D&D Elemental Evil Princes of the Apocalypse

I'm blown away with the D&D 5e production values after last playing D&D 2e in college. 36 years later D&D is better than ever. Loving the official books.

The adventure integrates smoothly with other adventures such as Lost Mines of Phandelver, making it a natural continuation. Its sandbox structure allows for flexibility. The encounters are engaging, with particularly interesting leaders at each location. Some maps are fantastic along with other impressive artwork throughout the book. The magic items shine, especially weapons that grant unique traits to wielders. While the additional playable races are a nice touch, they’re more useful for new campaigns since most players would have chosen their characters already before starting this campaign.
The pacing and difficulty hit a sweet spot when players take a direct route without exploring every corner. There’s an ever-present sense of danger, which keeps the stakes high. Our group experienced several near misses, which heightened the excitement. The climactic boss battle was a highlight, as the outcome remained uncertain until the very end, making for a thrilling conclusion.
The campaign’s open nature at the start can be overwhelming for new DMs, needing a steep learning curve. The temples, which make up a significant portion of the content, feel repetitive and lack variety in encounters. The storyline involving the missing delegation seems underdeveloped, with sparse clues to maintain player interest.
The mega-dungeons would benefit from logical breakpoints. Having players repeatedly surface to rest detracts from the heroic momentum of their journey. The campaign feels overly large and repetitive, with our group completing only about half of the content. A tighter, more focused design would improve the experience.
Inconsistencies in map quality are noticeable; while some are lovely, others are underwhelming. The additional spells failed to impress, and the vague treatment of the Eye of Elemental Evil was frustrating, as more clarity for the DM would enhance the narrative.
While it’s not ideal for novice DMs due to its complexity, it serves as an excellent follow-up to Lost Mines of Phandelver or a starting point for experienced DMs. Its modular nature also allows for integration into larger campaigns. Despite its flaws, the adventure is not bad, provided the DM is willing to invest the effort to enhance and streamline the experience.