Tomb of Annihilation
The talk of the streets and taverns has all been about the so-called death curse: a wasting disease afflicting everyone who’s ever been raised from the dead. Victims grow thinner and weaker each day, slowly but steadily sliding toward the death they once denied. When they finally succumb, they can’t be raised—and neither can anyone else, regardless of whether they’ve ever received that miracle in the past. Temples and scholars of divine magic are at a loss to explain a curse that has affected the entire region, and possibly the entire world. The cause is a necromantic artifact called the Soulmonger, which is located somewhere in Chult, a mysterious peninsula far to the south, ringed with mountains and choked with rainforests.
Authors: Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter, Adam Lee
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Tomb of Annihilation is D&D at its deadliest, throwing players into the dangerous and uncharted jungles of Chult with a pressing mystery to solve and one of the most infamous deathtraps in all of D&D history. The concept is fantastic: a worldwide death curse, an ancient necromantic artifact, and an island teeming with dinosaurs, undead, and lost civilizations. It promises a thrilling mix of exploration, survival, and dungeon delving, but the execution doesn’t always live up to that promise. What Works Well: 🔹 A Unique Setting Full of Danger & Discovery – Chult is a vibrant, deadly, and exotic location that breaks away from traditional D&D settings. Dinosaurs, jungle ruins, lost cities, and hidden tombs make for some incredible encounters. 🔹 The Death Curse Raises the Stakes – The ticking clock of the Soulmonger is a great way to keep players engaged. If someone dies, they stay dead—no revivals, no second chances. This makes every decision feel meaningful and raises the tension throughout the campaign. 🔹 Survival Mechanics Add Depth – Players have to manage resources, navigate the jungle, and survive brutal encounters. For groups that enjoy wilderness survival, tracking supplies, and dealing with harsh environments, this campaign delivers. 🔹 A Killer Dungeon at the End – The Tomb of the Nine Gods is one of the most brutal and iconic dungeons in D&D history. It’s a deadly, puzzle-filled, trap-infested nightmare where a single mistake can mean instant death. If you love old-school dungeon crawls, the final act is an absolute meat grinder—but in a good way. Where It Falls Short: 🔸 Slow, Uneven Pacing – The first half of the campaign is an open-world jungle crawl, and while that sounds great on paper, it often feels directionless. Players can spend weeks wandering the jungle with little narrative momentum, which can lead to frustration. 🔸 Too Much Randomness – The campaign leans heavily on random encounters, which can be fun but also feel repetitive and disconnected from the main story. Without strong DM intervention, players might get bogged down in meaningless fights instead of progressing toward the Tomb. 🔸 NPCs Steal the Spotlight – Certain guides and NPCs (like Artus Cimber and Dragonbait) feel way too powerful, often overshadowing the players. If the DM doesn’t adjust for this, the campaign can feel like an NPC-led adventure instead of a player-driven one. 🔸 The Final Dungeon is Amazing, But Not for Everyone – While the Tomb of the Nine Gods is legendary, it’s also mercilessly difficult. If players love complex traps, puzzles, and brutal combat, they’ll love it. But for those who prefer story-driven experiences, the final act can feel frustrating and punishing rather than rewarding. My Experience Running It: I’ve found Tomb of Annihilation to be hit or miss depending on the group. Some love the survival mechanics and the high-stakes nature of the death curse, while others get tired of the endless jungle exploration and random encounters. The Tomb itself is brilliantly designed but requires a specific kind of player who enjoys puzzle-heavy, deadly dungeon crawls. Final Verdict: Tomb of Annihilation is a solid adventure with an incredible setting and a legendary dungeon, but its slow pacing, reliance on random encounters, and brutal difficulty make it a tough sell for all groups. A good DM can make this campaign shine, but out of the box, it can feel frustrating and unbalanced.
Tomb of Annihilation is one of the most dangerous and thrilling adventure paths in Dungeons & Dragons 5E, combining jungle exploration, hex-crawling survival mechanics, and one of the deadliest dungeons ever created. Designed for levels 1-11, this adventure traps all resurrection magic worldwide, forcing players to venture deep into the cursed jungles of Chult to stop the source: the infamous Soulmonger, hidden within the deadly Tomb of the Nine Gods. With a rich setting, tons of exploration, and high-stakes, punishing encounters, Tomb of Annihilation is perfect for players who love survival mechanics, deadly traps, and uncovering ancient secrets—but its difficulty and open-ended structure can be overwhelming for newer players or DMs. The Good: ✅ An Incredible, Unique Setting – Chult Feels Alive – The jungle continent of Chult is one of the most vibrant and diverse locations in D&D, filled with ancient ruins, undead dinosaurs, lost cities, and hidden factions. Unlike generic fantasy worlds, Chult feels fresh and full of adventure. ✅ A Fantastic Hex-Crawling Survival Experience – The jungle trek is an adventure in itself, with hidden temples, dangerous wildlife, and resource management making every day in Chult feel like a struggle for survival. ✅ Player Choice & Freedom to Explore – Unlike linear adventures, Tomb of Annihilation lets players roam the jungle, discovering locations at their own pace. Every group’s experience will feel unique, based on where they go and what secrets they uncover. ✅ Memorable NPCs & Villains – From the charming merchant prince Jobal, to the sinister Lich Acererak, to the ridiculous goblin tribe that wears zombie heads as hats, Tomb of Annihilation is packed with unique and unforgettable characters. ✅ One of the Best Dungeons in D&D History – The Tomb of the Nine Gods is a masterpiece of trap-filled dungeon design, offering brutal puzzles, mechanical death traps, and high-stakes encounters that force players to think creatively. ✅ Acererak Is a Truly Terrifying Villain – Unlike other adventures where the villain remains distant, Acererak’s presence looms over the entire campaign, and when players finally face him, he is an absolute nightmare to fight. ✅ High-Stakes, High-Risk Gameplay – The Death Curse (which prevents resurrection magic) makes every death permanent, forcing players to play smart, think tactically, and weigh every risk. The Not-So-Good: ❌ The Jungle Exploration Can Feel Aimless Without DM Guidance – While the hex crawl is fantastic, some groups may struggle with a lack of clear direction early on. DMs must work to keep players engaged with leads, rumors, and interesting encounters. ❌ Difficulty Spikes Can Be Brutal – The dungeon is notoriously deadly, filled with instant-kill traps, deadly monsters, and puzzle mechanics that can wipe out careless parties. Some groups may find the difficulty frustrating rather than fun. ❌ Random Encounters Can Drag If Overused – While jungle dangers add tension, some random encounters slow down pacing if they aren’t meaningful. DMs should fine-tune when to use them. ❌ Acererak’s Plan Feels Underdeveloped – While Acererak is a great villain, his reason for collecting souls in the Soulmonger feels less personal and more generic compared to villains like Strahd or the Cult of the Dragon. ❌ Requires a Strong DM to Manage the Open World – Since Tomb of Annihilation doesn’t follow a traditional structure, it can be challenging to keep players focused. The DM needs to weave story elements together effectively. Final Verdict: Tomb of Annihilation is one of the most well-crafted adventures in D&D 5E, offering a brutal, high-stakes mix of open-world exploration, survival gameplay, and one of the best-designed dungeons ever made. However, its punishing difficulty, open-ended structure, and heavy reliance on DM management mean it isn’t for everyone. If your group loves deadly traps, high-stakes adventuring, and solving puzzles under pressure, this is a must-play. But if your players struggle with high difficulty or prefer a more structured story, they may find it frustrating. For those seeking a true test of their skills, Tomb of Annihilation stands as one of the best adventure modules ever released.
This adventure creates an interesting hex crawl through the jungle infested with evil mages, the undead, and dinosaurs of all sizes. The different locations included in this campaign can make it perfect to use in campaign or as part of a different game that needs a jungle adventure inserted in. The exploration here feels very fun, and the time limits imposed by the Death Curse are able to help encourage players to stay focused as they adventure. The finale of this game is also a lot of fun bringing in aspects of a famous dungeon without turning it into a guaranteed meat grinder. The Death Curse ends up being a double edged sword in my opinion. While it is good to give the players a limit of how long they can explore before they reach the point of no return, it also limits players’ ability to enjoy the locations and get deep into their explorations. As written, it would be tough to experience even half of the locations in the hex crawl before the Death Curse took too heavy of a toll. I think shifting the limits a bit on the timeframe solves this problem giving players a chance to really enjoy the Port city as a base of operations while diving deeper and deeper into the jungle to learn its secrets. I feel like the villain of this book is interesting but a bit disappointing when you uncover the results of his defeat for players. This campaign is one that could benefit from a continued adventure looking to finish the job and secure the Jungle of Chult’s future in the world.
This is my new favorite campaign! I'm running two groups through it at the moment and Chult is so huge and full of varied encounters that it never gets boring. I removed the death curse so the players don't have the need to rush through, so they have been wandering and spending tons of time in each location. The history and the atmosphere are so unique there are options galore to throw at your players (and bring in backstories). I highly recommend this campaign, with the caveat that you remove or change the death curse. (I took it out and changed the BBEG so even those who've played before will have unique experience.)
Dinosaurs in jungles? Ancient civilizations lost to time? Do you even need to ask?? This adventure is definitely frontloaded, requiring a few sessions of setup and organization. But if your players have the patience to get through those early hurdles, they’ll soon be hacking their way through the jungle, uncovering secrets, and having an absolute blast.