Tomb of Annihilation

Great flavour and game twists. Only challenge is that mechanics like crafting or buying items is difficult once getting properly started

This Jungle adventure hex crawl has been a blast for my groups and that fact that you can explore and cut your own path to the lost city is great. The first part is very dangerous for lower level party's but you feel the growth as you over come the monsters and by the end of the jungle exploration section and the group is feeling strong they are dropped into even more dangerous and realize the jungle has given them a faults sense of security. This is a great adventure for Intermediate and above players. It could be hard for a group of new players as it is not very forgiving. But the sense of danger and risk of death is very real as Resurrection has been taken off the table.

While it does requires some work from the DM side and it has potential to be a truly sandbox experience for the players where their backstories are the real hooks! really recommend it ! exploration is very good in this module!

I've been using this adventure in conjunction with a larger level 1-20 campaign setting. I think the idea of strangers in a strange land brings a breath of fresh air to what one usually expects in a D&D game. I'm by no means a DM who tries to kills the characters, but I do take a little satisfaction in explaining to the players that the normal death rules are out the window until certain conditions are met in-game; it does cause the party to plan their actions with a little more strategy than they normally would. I do try to warn players before we begin that the initial exploration of Chult may very well remind them of the old Oregon Trail computer game at first, so this part of the game is best geared toward those detail-oriented players who enjoy taking stock of supplies, weather conditions, water consumption, getting lost, etc. It's admittedly not for everybody, but those who stick with it will get their payoff in the form of cities and dungeons to explore the deeper into Chult they go. All in all, I highly recommend this adventure for those wanting something a little different.

A fun world is found on the Island of Chult. Focus on that rather than the story as written!

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.