Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
raw adventure have been announce forNeverwinter , the barren - to - play MMORPG based on the popular tabletopDungeons & Dragons . Neverwinterhas just released its 22nd module , Dragoneborne Valefor PC , with the adventure coming to PlayStation and Xbox consoles on February 8 . Building adventure forNeverwinteris a giving labor , and Lead Designer Randy Mosiondz and Content Designer Elliot Minner have shared with Screen Rant some of their favoriteDungeons & Dragonscampaigns , and how those risky venture helped in building new content forNeverwinterplayers .
Recently , Neverwintercelebrated its 20th mental faculty milestone with the addition of the three - part adventureSharandar . The module took players back to the location ofNeverwinter’sfirst mental faculty with new challenges , include meeting with three Hags . Shortly after the conclusion ofSharandar , the Bard course of instruction was enclose inModule 21 : Jewel of the North . The introduction of the Bard class allowed players new ways to explore Faerûn , include the selection between Songblade and Minstrel Paragon Paths for dissimilar strengths in fighting .
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Randy Mosiondz has been a part of video recording game development for over fifteen years and has worked on projects likeCity of HeroesandChampions Onlineas well asNeverwinter . Elliot Minner got his start at Cryptic Studios in 2017 , working hard to make newfangled contentedness for theD&D - inspiredMMORPG . Both interior decorator have provided Screen Rant with a smell into theprocess of build modules forNeverwinterand contact on some of their favorite past cognitive content expansions , as well as the summons for pick out sure area over others .
give thanks you so much for taking the meter to speak with us about your creative processes when building content forNeverwinter . We are here today with Lead Designer Randy Mosiondz and Content Designer Elliot Minner to talk about theNeverwinterteam ’s favorite political campaign . Randy and Elliot , what were your preferent retiring storylines and why ?
Randy Mosiondz , Lead Designer forNeverwinter : I’m a big fan of theRavenloftstoryline we manage to do in our Barovia geographical zone . We had n’t essay telling a medieval horror story inNeverwinterbefore , but the combination of environments , quests , storytelling , and bring down - scenes really got the look of the setting rightfield . From the Barovia village where the timid villager and move Vistani , to the witch and werewolf - ghost forests , to Strahd ’s Castle Ravenloft , it apace became a devotee favorite .
Elliot Minner , Content Designer forNeverwinter : I’m fond of the belittled stories we separate in each floor ofUndermountain ! Things like working with Fazrian , the evil planetar ruling over the Terminus Level , to defeat a vulgar opposition , or befriend Tearulai , a talking sword stuck in a dragon ’s head ! And then also our larger arc story we told about the Vallenhas kinfolk , with our theatrical role Alric and Etrien defending their home , and then traveling to the depth of Avernus to deliver a fallen angel .
How do you decide what content could make a good mental faculty forNeverwinter ? Have you ever had a mental faculty that turned out to be much more complicated than expect ?
Randy : For all modules , we always stress to find something that fits our biz ’s focus of “ multiplayer action ” whether it ’s dangerous undertaking geographical zone you could run around in together or our Dungeons and Trials where you could fight the tough boss in the game . Where faculty turn out to be too complicated is when we taste to incorporate too many one - off assets and elongate our capacity for contented creation too thin .
For the Underdark run , did you work intimately with RA Salvatore , and did that change the creative mental process ? What were your favorite concepts incorporate from the novel ?
Randy : We worked very closely with him . He came into the studio to get together with us , and we built a story framework based around the kind of report we typically tell withinNeverwinter , leverage the main pattern we expend to pass narrative . My favorite bit was with Pwent at the Throne of the Dwarf Gods – it had some great storytelling and fun action sequences !
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Regarding the twenty-first Module , Jewel of the North , were there any challenges that switch how you call up about the 22nd Module ?
Elliot : M21 ( Jewel of the North ) was challenge because we had to step back and really look at the game as a whole , and essay to gear up ourselves up for a strong future for our players . We wanted to make the biz more nonrational and really help players reach the best content we have to proffer while preparing them for the trials in advance .
With M22 ( Dragonbone Vale ) we wanted to produce the next big oddment - game zone to serve our most consecrated players and add up exciting young opportunity for gameplay and rewards . So , each module really had its own set of goals , but with any module , there ’s always something more to find out and better on .
What are you most mad about forDragonbone Vale ? What make this effort unparalleled from your retiring projects ?
Elliot : I’m really gallant of what we were able to accomplish in terms of the musical scale of the young adventure geographical zone inDragonbone Vale . It feels vast , and there is quite a mess to discover . Our premier novel mechanic for the zone is the make out hook ! The grappling hooking allowed us to reimagine how we design our point , adding a whole new proportion of vertical exploration . We wanted to make trusted you were reward for that exploration as well so there are muckle of special enemy to discover and great rewards to collect from them .
Are there any expression ofDragonbone Valethat were designed specifically with the new Bard course of instruction in thinker ?
Randy : Not specifically , as all the classes are intended to run well in all ofNeverwinter ’s message . The bard Etrien shows up as part of the Shield of the North though - that ’s the gather of faction who are fighting against the Cult of the Dragon ’s plans .
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Do you have a specific storyline inDungeons & Dragonsyou would really like to make into a module that has n’t been focused on yet ?
Elliot : I would love to revisitUndermountainbecause there are so many more tarradiddle there in all of the floors we did n’t get to visit . It would also be great to research the astral aeroplane and team up with some of the githzerai you may meet in Stardock . last , Mount Celestia has the potential for some really epic adventuring !
Randy : I really like theUndermountain . It ’s a massive surface area to explore underground , and has passel of slap-up factions to lock with and creature to fight . We ’ve scarce touched the aerofoil ( so to verbalize ) of what theUnderdarkhas to offer .
What decisions go into pick module content from the existingD&Dsource material ? Are there any campaigns that would n’t work out as module ? What observe them from being useable ?
Randy : As I tint on earlier , we primarily require to blame contentedness that fits our flair of gameplay : military action multiplayer with a combat focus . So , for exercise , if there ’s a sullen narrative focal point for a module , we prove to adapt it to jibe our gameplay style .
What are your favoriteNeverwintercampaigns to dally ? What are your favorite Classes to dally as ?
Elliot : Ravenloftis a great zone to just wander around in . I think we really nailed the mood and overall feel . For classes , my main is a Paladin tank but I also really enjoy Wizard and Ranger .
Randy : I’m a buff of theUnderdarkcampaign . Just a groovy set of areas with lots of eminent - magic domain establish by a crazy wizard filled with interesting creatures and characters . My favourite class to play is Wizard – the class has band of arcane knowledge , and a vast grasp of spells to choose from .
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What is the most exciting part of unveiling a new Module ? Is there any feedback you specifically look for to use in succeeding labor ?
Randy : We always reckon for the excitement and appointment from the players . If it resonates well , we endeavor to comprise more of the themes and gameplay element into future projects . So , if you ’re a player , please remember to post constructive feedback to our community forums .
Out of every variation , what is your favoriteDungeons & Dragonscampaign ? Do you have any stories to partake in that stand out from bring campaigns that aid with the conception of module for Neverwinter ?
Randy : I started with the basicD&Dred box , but really got into it with 3rd edition . I got one of the first Player ’s Handbooks when they released it at GenCon ! But if I had to go with my favorite , I ’d have to say it ’s 5th variation . It has old - schooling relish but clean and more streamlined machinist , and a big esthetic and authorship style .
As for stories , I know we ’ve incorporated some characters ( and players ! ) from tabletopD&Dgames intoNeverwinteras niggling easter egg / flavor bits .
Elliot : I come into playingD&Drelatively recently so I have n’t play too many official campaigns . The first one I played was Lost Mines of Phandelver . It ’s backbreaking for me to say a favorite because really other than that , I ’ve bring homebrew , but Lost Mines being my first official campaign I definitely remember it fondly .
WhileNeverwintershares a lot withD&D , it is of course its own game , so I think the main thing that helps me in design is pic to all the different astonishing wight , charming items , spells , and the like . If I have an meeting with a minotaur that was really exciting , I can go “ We have to add that toNeverwinter ! It would be so cool ! ”
What advice do you have for players embarking on Module 22 : Dragonbone Vale ?
Elliot : Explore ! We really wanted to makeDragonbone Valea fertile and grand raw addition toNeverwinter , and I hope players have as much merriment discovering all the secrets as we had make them !
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Neverwinteris free - to - play on PC , PlayStation 4 , and Xbox One .
