Your Thoughts on Icewind Dale

[Saulus]

Things are progressing well on the development front and the Sundren team here has been doing a great job supporting all the new improvements in the module!

That being said it's getting time we think forward on something we've talked about for a long time. Icewind Dale!

It's this region that will be the next expansion update from the Sundren team. We're already well underway in development and as previewed before we even have a wonderful new Ice Caves tileset designed by Tupoun for this new reigon.

We plan to make this a very expansive area with multiple dungeons, and a new town destination. Our core focus is to make it a true wild frontier, wrought with peril, and reward... along with serene landscapes created by nature.

But I wanted to ask players, as we continue to refine this update-in-development, If you've played the games, what made it unique? Why would you want to go there as a player?

Obviously there is a lot of lore to work with, is there any aspect you find the most interesting?

[Gamling]

The music of the game was something I always really enjoyed looking back at Icewind Dale.

But I suppose a bigger part would be the sense of grandeur that Icewind Dale has. The same kind of feeling when you look out across the grand canyon. When I think Icewind Dale I think high adventure and mystery.

[Intrepid42]

I have played both Icewind Dale games, plus all the other old Infinity Engine games. Compared to other games in the genre at the time, Icewind Dale stood out for it's unique setting, fun dungeon-delving, tactical combat and art style. My favorite area in the module currently is probably the Bristlebeard's Hollow outside map, with the frozen waterfall, snow-encrusted road and atmosphere/weather effects. Although I must admit to a slight amount of bias.

In terms of lore and player goals, in addition to giving individual players incentive to head there, I would also try to establish lore or dungeon features that gives factions lore-related reasons to go there, where it is plausible.

Aurilites/Exigo is easy enough, but you could consider some vile undead something (Barrow-wight perhaps?) lurking in the depths of one of the dungeons for the Triumverate, a useful source of supply for the Legion to want to protect (crystals for their floating-city artifacts, alchemy reagants for healing, anything really).

[Doubtful]

Two Words: Bear Warriors.

http://dndtools.eu/classes/bear-warrior/

The Frozen North, and our real world Northern/Nordic countries, have always enthralled me. There's such a level of stark beauty in the landscapes.

It's that that I'm most looking forward to with the IWD stuff, the existing Spine maps are fantastic, they're not just clean snow but the varying and harsh terrain that you want to see. Frozen waterfalls, towering cliffs, dark volcanic rock against the various colours of snow and ice.

I'd look at real world locations such as Jokulsarlon for things that are out of the normal but well suited to the frozen north.

(click for frickin huge version)

I'd quite like to see some winter court esque fay stuff going on, or random hidden spiritual/fey spots. And some John Bauer.


Suitable Music

[Chiangtao]

Very random encounters of wandering monsters would be a fun addition to add to the mystery of the area. It may behoove you to place a level restriction on the transition if this is implemented, too.

While I want it to feel isolated, it's hard to do that in a game sense. You WANT players to visit it. Things like the world map make this difficult as well. So while aesthetically I think driving snow and giant mountain peaks are great, the stuff you find there should encourage people to visit. Dungeons and mine-able ore have already been mentioned. What about a true dragon horde in the peaks?

Also you mention a destination here. What about a Snow Leopard or White Elk village? And what if that village had quests where you gain favor with them to earn rewards... maybe certain vendors "unlock" for you after you gain a certain reputation with them... and also ways to sway their outlook toward your faction? You could turn them into enemies of the Triad, etc.

[Snowmane]

Exposure - the non-city Icewind Dale areas need to be nasty in terms of exposure. Like the Spine areas on steroids. Saves versus damage should be made using the lower of either your fortitude save or you survival skill. Save DCs should be much higher and DCs and cold damage should increase at night.

[Vladadier]

[QUOTE=Doubtful;139522]Two Words: Bear Warriors.

http://dndtools.eu/classes/bear-warrior/

PLEASE ADD THEM!!! I had one in PnP and LOVED it

[Cornuto]

Will Doubt make a cool were-bear model?

[Torgar]

The quest's were always fun to do. Having quests to do, both in and out of icewind dale, would be superb.

[Doubtful]

Will Doubt finish any of the models he's started?

FTFY.

If they go in as a class I'll add it to the list, though at the moment there are a lot more things at a much higher priority.

Would be a seriously great alternative to werewolves though.

[Vladadier]

Werewolves... You should go Underworld style... Make Anosh a vampire/werewolf... NOMNOMNOM

[Seheren]

Then Dain and co. can trade in Holy Avengers for UV Hand-grenades and automatic weapons?

[roguethree]

I keep hearing about this "team" and this "and co." Where the hell are they?

[Incognito]

I keep hearing about this "team" and this "and co." Where the hell are they?

I fed them all to my BalorZ

[thaelis]

Very random encounters of wandering monsters would be a fun addition to add to the mystery of the area. It may behoove you to place a level restriction on the transition if this is implemented, too.

While I want it to feel isolated, it's hard to do that in a game sense. You WANT players to visit it. Things like the world map make this difficult as well. So while aesthetically I think driving snow and giant mountain peaks are great, the stuff you find there should encourage people to visit. Dungeons and mine-able ore have already been mentioned. What about a true dragon horde in the peaks?

Also you mention a destination here. What about a Snow Leopard or White Elk village? And what if that village had quests where you gain favor with them to earn rewards... maybe certain vendors "unlock" for you after you gain a certain reputation with them... and also ways to sway their outlook toward your faction? You could turn them into enemies of the Triad, etc.

Random encounters, agree strongly. Dungeons and mining, again agree. Village of barbarians you can influence? Hmm...shouldn't this be handled by a DM. If its just quest = influence then its basically encouraging people to grind that quest in order to gain favour. Also whichever faction has more players in it would easily "win" and be allies with the barbarians, even if though it might not make RP sense.

I keep hearing about this "team" and this "and co." Where the hell are they?

If he doesn't have a team perhaps he needs to lower his standards. Start recruiting at Jimmy's?