I'm a very new DM, this past year I've been running HotDQ with a party of 4(started as 7)players who are mostly new as well. We started in February and are just now finishing up in Skyreach castle(1 session roughly every week, with real life getting in the way, and only 3-4 hrs per session). I've had a hard time running it to say the least, but I'm digressing.
Anyway, we're almost at the end and I'm not too fond of continuing to RoT(neither are most of them, they've had fun but are wanting something different). However, I have one player who's really attached to her lvl 10 druid(i did xp lvling to re-balance the encounters-never doing that again-other players are lvl8-9) and she wants to keep her, but not continue with Rise. The other players aren't as attached seeing as two were recently reincarnated(one having basically died for the fourth time) and the third just got his newest character 3 weeks ago. My question is how do i effectively move them to a more open, at our own pace campaign, with their current characters without continuing to RoT?
I'm not only a new DM but this is only my second campaign in 5e, before that was a 3.5e campaign back in 2007 and I've only ever played before, not DMd.
Question I have have your players given any hints on what they thought was interesting in HotDQ. Example would were did they show interest in one of the organizations/characters, or maybe an enemy. Me personally I had to do a little changing of the HotDQ to show case more dragons as big players behind the scenes instead of the cult and a little Waterdeep intrigue(corrupt nobles, ect). I say tis because if your players have drop hints at what they thought was interesting then you could use that as a jumping off point.
I've heard (never played) storm kings thunder takes place after tyranny of dragons, that the first section is just power leveling to 5, then the campaign opens up.
You could switch to that. Kind of give a synopsis or homebrew over the first part and jump right into the middle with level 10 characters.
Second option is to go back to Waterdeep and do dungeon of the mad mage. They will power through the first few floors, but eventually they will be on challenge with it (DotMM goes to level 20).
Third option is lost lab of Kwalish. It is a short adventure for level 10 (it can down scale to 5) players.
Fourth option, just homebrew.
Final notes, if characters are not the same level, give the stragglers bonus exp to keep them similar.
It kind of depends on how much work you want to do. If you want to do a lot of work I would either just take all their characters and drop them in a homebrewed world, or you could use the Sword Coast Adventure's guide as a jumping off point and create your own adventures using that as your world back bone.
The less work option is to use the Sword Coast adventures guide and go off of the random generated adventures in there as your jump off point. That would help to lighten the load and give you a lot flexibility to create things you want and still be in world.
The least work option is do what the previous poster said and run Dungeon of the Mad Mage. I imagine that would be fun for them as the difficulty ramps up.
I think in any case the Sword Coast adventures guide would be a good investment if they plan to keep their characters and stay in this world.
there is a rogue's gallery of baddies introduced in tyranny. pick one and homebrew that story. for instance wood elves from the misty forest seek out the now famous 10th level druid, to help them rid their home of a terrible threat. which can start with or end with your own version of Chuth, Neronvain or something else. no need to return to waterdeep. no need to fight at the well of dragons but this lighter/customized version allows the party's earlier adventures to have some relevance.
Well, maybe you can make a campaign starting at level 10 or 8. So you don't have to drag anyone or yourself through that first few levels. Maybe a few one shots with the characters or new characters so they can find out what they would like to play.
-Daergiel
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I'm a very new DM, this past year I've been running HotDQ with a party of 4(started as 7)players who are mostly new as well. We started in February and are just now finishing up in Skyreach castle(1 session roughly every week, with real life getting in the way, and only 3-4 hrs per session). I've had a hard time running it to say the least, but I'm digressing.
Anyway, we're almost at the end and I'm not too fond of continuing to RoT(neither are most of them, they've had fun but are wanting something different). However, I have one player who's really attached to her lvl 10 druid(i did xp lvling to re-balance the encounters-never doing that again-other players are lvl8-9) and she wants to keep her, but not continue with Rise. The other players aren't as attached seeing as two were recently reincarnated(one having basically died for the fourth time) and the third just got his newest character 3 weeks ago. My question is how do i effectively move them to a more open, at our own pace campaign, with their current characters without continuing to RoT?
I'm not only a new DM but this is only my second campaign in 5e, before that was a 3.5e campaign back in 2007 and I've only ever played before, not DMd.
Question I have have your players given any hints on what they thought was interesting in HotDQ. Example would were did they show interest in one of the organizations/characters, or maybe an enemy. Me personally I had to do a little changing of the HotDQ to show case more dragons as big players behind the scenes instead of the cult and a little Waterdeep intrigue(corrupt nobles, ect). I say tis because if your players have drop hints at what they thought was interesting then you could use that as a jumping off point.
I've heard (never played) storm kings thunder takes place after tyranny of dragons, that the first section is just power leveling to 5, then the campaign opens up.
You could switch to that. Kind of give a synopsis or homebrew over the first part and jump right into the middle with level 10 characters.
Second option is to go back to Waterdeep and do dungeon of the mad mage. They will power through the first few floors, but eventually they will be on challenge with it (DotMM goes to level 20).
Third option is lost lab of Kwalish. It is a short adventure for level 10 (it can down scale to 5) players.
Fourth option, just homebrew.
Final notes, if characters are not the same level, give the stragglers bonus exp to keep them similar.
It kind of depends on how much work you want to do. If you want to do a lot of work I would either just take all their characters and drop them in a homebrewed world, or you could use the Sword Coast Adventure's guide as a jumping off point and create your own adventures using that as your world back bone.
The less work option is to use the Sword Coast adventures guide and go off of the random generated adventures in there as your jump off point. That would help to lighten the load and give you a lot flexibility to create things you want and still be in world.
The least work option is do what the previous poster said and run Dungeon of the Mad Mage. I imagine that would be fun for them as the difficulty ramps up.
I think in any case the Sword Coast adventures guide would be a good investment if they plan to keep their characters and stay in this world.
there is a rogue's gallery of baddies introduced in tyranny. pick one and homebrew that story. for instance wood elves from the misty forest seek out the now famous 10th level druid, to help them rid their home of a terrible threat. which can start with or end with your own version of Chuth, Neronvain or something else. no need to return to waterdeep. no need to fight at the well of dragons but this lighter/customized version allows the party's earlier adventures to have some relevance.
Jesus Saves!... Everyone else takes damage.
Well, maybe you can make a campaign starting at level 10 or 8. So you don't have to drag anyone or yourself through that first few levels.
Maybe a few one shots with the characters or new characters so they can find out what they would like to play.
-Daergiel