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Strongholds & Followers
Strongholds & Followers is a supplement for 5th Edition that gives your character something to spend their money on and extend their influence in the local area. Raise armies! Research spells! Spy on your enemies! More than just a set of rules and charts, this book also describes a style of play that assumes your character becomes more interested in influencing the world around them. You’ll still adventure and fight monsters, but this supplement gives you tons of fun things to do during your downtime. It only takes one character building a stronghold to radically change the nature of a campaign and introduce new narrative opportunities for GM and players alike! Huge new story opportunities arise! This book includes tons of examples for GMs to inspire them.
264 pages, ebook
First published December 1, 2018
16 people are currently reading
213 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 13, 2019
There is a lot in this book that I like and I’m glad that I chose to be a Kickstarter backer. I found it to be a delight to read (the art is amazing) and while some have expressed a distaste for the author’s writing style, I found it similar in tone to his Youtube channel and appreciated the little jokes that were occasionally made. If you are interested in building a stronghold (castle, keep, temple, etc.), gaining followers and recruiting armies, having simple rules for massed combat, having more monsters options (such as Gemstone Dragons), a bigger selection of magic items and a pre-made adventure then this book is for you.
The Strongholds section of this book really shines. It provides costs on building a variety of strongholds that would be of interest to the stock character classes. The cost formulas for building and upkeep are rather simple. Each type of stronghold also provides additional “special” abilities for their owner which function similar to Long Rest powers/abilities. These powers/abilities can be used a limited number of times before the character has to return to their stronghold and spend a week (an “Extended Rest”) to recharge. Additionally, having a stronghold will also provide the character with powers/abilities that they can use while in the lands they control. I liked the flavor of these abilities and did not think that any of them felt too overpowered.
I really like the “Concordance” rules, where characters dedicated to a deity/extra-planar power could build up a Concordance score based on deeds they accomplished and use this as a modifier to a roll to ask their patron for a boon, mainly in the form of a summoned servant that is an ally to the character for a limited amount of time. Of course, having a bad a roll can cause a bad effect (such as being temporarily Cursed) and calling for aid too much can reduce your chances of actually getting it. I thought this was a great mechanic to track a character’s dedication to the tenets of their patron, as well as provide a potential reward for exceptional service beyond just granting daily spells.
The Warfare rules have a simple version and a simpler version. The first set supplies guidelines and charts for creating blocks of units with a simple set of stats and powers to reflect their fighting capabilities. Combat with these units takes place in the background while the characters are engaged in their smaller-scale battle. The simpler version of the rules is basically opposing percentile rolls with modifiers for army strengths and weaknesses. I plan on using these (albeit a bit modified) in an upcoming session of my Princes of the Apocalypse campaign where the Player Characters (PCs) are going to storm the Feathergale Spire with allies. The author has pointed out that he plans on releasing another book that expands the warfare rules.
There is a great selection of monsters in this books. Most of them can be summoned using the Concordance rules and they are arranged by domains that the author uses in his campaigns but can be easily converted to most campaigns, for example the Court of Arcadia are Fae servants and the Court of All Flesh could be used as demons. I especially liked the Celestial Court and the Inexorables.
The magic items presented are higher level items and artifacts. There are weapons, clothing items, codices and more. The author warns that some of these items could be game-breaking and to exercise caution. I saw a lot of potential with these and plan on introducing some of them into my campaign.
Lastly, there is a ready to run adventure in the book that gives the PCs the opportunity to rebuild and have a stronghold of their own. It’s a 5th level adventure that is well-written. If I was going to point to a weakness in this book, this would be it (and it’s only a minor one). While I think the adventure is well-written and has the potential to be fun, all the while showcasing some of the rules in this book, I found the hook to get the PCs to accept ownership of the castle and plant their roots there to be a lacking. Of course, the Dungeon Master would have to tailor this more for their particular group’s interest and this hook would likely work best if the PCs are interested in having a stronghold of their own and want to repel the attackers planning to siege its walls.
Overall a great book that I am looking forward to use in my Dungeons & Dragons campaign. I’ve already got my mind spinning up ideas to get my players interested in building a stronghold and the various political-themed adventures to come from that action. Good work Matt Colville and friends.
The Strongholds section of this book really shines. It provides costs on building a variety of strongholds that would be of interest to the stock character classes. The cost formulas for building and upkeep are rather simple. Each type of stronghold also provides additional “special” abilities for their owner which function similar to Long Rest powers/abilities. These powers/abilities can be used a limited number of times before the character has to return to their stronghold and spend a week (an “Extended Rest”) to recharge. Additionally, having a stronghold will also provide the character with powers/abilities that they can use while in the lands they control. I liked the flavor of these abilities and did not think that any of them felt too overpowered.
I really like the “Concordance” rules, where characters dedicated to a deity/extra-planar power could build up a Concordance score based on deeds they accomplished and use this as a modifier to a roll to ask their patron for a boon, mainly in the form of a summoned servant that is an ally to the character for a limited amount of time. Of course, having a bad a roll can cause a bad effect (such as being temporarily Cursed) and calling for aid too much can reduce your chances of actually getting it. I thought this was a great mechanic to track a character’s dedication to the tenets of their patron, as well as provide a potential reward for exceptional service beyond just granting daily spells.
The Warfare rules have a simple version and a simpler version. The first set supplies guidelines and charts for creating blocks of units with a simple set of stats and powers to reflect their fighting capabilities. Combat with these units takes place in the background while the characters are engaged in their smaller-scale battle. The simpler version of the rules is basically opposing percentile rolls with modifiers for army strengths and weaknesses. I plan on using these (albeit a bit modified) in an upcoming session of my Princes of the Apocalypse campaign where the Player Characters (PCs) are going to storm the Feathergale Spire with allies. The author has pointed out that he plans on releasing another book that expands the warfare rules.
There is a great selection of monsters in this books. Most of them can be summoned using the Concordance rules and they are arranged by domains that the author uses in his campaigns but can be easily converted to most campaigns, for example the Court of Arcadia are Fae servants and the Court of All Flesh could be used as demons. I especially liked the Celestial Court and the Inexorables.
The magic items presented are higher level items and artifacts. There are weapons, clothing items, codices and more. The author warns that some of these items could be game-breaking and to exercise caution. I saw a lot of potential with these and plan on introducing some of them into my campaign.
Lastly, there is a ready to run adventure in the book that gives the PCs the opportunity to rebuild and have a stronghold of their own. It’s a 5th level adventure that is well-written. If I was going to point to a weakness in this book, this would be it (and it’s only a minor one). While I think the adventure is well-written and has the potential to be fun, all the while showcasing some of the rules in this book, I found the hook to get the PCs to accept ownership of the castle and plant their roots there to be a lacking. Of course, the Dungeon Master would have to tailor this more for their particular group’s interest and this hook would likely work best if the PCs are interested in having a stronghold of their own and want to repel the attackers planning to siege its walls.
Overall a great book that I am looking forward to use in my Dungeons & Dragons campaign. I’ve already got my mind spinning up ideas to get my players interested in building a stronghold and the various political-themed adventures to come from that action. Good work Matt Colville and friends.
May 12, 2020
For those who don't play D&D, Matt Colville has a very popular, and excellent, YouTube channel about running the game. I'm currently in two different D&D campaigns, and the gamemasters (GMs or DMs) in each have used some of his ideas to great effect. In one of those campaigns, my character has an interest in restoring a partially ruined fortress. So, I picked up this book, which is a set of optional rules for characters to do stuff like that.
The great thing about D&D is that my GM can just say "cool, we can do that" and set up a storyline where my character has to do different things to make that happen. But the real fun of D&D comes at the intersection of rules and no-rules--it should be free enough that you can try anything you can think of, but constrained enough by rules to give some sense of an objective challenge to pit yourself against, with some meaningful probability of failure or at least complications. So, I think it's a neat idea to have a set of rules to use when a character wants to do something a little outside the standard gameplay.
Overall, the rules in this book seem pretty balanced and reasonably thought-through. At the end of the day, I think my GM and I will cherry-pick some of Colville's ideas rather than use them in their entirety as written. For example, a fair amount of the rules in the book relate to conducting army-scale combat between different forces, kind of an old-school wargaming approach. I don't really have any interest in this aspect of having a stronghold, and neither does my character. So we probably will just leave those parts out. I'm pretty sure Colville would be 100% fine with this, and would be happy that his book gave us some inspiration and fun ideas.
The production quality of this book is very good, especially for a third-party product--it's much nicer than most stuff I've seen from DMsGuild, and on a par with official products. I thought the art was especially nice. Colville writes in an accessible and engaging style, although sometimes I found myself wishing for a little more signposting and summarization to orient a reader to the big picture before getting into the details.
The great thing about D&D is that my GM can just say "cool, we can do that" and set up a storyline where my character has to do different things to make that happen. But the real fun of D&D comes at the intersection of rules and no-rules--it should be free enough that you can try anything you can think of, but constrained enough by rules to give some sense of an objective challenge to pit yourself against, with some meaningful probability of failure or at least complications. So, I think it's a neat idea to have a set of rules to use when a character wants to do something a little outside the standard gameplay.
Overall, the rules in this book seem pretty balanced and reasonably thought-through. At the end of the day, I think my GM and I will cherry-pick some of Colville's ideas rather than use them in their entirety as written. For example, a fair amount of the rules in the book relate to conducting army-scale combat between different forces, kind of an old-school wargaming approach. I don't really have any interest in this aspect of having a stronghold, and neither does my character. So we probably will just leave those parts out. I'm pretty sure Colville would be 100% fine with this, and would be happy that his book gave us some inspiration and fun ideas.
The production quality of this book is very good, especially for a third-party product--it's much nicer than most stuff I've seen from DMsGuild, and on a par with official products. I thought the art was especially nice. Colville writes in an accessible and engaging style, although sometimes I found myself wishing for a little more signposting and summarization to orient a reader to the big picture before getting into the details.
June 21, 2019
One of my favorite things about RPG books: they're so inspiring for creativity. It's like every page is another imagination booster. Strongholds and Followers is a perfect example of this. Every page is rich in ideas and the artwork down to the illuminated text style borders is perfect for spawning ideas for characters and stories: whether you are planning a D&D campaign or writing fiction or just daydreaming about what stories might play out in these imagined settings.
February 14, 2020
This is an outstanding 3rd-party rules supplement for Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition. The author, Matt Colville, is a DM with decades of experience and invented custom stronghold and followers rules for his regular D&D campaign. After talking about it online, some of his fans asked him to write it up, and after a successful kickstarter, this was the product.
The book itself is absolutely gorgeous. The artwork is incredible. The quality of the hardcover book is exceptional -- better, in my opinion, than the Wizards of the Coast official D&D books. Those official books, a lot of them, after hardly any use, are starting to separate at the spine. Not so Strongholds and Followers -- that thing is tightly bound and has withstood a lot more page-turning than most of the official books. Additionally, the paper quality of the pages is top-notch. My advice is, if you are going to buy this from Colville's website, spring for the extra and get the hardcover with the PDF rather than just the PDF. It is well worth the price.
The writing is breezy and understandable. Colville uses examples to illustrate the rules. They also seem easy to implement, although I am not DMing right now so I have not used these rules yet. However, if I ever DM in the future, I am going to offer the option to my players to, as their characters get to higher level, participate in the stronghold-building game.
The content is reminiscent of the old AD&D rules about building keeps, temples, and other such structures. There is a type of structure for every class, and rules about having multiple structures in the same stronghold (i.e., a castle with a Keep, a Tower, a Temple and a Tavern inside its walls). There are also class-specific variants like different types of towers for sorcerers vs. warlocks vs. wizards. The followers section details tons of followers and shows how to create "units" of followers that can be used in combat. Very simple rules for warfare are also included, although there is an upcoming sequel book, Kingdoms and Warfare, which will go into more depth on this.
Along with all this great content, Colville added his own mythological beings, demons, and devils, his own variant brand of orcs, a bunch of NPCs, and a host of cool new magic items. And finally, as a stretch goal of the kickstarter, they included a sample adventure based on Colville's own campaign that he presented in his Campaign Diaries on YouTube. In the adventure you get to conquer a keep from some orcs, renovate it, take ownership, hire followers, and then fight a battle.
The whole kit and caboodle of PDF + hardcover book + shipping cost me around $40, which is not too different from the cost of buying an official campaign book from Wizards. In my opinion, they're 40 of the best dollars I have ever spent on a D&D product. I will absolutely buy Kingdoms and Warfare when it comes out, and anything else Matt Colville and his group see fit to produce. If you are looking for an outstanding rules supplement to D&D, look no farther. And if you are a DM wondering what to do with your high level party of adventurers now that they have a hundred thousand gold and have beaten every individual foe they have faced -- this is a good supplement for you. Building a stronghold and leveling it up and taming the countryside and fighting enemy armies will give them plenty of challenges.
The book itself is absolutely gorgeous. The artwork is incredible. The quality of the hardcover book is exceptional -- better, in my opinion, than the Wizards of the Coast official D&D books. Those official books, a lot of them, after hardly any use, are starting to separate at the spine. Not so Strongholds and Followers -- that thing is tightly bound and has withstood a lot more page-turning than most of the official books. Additionally, the paper quality of the pages is top-notch. My advice is, if you are going to buy this from Colville's website, spring for the extra and get the hardcover with the PDF rather than just the PDF. It is well worth the price.
The writing is breezy and understandable. Colville uses examples to illustrate the rules. They also seem easy to implement, although I am not DMing right now so I have not used these rules yet. However, if I ever DM in the future, I am going to offer the option to my players to, as their characters get to higher level, participate in the stronghold-building game.
The content is reminiscent of the old AD&D rules about building keeps, temples, and other such structures. There is a type of structure for every class, and rules about having multiple structures in the same stronghold (i.e., a castle with a Keep, a Tower, a Temple and a Tavern inside its walls). There are also class-specific variants like different types of towers for sorcerers vs. warlocks vs. wizards. The followers section details tons of followers and shows how to create "units" of followers that can be used in combat. Very simple rules for warfare are also included, although there is an upcoming sequel book, Kingdoms and Warfare, which will go into more depth on this.
Along with all this great content, Colville added his own mythological beings, demons, and devils, his own variant brand of orcs, a bunch of NPCs, and a host of cool new magic items. And finally, as a stretch goal of the kickstarter, they included a sample adventure based on Colville's own campaign that he presented in his Campaign Diaries on YouTube. In the adventure you get to conquer a keep from some orcs, renovate it, take ownership, hire followers, and then fight a battle.
The whole kit and caboodle of PDF + hardcover book + shipping cost me around $40, which is not too different from the cost of buying an official campaign book from Wizards. In my opinion, they're 40 of the best dollars I have ever spent on a D&D product. I will absolutely buy Kingdoms and Warfare when it comes out, and anything else Matt Colville and his group see fit to produce. If you are looking for an outstanding rules supplement to D&D, look no farther. And if you are a DM wondering what to do with your high level party of adventurers now that they have a hundred thousand gold and have beaten every individual foe they have faced -- this is a good supplement for you. Building a stronghold and leveling it up and taming the countryside and fighting enemy armies will give them plenty of challenges.
July 19, 2019
Some parts of this book are good for fantasy style table top games. In a general sense, there is a kind of admirable style put forth on the part of the author in his generalness and built in vague or basic ideas. He even leaves the ultimate task of completely fleshing out units to the players'/DM.
The "demense" (I hate that word and dislike reading it a million times while studying the book) effects are pretty cool and nice flavor, but in my humble opinion, it leaves (too) much to the imagination. It seems that in its goal of leaving it up to the players to imagine and DMs to suss out, he gave too little information. How many rooms are in a keep? How can a keep cost 10000 and a blacksmith shop cost 6000? What if a player wanted certain rooms in his "temple", but didn't like the
Servitors portion of the book and want a different mechanic? In Matt's defense he WOULD probably say something to the effect of "then make it up!".
I'm going to end up making it up but I'm probably going to reflect on the pathfinder "ultimate campaign" book which DOES give specific prices for rooms and units and has a nice combat system as well. I'm not all kinds of gamers, but of the kind that like things as I do, we just want more information. Some people dont like rules heavy things and some do. I do and I find this book lacks clarity and has too much vagueness.
I'd prefer a more a la cart style picking and choosing and planning and floorplans etc. The 3.0 book stronghold builders guide was a good book and so was the pathfinder book.
The "demense" (I hate that word and dislike reading it a million times while studying the book) effects are pretty cool and nice flavor, but in my humble opinion, it leaves (too) much to the imagination. It seems that in its goal of leaving it up to the players to imagine and DMs to suss out, he gave too little information. How many rooms are in a keep? How can a keep cost 10000 and a blacksmith shop cost 6000? What if a player wanted certain rooms in his "temple", but didn't like the
Servitors portion of the book and want a different mechanic? In Matt's defense he WOULD probably say something to the effect of "then make it up!".
I'm going to end up making it up but I'm probably going to reflect on the pathfinder "ultimate campaign" book which DOES give specific prices for rooms and units and has a nice combat system as well. I'm not all kinds of gamers, but of the kind that like things as I do, we just want more information. Some people dont like rules heavy things and some do. I do and I find this book lacks clarity and has too much vagueness.
I'd prefer a more a la cart style picking and choosing and planning and floorplans etc. The 3.0 book stronghold builders guide was a good book and so was the pathfinder book.
September 12, 2019
The ideas in this book are extremely useful and thought-provoking for my table top RPG. I think the stronghold rules are varied enough between classes, and offer a ton of options for character development, campaign stories/arcs, and worldbuilding!
The adventure in this book may be brief (which is intentional, to facilitate the party getting their starting stronghold), it's effective, concise (yet flexible enough to tweak as needed), and presents a number of great potential off-shoot arcs and stories.
The dragons were an add-on/stretch goal of the kickstarter, and while they aren't necessary for this book, they are a unique approach and take on dragons. The emphasis on psionics and a connection to the planes has me thinking of some interesting campaign ideas - and I have to say, the little vignettes Matt wrote in that section had my mind racing and were very heartfelt.
The rules for warfare are interesting. I'm not sure I'll necessarily make much use of them, but that's more a reflection of the kind of game I run, not of the quality of the rules as presented. As a wargamer as well, I can see how Matt and team were trying to walk a fine line and develop a system of rules for warfare that avoided feeling too much like a table top miniature-based wargame, and maintains the feel of a *roleplaying game*.
The adventure in this book may be brief (which is intentional, to facilitate the party getting their starting stronghold), it's effective, concise (yet flexible enough to tweak as needed), and presents a number of great potential off-shoot arcs and stories.
The dragons were an add-on/stretch goal of the kickstarter, and while they aren't necessary for this book, they are a unique approach and take on dragons. The emphasis on psionics and a connection to the planes has me thinking of some interesting campaign ideas - and I have to say, the little vignettes Matt wrote in that section had my mind racing and were very heartfelt.
The rules for warfare are interesting. I'm not sure I'll necessarily make much use of them, but that's more a reflection of the kind of game I run, not of the quality of the rules as presented. As a wargamer as well, I can see how Matt and team were trying to walk a fine line and develop a system of rules for warfare that avoided feeling too much like a table top miniature-based wargame, and maintains the feel of a *roleplaying game*.
March 15, 2019
I wish I could add half stars because this is more of a four and a half star review than a four star review. I found a ton of cool stuff in here that I am going to use at my table. There are really good and interesting rules, items, and creatures throughout this supplement.
But I will say I had one thing that bugged me about this supplement. I love the rules, I love the creatures, I love the weirdness that Matt Colville injects into his writing. But Matt, come on man, exclamation points are like ghost peppers. A little goes a long way. I feel like we could have dialed those back from eleven here.
Otherwise, it's great and if you love Dungeons and Dragons and want a really neat supplement to make your game better, buy this book!
But I will say I had one thing that bugged me about this supplement. I love the rules, I love the creatures, I love the weirdness that Matt Colville injects into his writing. But Matt, come on man, exclamation points are like ghost peppers. A little goes a long way. I feel like we could have dialed those back from eleven here.
Otherwise, it's great and if you love Dungeons and Dragons and want a really neat supplement to make your game better, buy this book!
April 17, 2019
I was a kickstarter of this fantastic edition. And it was worth it. I have read the pdf front to back and cannot wait for the paper volume. Matt has created a whole book based on one page in the dungeons masters guide. What do your D&D characters do with all that loot between adventures? Build towers, forts, libraries, camps, groves. He has talked and hinted about these Dungeons and Dragons rules in his multivolume Running The Game video series. I can hear his rapid voice while I read this volume. Not only is it a good read, it is full of fantastic art. It is also very good timing as my D&D group has leveled up and been saving their money for just an event.
January 16, 2020
Disclaimer: I am, by no means, an expert on D&D rules or someone interested in game balance.
That being said, what I do love about fantasy and about D&D is all over this book: interesting and complex concepts, a campaign sample, units and a whole theory of war, coupled with incredible illustrations and some flavor insights into Matthew Colville's own fantasy world. Reading it was like watching one of his videos, and the experience was worth it.
I wouldn't change anything about the book, as you can take something out of it even if you're not particularly interested in running strongholds and followers in your campaign.
That being said, what I do love about fantasy and about D&D is all over this book: interesting and complex concepts, a campaign sample, units and a whole theory of war, coupled with incredible illustrations and some flavor insights into Matthew Colville's own fantasy world. Reading it was like watching one of his videos, and the experience was worth it.
I wouldn't change anything about the book, as you can take something out of it even if you're not particularly interested in running strongholds and followers in your campaign.
July 24, 2019
Definitely my favorite 3rd party D&D supplements. Hell, I've made more use of its contents than i have of any Wizards products outside of the 3 core rulebooks.
Matt's writing is so evocative and inspiring, its darn near impossible to put the book down without the overwhelming NEED to implement the ideas in your own campaign.
5/5
Matt's writing is so evocative and inspiring, its darn near impossible to put the book down without the overwhelming NEED to implement the ideas in your own campaign.
5/5
March 23, 2020
(Full disclosure: I backed this book on Kickstarter.)
Mixed feelings on this third-party D&D sourcebook. I had high hopes for it due to its being written by Matt Colville, one of my favorite D&D YouTubers. And it is quite good overall, to be clear. But there are some small but annoying misfires.
The first major section is on Strongholds. There are some interesting rules here, with four broad types of strongholds (keep, tower, temple, and establishment), and then customization for each of the major character classes. The rules remind me a bit of the official lair rules for monsters, in a good way. Though not every stronghold feature was a winner for me - the tower's spell customization, for example, was a little underwhelming (though to be fair, probably as whelming as it can be and remain balanced). Unfortunately, a few of the rules reference the upcoming Kingdoms & Warfare - which we won't get until 2021! - making this feel incomplete, and discouraging one from using them. (Colville should have included some draft version of the necessary rules, beyond the warfare appendix.) Also, some of the stronghold features for non-magical classes seemed a little too magical for my tastes, though at least that can be tweaked.
The second major section is on Followers, and this section was probably my favorite. The artisans are a neat add-on to the strongholds, but it's the retainers that were particularly useful, with very good streamlined rules for using them during games. I'm not sure I'd use the Stronghold rules in a game that didn't have them in mind from the start, but I think these retainer rules could be used in any game.
The third major section is an adventure, "The Siege of Castle Rend." It's a pretty good adventure, with an interesting premise, setting, and NPCs. It also tries its best to use the stronghold and warfare rules at the end... while a little more hand-holding would have been nice for that part, it's functional.
After that are appendices. The first features a selection of new monsters, introduced as special allies in the Strongholds section. While they're pretty interesting overall... the whole section feels like padding, having little to do with the theme of the book. This especially feels true of Colville's take on gem dragons, even if it is very good otherwise.
The second appendix features a version of his warfare rules. Which seem pretty good, though I would have appreciated a closer comparison to individual characters, and I was frustrated by trying to map the size statistic to actual unit sizes. (I gather the abstraction was on purpose, but it was definitely an obstacle.) I also appreciated the simplified warfare rules, to save you the trouble of round-by-round play. I hope to see some interesting expansions and improvements in the next book.
The third appendix has some new magic items: a few general items that can be used anywhere, but mostly items tied to Colville's creations from this book and items using the Stronghold rules. They're certainly interesting reads!
One general comment as well: Colville's writing style feels much like watching his videos. Which means it's engaging and fun... but noticeably informal compared to the usual D&D sourcebook. That isn't a negative, exactly, but certainly jarring at times. (Also, he really likes footnotes.)
Overall, this is an interesting sourcebook, entertaining to read and with a lot of neat new ideas. However, it loses points for relying (if only a little) on an as-yet-unpublished work, and for including material that really belongs in a different, more general sort of sourcebook. This is still worth picking up, especially if you're itching to have these rules in your game or if you're a fan of Colville's style... but it's wise to manage your expectations. (B+)
Mixed feelings on this third-party D&D sourcebook. I had high hopes for it due to its being written by Matt Colville, one of my favorite D&D YouTubers. And it is quite good overall, to be clear. But there are some small but annoying misfires.
The first major section is on Strongholds. There are some interesting rules here, with four broad types of strongholds (keep, tower, temple, and establishment), and then customization for each of the major character classes. The rules remind me a bit of the official lair rules for monsters, in a good way. Though not every stronghold feature was a winner for me - the tower's spell customization, for example, was a little underwhelming (though to be fair, probably as whelming as it can be and remain balanced). Unfortunately, a few of the rules reference the upcoming Kingdoms & Warfare - which we won't get until 2021! - making this feel incomplete, and discouraging one from using them. (Colville should have included some draft version of the necessary rules, beyond the warfare appendix.) Also, some of the stronghold features for non-magical classes seemed a little too magical for my tastes, though at least that can be tweaked.
The second major section is on Followers, and this section was probably my favorite. The artisans are a neat add-on to the strongholds, but it's the retainers that were particularly useful, with very good streamlined rules for using them during games. I'm not sure I'd use the Stronghold rules in a game that didn't have them in mind from the start, but I think these retainer rules could be used in any game.
The third major section is an adventure, "The Siege of Castle Rend." It's a pretty good adventure, with an interesting premise, setting, and NPCs. It also tries its best to use the stronghold and warfare rules at the end... while a little more hand-holding would have been nice for that part, it's functional.
After that are appendices. The first features a selection of new monsters, introduced as special allies in the Strongholds section. While they're pretty interesting overall... the whole section feels like padding, having little to do with the theme of the book. This especially feels true of Colville's take on gem dragons, even if it is very good otherwise.
The second appendix features a version of his warfare rules. Which seem pretty good, though I would have appreciated a closer comparison to individual characters, and I was frustrated by trying to map the size statistic to actual unit sizes. (I gather the abstraction was on purpose, but it was definitely an obstacle.) I also appreciated the simplified warfare rules, to save you the trouble of round-by-round play. I hope to see some interesting expansions and improvements in the next book.
The third appendix has some new magic items: a few general items that can be used anywhere, but mostly items tied to Colville's creations from this book and items using the Stronghold rules. They're certainly interesting reads!
One general comment as well: Colville's writing style feels much like watching his videos. Which means it's engaging and fun... but noticeably informal compared to the usual D&D sourcebook. That isn't a negative, exactly, but certainly jarring at times. (Also, he really likes footnotes.)
Overall, this is an interesting sourcebook, entertaining to read and with a lot of neat new ideas. However, it loses points for relying (if only a little) on an as-yet-unpublished work, and for including material that really belongs in a different, more general sort of sourcebook. This is still worth picking up, especially if you're itching to have these rules in your game or if you're a fan of Colville's style... but it's wise to manage your expectations. (B+)
May 2, 2022
I helped Kickstart this book and I'm very glad I did - and I'm not even DMing for players who want armies! Despite that, this is easily one of my favorite D&D 5e supplements I've ever gotten my hands on. Why? Here are some reasons:
- Very easy to read through and understand. All the examples for how to implement new rules are easy to follow and the prose is both fun to read and informative. It's rare that I read item descriptions and NPC summaries purely as entertainment, but I actually read some of these out loud to my sister, simply because they were so fun and neat.
- Beautiful and plentiful artwork. My absolute favorites are the depictions of the NPCs Monarcon, the Oleander Dragon and Dominion, but it's all gorgeous.
- A system for warfare in D&D that lets you as a DM figure out how battles might go, even if your players might not want to directly engage with armies and strategies (though they can!)
- Strongholds for your party to build up and make a home in.
- Flexibility! The additional rules in this book are clear but broad enough that you as DM (or player in conversation with your DM) can implement parts of them or modified versions of them, in fun ways, without having to change your whole campaign to focus on getting a keep and defending it with armies. I've included a "smaller" version of strongholds in one of my current campaigns, and it's a huge hit with my players!
- Gemstone dragons. A new type of dragons that bring interesting new powers to the dragons of D&D.
- New magical items, some specific to strongholds but some that are at such epic levels of magic that you can use them as centers for whole campaigns.
In summary, this is a book full of fun optional rules, creatures and items to bring into your D&D games that I highly recommend even if you're not looking to implement strongholds or warfare!
- Very easy to read through and understand. All the examples for how to implement new rules are easy to follow and the prose is both fun to read and informative. It's rare that I read item descriptions and NPC summaries purely as entertainment, but I actually read some of these out loud to my sister, simply because they were so fun and neat.
- Beautiful and plentiful artwork. My absolute favorites are the depictions of the NPCs Monarcon, the Oleander Dragon and Dominion, but it's all gorgeous.
- A system for warfare in D&D that lets you as a DM figure out how battles might go, even if your players might not want to directly engage with armies and strategies (though they can!)
- Strongholds for your party to build up and make a home in.
- Flexibility! The additional rules in this book are clear but broad enough that you as DM (or player in conversation with your DM) can implement parts of them or modified versions of them, in fun ways, without having to change your whole campaign to focus on getting a keep and defending it with armies. I've included a "smaller" version of strongholds in one of my current campaigns, and it's a huge hit with my players!
- Gemstone dragons. A new type of dragons that bring interesting new powers to the dragons of D&D.
- New magical items, some specific to strongholds but some that are at such epic levels of magic that you can use them as centers for whole campaigns.
In summary, this is a book full of fun optional rules, creatures and items to bring into your D&D games that I highly recommend even if you're not looking to implement strongholds or warfare!
February 3, 2021
I really enjoy M. Colville's style of D&D, he reminds me of my oldest brother, but beyond that he runs a similar style of D&D as I do in my campaigns. I like deadly challenges, because it means the memories are more epic for their victories... the losses more visceral for their failures. There is a lot to be gained and lost.
I really enjoy how Strongholds and Followers opens up the world. I've spent a large portion of my life playing epic scale war games. I've always felt there was a lot lacking in 'single instance' massive battles that assume each side is equal. I like the way player agency determines what they are doing and how it can effect their world. I've been dm'ing for a little over a year now in 5e and honestly like this more than any war game, any ttrpg... it is just a beautiful system.
-I love the way strongholds can give characters 'dominions' and demesnes. I think it fixes how a game stagnates into questing only whilst there is so much more to life that is difficult to see in 'downtime.'
-I love the robust and simple warfare outlined to deal with the large scale skirmishes. I'm so stoked for Kingdoms and Warfare.
-Most of all I've really enjoyed looking into his style of magic as well as creature construction. I've made so many M. Coleville inspired creatures in recent months. They are a pleasure to create and honestly... solve so many meta-player problems.
I really enjoy how Strongholds and Followers opens up the world. I've spent a large portion of my life playing epic scale war games. I've always felt there was a lot lacking in 'single instance' massive battles that assume each side is equal. I like the way player agency determines what they are doing and how it can effect their world. I've been dm'ing for a little over a year now in 5e and honestly like this more than any war game, any ttrpg... it is just a beautiful system.
-I love the way strongholds can give characters 'dominions' and demesnes. I think it fixes how a game stagnates into questing only whilst there is so much more to life that is difficult to see in 'downtime.'
-I love the robust and simple warfare outlined to deal with the large scale skirmishes. I'm so stoked for Kingdoms and Warfare.
-Most of all I've really enjoyed looking into his style of magic as well as creature construction. I've made so many M. Coleville inspired creatures in recent months. They are a pleasure to create and honestly... solve so many meta-player problems.
January 16, 2023
MCDM is a company fronted by the indomitable Matthew Colville, whose Youtube series "Running the Game" is both popular and wonderful. This is the D&D 5e rules for small unit combat and real estate: how, in the game, to have a place--a keep, a tower, a castle, a hide out--and how to manage the employees (for lack of a better term). The original game mentioned things like retainers, but the rules were never terribly clear (and I honestly never tried them). I am going to use the Castle Rend scenario in this book as a frame for my own game, where I have a group of 5th level characters on the Moonshae Islands. Very enjoyable to read, and an example of the high-quality, imaginative, 3rd party material that Wizards of the Coast is currently trying to strangle. Well done, all at MCDM!
January 7, 2024
Best part: monster manual, the planar courts are epic!
Worst part: very stereotypical medieval fantasy - just not my jam
The adventure feels pretty stereotypical D&D, which I'm sure is what a lot of people are looking for but I'm into more colorful settings more like Eberron or Ixalan. I'm coming in from having just read Flee Mortals, which I loved, and learning about retainers, which I think I'd be open to PC's controlling. The strongholds seem like a fun way to do downtown and have a team of adventurers come together more so and feel like they're shaping the world. That said I have 0 interest in the warfare component. Seems like a good book for more classic D&D folks, combined with Flee Mortals and can alllllmost replace the standard Monster Manual.
Worst part: very stereotypical medieval fantasy - just not my jam
The adventure feels pretty stereotypical D&D, which I'm sure is what a lot of people are looking for but I'm into more colorful settings more like Eberron or Ixalan. I'm coming in from having just read Flee Mortals, which I loved, and learning about retainers, which I think I'd be open to PC's controlling. The strongholds seem like a fun way to do downtown and have a team of adventurers come together more so and feel like they're shaping the world. That said I have 0 interest in the warfare component. Seems like a good book for more classic D&D folks, combined with Flee Mortals and can alllllmost replace the standard Monster Manual.
July 25, 2022
I was actually kinda surprised at how much value I gleaned out of this book. Going into it, I didn't anticipate a great deal for the simple fact that I wasn't that interested in adding followers to my game. Yet, the exploration of medieval warfare and mindset is alone of value to DMs looking to up their game. The book also contains quite a few unique ideas for encounters and even entire campaigns.
My only complaint is I felt the organization could have been better, but that is a pervasive problem in D&D content.
Overall, a solid resource!
My only complaint is I felt the organization could have been better, but that is a pervasive problem in D&D content.
Overall, a solid resource!
December 9, 2019
I won't be using most of the rules described here, except the establishment stronghold stuff which I really like. The overall stronghold concept is very cool, but I can't imagine my current group doing wars with units. But running a bar and a theater, paying employees to spy on guests and gather intel? Oh yeah my players are going to love this.
December 31, 2022
Solid attempt to put back into 5E D&D a variety of play which Wizards consistently fails to support. Full review: https://refereeingandreflection.wordp...
April 25, 2024
A wealth of information in an area I was interested in. I'll take some tidbits into my games, while others I probably won't. The section about units and large scale armies is a little too crunchy for my table, so I'll have to let that portion sit.
September 27, 2019
Decent rule set but incomplete. I would like to see the second book.
February 5, 2020
Loved the book! Great art, fun tone, useful information, well organized, and a great imagination starter!
October 28, 2019
As the guy who always wants to make their characters stronghold this isn't what I'm looking for. I don't do it because I want my character to have a few more bonuses and buffs I do it because I love the fantasy of making my own magical medieval dream house. And this is not that.
This has a few really cool ideas almost as an aside, I found the authors personal worldbuilding and take on the multiverse fascinating, but everything the book was about didn't do anything for me.
This has a few really cool ideas almost as an aside, I found the authors personal worldbuilding and take on the multiverse fascinating, but everything the book was about didn't do anything for me.
September 21, 2021
Retainers, warfare, and strongholds, oh my. This book contains everything I needed to incorporate the ideas of having a stronghold into the game. With it, I have no doubt that I can quickly run larger combats and incorporate retainers with the party.
A significant problem I had was a desire to create retainers that fit with the context of what the party was challenging. I especially wanted to create retainers that could fit NPCs that the party recruited to their side, say if they convinced a farmer to join them and fight off goblins. The stats are simple enough, but I wanted a chart I could look down to in the middle of a session to streamline the process. Figuring out a way to convert the "Unit creation" system in the warfare section into "retainer creation" fixed this issue.
The adventure contained within - "The Seige of Castle Rend" - is a setting full of fun characters to roleplay, such as the cruel Sir Pelliton or the ambitious Pinna, and the vengeful Edmund, and a great introduction to the mechanics, such as the introduction of stronghold abilities for the characters, the use of stronghold features outside of the characters control, the use of retinues, and how warfare is different than standard combat.
Another thing this adventure might teach you is the increase in power PCs will get through implementing this book into their games. Each one of these sections could be just the right thing for DMs in need of some formal way of representing these systems. However, providing DMs are willing to adjust their encounters due to a new power curve, and they are okay with adding a little complexity to the game, giving their players quite a bit of power, this book can add an exciting new dimension to the classic tabletop roleplaying game.
If that isn't enough, then the exquisite art may be enough to encourage at least a look. With several new creatures, friends, and foes, and new art direction that sticks close to the classic Wizards style, this book is quite the looker.
With all these benefits, Strongholds and Followers will be a quick recommendation to anyone who wants to make the creation of strongholds, retinues, bases, or armies into their Dungeons and Dragons 5e game.
A significant problem I had was a desire to create retainers that fit with the context of what the party was challenging. I especially wanted to create retainers that could fit NPCs that the party recruited to their side, say if they convinced a farmer to join them and fight off goblins. The stats are simple enough, but I wanted a chart I could look down to in the middle of a session to streamline the process. Figuring out a way to convert the "Unit creation" system in the warfare section into "retainer creation" fixed this issue.
The adventure contained within - "The Seige of Castle Rend" - is a setting full of fun characters to roleplay, such as the cruel Sir Pelliton or the ambitious Pinna, and the vengeful Edmund, and a great introduction to the mechanics, such as the introduction of stronghold abilities for the characters, the use of stronghold features outside of the characters control, the use of retinues, and how warfare is different than standard combat.
Another thing this adventure might teach you is the increase in power PCs will get through implementing this book into their games. Each one of these sections could be just the right thing for DMs in need of some formal way of representing these systems. However, providing DMs are willing to adjust their encounters due to a new power curve, and they are okay with adding a little complexity to the game, giving their players quite a bit of power, this book can add an exciting new dimension to the classic tabletop roleplaying game.
If that isn't enough, then the exquisite art may be enough to encourage at least a look. With several new creatures, friends, and foes, and new art direction that sticks close to the classic Wizards style, this book is quite the looker.
With all these benefits, Strongholds and Followers will be a quick recommendation to anyone who wants to make the creation of strongholds, retinues, bases, or armies into their Dungeons and Dragons 5e game.
November 24, 2019
If you play a home game of D&D then get this.
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