DM’s Guild Review: The Tree of Blight

Would you fall asleep under a tree?

The Tree of Blight is an adventure by Glen Cooper, designed for 4-5 characters of 1 to 5 levels. A horror-themed fairy tale and a gold best seller, it promises an atmospheric session. So let’s take a closer look.

Disclaimer: We were provided with a free digital copy of this product.

The scenario

What was once a beautiful glade has become an abomination, corrupted by a Gulthias Tree. A druid, enchanted by the scenery, fell asleep beneath its twisted branches and woke up entirely different – or you could say she didn’t wake up at all. Now, animals vanish, and travellers are dragged into the roots, never to be seen again, their blood offered as sustenance to the hungry tree.

Five plot hooks are offered to introduce this adventure to your party, varying from exploring an abandoned campsite to mysterious disappearances. Each hook is short but unique, allowing you to easily drop it into an ongoing campaign and lure the party into the glade’s creepy tree. What happens next is up to the players, as the outcome is shaped by their actions.

Encounters

The encounters are scaled for parties of levels 1, 3 and 5, and the same goes for treasure, so the GM doesn’t have to balance a thing. The blights -twig, needle and vine- are hidden in plain sight among shrubs, invisible unless moving, only noticeable to anyone with 15 or more on a perception check.
All that while environmental hazards manage to keep players on their toes with low visibility, muddy paths and risky decisions. Also, the optional flood mechanic rule is a comical way to keep your players in character for longer, avoiding meta-gaming or phone-checking during the game. Each time a player breaks the agreed-upon rule, a storm escalates until the cave begins flooding. In-game consequences for out-of-character behaviour? I love it!

And what about the druid? Nereza is just a pawn of the Gulthias Tree, no longer resembling the promising druid she was. As a twisted husk under the tree’s influence, she denies and laughs at the idea that she’s been controlled. A nice reminder that not all villains start out evil.

Layout & Art

The supplement is organised into five main sections: the backstory, exploration zones, optional mechanics, encounter details and the aftermath. This clear structure supports locating key information on the spot during a session or while prepping.
This is not an art-heavy release, but the well-chosen illustrations fit the grim vibe of the story. Minimal but effective, they set the mood without overwhelming the layout. It also includes full colour and black and white versions of the glade and the cave. Both day and night versions of the glade map are provided to track the party’s journey to the corrupted forest. Moreover, each area is clearly labelled and paired with read-aloud text blocks intended to set the scene and the adventure’s tone. While these are generally effective in creating atmosphere, there are some issues to be addressed. For instance, the narration draws conclusions rather than showing details for the players to imagine the scene and react accordingly. Furthermore, the adventure would benefit from another proofreading round.

It is important to note that some mechanics, like the conditions used in the adventure, are not exactly as written in the 5th edition Player’s Handbook. Depending on whether you prefer using rules as written or not, you may want to go through them and confirm which version you would like to use.

Extras

After the maps, the supplement includes a druid trap door. It is a cleverly designed encounter that fits the adventure’s horror theme, a surprise that enhances the sense of danger and decay.

Detailed statblocks for the Demon Blight and the Evil Druid are present at the beginning of the adventure, packed with information for combat and interactions, so you know exactly what you are dealing with.

Another extra is music recommendations. Soundtracks are suggested for different scenes, like reaching a cave, travelling, or building tension before the final encounter, without extra prep to immerse your players from the very beginning. As someone who enjoys music during sessions, this definitely earns bonus points. Although it seems like a small addition, it does make a difference, adding an extra touch to the overall experience.

Final Thoughts

The Tree of Blight is a creepy one-shot with no single path to follow. I believe it is worth planting in your next game, especially if you want to challenge your team with something grim and memorable. Would you dare cross the forest?

Stay crafty and don’t fall asleep under strange trees,
Your new favourite author.

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