Strongholds & Followers is a comprehensive supplement for 5th Edition D&D‚ offering detailed rules for building and managing strongholds‚ attracting followers‚ and waging warfare. Created by Matt Colville‚ it provides players with new ways to extend their influence‚ raise armies‚ and shape the world around them. Available in both hardcover and PDF formats‚ this supplement enhances gameplay with rich mechanics and inspiring content.
Overview of the Supplement
Strongholds & Followers is a detailed 5th Edition supplement by Matt Colville‚ offering rules for building and managing strongholds‚ recruiting followers‚ and engaging in large-scale warfare. It includes class-specific strongholds‚ follower mechanics‚ and a module‚ The Siege of Castle Rend. The PDF and hardcover versions provide tools for players and GMs to expand their influence‚ with new monsters‚ magical items‚ and kingdom-building guidelines.
Importance of Strongholds and Followers in 5th Edition
Strongholds & Followers brings a fresh layer of depth to 5th Edition‚ enabling players to own and manage strongholds‚ attract followers‚ and engage in warfare. It shifts focus from combat-centric rewards to strategic base-building and leadership‚ offering new ways to influence the game world. This mechanic enhances character progression and provides rich narrative opportunities‚ making it a valuable addition to any campaign.
Understanding Strongholds
Strongholds are customizable bases that offer strategic advantages‚ enhancing class abilities and providing a hub for followers. They require resource management and upkeep‚ adding depth to gameplay.
Types of Strongholds and Their Significance
Strongholds vary from keeps and towers to temples and monasteries‚ each offering unique benefits tied to a character’s class. These bases serve as hubs for strategic operations‚ follower recruitment‚ and resource management. Class-based strongholds enhance signature abilities‚ while others provide geopolitical influence‚ making them vital for shaping campaigns and expanding player influence in the game world.
Class-Based Strongholds and Their Unique Features
Each class-inspired stronghold‚ like a bard’s theater or monk’s monastery‚ unlocks exclusive abilities and follower types. These tailored strongholds enhance class identities‚ offering mechanical benefits and thematic depth‚ allowing players to express their characters’ roles distinctively within the world‚ while also serving as focal points for narrative and gameplay opportunities.
Acquiring and Maintaining a Stronghold
Acquiring a stronghold involves significant resources‚ time‚ and effort‚ with options for constructing‚ claiming‚ or restoring existing structures. Maintenance requires managing upkeep costs‚ followers‚ and potential threats. Strongholds offer unique benefits‚ enhancing character abilities and providing strategic advantages‚ making them a rewarding investment for players seeking to expand their influence and establish a lasting presence in the game world.
Managing Followers
Managing followers involves rules for recruiting‚ commanding effectively‚ and integrating retainers and henchmen into your stronghold‚ enhancing your character’s influence and capabilities.
Rules for Followers‚ Retainers‚ and Henchmen
The supplement provides clear‚ easy-to-use rules for managing followers‚ retainers‚ and henchmen‚ including class-specific tables and examples. Followers are attracted based on your stronghold and character class‚ with unique abilities and roles. The system balances simplicity with depth‚ allowing customization while maintaining gameplay flow. It seamlessly integrates into storytelling and combat‚ enhancing your campaign’s depth and immersion.
Attracting and Managing Followers in Your Campaign
Attracting followers is tied to your stronghold’s influence and character class‚ offering unique opportunities for each role. Managing them involves balancing loyalty‚ morale‚ and assignments; The supplement provides tools for integrating followers into adventures‚ ensuring they enhance both combat and roleplay without overshadowing the party‚ creating a dynamic and engaging experience for all players.
Integrating Followers into Combat and Roleplay
Follower integration enhances both combat and roleplay‚ adding depth and strategy. In battles‚ they provide support through unique abilities and tactics‚ while in roleplay‚ they offer narrative opportunities for character development and world-building. The supplement provides balanced mechanics to ensure followers complement the party without overshadowing them‚ enriching the overall storytelling experience for players and GMs alike.
Warfare and Kingdoms
Warfare and Kingdoms expands on large-scale combat and ruler mechanics‚ enabling players to lead armies‚ govern territories‚ and engage in strategic battles. It enhances the game with detailed rules for managing kingdoms and warfare‚ adding depth to high-stakes conflicts and leadership roles.
Warfare Rules and Large-Scale Battles
Strongholds & Followers introduces detailed warfare rules inspired by classic systems like Battlesystem. Players can command armies‚ manage units‚ and engage in epic battles‚ blending strategy with roleplay. These rules provide a framework for large-scale conflicts‚ allowing characters to lead forces‚ siege strongholds‚ and shape kingdoms. The mechanics are designed to enhance storytelling while delivering thrilling combat experiences on a grand scale;
Building and Managing Kingdoms
Strongholds & Followers provides extensive rules for constructing and governing kingdoms‚ allowing players to establish dominion over territories. The supplement details resource management‚ diplomacy‚ and maintaining order‚ offering a strategic depth to expand your character’s influence. These mechanics integrate seamlessly with stronghold rules‚ enabling players to build lasting legacies and shape the world through leadership and governance.
The Siege of Castle Rend Module
The Siege of Castle Rend is a dynamic module where players battle orcs‚ secure a stronghold‚ and recruit followers. Written by James J. Haeck‚ it combines combat‚ strategy‚ and roleplay‚ featuring intricate locations like Castle Rend’s ruins and diverse orc types. The module’s climactic siege requires mastery of warfare rules‚ making it a standout adventure for both combat enthusiasts and storytellers.
Overview of the Module and Its Key Features
The Siege of Castle Rend‚ written by James J. Haeck‚ is an exciting adventure module that combines combat‚ roleplay‚ and strategic warfare. It allows players to battle orcs‚ secure a stronghold‚ and recruit followers‚ blending sword-swinging action with political intrigue. The module includes detailed locations‚ unique orc variants‚ and a climactic siege‚ making it a versatile and engaging experience for players and GMs alike.
Running the Siege of Castle Rend as a GM
GMs will find The Siege of Castle Rend a dynamic adventure‚ blending intense combat with strategic planning. The module’s mix of exploration‚ social interactions‚ and large-scale battles requires careful preparation. Encourage players to leverage their stronghold and followers for a tactical edge. The varied orc stat blocks and siege mechanics add depth‚ making it essential to master the warfare rules before running this epic climax.
Appendices and Additional Content
Warfare mechanics and army management
The appendices provide robust rules for large-scale battles‚ inspired by classic systems like Battlesystem. Detailed unit mechanics and army management tools empower GMs to run epic conflicts seamlessly‚ integrating strongholds and followers into the fray. These rules are essential for campaigns featuring warfare‚ offering depth and strategy for both GMs and players alike.
New Monsters and Magical Items
New Monsters and Magical Items expand the game’s variety‚ offering fresh challenges and tools. The supplement introduces unique creatures like the White Tusk orcs and various demons‚ alongside enchanted items that bolster strongholds. These additions enhance gameplay‚ providing both threats and resources for players to discover and utilize in their adventures‚ enriching the world-building experience for GMs and players alike.
Warfare mechanics in Strongholds & Followers provide detailed rules for large-scale battles and army management‚ inspired by classic systems like Battlesystem. Players can command units‚ strategize‚ and engage in epic conflicts‚ with structured rules enhancing gameplay. These mechanics integrate seamlessly with strongholds and followers‚ allowing characters to lead armies and shape the world through military might‚ adding depth to campaigns and storytelling.
Impact and Reception
Strongholds & Followers received widespread acclaim for its innovative mechanics and depth‚ becoming a must-have for GMs and players. Its success inspired future projects and community creations‚ solidifying its legacy in the D&D community.
Community Feedback and Reviews
Strongholds & Followers has garnered widespread praise from the D&D community‚ with many hailing it as a must-have supplement. Players and GMs alike appreciate its detailed rules for strongholds and followers‚ which add depth and strategy to gameplay. The supplement’s inspiring content and beautiful layout have made it a fan favorite‚ with many considering it a modern classic in the world of 5th Edition.
The community has embraced the supplement’s innovative approach‚ particularly its integration of warfare mechanics and kingdom-building. Fans highlight its versatility‚ making it a valuable resource for both seasoned veterans and newcomers. The success of its Kickstarter campaign further underscores its positive reception‚ cementing its place as a cornerstone of modern D&D supplements.
Legacy of Strongholds and Followers
Strongholds & Followers has left an indelible mark on the D&D community‚ redefining how players engage with the game world. Its innovative mechanics for strongholds‚ followers‚ and warfare have inspired countless campaigns and expansions. As a modern classic‚ it continues to influence game design‚ proving that character-centric storytelling and strategic gameplay can coexist seamlessly in 5th Edition.
Purchase Options
Strongholds & Followers is available in both hardcover and PDF formats. The hardcover includes the full book‚ while the PDF offers digital convenience. You can purchase these directly from the MCDM Productions store or through major online retailers like Amazon. Prices vary‚ with the PDF typically priced around $29.99 and the hardcover at $49.99.
Hardcover and PDF Versions
Strongholds & Followers is available in hardcover and PDF formats‚ offering flexibility for players and GMs. The hardcover provides a premium tactile experience‚ while the PDF is ideal for digital convenience. Both versions include the full content‚ featuring detailed rules‚ inspiring art‚ and comprehensive guides. The PDF is priced at $29.99‚ and the hardcover at $49.99‚ ensuring accessibility for all preferences and budgets.
Where to Buy and Preorder
Strongholds & Followers can be purchased directly from the MCDM Productions website. The PDF is available for immediate download‚ while preorders for the hardcover can be placed online. Additionally‚ the supplement is listed on popular platforms like DriveThruRPG‚ ensuring easy access for both new and existing fans of Matt Colville’s work.
Matt Colville’s Vision
Matt Colville’s vision for Strongholds & Followers focuses on empowering players to build‚ lead‚ and shape the world through strategic strongholds‚ loyal followers‚ and epic warfare‚ enhancing the game’s depth and player agency;
Colville’s Approach to Game Design
Matt Colville’s design philosophy emphasizes simplicity‚ accessibility‚ and depth‚ blending narrative and mechanics seamlessly. He focuses on creating systems that enhance player agency and strategic planning without overwhelming complexity. His approach in Strongholds & Followers encourages creativity and meaningful choices‚ ensuring the supplement is both intuitive for new players and rich with options for veterans‚ fostering a dynamic and immersive gameplay experience.
Future Projects and Expansions
Matt Colville and MCDM Productions plan to expand the Strongholds & Followers universe with new content‚ including the upcoming Kingdoms & Warfare supplement. This project aims to deepen kingdom-building mechanics and large-scale conflict resolution‚ further enriching the gameplay experience. Future expansions may also introduce race-based strongholds and additional follower options‚ responding to community feedback and evolving player demands for more immersive and dynamic world-building tools.
Differences from Previous Editions
Strongholds & Followers modernizes classic D&D rules‚ offering updated mechanics for stronghold-building and follower management. It enhances gameplay by integrating these systems seamlessly into 5th Edition’s core design.
Evolution of Stronghold Rules
Strongholds & Followers builds on classic D&D stronghold rules‚ refining them for modern gameplay. It introduces class-specific strongholds‚ enhancing character abilities and providing clear mechanics for construction and maintenance. The supplement modernizes the concept‚ making strongholds more accessible and integral to both combat and roleplay‚ while staying true to the spirit of earlier editions.
Modernizing Follower Mechanics
Strongholds & Followers streamlines follower mechanics‚ making them easier to integrate into modern 5th Edition games. The supplement provides simple‚ class-specific rules for attracting and managing followers‚ ensuring they enhance gameplay without overwhelming players or GMs. This approach revitalizes the classic concept‚ offering flexibility and depth for players seeking to build armies or loyal companions‚ while maintaining balance and fun.
Community and Fan Content
Strongholds & Followers has inspired a wave of fan-created content‚ from custom strongholds to unique follower ideas. The community actively contributes‚ shaping the supplement’s legacy through creativity and shared passion.
Fan Creations and Custom Content
Strongholds & Followers has sparked a vibrant community of creators‚ producing custom strongholds‚ unique followers‚ and homebrew rules inspired by Matt Colville’s supplement. Fans share their designs online‚ showcasing diverse interpretations of strongholds‚ from intricate castles to magical enclaves. This creativity highlights the supplement’s versatility and its ability to inspire imaginative expansions to the game.
Role of the Community in Shaping the Supplement
The community played a pivotal role in shaping Strongholds & Followers‚ with feedback from backers and fans influencing its development. Matt Colville engaged with supporters through social media and forums‚ incorporating suggestions to refine mechanics and content. This collaborative approach ensured the supplement met the needs of both players and GMs‚ fostering a sense of ownership and excitement.
Strongholds & Followers revolutionizes 5th Edition gameplay by empowering players to build‚ lead‚ and shape their worlds. With its rich mechanics and inspiring content‚ this supplement has left a lasting impact‚ offering unparalleled depth for both players and GMs. Matt Colville’s vision‚ supported by community feedback‚ ensures it remains a timeless resource for crafting epic adventures and memorable strongholds.
Final Thoughts on Strongholds and Followers
Strongholds & Followers is a transformative supplement for 5th Edition D&D‚ offering players and GMs alike a wealth of new mechanics and creative possibilities. Matt Colville’s passion shines through in its detailed rules for strongholds‚ followers‚ and warfare‚ making it a must-have for anyone seeking to deepen their campaign experience. Its blend of strategic depth and narrative richness ensures it will remain a cherished resource for years to come.