Neverwinter has had many expansions since its original launch. Each expansion has brought about a new level cap, but this new announcement is more ambitious then any done before. The developers hope to bring Wizards of the Coast’s Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage dungeon to their players.
The dungeon is set in the Undermountain, which is a segment of the land beneath the city of Waterdeep. The area is known for being full of treasure, monsters, and drow that worship an evil god. More recently the dungeons below have been occupied by a mad mage named Halster Blackcloak who has carved the caves into his twisted creation.
The dungeon consists of 23 large levels with monsters and mayhem, but the development team decided to choose a select few to include in the game. They eventually decided on five new zones for players that will bring the progression from level 70 to 80. The decision was based on technical viability, exciting story possibilities, and the roster of monsters that reside in each zone.
The first zone that the team picked was the first level of Undermountain, known as the Catacombs. They decided on this due to its mostly humanoid enemies, but the danger gets more intense as players delve deeper into the Twisted Caverns which offer a chance of scenery and a new ecosystem of monster potential. Next, the adventurers encounter the Wyllowood, which is a magical forest hidden deep inside the mountain. Delving deeper players will enter the Terminus level which is a fiery cavern dotted with mithril mines, lava and is ruled over by a fallen angel.
The final level of this recreation is Vnrakdoom, which is a place overtaken by the Shadowfell and a shadow dragon. The environment team did a fantastic job creating each zone, giving every level its distinct appearance and monster grouping. Halaster has spent centuries trapped in his dungeon building and altering the caverns to fit the madness he saw. Players must venture forth to undo the damage and loot the dungeon created by him.
The Neverwinter team has worked hard to create brand new monsters for this expansion, including Myconids, Ettercaps, Umberhulks, and the enormous purple worms. As adventurers face off against the apprentices of the mad mage, they will find much treasure worth their effort.
Neverwinter is available on Xbox One, PS4, and PC for download and is free to play requiring no additional purchase to play this new content.
