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Dungeons & Dragons, 5th Edition
Hoard of the Dragon Queen
Fight the War Against Draconic Oppression in this Adventure for the World’s Greatest Roleplaying Game
In an audacious bid for power the Cult of the Dragon, along with its dragon allies and the Red Wizards of Thay, seek to bring Tiamat from her prison in the Nine Hells to Faerun. To this end, they are sweeping from town to town, laying waste to all those who oppose them and gathering a hoard of riches for their dread queen. The threat of annihilation has become so dire that groups as disparate as the Harpers and Zhentarim are banding together in the fight against the cult. Never before has the need for heroes been so desperate.
• The first of two adventures in the Tyranny of Dragons™ story arc, Hoard of the Dragon Queen provides everything a Dungeon Master needs to create an exciting and memorable adventure experience.
• Fans of the Dungeons & Dragons® Roleplaying Game can get a sample of what this product has in store for them through the D&D Encounters™ in-store play program.
• Adventure design and development by Kobold Press.
In an audacious bid for power the Cult of the Dragon, along with its dragon allies and the Red Wizards of Thay, seek to bring Tiamat from her prison in the Nine Hells to Faerun. To this end, they are sweeping from town to town, laying waste to all those who oppose them and gathering a hoard of riches for their dread queen. The threat of annihilation has become so dire that groups as disparate as the Harpers and Zhentarim are banding together in the fight against the cult. Never before has the need for heroes been so desperate.
• The first of two adventures in the Tyranny of Dragons™ story arc, Hoard of the Dragon Queen provides everything a Dungeon Master needs to create an exciting and memorable adventure experience.
• Fans of the Dungeons & Dragons® Roleplaying Game can get a sample of what this product has in store for them through the D&D Encounters™ in-store play program.
• Adventure design and development by Kobold Press.
96 pages, Hardcover
First published August 19, 2014
46 people are currently reading
730 people want to read
About the author
Wizards of the Coast
432 books436 followersWizards of the Coast LLC (often referred to as WotC /ˈwɒtˌsiː/ or simply Wizards) is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games. Originally a basement-run role-playing game publisher, the company popularized the collectible card game genre with Magic: The Gathering in the mid-1990s, acquired the popular Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game by purchasing the failing company TSR, and experienced tremendous success by publishing the licensed Pokémon Trading Card Game. The company's corporate headquarters are located in Renton, Washington in the United States.[1]
Wizards of the Coast publishes role-playing games, board games, and collectible card games. They have received numerous awards, including several Origins Awards. The company has been a subsidiary of Hasbro since 1999. All Wizards of the Coast stores were closed in 2004.
Wizards of the Coast publishes role-playing games, board games, and collectible card games. They have received numerous awards, including several Origins Awards. The company has been a subsidiary of Hasbro since 1999. All Wizards of the Coast stores were closed in 2004.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
February 12, 2017
Getting ready to start this new campaign in a few weeks. It is highly detailed, but like the starter adventure--Lost Mine of Phandelver--it's a bit too complicated for its own good. The DM only has to present about 1/10th of the information provided to the players, some of which only during interrogation or investigation/perception check. Like the starter, I tend to skip most of the content and stick with the monster encounters and major NPC plots. Who can possibly keep all of this information in their head while running a campaign? And so much of it is fluff. Who cares what the Cult members ate for breakfast (I jest, of course).
What I'm getting at is, this book has about 20% unnecessary background fluff which puts it down to around 80 pages. That, along with the similar writing expected in Rise of Tiamat means, in my opinion, that one decent-sized adventure book of about 160 pages was split into two parts and filler added. Because this is clearly just one adventure, nevermind the two parts--they are consecutive. You cannot run Rise of Tiamat without first running Hoard. Bogus marketing scheme. Just charge $60 for one book. Or, since production costs would have been less, $49.99, like the three core books. But in the end, I'm griping about a product I enjoy. There's just no reason for this to be two books.
What I'm getting at is, this book has about 20% unnecessary background fluff which puts it down to around 80 pages. That, along with the similar writing expected in Rise of Tiamat means, in my opinion, that one decent-sized adventure book of about 160 pages was split into two parts and filler added. Because this is clearly just one adventure, nevermind the two parts--they are consecutive. You cannot run Rise of Tiamat without first running Hoard. Bogus marketing scheme. Just charge $60 for one book. Or, since production costs would have been less, $49.99, like the three core books. But in the end, I'm griping about a product I enjoy. There's just no reason for this to be two books.
October 11, 2016
I find myself rather disappointed by this module. For one thing, I don't feel like it does the best job of showing off what 5E can do. Yes, there's a bit of potential for exploration and social stuff, especially in the second episode, but it still feels like it's largely combat focused. And perhaps the biggest chance for socialization, the lengthy caravan episode, doesn't feel like it contributes enough to the story. A number of NPCs that can be used are introduced with sparse details for each, and then they aren't ever relevant again in later episodes. Certainly, a skilled DM could think of something neat to do with them, but this feels like it's meant as an introduction to D&D. The plot is also a little weak - it takes far too long for the players to find out what the Cult of the Dragon is actually up to, and thus I feel like there isn't enough motivation to actually fight the cult. Plus, there's too much stuff, especially towards the end, that relies on going "we're not explaining this here, but in part two" which is just frustrating to deal with. How am I expected to run the module properly if I don't know where certain plot elements are meant to go? It makes me glad that all subsequent adventures have been one big book rather than Tyranny of Dragons' dual volumes. I will say that there are a few sections that could work pretty well, especially if used on their own, especially the initial siege on the village (though it might benefit from being for slightly more powerful heroes) and the cloud giant's castle at the end. Honestly, at some level this feels more like a novel that's been crudely turned into an adventure. As a novel, it might be a fun if rather pedestrian way of showing off the Realms to newbies, but as an adventure, I don't think I'm likely to use it - at least not without fairly serious modifications.
February 18, 2024
Having run HotDQ for the last two years for my players, I can say with absolute authority that this book is TERRIBLE for DMs. There is no support in terms of lore, the treasure sucks, the details are sorely lacking, and it's very much a railroaded adventure. My players loved it only because I spent ungodly amounts of time turning this into something enjoyable. Also, Skyreach is such a mess and is SO BORING for a cloud giant's flying castle. Like, how do you mess that up??
DO NOT RECOMMEND!! (can you tell I'm fed up? choose any other campaign book if you feel you need a book to run a campaign)
DO NOT RECOMMEND!! (can you tell I'm fed up? choose any other campaign book if you feel you need a book to run a campaign)
April 13, 2015
This is the first major adventure for the latest edition of Dungeons & Dragons (5th). The start of the adventure is, I feel, the weakest part, but a lot of that can be put down to it being the first major adventure, so a lot of allowance has to be provided for players who are new to the game.
From chapter 2 onwards, the adventure becomes much stronger. The adventure provides a good mix of combat and role-playing opportunities. There are many encounters that can be solved by either, but some will require combat. It is, I suppose, possible to go through the entire module without role-playing, but I suspect that very few players would be able to finish - a scorched earth policy is likely to lead to failure, either through party destruction against a superior foe, or through not knowing how to proceed because they will have missed vital clues by killing everyone.
If you're looking to start a new D&D5 campaign, this is a good starting point.
From chapter 2 onwards, the adventure becomes much stronger. The adventure provides a good mix of combat and role-playing opportunities. There are many encounters that can be solved by either, but some will require combat. It is, I suppose, possible to go through the entire module without role-playing, but I suspect that very few players would be able to finish - a scorched earth policy is likely to lead to failure, either through party destruction against a superior foe, or through not knowing how to proceed because they will have missed vital clues by killing everyone.
If you're looking to start a new D&D5 campaign, this is a good starting point.
January 7, 2015
The first 5th edition adventure path (we used to call them modules back in the day...) has some problems, but then it was released before all of the core rule books were finalized and released. The good thing is: there's lots of stuff to work with here, and all a savvy Dungeon Master needs to do us roll up her sleeves and take this material, and make it her own. With a little fine tuning it will make a memorable adventure you and your players will talk about for years to come.
April 18, 2016
Interesting storyline, but not much in the way of options when things go off the rails. Which they do!
January 12, 2020
Wordy, poorly organized, railroady, and focusing all too much on what does not matter in an adventure. Twenty years, and WotC still doesn't get what makes D&D good.
February 7, 2020
This adventure begins very well done, and then becomes way too bogged down in a months-long caravan trip...although it does pick up again near the end.
I'm not sure that it tells a story that would get the players invested in the major plot that's occurring...although the optional Bonds section at the end could do it for a really good role-player.
That's not to say that I'm not going to incorporate this into my own game though. I think the overall conspiracy/plot makes a good world-altering background story that is taking place behind the scenes to be uncovered, not anything that they are directly involved in.
I'm not sure that it tells a story that would get the players invested in the major plot that's occurring...although the optional Bonds section at the end could do it for a really good role-player.
That's not to say that I'm not going to incorporate this into my own game though. I think the overall conspiracy/plot makes a good world-altering background story that is taking place behind the scenes to be uncovered, not anything that they are directly involved in.
Read
May 28, 2022The concept of the story is great. But its execution is a little boring, and it's actually one big railroad… With a lot of imagination from the DM, and not always following the suggestions of the book, this can be played in a more exciting way.
June 11, 2022
This book is widely regarded as the worst 5e module for a reason. It might work for a very new group/dm who NEED structure, but overall is a massive railroad with a lack of player agency.
October 4, 2020
This will be a fun first campaign for some of my players, but is still set up for a little more experienced players. Lost mines of Phandelver is still the best beginner campaign in my opinion.
February 15, 2020
Great bosses. Some situations feels intimidating for low level characters but I guess it force them to think creatively or to completely avoid the enemy. Some encounters (like first and last one) feel epic and some of them not so much. Great magic items but missing pictures for some of them. The story seems very linear but it's constantly moving across various places and cities so you could improvise a little and derail from the main line. On the other hand some great and famous Sword Coast cities the characters visit are not detailed in any way (helpful to have Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide at hand). The ending it's not 100% satisfying but it get you really hype up about the concluding part of Tyranny of Dragons.
August 16, 2015
Overall a pretty good adventure. It is a bit clunky in some areas but with some online tips from slyflourish.com and others it plays really well. This was the first time I had DM'd a published adventure and my group and I found much to like in it. It offers several different scenarios while still carrying a compelling narrative.
August 19, 2015
It was a good first campaign, but there was still a lot of flipping back and forth between chapters and books. I would have liked to see it laid out without the assumption that someone has DM'd before, especially since it's for the new edition, and people may be new to the game.
January 6, 2015
Great module. Compelling story, flexible, quick to play and advance the party.
A bit too many details left to the DM. Would have liked a few more maps (e.g. sally port, cathedral) to provide clarity.
A bit too many details left to the DM. Would have liked a few more maps (e.g. sally port, cathedral) to provide clarity.
December 20, 2023
Railroady and disjointed.
At several points, the designers failed to think about how free-willed players would react to situations. In the very first scene in the adventure, the PC's are escorting a merchant caravan and are approaching a town. From a distance, they see the town is being attacked by a full-grown dragon, and the dragon is being assisted by a small army of kobolds and evil humans! The designers then assume that the PC's will bravely run into the town and try to help the townsfolk.
That might be okay, if the PC's weren't level 1. This situation is WAY above their pay grade.
Now, the scenario that follows is actually very fun and balanced. The designers are aware that the PC's don't stand a chance of defeating the dragon and all its henchmen. But, there are a ton of opportunities for the PC's to run around this town, beneath the dragon's notice, rescuing people and helping out the local militia. Once the PC's are in the town, this opening sequence is actually brilliant. As written, though, the PC's are only going into town if they're idiots.
The solution here is for the DM to just declare that the PC's were already in the town when the attack starts. But, for some reason, the designers didn't think of that. Oh, and that merchant caravan? Never elaborated on or mentioned ever again.
Later on, the PC's will infiltrate a dragon hatchery (a small dungeon). Again, the dungeon is mostly well-designed. But, near the end of it, PC's will find some dragon eggs in a nest. The designers think to include, in gory detail, what it will look and sound like if the PC's smash the eggs and abort these defenseless dragon fetuses. But, who the fuck would do that? There is not an oxygen-breathing human D&D player on this green Earth who would smash a dragon egg. 100% of actual players WILL try to steal an egg and attempt to raise a dragon baby so they can ride it around when it grows big. The designers, who I now suspect are actual space aliens with no understanding of human psychology, do not consider this possibility.
If you still want this book, seek out "Tyranny of Dragons," instead. It compiles this adventure and it's sequel, "Rise of the Dragon Queen," into one volume.
At several points, the designers failed to think about how free-willed players would react to situations. In the very first scene in the adventure, the PC's are escorting a merchant caravan and are approaching a town. From a distance, they see the town is being attacked by a full-grown dragon, and the dragon is being assisted by a small army of kobolds and evil humans! The designers then assume that the PC's will bravely run into the town and try to help the townsfolk.
That might be okay, if the PC's weren't level 1. This situation is WAY above their pay grade.
Now, the scenario that follows is actually very fun and balanced. The designers are aware that the PC's don't stand a chance of defeating the dragon and all its henchmen. But, there are a ton of opportunities for the PC's to run around this town, beneath the dragon's notice, rescuing people and helping out the local militia. Once the PC's are in the town, this opening sequence is actually brilliant. As written, though, the PC's are only going into town if they're idiots.
The solution here is for the DM to just declare that the PC's were already in the town when the attack starts. But, for some reason, the designers didn't think of that. Oh, and that merchant caravan? Never elaborated on or mentioned ever again.
Later on, the PC's will infiltrate a dragon hatchery (a small dungeon). Again, the dungeon is mostly well-designed. But, near the end of it, PC's will find some dragon eggs in a nest. The designers think to include, in gory detail, what it will look and sound like if the PC's smash the eggs and abort these defenseless dragon fetuses. But, who the fuck would do that? There is not an oxygen-breathing human D&D player on this green Earth who would smash a dragon egg. 100% of actual players WILL try to steal an egg and attempt to raise a dragon baby so they can ride it around when it grows big. The designers, who I now suspect are actual space aliens with no understanding of human psychology, do not consider this possibility.
If you still want this book, seek out "Tyranny of Dragons," instead. It compiles this adventure and it's sequel, "Rise of the Dragon Queen," into one volume.
Read
March 10, 2021This is a incredibly linear campaign, and without heavy modification lacks a LOT. But, Tyranny of Dragons is also absolutely EPIC. I'm not a fan of the caravan, I think going to Waterdeep and then the Mere of Dead Men was more to introduce the Sword Coast than it was to create an interesting story.
I think, if I get a group to run Tyranny of Dragons again, we might start elsewhere. I've not thought too much about where. But I imagine North of Baldur's Gate, give them the thought of going to Dragonspear or Baldur's to try and find cultists going north from either a location north and along the trade route, or a larger city to the south... This way sure... go to BG... but it isn't necessary. Start the Caravan in Dragonspear or while they are traveling as normal folk to get there they run into the caravans... The chapter is so vile. It presents a bunch of filler, but reminds you none of it matters. If you don't narrate AT your party it is descriptions of the sword coast whilst reminding your party to GO NOVA as if you try to challenge them, they must go all out.
I think if you ran this as is, it has to be milestone as it simply isn't enough content.
If you run this as it, it is just dreadful at times...
If you add content, it makes things drag on for ages. Please... Don't get me wrong, I adore the DRAGONS. But, this is certainly not a module meant to be run from the book. Greenest on fire is a death trap. A new DM is likely to wipe their party.
I feel like my party thirsts for combat that they murder hobo around... and then forget that at low levels, this is more of an infiltration and investigation.
I'm very excited for the opportunity to get to play in a ToD campaign. I would totally run this again. I really do like it. But it is no where near ready to pick up and play as other campaigns. And honestly, I just don't think my party is up for this kind of campaign... they are murder hobos. I really don't get why they ever asked to leave Dungeon of the Mad Mage with how little they pay attention to ANY hooks.
I think, if I get a group to run Tyranny of Dragons again, we might start elsewhere. I've not thought too much about where. But I imagine North of Baldur's Gate, give them the thought of going to Dragonspear or Baldur's to try and find cultists going north from either a location north and along the trade route, or a larger city to the south... This way sure... go to BG... but it isn't necessary. Start the Caravan in Dragonspear or while they are traveling as normal folk to get there they run into the caravans... The chapter is so vile. It presents a bunch of filler, but reminds you none of it matters. If you don't narrate AT your party it is descriptions of the sword coast whilst reminding your party to GO NOVA as if you try to challenge them, they must go all out.
I think if you ran this as is, it has to be milestone as it simply isn't enough content.
If you run this as it, it is just dreadful at times...
If you add content, it makes things drag on for ages. Please... Don't get me wrong, I adore the DRAGONS. But, this is certainly not a module meant to be run from the book. Greenest on fire is a death trap. A new DM is likely to wipe their party.
I feel like my party thirsts for combat that they murder hobo around... and then forget that at low levels, this is more of an infiltration and investigation.
I'm very excited for the opportunity to get to play in a ToD campaign. I would totally run this again. I really do like it. But it is no where near ready to pick up and play as other campaigns. And honestly, I just don't think my party is up for this kind of campaign... they are murder hobos. I really don't get why they ever asked to leave Dungeon of the Mad Mage with how little they pay attention to ANY hooks.
October 12, 2025
Stopping the cult of the dragon before they can bring back the ancient evil dragon god…while also getting a decent sightseeing tour of the Sword Coast…
Hoard of the Dragon Queen by Steve Winter, Wizards RPG Team, and Wolfgang Baur is the first half of an “epic” length campaign called Tyranny of Dragons…though many of the chapters could easily be adapted separately…
Starting in the southern Sword Coast in a small keep town…it follows a part encountering a group of dragon cultists…and stumbling upon their long term treasure gathering and raids on isolated townships…
Along the way, there are numerous NPCs, foes, and other encounters that may or may not be used as needed…as there is no shortage on combat and fun…
From the south heading north to Baldur’s gate, waterdeep, and the mere of dead men…you can take plenty of stops along the way…with side encounters covered as needed for the passage of time.
One of my favorite sections covers caravan travel between Baldur’s gate and Waterdeep along with a breakdown of many assorted caravan members (from teamsters to minor merchants with their wagons to secret spies…lots of story potebtial)…
However I do have a minor gripe. After the mere of dead men adventure, the party presumably does a teleport to a demonstrate mountains region…to travel and fight some more.
This is disingenuous as the rest of the campaign up to this point is a fairly sensible overland travel…
If the game meant for teleportation and quick transport, then this should have probably been set up as a cliffhanger…to lead into the second half of the campaign. You could have even transplanted the villains in the moutbain stuff to the meee of dead men that way it stick to the nice overland travel adventure without deus ex magic to transport…
Other than that, really solid stuff…
Hoard of the Dragon Queen by Steve Winter, Wizards RPG Team, and Wolfgang Baur is the first half of an “epic” length campaign called Tyranny of Dragons…though many of the chapters could easily be adapted separately…
Starting in the southern Sword Coast in a small keep town…it follows a part encountering a group of dragon cultists…and stumbling upon their long term treasure gathering and raids on isolated townships…
Along the way, there are numerous NPCs, foes, and other encounters that may or may not be used as needed…as there is no shortage on combat and fun…
From the south heading north to Baldur’s gate, waterdeep, and the mere of dead men…you can take plenty of stops along the way…with side encounters covered as needed for the passage of time.
One of my favorite sections covers caravan travel between Baldur’s gate and Waterdeep along with a breakdown of many assorted caravan members (from teamsters to minor merchants with their wagons to secret spies…lots of story potebtial)…
However I do have a minor gripe. After the mere of dead men adventure, the party presumably does a teleport to a demonstrate mountains region…to travel and fight some more.
This is disingenuous as the rest of the campaign up to this point is a fairly sensible overland travel…
If the game meant for teleportation and quick transport, then this should have probably been set up as a cliffhanger…to lead into the second half of the campaign. You could have even transplanted the villains in the moutbain stuff to the meee of dead men that way it stick to the nice overland travel adventure without deus ex magic to transport…
Other than that, really solid stuff…
December 12, 2022
Having come out back in 2014 at the same time as the 5th edition of Dungeons and Dragons debuted, this is the first part of a two part adventure campaign (the second part being The Rise of Tiamat) designed to take players from level 1 to 15.
It is a campaign that is fun and has a good story as well as some factional elements which give it some added interest in the Forgotten Realms setting, but it is also a campaign full of stuff that any good DM will really have to tweak. This makes it not really ideal for DMs just starting out, as it is hard to judge how players will react or even if they will survive certain situations if you aren't experienced at judging those possibilities from looking at the page of the adventure module.
It also has the problem of having a very long middle section that is a bit repetitive, again an experienced DM will know where to cut and what to leave in, and this will completely depend on the party of players, if the DM sees them getting bored it's imperative that they cut section or make up other section to keep interest going. Other than that there is a pretty good adventure under here, which supposedly gets even better in the second volume. A good adventure but one which will be hard to play straight from the book. Wizards of the Coast is coming out with an updated version of the two adventures in January 2023, so that will be good to take a look at next month.
It is a campaign that is fun and has a good story as well as some factional elements which give it some added interest in the Forgotten Realms setting, but it is also a campaign full of stuff that any good DM will really have to tweak. This makes it not really ideal for DMs just starting out, as it is hard to judge how players will react or even if they will survive certain situations if you aren't experienced at judging those possibilities from looking at the page of the adventure module.
It also has the problem of having a very long middle section that is a bit repetitive, again an experienced DM will know where to cut and what to leave in, and this will completely depend on the party of players, if the DM sees them getting bored it's imperative that they cut section or make up other section to keep interest going. Other than that there is a pretty good adventure under here, which supposedly gets even better in the second volume. A good adventure but one which will be hard to play straight from the book. Wizards of the Coast is coming out with an updated version of the two adventures in January 2023, so that will be good to take a look at next month.
May 17, 2020
This book really needs an overhaul and unfortunately neither the revised Tyranny of Dragons book, nor the released Errata cut it.
I can't deny that there are some cool parts in the adventure here and there, but even those parts don't make it worth all the time you have to spend just un-messing everything. Each chapter starts great with awesome ideas but then they all leave a lot to be desired.
The layout of the book isn't great either because you have to keep turning pages all the time to get to the info you need. We all know how much of a trouble that is during the game.
It would have been a great plot twist at the end if you would discover the true intentions of the Cult only then, but instead from the very beginning you learn it all and start a wild goose chase with which you can't really interact.
Kobold Press normally produces a lot of high quality products but this was a let down, and it's mostly not even their exact "fault", since the release wasn't matched with the Core books of 5e. I would suggest not holding it against KP and highly recommend their products that were released later in the 5e life cycle.
I can't deny that there are some cool parts in the adventure here and there, but even those parts don't make it worth all the time you have to spend just un-messing everything. Each chapter starts great with awesome ideas but then they all leave a lot to be desired.
The layout of the book isn't great either because you have to keep turning pages all the time to get to the info you need. We all know how much of a trouble that is during the game.
It would have been a great plot twist at the end if you would discover the true intentions of the Cult only then, but instead from the very beginning you learn it all and start a wild goose chase with which you can't really interact.
Kobold Press normally produces a lot of high quality products but this was a let down, and it's mostly not even their exact "fault", since the release wasn't matched with the Core books of 5e. I would suggest not holding it against KP and highly recommend their products that were released later in the 5e life cycle.
May 1, 2019
Considering this came out before the Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide were available, you have to be a bit wary about how well it can be integrated for your campaign, depending on your facility as a DM or player. As a campaign half, it's sort of fun: there's a bit of variety, not just various towns and dungeons to slog through. Still, it's not much like the classic modules: it's got a lot of jibber-jabber for the DM to slog through and decide what to do with it or not. Chances seem high when this was first dabbled with a couple years ago, many DMs just skipped over a lot of it and made up their own transitions and scenes. Its cohesion is a bit dicey, for instance. Still, the potential for some fun is there, and it doesn't require too much for players, so it could be a decent intro to new players to D&D - though the DM should be somewhat experienced otherwise it may be a bit of a mess if attempted straight off the page.
December 20, 2024
This is the perfect example of how not to write a campaign. No DM in their right mind wants to purchase a book that requires you to do 70% of the heavy lifting regarding planning and research ahead of time. Clearly I am not one of these DMs, as I actually did enjoy turning this into an enjoyable campaign for my players after quite a bit of work - which I think is the ONLY way anybody could enjoy running this. Dungeon maps are decent but frequently feature poorly balanced encounters, and the story is ridiculously rail-roady and doesn't offer many options to account for player ingenuity. The standalone version for this book is also far inferior to the collected version of both this and the sequel: Rise of Tiamat, as that version actually includes information at the start that slightly ties the two adventures together and lets DMs know what to expect for the second half of this massive campaign.
April 13, 2020
My two cents on this book.
This has been the first campaign I bought when I restarted playing D&D after a long time. Also, it was my first adventure/campaign in the Forgotten Realms.
The idea behind the campaign is not bad: players are involuntary involved in something which initially seems just a raid from some bandits (even though they are supported by a dragon!) and eventually reveals to be part of a much larger plot.
What are the defects then?
A few:
- the campaign has very little to do with Forgotten Realms; the characters visit iconic places, but there is no reason for the fact to happen there;
- the Cult of the Dragon is very well known, but their goals radically changed. Why? No explanation given;
- important NPCs are presented as the PCs discover them, rather than in a roaster; this makes understanding their motivations hard.
This has been the first campaign I bought when I restarted playing D&D after a long time. Also, it was my first adventure/campaign in the Forgotten Realms.
The idea behind the campaign is not bad: players are involuntary involved in something which initially seems just a raid from some bandits (even though they are supported by a dragon!) and eventually reveals to be part of a much larger plot.
What are the defects then?
A few:
- the campaign has very little to do with Forgotten Realms; the characters visit iconic places, but there is no reason for the fact to happen there;
- the Cult of the Dragon is very well known, but their goals radically changed. Why? No explanation given;
- important NPCs are presented as the PCs discover them, rather than in a roaster; this makes understanding their motivations hard.
May 22, 2018
Hoard of the Dragon Queen is the first of two books in the Tyranny of Dragons questline. The book is a quest for players, in which players head to the town of Greenest, expecting it to be warm and welcoming, but it's a bit too warm. It's in flames, being attacked by the Cult of the Dragon. Players must fend off the cult, then head to their camp and infiltrate their dragon egg storage. From there, they must go on the road to catch the cultists and prevent them from gathering their treasure for the dragon queen.
A brilliant start to a quest series, this book can be read as a guide if you wish to play the quest in a game of D&D, but it can also be read as just a story. It's a great book, and I would highly recommend it, even though it's more of a guide.
A brilliant start to a quest series, this book can be read as a guide if you wish to play the quest in a game of D&D, but it can also be read as just a story. It's a great book, and I would highly recommend it, even though it's more of a guide.
December 19, 2020
This adventure was apparently the first published 5th edition "module". It's unfortunate that I read it after the newer books, because the difference in quality is apparent. For some reason I got a First printing, and there are quite a few errors/typos. In terms of the actual campaign, it is reasonable but not that outstanding. I don't really love that this is part 1 of a 2-part campaign - I think you'd be better off with the new "Tyranny of Dragons" supplement. Having said that, it isn't a bad adventure although it's probably up to the DM to introduce any significant roleplaying element - this is mostly a list of encounters and dungeons held together by an overarching plot. 3 stars overall, I'd give it 3.5 if I could.
April 14, 2021
Somewhere along the lines the gonzo, New Wave, swords and sorcery murder hoboing of old D&D was upended by Hollywood and the Monomyth. Something has been lost in transition... something only old D&D players understand. Nevertheless, Hoard of the Dragon Queen is a solid epic adventure, typical of 5th edition. While I don't like the new system so much, I do like the depth of the world and tone that 5th addition has inherited from its grandmasters: Gygax, Arneson, Greenwood, et. al. I hope to someday have a crack at this as a DM, but right now I'm shlepping through the Underdark and don't have time to whip up the usual suspects. Soon, Tiamat willing, I will be sowing death and disorder upon imaginary heroes played by COVID desk jockeys....
November 1, 2019
Enjoying this adventure very much as a player.
Not sure if it's just that my older brother is a superb GM with decades of experience, or that the module itself is so well laid out, but it's great.
I love the logical progression through the tiers of the 5 evil dragon types, knowing which element you need to be prepared for to fight each.
This campaign started during the week of my wedding at an all inclusive Cuban resort, so during the heat of the day (while cooler folks than us) were on the beach or at the bar, we'd be in my brother's suite throwing down against the forces of Tiamat. It was pretty great.
Not sure if it's just that my older brother is a superb GM with decades of experience, or that the module itself is so well laid out, but it's great.
I love the logical progression through the tiers of the 5 evil dragon types, knowing which element you need to be prepared for to fight each.
This campaign started during the week of my wedding at an all inclusive Cuban resort, so during the heat of the day (while cooler folks than us) were on the beach or at the bar, we'd be in my brother's suite throwing down against the forces of Tiamat. It was pretty great.
October 21, 2025
In theory a great storyline with some really awesome set pieces in which the last three chapters feel unfinished and mostly there because they are an awesome idea on their own. Especially the last chapter is guilty of that: Encounters make no sense, it's all flashy, no substance and motivations of characters as well as the final goal also don't check out.
As usual, there are lots of logical links missing over the whole module, goals are not always clear and you should expect to pour a ton of work into smoothing these over.
Definitely read Sly Flourish's advice on how to run this, then you are good and have a very solid, fun module at your hands.
As usual, there are lots of logical links missing over the whole module, goals are not always clear and you should expect to pour a ton of work into smoothing these over.
Definitely read Sly Flourish's advice on how to run this, then you are good and have a very solid, fun module at your hands.
August 1, 2019
I picked this up from my local library, one of the only ttrpg books they have in the collection, and wow was I disappointed. Compared to other books even in the D&D 5e line, this one was a flop. The plot was not only standard fantasy, it was bog-basic and boring. My first thought was that Skyrim had a more engaging plot and along similar lines.
The places, enemies, NPCs and even illustrations leave something to be desired. It's not even well organized. I'm glad the books have been of better quality than this as 5e has progressed.
The places, enemies, NPCs and even illustrations leave something to be desired. It's not even well organized. I'm glad the books have been of better quality than this as 5e has progressed.
July 24, 2020
I'm actively playing this campaign so I tried very hard to ignore the story beats. Unlike with many of the other books that meant there was very little for me to read. I didn't mind that so much though because I am experiencing the story.
I did enjoy the pictures and what I was able to read was enjoyable. The two new background features could definitely be used for other campaigns and I love checking out the magic items that are included in an adventure. Sometimes they help inspire me for my own homebrew campaign.
I did enjoy the pictures and what I was able to read was enjoyable. The two new background features could definitely be used for other campaigns and I love checking out the magic items that are included in an adventure. Sometimes they help inspire me for my own homebrew campaign.
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