The newest Stranger Things-themed Dungeons and Dragons starter set is definitely a good buy, whether you are already a DnD veteran or are just thinking of becoming one. This epic set contains all you need to play four demogorgon inspired adventures. Do you have what it takes to end Eddie’s unfinished campaign in Welcome To The Hellfire Club?
Is This Set For You?
The answer to this question is very dependent on one main thing: do you like Stranger Things? If this answer is yes, and you are new to DnD, this is perfect. Even if you are already in the Planarverse, it would still be a great buy but remember it is designed as a starter set, so it will not be very advanced. However, if Stranger Things is not the thing for you, then neither is this, but I can still recommend the Heroes for Borderlands starter set, which is supposed to be just as good.
The newest Stranger Things-themed Dungeons and Dragons starter set is definitely a good buy, whether you are already a DnD veteran or are just thinking of becoming one. This epic set contains all you need to play four demogorgon inspired adventures. Do you have what it takes to end Eddie’s unfinished campaign in Welcome To The Hellfire Club?
Is This Set For You?
The answer to this question is very dependent on one main thing: do you like Stranger Things? If this answer is yes, and you are new to DnD, this is perfect. Even if you are already in the Planarverse, it would still be a great buy but remember it is designed as a starter set, so it will not be very advanced. However, if Stranger Things is not the thing for you, then neither is this, but I can still recommend the Heroes for Borderlands starter set, which is supposed to be just as good.
Contents
This set contains everything needed to get started on your own adventures, along with the adventures in the set, but what does that include? Firstly, it contains a pack of dice. This is arguably the most essential thing in Dungeons and Dragons, as almost everything you can do is based on d20 tests. This is where you roll a d20 as the Dungeon Master (DM) thinks of a suitable number, and if the result is greater than the DM’s number, you can do your action. Secondly, it has 4 themed campaign booklets, a play guide and in-game handouts, and it has 2 double-sided poster maps and a limited edition DM screen. It has pre-made character sheets used by the characters in the show (Will, Mike, Dustin, Erica, and Lucas). This is especially good for newer players, as they can have a more relaxed introduction to character sheets with some cardboard models to go with them. To go with the starter set feel, it has nice ‘on your turn’ cards, which are very helpful if you are a beginner or are having new people join your club. Lastly, this comes with spell cards (great for speeding up gameplay), magic item cards (very similar to the others, but they are in a much simpler format), and monster cards (pretty much the exact format as others) with monster tokens to go with them.
Art
Personally, I believe the art fits the set and theme fully. To try and match the actual games in Stranger Things, it goes for the more retro first edition DnD look. This includes the map Greyhawkins (a combination of Hawkins, the fictional town in Stranger Things, and Greyhawks, which was a typical first edition DnD map), the character sheets are also first edition ones with newer rules, and the monster token art is first edition themed. Also, throughout the books, it contains great art, easter egging the series, which is a nice finish to the set. Lastly, the set contains various spells, magic items, and monster cards with great art and a great, simple format.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I think if you do fit into the right category , Welcome To The Hellfire Club would be a great addition to your collection for many reasons. Firstly is the ease of play. Normally, learning DnD or even getting a friend into it is an extremely difficult task, but this will set you up for life. They are not joking when they say it contains all you need because it does, it has everything from basic ‘on your turn’ cards to a limited edition DM screen. Secondly, I have to talk about the phenomenal art, especially with the little notes from Eddie and drawn on tape, bringing it to life and making even little recommendations fun to read. Third, I love the Stranger Things theme. What I love is the fact that the theme is always being hinted at, but it is still subtle. Fourth is the actual DM screen itself, a DM screen is not essential to a typical DnD session, so most people don’t think about getting one, and they are often just more money taken out of the budget. Although, if a set you are already getting has a very nice one with it, then you might as well use it, and I assure you you will be pleased. Lastly, I feel there are some things you should be aware of before buying. For example, the set does not actually come with 3d models but instead just some basic cardboard cut-outs. The official site sells the game for £42, whereas Zatu sells it for £38. Lastly, the dice are just basic resin dice you could get anywhere.
Zatu Review Summary
Zatu Score
90%
