant buy this book. Im saving my money for gas.
no amount of saving can afford gas these days haha
I’m on the not buying it side. As WOTC as gone more woke the products have suffered from overall mediocrity. The thought and effort goes into woke check boxes. Also I don’t want politics in my game, I buy these products for escapism. If you are going to promote one part of the culture war you are going to lose the other half and a good portion of people in neither camp. I think right now the company is in good shape but they risk falling like the comic book industry or the Star Wars Franchise.
If you have kings in your game you have politics in your game. Your arguments are milktoast and weak.
you sound very disilusioned