I'm a new DM and running LMOP. I've run it as a player before but it was a while ago and the DM was very experienced.
Any tips to run the Phandalin part? Roleplaying is definitely not my strong suit but I'm doing my best. I want to keep the group entertained (they're all new as well), but I feel as though all of the talking might bore them. Should I add random encounters? Steer them into a side quest?
I know that there's a stigma against "railroading", but honestly it's not a bad thing, especially for newer players, to help guide them more directly than you might for more experienced players. I'd say when they get into town, describe the various locations they can see, and keep Sildar with them for a while... it helps to have an NPC present you can speak through to directly guide the players. Like if they're hemming and hawing about what to do next, he might just say, "well, let's all get a drink for now" or, "we should talk to the town master", whichever will help you get the ball rolling.
However, if your players show up and they seem to know where they want to go and what they want to explore even though it's not the direction you were expecting them to go, try to play along with it. Maybe drop some hints about the next direction they should be meant to go, give them a confrontation with some of the Redbrands if they spend too much time just hanging out and roleplaying... nothing motivates players like getting robbed.
There are two maps of Phandalin: one with the location names and arrows pointing to them, and one without. Show players the former, so they can see possible places to go for quests, items, and characters to interact with. There's no spoilers on the map, only locations of interest, some of which have virtually nothing at all to them besides their expected functions (storage, shop keeps, services.) Give your players enough credit to go to these places on their own, or just ask "remind me, how much loot has everyone got again?" That might encourage them to spend or sell some of their hard-earned dosh.
Provided the party has successfully rescued Sildar Hallwinter (or has chosen to), have him go 'off camera' to talk to the townmaster and perform recon. That way if the players are just resting or shopping, they'll have at least some information from their man from the Lords' Alliance. Whether they have or not, they'll still probably be tired after the trek from Neverwinter to Phandalin, and possibly the places betwixt. Retiring to the Stonehill Inn, a place not unlike the one they all got their first quest from (assuming you used that hook,) could give them some information about what there is to do around town. If Sildar is alive after this visit, he may say that he'll need to stock up on arms and armour, having lost them to the Cragmaw goblins (later revealed to have taken them to Cragmaw Castle) and ask if the party would like to join him. They can ask him more about his mission, and that in itself may lead to the quest of "Where in the World is Iarno Albrech?"
Though the players don't have to face off with the Redbrands, their presence could keep the town rather quiet. The townsfolk won't serve the adventurers - outsiders for all intents and purposes - until they can be trusted (or if they do, they may do so fearfully), and the best way to build trust is to deal with the immediate threat. The orcs of Wyvern Tor, the undead at the Old Owl Well, and the dragon at Thundertree are not on the townspeople's minds at the moment; they've witnessed the woodcarver Thel Dendrar killed in the town centre, and they fear they'll be next if they step out of line. Your band of roleplayers will feel rewarded if they can make some convincing arguments to get information out of the townsfolk, and perhaps some discounts in service to the town.
Tresendar Manor and the Redbrand menace has some interesting roleplay opportunities. Their iconic cloaks will allow the party to perform some Charisma (Deception) checks, perhaps fooling or otherwise distracting the Nothic, bugbears, and ruffians within. The party may get some of these cloaks if the Redbrands causing trouble outside of the Sleeping Giant Inn (or perhaps they're on patrol, testing the mettle of the newcomer adventurers) 'misplace' them during a punch-up, especially if the party doesn't look that tough or the ruffians are too stupid to turn tail and report this to Glasstaff. Maybe their running alerts the party, and maybe it summons reinforcements by the time Sildar returns from the Townmaster's Hall to even out the fight.
I hope that helps to begin with. The key thing is to drop enough hints as to what the players can do; explain the environment, the mood, the sort of town it is, and they'll get the gist. Let them get a feeling for the place. They don't need to be in and out of there within a single session. ^^
Good luck and pleasant play for yourself and your players!
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Zero is the most important number in D&D: Session Zero sets the boundaries and the tone; Rule Zero dictates the Dungeon Master (DM) is the final arbiter; and Zero D&D is better than Bad D&D.
"Let us speak plainly now, and in earnest, for words mean little without the weight of conviction."
1st) Do you want this to be a one and done, meaning you are just running the module with the group and then ending or do you want to use this as a basis of a full campaign.
2nd) If you are using it as a campaign, who is the big bad, what are their goals?
3rd) Cragmaw Caverns is not balanced well for a party of level 1. Either give them some henchmen to take the death blow or reduce the encounters a bit. They also have 5' wide tunnels, bad design it allows for bottlenecking, increase the width.
4th) There is a partial campaign if you use the digital code for the Expansion Pack take you up to level 12. Its an undead and lightning god faction as the two bad factions you'll fight. The map is ridiculously crowded because they use the original Phandalin map, you might want to build your own map to expand it out a bit.
I'm a new DM and running LMOP. I've run it as a player before but it was a while ago and the DM was very experienced.
Any tips to run the Phandalin part? Roleplaying is definitely not my strong suit but I'm doing my best. I want to keep the group entertained (they're all new as well), but I feel as though all of the talking might bore them. Should I add random encounters? Steer them into a side quest?
Thanks!
I know that there's a stigma against "railroading", but honestly it's not a bad thing, especially for newer players, to help guide them more directly than you might for more experienced players. I'd say when they get into town, describe the various locations they can see, and keep Sildar with them for a while... it helps to have an NPC present you can speak through to directly guide the players. Like if they're hemming and hawing about what to do next, he might just say, "well, let's all get a drink for now" or, "we should talk to the town master", whichever will help you get the ball rolling.
However, if your players show up and they seem to know where they want to go and what they want to explore even though it's not the direction you were expecting them to go, try to play along with it. Maybe drop some hints about the next direction they should be meant to go, give them a confrontation with some of the Redbrands if they spend too much time just hanging out and roleplaying... nothing motivates players like getting robbed.
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There are two maps of Phandalin: one with the location names and arrows pointing to them, and one without. Show players the former, so they can see possible places to go for quests, items, and characters to interact with. There's no spoilers on the map, only locations of interest, some of which have virtually nothing at all to them besides their expected functions (storage, shop keeps, services.) Give your players enough credit to go to these places on their own, or just ask "remind me, how much loot has everyone got again?" That might encourage them to spend or sell some of their hard-earned dosh.
Provided the party has successfully rescued Sildar Hallwinter (or has chosen to), have him go 'off camera' to talk to the townmaster and perform recon. That way if the players are just resting or shopping, they'll have at least some information from their man from the Lords' Alliance. Whether they have or not, they'll still probably be tired after the trek from Neverwinter to Phandalin, and possibly the places betwixt. Retiring to the Stonehill Inn, a place not unlike the one they all got their first quest from (assuming you used that hook,) could give them some information about what there is to do around town. If Sildar is alive after this visit, he may say that he'll need to stock up on arms and armour, having lost them to the Cragmaw goblins (later revealed to have taken them to Cragmaw Castle) and ask if the party would like to join him. They can ask him more about his mission, and that in itself may lead to the quest of "Where in the World is Iarno Albrech?"
Though the players don't have to face off with the Redbrands, their presence could keep the town rather quiet. The townsfolk won't serve the adventurers - outsiders for all intents and purposes - until they can be trusted (or if they do, they may do so fearfully), and the best way to build trust is to deal with the immediate threat. The orcs of Wyvern Tor, the undead at the Old Owl Well, and the dragon at Thundertree are not on the townspeople's minds at the moment; they've witnessed the woodcarver Thel Dendrar killed in the town centre, and they fear they'll be next if they step out of line. Your band of roleplayers will feel rewarded if they can make some convincing arguments to get information out of the townsfolk, and perhaps some discounts in service to the town.
Tresendar Manor and the Redbrand menace has some interesting roleplay opportunities. Their iconic cloaks will allow the party to perform some Charisma (Deception) checks, perhaps fooling or otherwise distracting the Nothic, bugbears, and ruffians within. The party may get some of these cloaks if the Redbrands causing trouble outside of the Sleeping Giant Inn (or perhaps they're on patrol, testing the mettle of the newcomer adventurers) 'misplace' them during a punch-up, especially if the party doesn't look that tough or the ruffians are too stupid to turn tail and report this to Glasstaff. Maybe their running alerts the party, and maybe it summons reinforcements by the time Sildar returns from the Townmaster's Hall to even out the fight.
I hope that helps to begin with. The key thing is to drop enough hints as to what the players can do; explain the environment, the mood, the sort of town it is, and they'll get the gist. Let them get a feeling for the place. They don't need to be in and out of there within a single session. ^^
Good luck and pleasant play for yourself and your players!
Zero is the most important number in D&D: Session Zero sets the boundaries and the tone; Rule Zero dictates the Dungeon Master (DM) is the final arbiter; and Zero D&D is better than Bad D&D.
"Let us speak plainly now, and in earnest, for words mean little without the weight of conviction."
- The Assemblage of Houses, World of Warcraft
Thanks guys. I appreciate it. They all told me they had a blast during the first session so I'm excited for the next!
1st) Do you want this to be a one and done, meaning you are just running the module with the group and then ending or do you want to use this as a basis of a full campaign.
2nd) If you are using it as a campaign, who is the big bad, what are their goals?
3rd) Cragmaw Caverns is not balanced well for a party of level 1. Either give them some henchmen to take the death blow or reduce the encounters a bit. They also have 5' wide tunnels, bad design it allows for bottlenecking, increase the width.
4th) There is a partial campaign if you use the digital code for the Expansion Pack take you up to level 12. Its an undead and lightning god faction as the two bad factions you'll fight. The map is ridiculously crowded because they use the original Phandalin map, you might want to build your own map to expand it out a bit.
As a DM you just gained some experience points. Keep it up and you'll be level 20 in no time.