If the world was right, this guys channel would be huge. He has good delivery and obvious hands on knowledge on modules nearly lost time to time. I just found this guy today and it is a travesty.
I played this in 1979 as a little kid with my much older brother and his friends. A large group, good players, powerful characters, and STILL it was friggin' impossible. Just way too hard. My halfling fighter/thief couldn't contribute much but hide in the back, plink away with arrows, hope to maybe hit something 1 out of every 3 rounds, and try to not get killed. The "feel" of playing D&D in the 1978-1981 era can never be replicated today. Not just nostalgia, there was something genuine about it.
I hear ya, Ricardo. I fully cut my teeth on D&D Basic after playing Hidden Shrine of Tomoachan, and have played RPGs ever since. Nothing can beat the feel of playing RPGs in those days: weekends in college, good players, long sessions, etc. Luckily, I've passed it on to my wife & kids (mostly my son). Plus, I play 5e at work (yes, you read that right!). I gotta say, 5e is the closest to playing D&D in the late 70s-early 80s. They really streamlined the game. Plus, you can easily convert previous edition modules to play in 5e.
One thing that GDQ1-7 added was a set of framing adventures that ranged from a greater threat to Geoff (an expanding bubble surrounding the capital, adding a new level of threat and urgency) and side quests. When I was running G1-3, i was using both the G1-3 version and the GDQ1-7 version as side by side resources - while adding 4 HD to every giant to reflect I was running a 2E campaign (which is pretty much the only difference between 1E & 2E giants). The GDQ supermodule also gives greater detail to the loot, encounters, etc. (even giving that captured thief a name, IIRC), while keeping the actual loot statistically identical between the two versions. So, I could run from G1-3, but if someone wanted a breakdown of the loot (especially gem types and art object in rooms), it could be found in the supermodule. We started in 2017, and was mid-way through the 3rd level of G3 when the COVID pandemic hit (in fact, we'd been playing G3 for over a year by that point, as we'd had a 6 month hiatus due to other issues in 2019, and it had taken 4 months of weekly sessions just to clear level 1 of G3, because the party kept getting pushed back, and the Drow would bring in reinforcements for the giants to replace some of the casualties). That's not counting certain attacks backfiring on the party (on the 3rd or 4th attempt to enter, the drow had the giants use barrels from the storerooms to create a maze in the entrance corridor, then made the barrels invisible. The party, not knowing this, decided to try to soften up the defenses by firing a lightning bolt down the hall, suspecting invisible or hidden defenses - but the barrels were filled with cooking oil, lamp oil, etc. and the bolt obliterated the barrels, vaporized the oil, then igniting the vapors - a minor inconvenience for the giants (they lost a couple troll guards), but the backblast nearly did a TPK to the adventurers (the make who launched the bolt was not only well-charred, but had one of the entrance doors fail its save, and it fell off its hinges and crushed him, finishing him despite only being unconscious from the massive fire (thanks to a ring of fire resistance). I just WISH I'd actually planned that - but the barrels were what was listed as available, and I wasn't expecting the party using anything potentially explosive, given the giants' fire immunity.
Same here. Damn this brings back memories. I played dnd during late 70s and 80s. I have most of everything left somewhere in the house. Would love to play again but don’t know if I have the time…
I remember playing G2 and G3 (I was unable to play for G1 when my party was playing it). So many little things that were done that were memorable in those games (using an instant fortress to kill a dragon, my character gaining his "titles" of "The Asp Slayer and Dragon's Bane")
Dungeons and Dragons Online has adapted many of the older modules to it's game, The Temple of Elemental Evil, White Plume Mountain and much of the Ravenloft setting. However, they have not done the G1-G3 modules, although they have brought Lolth in through an original adventure so that's good. Anyone who likes new D&D along with old school D&D should give DDO a try, I have been playing it for 9 years and I highly recommend it.
This was the first module I ever ran as a 14 year old DM....I was in way over my head, but man did we have fun! GIANTS!!! How could anyone pass that up?
Great review, really glad I came across this channel. You overlooked the fact that most modules can be had as PDF on drivethrurpg for a pittance. I alternate between running BECMI, B/X and 1e with Pathfinder and 5e, so these reviews offer great insight!
I did? Hmmm... I sort of have a rule. If its available in print, for less than $20, I'll show it on ebay/ amazon. If its a LOT more than that, then I'll go to Drivethru rpg. If you watch some of my other reviews, where print is difficult to come by or cost prohibitive, I recommend the PDF. Glad you enjoyed the review! Welcome!
I'm extremely glad that 5e decided to adapt Against the Giants to the latest edition in the "Tales from the Yawning Portal" module, introducing this story to a whole new generation!
I tried running this module in 5e via Tales of the Yawning Portal. The party went right up the gut on the first part of the module to fight all the giants sitting around during a meeting. Funny in hindsight, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed.
I am currently running my group through the 5e adventure "Out of the Abyss" and it is my intention to pull the same group, but with different PCs through 'Against the Giants' afterwards. In turn, it is my intention to tie together the two stories, with the Drow-Elves as the root of issues within the realms, and culminate the two storylines in a full-blown invasion on the Demonweb Pits and the Spider-Queen Lolth.
First time I heard a module being played it was my younger brother and his buddies playing this one and Ghost Tower of Inverness . I had just finished Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit and I was hooked. I finally got to DM this module and hugely enjoyed it. The party was busy collecting explosives (javelins of lightning et al) to blow things up and NPCs to soak up damage I think we burnt out, so to speak, on the Fire Giants. Too Many Monsters. And too much treasure to pack out. Tons of Fun.
Really awesome that you made this one man. I do hope maybe they do this as a module for 5th edition to continue to epic relaunches and remakes for classic material.
Again, this is over year later, but...."Geoff" isn't pronounced gee-off. It's pronounced jeff. It's an alternate spelling for the name Jeff, old French and English. Other than that, great review and I'm glad I subscribed to this channel (makes me want to go to ebay and buy up everything old school I used to own).
the frost giants are given a nordic twist so their leader's title is pronounced "Yarl" I remember having a lot of trouble stopping laughing when i first read the description of the fire giant queen.
The original module had NO pre-generated characters! Looking at the plethora of goodies, magic items made available made my original group look like a joke!" . Excellent items for a group of starting (~8th level) characters. Well chosen!
Just went through this, playing 1st edition, and only made it to the second part(G2). We had a party kill and that ended it. We had played the characters for around 2 years, and most of the characters in the group were around 9th level. It sucks going back to first level, but that's how it is.
This module was created for a tournament at a convention. Translation: You were handed pre-rolled characters, that you are not attached to emotionally, and you will likely have a tpk, but that does not matter because the DM can still give the group a score. These sort of modules are simply not suited for usual campaigns, where players want to see their characters gain in power and survive, most of the time. Even non-tournament derived modules from this era of D&D tended to lean towards the 'rocks-fall-everyone-dies' side. Gygax was at heart a wargamer, he didn't get attached to his mass troops, so why should you get upset when your PC dies? Roll up another! The immersion of creating a back story, then roleplaying that PC, et cetera was never something that appealed to him. These adventures can be fun, but use characters rolled up especially for them, not treasured PCs that you have spent years playing.
Given the resources of 8th1-1th level characters, the Giants should be dead meat. If your group dies in this adventure, you need to sharpen your pre-planning skills. At minimum, half the party should be invisible, with a Cleric 'Silence 15' radius' muffling most sound for thieves and stealthy attackers. The giants in the Hall should generally be surprised, even with the Cave bears present. The first segment is surprise, and every spell attacker should open up with Lightning Bolt, Cone of Cold AND Slow. Next round/ segments will result in automatic initiative wins. 2nd round, cone of Cold, and massive blasts [don't use fireball, since the place is flammable]. Ranger moves in on the lead Hill Giant, hasted AND with 19 strength - and slices the leader to ribbons. (6 attacks) Thief back stabs again, on secondary targets, and the rest should be dead, or near dead by round 3.
@@Cyberpuppy63 There is a campaign journal wrote up about it at Dragonsfoot. It's called Elisud's Adventures if your into that sort of thing. If you already know about the adventure, then it is easy to plan things. Also this was G2 not G1. I had not personally ran or played in it before we started. We did not have multiple magic users in the party. I may be mistaken, but I don't think cone of cold is doing anything in G2. The Magic User did not have Cone of Cold or Slow I don't think.
By far, my favourite campaign games. When I first played it, that Drow encounter was mind blowing. 'What? The Drow are supposed to be extinct...!' Insert music here... Thanks for bringing the memories back, I will always cherish this version of the game. Thanjs.
This was my first AD&D module, my first TTRPG. My Dual wielding fighter got attacked by bears three times just in the hill giants compound the RP result of that is that he for the rest of the campaign had a hatred/fear of bears
I know this is an old review but the say that G1-3 is a hack n slash adventure is not exactly what I get from reading it. Just considering G1 the ammount of times Gygax goes out of his way to talk about alarms, fights that would not be heard, creatures that you could ally (Orcs) and much more. This module is a silent and smart raid upon the giants and there are several instances were you could put one or more monsters against each other. Theres considerable opening to roleplay as the lead into D series brings up a serious faction play.
Does this fit well added on to the end of Storm Kings Thunder? I am thinking about buying Tales from the Yawning Portal, and using the 5e revamp of this story to add more to SKT. Of course I will have to put it in Forgotten Realms rather then Greyhawk, but that is a minor change.
aww ok SKT ends about lvl 11. Being Against the Giants starts at lvl 11, and has a common theme was going to see if it works. oh well. Someone has converted the D mods into 5e on DMsguild so was going to lead my players through the whole story line after SKT. Maybe I can have them somehow transported to Greyhawk after they save FR, and have to deal with the giants of this new land.
7:24 the size of the mouth of the cave viz(s) a vis(z) the occupancy of the large dragons is not a problem unless you are treating the dragons as floorsapce. Otherwise just say: harrowing arctic blasts of flesh stripping, marrow freezing, draconic storm howls out of(into) the cave mouth, please save verses breath weapon.................... have not read any other comments, so may be repetitious.
@@captcorajus Truly a shame. That casts a pall on some otherwise thoughtful and ahead-of-its-time works. I feel bad for the writers that created those old works. They shouldn't be besmirched by one man's knuckleheadedness.
Maybe a mated pair of Rhemoraz instead of white dragons? Aside from "how do they fit?", I find it hard to digest dragons and giants in the same dungeon simply due to the current lore surrounding them in 5e
I really don't know how to answer this. Yes, it was challenging, but I don't think it was all that crazy. I have always found that challenge part of the appeal of 'old school'.. resource management was a part of the game. There were no 'insight' rolls.... you just had to 'guess' based on how the DM played the NPCs. Also RUNNING AWAY was a viable tactic. You also had HIRELINGS.. lol. Someone to carry your torch, and treasure, and draw attacks and fire from the monsters too. :D
Yeah, I'm thinking about stating an AD&D campaing, and judging by my friends playstyle I just know they're going to die a lot, lol! Hopefully with time they might learn the right mindset for oldschool gaming.
They didn't. They had pre-rolled high level characters handed to them at the tournament. I agree with you that in AD&D it was very hard, and slow, to advance to high levels. My guess is that Gygax, Arneson and the rest used lots of disposable hirelings to up their chances, gave out a fuck ton of XP/treasure, and just had more time to play than the rest of us did.
@@Norvik_-ug3ge not really. Most of my players are able to get the 10th level at least. The key is to remember that you get more XP from gold than from killing monsters. It was a game that required thinking and tactics. But most adventures were done within 4 hours.
At the 33 mark, has the cover art. The middle giant has knocked down some knight (in blue shirt). Why is that knight not wearing any pants or underwear? He had time to put on a chain mail shirt and boots…
+Reagan L Smith Not really. Temple of the Frog might be worth looking at from an historical context in the future. Palace of the Vampire Queen is near impossible to get a hold of, even in PDF form, so reviewing it doesn't seem possible at this time.
Cap cool review. but in looking back now on this epic adventure. i think he placed way to many monsters into the levels. I would have made the dungeons more open and carefully placed the liar with a band of giants and not mixed into it any other non monsters.
Hello Capt! I'm producing an audio book novel called The Giant Killers - obvious correlation with the G series in D&D, though it is 100% original writing I've added music, sfx and did all the voices. It seems to be very well received. Curious what you think. My premier of Chapter 7 (Hill giant steading) premiers tonight! Best.
I've heard legends of the old-school dungeon crawls with monsters that couldn't possibly fit into the rooms they inhabit. Of course, I played in the good old days and never encountered such a thing. I thought that was just some made up trite. I saw your review, thought we had a legit example of that, but, no. The white dragon can, in fact, fit down the passage you say it can't. This remains an urban legend.
Great review! Really love this series all the way to the drow city! I'm on my 3rd group (new game group) of players going through this series as i'd done so much work on the city i wanted to reuse it as many times as possible. We are currently in the final stages of the Frost Giants lair... and it might be a party kill next session unless they get the rolls! Yes, there is no way the dragon can fit out the tunnel exit so I turned the 'sinkhole' in the room to a large shaft that comes out on the bottom of the rift. Thanks again for the great work you're doing here!
If you check out the description for the upper area (30 I believe) it describes a 12' wide, 100' deep sinkhole that gives access to lower level Area 2 (white dragons). Just my two cents...
the only thing down there should have been the giants. and there liar and more intrugue and mystery. i do like the use of travel portals. it adds mystery and i would have added more than one travel portal. and use the other portals as my own adventure added into the mix.
Skip "randomly" assigning magic items (for starting characters). It's a serious waste of time. Use the pre-generated items (assigned, in the reprints), with some give-take. Having Dust of dis-appearence, plus a couple potions of Haste [for a Ranger], and that Wand of Ice Storms is a real Giant destroyer! Cast mass invisibility [characters], and make sure ALL the giants get blasted out of existence!
@@Cyberpuppy63 too late it beacame the best campain i have ever run. And i give the magic items... Said items became characters ... I a long story. I am now runing a new campain full made by me
11:08 Totally agree and thank ye great gods that it was so! Surely the great thing about these modules was that there was no hint, stink or out right stench (yes I am looking at you stinky Dragonlance) of roll play content - that surely is for the players not the proprietors to deliver. Modules, in my estimation, should be as like the set in a theatre or a film and not the damn script.
Great modules but the drow are the ultimate cheater monster. Everyone and their mother has +3 or better weapons, armor, shields, and rings but all that stuff is useless to PCs. Cheaters, I tell ya! CHEATERS!!!
The Drow one-handed crossbows are ridiculous. A 12-inch bow with a 6-inch draw releasing a pencil-thin shaft would have zero penetrative power against anything more than flesh and clothes, and should have huge penalties to hit against armour, starting at something like -4 against leather, -8 against chainmail, and -12 against plate armour. Basically, if the bolt doesn't hit between the armour, it's bouncing off. And all that non-magical magical gear they have that dissolves in sunlight is just bollocks, and a real disincentive for players. If a Drow shoots me with a poisoned dart, casts a darkness spell, sneaks up behind me in a cloak and boots of elvenkind, hits me with a +5 mace in one hand and a +3 dagger in the other, all while wearing +3 elven chainmail, and I somehow manage to survive this and kill her, I'm taking that gear for keeps.
Oh you can definitely keep it! Till it stays in the sunlight and dissolves though. Based Gygax thinking up ways to punish munchkins ever since way back.
I was so disappointed by these. They're just three total grinds that are nearly interchangeable in every way except the level and color palette--brown, blue, red.
@@ianw.5047 the 5E concept of the ordning, which didn't exist in 1E, really messes with these modules. for instance, you'd never find the cloud giant 'ambassador' in the Steading. the lowliest of cloud giants is so far above even the mightiest of hill giants in the ordning that you'd never find one sullying their reputation by consorting with mere hill giants. likewise, you'd never find stone giants in the Steading either. of course, you throw all that silliness out and the modules are fine.
nice review. But I got really annoyed with the way you keep saying Ge-off. "Geoff" is just the original spelling of the name "Jeff" and should be pronounced the same.
If the world was right, this guys channel would be huge. He has good delivery and obvious hands on knowledge on modules nearly lost time to time. I just found this guy today and it is a travesty.
3 years on, still under 100k subs... any DND fan should love this channel!!
My first intro to AD&D in the early 80s, and I have to agree the D series was also a favourite of mine.
G1 was my first module. My imagination woke up reading that module, imagining everything.
I played this in 1979 as a little kid with my much older brother and his friends. A large group, good players, powerful characters, and STILL it was friggin' impossible. Just way too hard. My halfling fighter/thief couldn't contribute much but hide in the back, plink away with arrows, hope to maybe hit something 1 out of every 3 rounds, and try to not get killed. The "feel" of playing D&D in the 1978-1981 era can never be replicated today. Not just nostalgia, there was something genuine about it.
I hear ya, Ricardo. I fully cut my teeth on D&D Basic after playing Hidden Shrine of Tomoachan, and have played RPGs ever since. Nothing can beat the feel of playing RPGs in those days: weekends in college, good players, long sessions, etc. Luckily, I've passed it on to my wife & kids (mostly my son). Plus, I play 5e at work (yes, you read that right!). I gotta say, 5e is the closest to playing D&D in the late 70s-early 80s. They really streamlined the game. Plus, you can easily convert previous edition modules to play in 5e.
One thing that GDQ1-7 added was a set of framing adventures that ranged from a greater threat to Geoff (an expanding bubble surrounding the capital, adding a new level of threat and urgency) and side quests. When I was running G1-3, i was using both the G1-3 version and the GDQ1-7 version as side by side resources - while adding 4 HD to every giant to reflect I was running a 2E campaign (which is pretty much the only difference between 1E & 2E giants). The GDQ supermodule also gives greater detail to the loot, encounters, etc. (even giving that captured thief a name, IIRC), while keeping the actual loot statistically identical between the two versions. So, I could run from G1-3, but if someone wanted a breakdown of the loot (especially gem types and art object in rooms), it could be found in the supermodule.
We started in 2017, and was mid-way through the 3rd level of G3 when the COVID pandemic hit (in fact, we'd been playing G3 for over a year by that point, as we'd had a 6 month hiatus due to other issues in 2019, and it had taken 4 months of weekly sessions just to clear level 1 of G3, because the party kept getting pushed back, and the Drow would bring in reinforcements for the giants to replace some of the casualties). That's not counting certain attacks backfiring on the party (on the 3rd or 4th attempt to enter, the drow had the giants use barrels from the storerooms to create a maze in the entrance corridor, then made the barrels invisible. The party, not knowing this, decided to try to soften up the defenses by firing a lightning bolt down the hall, suspecting invisible or hidden defenses - but the barrels were filled with cooking oil, lamp oil, etc. and the bolt obliterated the barrels, vaporized the oil, then igniting the vapors - a minor inconvenience for the giants (they lost a couple troll guards), but the backblast nearly did a TPK to the adventurers (the make who launched the bolt was not only well-charred, but had one of the entrance doors fail its save, and it fell off its hinges and crushed him, finishing him despite only being unconscious from the massive fire (thanks to a ring of fire resistance). I just WISH I'd actually planned that - but the barrels were what was listed as available, and I wasn't expecting the party using anything potentially explosive, given the giants' fire immunity.
The greatest hack n slash adventures of all time.
I'm going through and casually watching your reviews of all the classic D&D that I played years ago. Takes me back! Thanks!!!
Same here. Damn this brings back memories. I played dnd during late 70s and 80s. I have most of everything left somewhere in the house. Would love to play again but don’t know if I have the time…
"Let me tell you of the days of HIGH ADVENTURE!"
YES!
Crom laughs at your Four Winds.
With that, Croms Anvil plays in my head...
@@diaz5292 my God is the ever lasting sky, your God is beneath him!
@@johnharvath2522 Can we go over der, where the other do not see?...lol
I remember playing G2 and G3 (I was unable to play for G1 when my party was playing it). So many little things that were done that were memorable in those games (using an instant fortress to kill a dragon, my character gaining his "titles" of "The Asp Slayer and Dragon's Bane")
Dungeons and Dragons Online has adapted many of the older modules to it's game, The Temple of Elemental Evil, White Plume Mountain and much of the Ravenloft setting. However, they have not done the G1-G3 modules, although they have brought Lolth in through an original adventure so that's good.
Anyone who likes new D&D along with old school D&D should give DDO a try, I have been playing it for 9 years and I highly recommend it.
Black Isle's Icewind Dale's later levels are essentially an homage to the G123 and parts of the D series.
This was the first module I ever ran as a 14 year old DM....I was in way over my head, but man did we have fun! GIANTS!!! How could anyone pass that up?
There,s so much passion in the old stuff I love it
Great review, really glad I came across this channel. You overlooked the fact that most modules can be had as PDF on drivethrurpg for a pittance. I alternate between running BECMI, B/X and 1e with Pathfinder and 5e, so these reviews offer great insight!
I did? Hmmm... I sort of have a rule. If its available in print, for less than $20, I'll show it on ebay/ amazon. If its a LOT more than that, then I'll go to Drivethru rpg. If you watch some of my other reviews, where print is difficult to come by or cost prohibitive, I recommend the PDF.
Glad you enjoyed the review! Welcome!
I'm extremely glad that 5e decided to adapt Against the Giants to the latest edition in the "Tales from the Yawning Portal" module, introducing this story to a whole new generation!
I tried running this module in 5e via Tales of the Yawning Portal. The party went right up the gut on the first part of the module to fight all the giants sitting around during a meeting.
Funny in hindsight, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed.
i'm curious about why yo were disappointed? did their actions differ from the preconceived story in your head?
@@420troll4 Because 5e combat is boring and that's all that was done.
I am currently running my group through the 5e adventure "Out of the Abyss"
and it is my intention to pull the same group, but with different PCs through 'Against the Giants' afterwards.
In turn, it is my intention to tie together the two stories, with the Drow-Elves as the root of issues within the realms,
and culminate the two storylines in a full-blown invasion on the Demonweb Pits and the Spider-Queen Lolth.
First time I heard a module being played it was my younger brother and his buddies playing this one and Ghost Tower of Inverness . I had just finished Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit and I was hooked.
I finally got to DM this module and hugely enjoyed it. The party was busy collecting explosives (javelins of lightning et al) to blow things up and NPCs to soak up damage I think we burnt out, so to speak, on the Fire Giants. Too Many Monsters. And too much treasure to pack out. Tons of Fun.
Really awesome that you made this one man. I do hope maybe they do this as a module for 5th edition to continue to epic relaunches and remakes for classic material.
your wish has been granted
Great video. Brings back the heady days of the early eighties for me. Good times.
Always enjoy your reviews. The more oldskool modules you feel like reviewing the better!
My group is currently about half way through AtG. WE LOVE IT. one of the most fun campaigns we have ever experienced!
Love your channel. I’m going to incorporate some old school goodness into my campaign. I played these as a kid and you bring back great memories.
Again, this is over year later, but...."Geoff" isn't pronounced gee-off. It's pronounced jeff. It's an alternate spelling for the name Jeff, old French and English. Other than that, great review and I'm glad I subscribed to this channel (makes me want to go to ebay and buy up everything old school I used to own).
Great! Glad to have you. I can pretty much assure you that on these older videos my mispronunciations have already been pointed out! lol.
Sounds better as Gee-off
What’s funny is in Ultima IV, there was a fighter in your party named Geoffrey and to this day, it feels most natural to me, pronounced as Gee offrey.
D1 and D2 were between these modules and the Q1 - which was insane...
the frost giants are given a nordic twist so their leader's title is pronounced "Yarl" I remember having a lot of trouble stopping laughing when i first read the description of the fire giant queen.
yes, I know. I mispronounced it once. lol
So Glad Christian Slater is into Old school D&D
A great review as always, thanks Captain!
The original module had NO pre-generated characters! Looking at the plethora of goodies, magic items made available made my original group look like a joke!" . Excellent items for a group of starting (~8th level) characters. Well chosen!
Just went through this, playing 1st edition, and only made it to the second part(G2). We had a party kill and that ended it. We had played the characters for around 2 years, and most of the characters in the group were around 9th level. It sucks going back to first level, but that's how it is.
This module was created for a tournament at a convention. Translation: You were handed pre-rolled characters, that you are not attached to emotionally, and you will likely have a tpk, but that does not matter because the DM can still give the group a score. These sort of modules are simply not suited for usual campaigns, where players want to see their characters gain in power and survive, most of the time. Even non-tournament derived modules from this era of D&D tended to lean towards the 'rocks-fall-everyone-dies' side. Gygax was at heart a wargamer, he didn't get attached to his mass troops, so why should you get upset when your PC dies? Roll up another! The immersion of creating a back story, then roleplaying that PC, et cetera was never something that appealed to him. These adventures can be fun, but use characters rolled up especially for them, not treasured PCs that you have spent years playing.
Given the resources of 8th1-1th level characters, the Giants should be dead meat. If your group dies in this adventure, you need to sharpen your pre-planning skills. At minimum, half the party should be invisible, with a Cleric 'Silence 15' radius' muffling most sound for thieves and stealthy attackers. The giants in the Hall should generally be surprised, even with the Cave bears present. The first segment is surprise, and every spell attacker should open up with Lightning Bolt, Cone of Cold AND Slow. Next round/ segments will result in automatic initiative wins. 2nd round, cone of Cold, and massive blasts [don't use fireball, since the place is flammable]. Ranger moves in on the lead Hill Giant, hasted AND with 19 strength - and slices the leader to ribbons. (6 attacks) Thief back stabs again, on secondary targets, and the rest should be dead, or near dead by round 3.
@@Cyberpuppy63 There is a campaign journal wrote up about it at Dragonsfoot. It's called Elisud's Adventures if your into that sort of thing. If you already know about the adventure, then it is easy to plan things. Also this was G2 not G1. I had not personally ran or played in it before we started. We did not have multiple magic users in the party. I may be mistaken, but I don't think cone of cold is doing anything in G2. The Magic User did not have Cone of Cold or Slow I don't think.
3:06 now thats an awesome cover
HELL YES.. looking forward to the D reviews
By far, my favourite campaign games. When I first played it, that Drow encounter was mind blowing. 'What? The Drow are supposed to be extinct...!' Insert music here...
Thanks for bringing the memories back, I will always cherish this version of the game.
Thanjs.
You work fast! Good review. I look forward to Descent :)
Can't wait to watch this once I get off of work! Keep it up, and try doing a world of darkness review.
Subbed and i love the depth of your vids. sorry about the nitpick. im looking forward to upcoming posts!
+kyle anderson lol... believe me, I don't mind. It all just makes me better for the next vid!!
Huh, all these years and I didn't know that about the name of the Drow city ^_^
ah all the old modules i use to play. miss them all!
This was my first AD&D module, my first TTRPG. My Dual wielding fighter got attacked by bears three times just in the hill giants compound the RP result of that is that he for the rest of the campaign had a hatred/fear of bears
Loving all those reviews
Thank you!!
Job well done man!
Just sent my dad POD these and the Rules Cyclopedia
I know how the dragons came in. They are either born there and teleport in out or the shapechange and walk out
It just struck me the cover of G1-3 by Jim Roslof featured a fighter wearing a skimpy pair of red speedos.
lol
@@captcorajus ooops, it’s actually Bill Willingham. His art usually have a level of eroticism.
I know this is an old review but the say that G1-3 is a hack n slash adventure is not exactly what I get from reading it. Just considering G1 the ammount of times Gygax goes out of his way to talk about alarms, fights that would not be heard, creatures that you could ally (Orcs) and much more. This module is a silent and smart raid upon the giants and there are several instances were you could put one or more monsters against each other. Theres considerable opening to roleplay as the lead into D series brings up a serious faction play.
My first dungeons (module) (the original releases)
I think this is the module is the one we are playing now
Does this fit well added on to the end of Storm Kings Thunder? I am thinking about buying Tales from the Yawning Portal, and using the 5e revamp of this story to add more to SKT. Of course I will have to put it in Forgotten Realms rather then Greyhawk, but that is a minor change.
Not really. It would be an either/ or proposition. I should have my TOTYP video out Monday.
aww ok SKT ends about lvl 11. Being Against the Giants starts at lvl 11, and has a common theme was going to see if it works. oh well. Someone has converted the D mods into 5e on DMsguild so was going to lead my players through the whole story line after SKT. Maybe I can have them somehow transported to Greyhawk after they save FR, and have to deal with the giants of this new land.
Again, well done my liege.
Enjoyed this and the rest of the series. Any plans for temple of Elemental or A series?
I think I'm obligated right? :D
Well, for the historical record...
The infamous 'Wand of Viscous Globs'! Yikes!
7:24 the size of the mouth of the cave viz(s) a vis(z) the occupancy of the large dragons is not a problem unless you are treating the dragons as floorsapce. Otherwise just say: harrowing arctic blasts of flesh stripping, marrow freezing, draconic storm howls out of(into) the cave mouth, please save verses breath weapon.................... have not read any other comments, so may be repetitious.
Great video. Will you do White Plume Mountain soon?
+John A Jonsson Thanks! Soon? No. D3, Q1, 5E Full review and masks of nyarlathotep are next, but.. eventually. :)
Speaking of Judge's Guild, might you review The Dark Tower and The Citadel of Fire? I remember them fondly, but has grown faint w/ time.
I pulled Dark Tower off my shelf to review recently and realized i couldn't right now. *sighs*
@@captcorajus Why not? Love your videos. Just recently discovered the channel. Its the perfect thing to watch at the end of a long day! Great work!
@@markpriest589
www.geeknative.com/71137/rpg-publishers-cut-ties-with-the-judges-guild-game-company-after-bigotry-expose/
@@captcorajus Truly a shame. That casts a pall on some otherwise thoughtful and ahead-of-its-time works. I feel bad for the writers that created those old works. They shouldn't be besmirched by one man's knuckleheadedness.
@@markpriest589 Right there with you pal.
Have this and all other in this series old school pretty good shspe
Maybe a mated pair of Rhemoraz instead of white dragons?
Aside from "how do they fit?", I find it hard to digest dragons and giants in the same dungeon simply due to the current lore surrounding them in 5e
Unless one is a captive of the other, I can't see them being allies together in a dungeon.
Those modules are always for high level players, and I always wondered how people even reached those levels since AD&D was so difficult at low levels.
I really don't know how to answer this. Yes, it was challenging, but I don't think it was all that crazy. I have always found that challenge part of the appeal of 'old school'.. resource management was a part of the game. There were no 'insight' rolls.... you just had to 'guess' based on how the DM played the NPCs.
Also RUNNING AWAY was a viable tactic. You also had HIRELINGS.. lol. Someone to carry your torch, and treasure, and draw attacks and fire from the monsters too. :D
Yeah, I'm thinking about stating an AD&D campaing, and judging by my friends playstyle I just know they're going to die a lot, lol! Hopefully with time they might learn the right mindset for oldschool gaming.
They didn't. They had pre-rolled high level characters handed to them at the tournament. I agree with you that in AD&D it was very hard, and slow, to advance to high levels. My guess is that Gygax, Arneson and the rest used lots of disposable hirelings to up their chances, gave out a fuck ton of XP/treasure, and just had more time to play than the rest of us did.
@@Norvik_-ug3ge not really. Most of my players are able to get the 10th level at least. The key is to remember that you get more XP from gold than from killing monsters. It was a game that required thinking and tactics. But most adventures were done within 4 hours.
@@theobstinategentleman4094 Are you playing AD&D 1st edition, or a generic retro version of it?
At the 33 mark, has the cover art. The middle giant has knocked down some knight (in blue shirt).
Why is that knight not wearing any pants or underwear? He had time to put on a chain mail shirt and boots…
captcorajus are you going to review the modules of blackmoor and vampire queen?
+Reagan L Smith Not really. Temple of the Frog might be worth looking at from an historical context in the future. Palace of the Vampire Queen is near impossible to get a hold of, even in PDF form, so reviewing it doesn't seem possible at this time.
captcorajus I have a pdf I could see you. If you want.
+Reagan L Smith Of the Vampire Queen module? That would be great. Do you have google drive? that's the easiest and safest way to share files.
yeah, I have google drive just second.
+captcorajus alright now, I found my copy where can I send to you through Google drive?
My favorite series
Cap cool review. but in looking back now on this epic adventure. i think he placed way to many monsters into the levels. I would have made the dungeons more open and carefully placed the liar with a band of giants and not mixed into it any other non monsters.
Hello Capt! I'm producing an audio book novel called The Giant Killers - obvious correlation with the G series in D&D, though it is 100% original writing I've added music, sfx and did all the voices. It seems to be very well received. Curious what you think. My premier of Chapter 7 (Hill giant steading) premiers tonight! Best.
Whoops! Here's the link: ua-cam.com/video/0nKs4QEWb_U/v-deo.html
I've heard legends of the old-school dungeon crawls with monsters that couldn't possibly fit into the rooms they inhabit. Of course, I played in the good old days and never encountered such a thing. I thought that was just some made up trite. I saw your review, thought we had a legit example of that, but, no. The white dragon can, in fact, fit down the passage you say it can't. This remains an urban legend.
Just to be clear, its your assertion that a large ancient white dragon can fit down a 10 foot wide passage? Interesting.
Great review! Really love this series all the way to the drow city! I'm on my 3rd group (new game group) of players going through this series as i'd done so much work on the city i wanted to reuse it as many times as possible. We are currently in the final stages of the Frost Giants lair... and it might be a party kill next session unless they get the rolls!
Yes, there is no way the dragon can fit out the tunnel exit so I turned the 'sinkhole' in the room to a large shaft that comes out on the bottom of the rift. Thanks again for the great work you're doing here!
If you check out the description for the upper area (30 I believe) it describes a 12' wide, 100' deep sinkhole that gives access to lower level Area 2 (white dragons). Just my two cents...
@@captcorajus i notice that he never replied...
@@captcorajus lol. Fantastic rebuttle! lol.. Arf, arf!
Some pronunciation tips:
Geoff = “Jeff”
Lichen = “LIE-kin”
Jarl = “Yarl”
Also,
It’s Erol Otus, not Earl:)
That name though. "Against the Giants"? How about "Slay a Giant Problem". "Stamp out the Giants" or "Fee Fie Foe! The Giants Gotta Go!" IDK
Anyone remember the name of the "Alice in wonderland" module? I've been looking for it since I lost my copy in 1988
Are you possibly referring to Dungeonland?
There were actually two of them - EX1 Dungeonland and EX2 Beyond the Magic Mirror
the only thing down there should have been the giants. and there liar and more intrugue and mystery. i do like the use of travel portals. it adds mystery and i would have added more than one travel portal. and use the other portals as my own adventure added into the mix.
im planing to run this module in pathfinder.. any sugestion
Skip "randomly" assigning magic items (for starting characters). It's a serious waste of time. Use the pre-generated items (assigned, in the reprints), with some give-take. Having Dust of dis-appearence, plus a couple potions of Haste [for a Ranger], and that Wand of Ice Storms is a real Giant destroyer! Cast mass invisibility [characters], and make sure ALL the giants get blasted out of existence!
@@Cyberpuppy63 too late it beacame the best campain i have ever run. And i give the magic items... Said items became characters ... I a long story. I am now runing a new campain full made by me
11:08 Totally agree and thank ye great gods that it was so! Surely the great thing about these modules was that there was no hint, stink or out right stench (yes I am looking at you stinky Dragonlance) of roll play content - that surely is for the players not the proprietors to deliver. Modules, in my estimation, should be as like the set in a theatre or a film and not the damn script.
Great modules but the drow are the ultimate cheater monster. Everyone and their mother has +3 or better weapons, armor, shields, and rings but all that stuff is useless to PCs. Cheaters, I tell ya! CHEATERS!!!
Was a cool idea. They were useful until you left the Underdark. 👍
Everyone and their mothers are packing around here
Please review new books in this type of video layout
Do sigil do Avernus
The Drow one-handed crossbows are ridiculous. A 12-inch bow with a 6-inch draw releasing a pencil-thin shaft would have zero penetrative power against anything more than flesh and clothes, and should have huge penalties to hit against armour, starting at something like -4 against leather, -8 against chainmail, and -12 against plate armour. Basically, if the bolt doesn't hit between the armour, it's bouncing off. And all that non-magical magical gear they have that dissolves in sunlight is just bollocks, and a real disincentive for players. If a Drow shoots me with a poisoned dart, casts a darkness spell, sneaks up behind me in a cloak and boots of elvenkind, hits me with a +5 mace in one hand and a +3 dagger in the other, all while wearing +3 elven chainmail, and I somehow manage to survive this and kill her, I'm taking that gear for keeps.
yeah, i agree. the drow were the definition of cheap.
Oh you can definitely keep it!
Till it stays in the sunlight and dissolves though. Based Gygax thinking up ways to punish munchkins ever since way back.
I was so disappointed by these. They're just three total grinds that are nearly interchangeable in every way except the level and color palette--brown, blue, red.
Wow, storm kings thunder is not very alike to against the giants
No, its not. :(
captcorajus well good thing TOTYP has Against the giants in it.
@@ianw.5047 the 5E concept of the ordning, which didn't exist in 1E, really messes with these modules. for instance, you'd never find the cloud giant 'ambassador' in the Steading. the lowliest of cloud giants is so far above even the mightiest of hill giants in the ordning that you'd never find one sullying their reputation by consorting with mere hill giants. likewise, you'd never find stone giants in the Steading either. of course, you throw all that silliness out and the modules are fine.
nice review. But I got really annoyed with the way you keep saying Ge-off. "Geoff" is just the original spelling of the name "Jeff" and should be pronounced the same.
yep
sorry my first comment was something negative.
No big deal. In the two years since I released this video I think yours is the 3rd of 4th comment about the pronunciation of Geoff. :)
I should have read through the comments first before commenting. It just bugged me because my brother's name is Geoffrey:-)
lol. You mean Geo-ffrey? :D :D :D
Yarl not Jarl, great video!
I said Yarl not jarl my friend.