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(Image credit: Joel Franey)
I’ve said here before thatBaldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernusranks among one of the best D&D 5e modules out there right now; a frenetic, bombastic adventure that drags players down to the Nine Hells of Baator in the hope of saving a lost city, a fallen angel, and more besides. Although it was originally sold as a prequel toBaldur’s Gate 3, it ended up evolving into its own entity – a madcap adventure through the battlefields of the damned. BG3 isn’t so much a sequel to that as it is a kind of elaborate spin-off that occasionally invokes the consequences and context of Descent into Avernus. Atruesequel to Descent into Avernus has yet to exist… at least officially. But unofficially, there’s an adventure out there that might be one of the best 5e modules around: Chains of Asmodeus.
Hell ain’t a bad place to be
(Image credit: Joel Franey)
Alright, Chains of Asmodeus isn’t technically a sequel (it can absolutely be run independently of Avernus) but it’s clearly intended as a follow-up act, starting for characters of level 11 (which is where Avernus stops) and dragging them back to the underworld on a grander scale, all the way to level 20. This time the villain is the mastermind of Hell himself, the devil god Asmodeus, who has stolen the souls of the player characters and has further plans to ensure their corruption. To get their spirits back and avoid an eternity of damnation, the heroes must return to the Nine Hells – and yes, I meanallof the Hells. Descent into Avernus covered just the first layer of Baator, but Chains of Asmodeus will drag you through the entire Plane, encountering the sneering Archdevil warlords along the way, plus a chaotic cast of oddballs and antagonists.
Choices, choices(Image credit: Joel Franey)Chains of Asmodeus is availablevia Dungeon Master’s Guild, and there are a few different versions in play. The standard PDF file is $29.99, the softcover books begin at $34.99, and the hardcover alternative starts at $59.99. (You can get ‘Premium Color’ versions of both for a little more.)
Choices, choices
(Image credit: Joel Franey)Chains of Asmodeus is availablevia Dungeon Master’s Guild, and there are a few different versions in play. The standard PDF file is $29.99, the softcover books begin at $34.99, and the hardcover alternative starts at $59.99. (You can get ‘Premium Color’ versions of both for a little more.)
(Image credit: Joel Franey)
Chains of Asmodeus is availablevia Dungeon Master’s Guild, and there are a few different versions in play. The standard PDF file is $29.99, the softcover books begin at $34.99, and the hardcover alternative starts at $59.99. (You can get ‘Premium Color’ versions of both for a little more.)
CoA is a hefty book that hits nearly 300 pages with very little filler, so rather than try to explain it in full – borderline impossible to do so efficiently – I’ll just drop a few highlights about what you might find to tempt you: expect a steampunk submarine, mechanics based around corruption of the soul, a fat beholder and an elderly mind flayer working a market as a couple, the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse riding in on armored dinosaurs, an evil amusement park boasting the scariest roller coaster in the known universe, and new monsters including body horror pterodactyls, spirit tigers, Styx Dragons, something called the Fire Kraken, and even stats for Asmodeus himself, if you feel confident about taking on one of the most powerful gods fromD&D books.
Infernal Affairs and Inhuman Resources
(Image credit: Joel Franey)
Their writing pairs superbly with atmospheric artwork from a range of contributors (Sergei Sarichev, Sergey Musin, Julian Calle, Sebastion Kowoll, Paul Adams, Luis Lasahido, and the Aaron Sims Company). I love how the landscape shots in particular have this slightly smeared, painterly quality that invokes messy bloodstains, gore, smoke and flame, but keeps clarity despite that. Official 5e artwork, though often superb, can be a little too clean and sterile for its own good, but Chains of Asmodeus is clever enough to bring in an aesthetic that matches the tone of the content, and it elevates the entire package.
(Image credit: Joel Franey)
But even that pales to the most important thing –that all proceeds from Chains of Asmodeus go to Extra Life, a charity fundraising program that supports childrens' hospital programs, and that fact alone makes CoA one of the best D&D purchases you could make. And yet it’s just a fantastic adventure on its own terms, especially considering how few options there are for players at a high level.
Chains of Asmodeus is for saleat Dungeon Master’s Guild right now, with options for physical copies both hardcover and softcover, as well as digital PDF options and even a Roll20 VTT. Consider this a full-throated recommendation – it’s the best addition to my D&D shelf in a long time.
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
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Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
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2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
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