Neverwinter: Jewel of the North Now Available on PC

Jewel of the North, the 21st module for Cryptic Studios and Perfect World Entertainment’s free to play MMORPG Neverwinter is now live on PC, and should be coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One next month. Apart from featuring some fresh content, this module expands the game’s roster with the Bard class and also overauls some of its systems, like leveling and crafting.

You can check out the latest patch notes over here. And here’s the official reveal trailer:

And a press release with some extra details:

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – July 27, 2021 – Today, Perfect World Entertainment Inc., a leading publisher of online games, and Cryptic Studios announced that Neverwinter’s 21st module, Jewel of the North, is now available on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store and Arc Games) and will arrive on PlayStation®4 and Xbox One later next month. This major update allows all adventurers – whether new, returning or veteran adventurers – the opportunity to experience all of the epic content the free-to-play Dungeons & Dragons® MMORPG has to offer like never before. For the first time since 2016, Neverwinter introduces a brand-new class, the iconic and multi-skilled Bard, which hails from the original pen and paper adventure game. Jewel of the North also features major quality of life improvements, including a new streamlined leveling system which makes content more accessible for adventurers of all experience levels, making this the best time for gamers to play Neverwinter.

“With Jewel of the North, we wanted to make it easier than ever for players to create a character and set out on adventures throughout the Forgotten Realms,” said Matt Powers, Executive Producer for Neverwinter. “The leveling experience has been streamlined, now better aligning with the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop experience, and we’re extremely excited to bring the highly-expressive Bard class to Neverwinter.”

Neverwinter: Jewel of the North introduces an all-new class, the Bard, inspired by the popular Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition class archetype. Neverwinter adventurers who choose the Bard become daring heroes who possess the ability to weave magic into their swords, inspire allies with music, manipulate minds, and heal wounds. Adventurers will find that the Bard stands out due to its Perform Mode that lets them play a variety of songs that can enhance, heal, or hurt their targets, and its Free Perform Mode in which Bards can use their equipped instrument to freely create and play their own songs for other adventurers to enjoy.

Along with the new class, Neverwinter: Jewel of the North brings major game-changing improvements that make it easier for all adventurers to access and enjoy all of the content available in Neverwinter. With the new streamlined leveling system which follows the beloved system found in Dungeons & Dragons, the max level cap in Neverwinter has transitioned from level 80 to level 20. This allows new and returning adventurers to reach epic-level content much faster (in approximately 10-12 hours) and gives veteran adventurers the option to quickly level up their alternate characters. Additional notable improvements geared towards providing a greater experience for all adventurers include the new Adventures feature, two new locations (the Adventurer’s Guild and Training Room) and revamped tutorials and early game performance improvements.

Below is a detailed list of key features:

New Bard Class – Inspired by the iconic and multi-skilled Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition class, the new class for Neverwinter weaves together quick, deadly swordplay and powerful magical ballads into an orchestra of destruction for enemies and boons for themselves and allies. The class offers two unique Paragon Paths for players to choose from:

• Songblade – Charming swashbucklers who dispatch their foes in style with swordplay, magic, and music. This path is for those who want to be close and mid-range damage dealers, and who want to make use of dramatic spells and supporting songs to enhance their natural combat ability.
• Minstrel – Master musicians who support allies from afar with songs of bardic inspiration. These healers can also use music to create psychic attacks and illusions.

New Streamlined Leveling System – Following the beloved system found in Dungeons & Dragons, the max level cap has transitioned from level 80 to level 20, making it easier for all adventurers to experience the many adventures available within the Forgotten Realms in Neverwinter.

• New Adventures Feature – A new and intuitive way to play through content, track progress, and get some great rewards. The Adventures feature allows adventurers to know what to explore and experience next as they continue their epic journey.

Major Quality of Life Improvements: All adventurers can prepare and be ready for their many adventures thanks to the following new improvements:

• Two New Locations:
  • The Adventurer’s Guild – Located in Protector’s Enclave, the guild serves as place for all the greatest adventurers to meet, train, and claim their hard-earned rewards.
  • The Training Room – A special demiplane created by the wizards of the Adventurer’s Guild where adventurers can hone their skills and explore combat systems using a variety of modifiers.
• Revamped Tutorialization – New tutorials, messaging and visuals have been added for new and returning adventurers to better understand what it takes to be a true adventurer in Neverwinter.

Neverember Recruitment Event – During Neverember’s Recruitment event, any new characters who log in during this event will earn extra rewards, such as rare mounts and companions, while leveling as well as Neverember Incentives, which can be exchanged for account-wide rewards.