I've been playing DnD, mostly as player, for a while. Due to life wasn't able to play for almost a decade. Last played was with the 4e ruleset. Some friends have come back together ready to all sorts of things, one of which is DnD 5e. However I'm the only one that actually played DnD and therefore got nominated for the DM position. We're a group of 7, but due to work schedules we can only get together once every 5-6 weeks. The core group of 4 players can get together every week and wants to run a seperate campaign during the other weeks. That's a lot of prepping and stuff for me, but looking forward to it. For both campaigns I'm relying heavily, if not entirely, on pre-made modules.
Campaign 1, for the 7 player group, I've got a decent campaign setup. However there are still questions I'd like to get answered. As DM I know need to think about tying things together and why certain things are the way they are and make adjustments to make it all be consistent. --Elsir Vale map. Adjusted 2 villages names to fit with the Sunless Citidel Oakhurst and the mine settlement for Forge of Fury. --Red Hand of Doom, because it is my favorite campaign as a player. Also read a fair amount of re-caps to get ideas for possible modifications. --Rise of Tiamat to resume the battle against the cult of dragons in a whole other region of the world. Instead of a fight against Tiamat's aspect they will actually fight her. --Palace of the Red Pasha to clean it all up a bit --one shot adventures to finish up, and be dedicated, to player character personal storylines --Maybe a little bit of sandboxy stuff to their own keeps, guilds, intrigue and whatever should we ever even reach this point. Will make stuff up should we get here, because most campaigns never do.
Campaign 2, for the group of 4 players, I'd like to have a very different theme. Read a recap once of The Spider Queen, read the books of it, but never played such a campaign. It sounds really cool and my familiarity with it should make it a little easier to DM it. However I'd like some suggestions which adventures would be a good choice before and afterwards to keep the whole Underdark and Drow theme going. Hopefully including some inter-realm traveling to the Feywild or such. I haven't really started work on this campaign yet. All suggestions would be welcome.
Should we ever get to the point I'd like to do the entire Scales of War series with the first group. Sounds cool to have a new generation of heroes deal with a known foe. Tie in some stories/connections of the previous group of heroes. And finally finish off Tiamat once and for. The whole series has so many cool things going for it that it would still feel fresh enough even though you're dealing with the same theme. However this is something for the far future and not something I'm too fussed about yet. Who knows. The players might be so fed up they want something entirely different after all by then.
--Questions-- 1. What was the cataclysmic event that put the Sunless Citadel into the state it currently is in? Some mentioned it was from a dragon outburst, but would it be possible to make it more of an arcane event? In a way that I could add some arcane traces for the players to notice. As it stands the Citadel is just too plain in regards to its history.
2. How did the white wyrmling get there? Currently my idea is that the Bugbear of Vraath Keep sent the egg to Durnn and the goblin shaman for safe keeping. That once the ritual at the Fane of Tiamat started the Wyrmling would be collected. Meaning that the goblin clan of Durn is allied to the Red Hand. The Kobolds at the Citadel arrived at a later date and started a territorial conflict with the goblins and eventually stole the egg. Leader of the kobolds used the Wyrmling as a means of influence to rally the kobolds behind her. Not all kobolds follow Kurtulmak and thus Tiamat. So this Kobold tribe doesn't support the Red Hand and aren't even aware they exist. The way the players handle the Wyrmling might mean they (indirectly) obstructed the Red Hand without even realizing it untill later. Unsure if I want to start counting this towards a Victory Point in RHOD, or just leave it as a story element only.
3. Will re-do some traps and such along the way. But with the Thorn Waste nearby I could add some more Blighted Twig encounters without raising an extreme sense of alarm. Undecided whether to tie in Belak the druid to the Ghostlord (Liche Druid) from RHOD. Think I'll keep them seperated otherwise the hints will be too thick. Also too prevent the players from rushing to the Ghostlord when being supremely under prepared.
4. Ashardalon is something I would like to feature a bit more prominently. I read the idea of turning him into a proginator of Wyrmlord Kul. Whome in turn I'll link to the overall Cult of the Dragon in Rise of Tiamat. With Kul being placed in the Elsir Veil, because of his connection to Ashardalon that used too roam this region. Making it a little bit personal in wanting to be succesful at the Fane. Other then that I'd probably just keep it simple with some half destroyed cult books spread around the Sunless Citadel. Players can then decide to read and find snippers of Ashardalon's lore. Especially since there isn't that much known about him it would fit half destroyed snippets just fine.
5 Belak the druid is unaware of the Red Hand and has no ties to them. The Paladin Sir Braford was a knight dispatched from Brindol to look into some rumors and do an investigation of which little is known. Could be a tie in to some additional information the characters can learn later when traveling through Brindol themselves...and gaining the needed reputation. Maybe an idea to tie him to an investigation regarding Blighted Twigs attacking random merchant caravans along the road. Or even killed some commoners in the woods surrounding Brindol? This would create a bigger incentive for that specific quest hook, which otherwise hardly gets any attention. The PC's can then learn about some cattle being killed on some farms around Oakhurst and get some info from the farmers. Where the farmers don't have a clue, but a little child mentions twig shaped creaturs at night. Of which the farmers tell the kid to be quiet and no one is interested in their fantasy rambling. Giving the PC's a chance to interrupt and interact with the child. Gradually obtaining the quest hook.
6. Haven't fully read Forge of Fury and RHOD yet. Perhaps these questions are answered within. If so just ignore this. How do the dwarves fit into this theme. Tiamat hates Moradrin and would burn the dwarves first chance she has. Her followers would be similar, but maybe less extreme. The Red Hand obviously just hired...or manipulated, the orcs into their employ. Would be awesome if we could play Sons of Gruumsh and get to see Red Hand diplomats at that orc stronghold. Which happened in my mind even though the PC's will never know. So the orcs just rampage the Forge trying to get it for the Red Hand. So that the Red Hand can craft their weapons and take out the dwarves to gain favor with Tiamat at the same time?
7. So how about Goblins with dragons? How do they tie together? This specific (hob)goblin tribe just decided to ally itself to Tiamat's and her Dragon Cult's cause? I don't remember any explanation anywhere of this. So I always found it odd to see goblins everywhere instead of kobolds and dragonborns. Then again I wouldn't get to see goblins riding worgs which is very cool.
8. I've noticed that the pacing of giving out magical items is different compared to previous editions. Are there any guidelines on how often to give something in 5e?
For question eight, sort of? For the most part magical items are more trinket-like fun than required in 5e. You can pretty much dole them out at whatever rate you want without causing too many balance issues as they are mostly not accounted for in the game math like they were in previous editions. That being said, monsters that start to care about being damaged by magical weapons start showing up around 5th level or so, and if you plan on using any of those monsters, it might behoove you to make sure at least a couple of the non-magical party members have at least a +1 weapon by then.
We'll be working with milestone leveling up. This helps in knowing exactly what level they'll be at which point. As such it should be possible to have half or so of them equipped with +1 items before entering RHOD. Since the party will be passing through Brindol a few times they might end up buying some additional items as well.
However is it true that 5e requires to give out more health potions?
Hi, two campaigns seems like a lot of work. Have you thought about setting up back stories and connections for the player characters that cannot be there all the time that explains their absence and re-appearance? They could be in the service of a secret organization or powerful wizard that may summon them at need, and send them back when able. Just a suggestion. You sound like a DM that could work it out in a way that is fun and interesting.
5E is a bit more designed to require the party to heal more often and with more resources than 4E required. Health Potions are an easier way to handle this if your party doesn't have the necessary healers. While 4E was more about a few set-piece battles, you can think of 5E leaning more towards an attrition model, when there can be lots of little fights leading to larger fights that drain resources over time.
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"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
Two campaigns might seem like a lot of work. However I have A LOT of time and am running mostly pre-made modules with adjustments. Prep time should be doable. I feel bad for the 3 players that could only make it to the table once every 5-6 weeks. Only to find out they missed 2-3 sessions and have no idea what's going on and where they're going. That is why we originally agreed on meeting only when everyone could make it. Leaving weeks in between for other stuff we could do with the others.
@metamongoose I've indeed noticed that 5e goes back to the older versions in many aspects from mechanical stand point. That's probably why it seems so much easier to convert and replay older modules. At least according to many posts found around the web.
So far prepping campaign one is going smoothly. Spend around 10 hours yesterday that got me through quite a lot. Besides some deviations/off track from the players I can devote all my time to campaign number 2 when we start playing. Time management is something we're very good at in the Netherlands ;)
Campaign two will require a lot more work however. Especially since two of the 3 modules needs to be converted to 5e. 1. Start with Out of the Abyss taking the players from lvl 1 to 5 2. The Night Below, book 1 will take them to lvl 10. Found some conversion tips that would take it to 4e which I could use as ideas into 5e. 3. City of the Spider Queen is a lengthy adventure going up to lvl 18. This will require A LOT of work converting the encounters.
First session into the Eisir Vale went well. They were too hyped to wait so we started. Players interacted with the NPC's at Oakhurst and did some really nice investigation and prepping. We stopped in Sunless Citadel after they captured the white wyrmling and as such leveled up to 2. Next session they'll have to decide what to do with the wyrmling. Use it as a bargaining tool with the goblins, since they're allied with the hobgoblin/Red Hand of Doom at Vraath's Keep. Which will work to the advantage of that adventure when it starts for the army without the party knowing. Or will they return it to the kobolds and, without knowing, slow down/foil the Red Hands operations in the area a little. Because the Hand needs the white wyrmling for its rituals at the Fane later on.
As level 2 they should have an easier time with the upcoming big battle against the (hob)goblins before going down to The Grove floor. And it seems they're doing the side area with the entombed Dragonpriest on the way out... meaning they'll be level 3 then. Thus I can improve and level up that encounter to make him more scary and dangerous. They should be able to kill the Quasit, but if he escapes I might re-introduce him later in the Eisir Vale depending on things.
That said. I have started to prepare the module Forge of Fury in more indepth. I like the idea it provides multiple ways to enter the stronghold, potentially even going straight into the lair of the black dragon. Makes it more difficult to prepare compared to the more linear Sunless Citadel. However unsure how to approach the open area. More in how to present it to the players. Where they're in the open area in the mountains. I could ask for a perception check and they could see the smoke trails in the distance. But how should I present to them the possibility to explore and maybe even find the other entries? Most other elements seem pretty straight forward in the module.
So far it seems the campaign will start out being rather stingy and low magic, other then just the +1 weaponry. Can't wait to get them into Rise of Tiamat and teleport them to the Swordcoast area and ramp up the magics :D
When my group did the Forge of Fury, they spent a day scouting around the area once it became clear that a frontal assault might be very disadvantageous to them. They found the smoking chimney but decided to not climb down it, then they found the lake and decided to camp there for the night. During one of the watches, I described a shadowy draconic figure rising up out of the water and taking flight. It returned later that night and went back into the lake and never came back up (the dragon was just off hunting and I chose to have it not notice the party's camp since they made it clear they weren't using a fire). With that info, they guessed there were tunnels under the lake, but didn't really want to dive down and tangle with a dragon. They also found the tunnel in the woods that leads to the Troglodyte lair, but all the tracks and the large animal signs sort of scared them off from that entrance as well. In the end they decided to go through the front door and we ran things from there.
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"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
The camping part sounds good. Depending on whether you do the orc patrol returning it could be quite a busy night for the watch hehe. I really want to nudge the players into knowing there are tunnels as alternative to a possible failed frontal assault. As well since you got lots of reinforcements that can circle around them, and you got the hanging bridge as a tricky spot. That's why I can foresee them failing easily enough. If they retreat they'll have to re-do it all again, plus opening door...
Guess I could start by describing it: A large mountain path in front with a path leading up. In the distance you can see a path leading down towards a lake as well. Then ask for a possible perception check if they didn't mention it to see the smoke trail. Then its up to them to check both tracks and go from there.
The hill dwarf barbarian has in his background that he had partaking into a competition in his community. Won an weapon with rumored magical properties. Could awake one of those rumored effects when they reach the forge...hmm...
I just pointed out the smoke to my party. It's not a faint campfire sort of thing. It's a large burn-pile that vents from a big hole in the ground. It should be noticeable and entice the party to at least go check it out.
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"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
Just checked out the char sheets of all the players. Was thinking about using Passive Perception at a DC12. However several have more then that. So I'll just tell that character they notice it. Then it is up to those players whether they want to share the information or not until someone, might, ask for an active perception. I am clear in the information provided. My belief is, just like many tactical games, you need information to decide what to do and avoid surprises. So no hidden stuff on my end in that regard. However that doesn't mean I'm blatantly giving out all the information either ;)
Seeing they will have learned the basic mechanics from playing through Sunless Citadel and bit on the road... I'm thinking about starting to introduce tactics to combat. For now I lay down the entire battlemap of the floor. As in Fog of War where I only show part of the battlemap explored, elevated platforms, some more rocks/tables/objects that the players and opponents can hide behind beyond the usage of their spells and skills. Lucky to have one player at the table with one hell of a diverse character. He bought a lot of "junk" from the stores, but finds creative uses for them. Really lifts up the others since they see that out of the box thinking is possible and that there are no limitations to what they come up with. And its all round fun when they fail as well.
I'm really motivated and hyped to keep on going. Received messages of some that hope they get to fight hobgoblins and orcs in the future. Well next session will actually be the fight to transition to the Grove level in the Citadel. Meaning some hobgoblins, goblin shaman and a bugbear or 2. With orcs all over the place in Forge of Fury... and more hobgoblins in Red Hand of Doom.
As for the sessions themselves I've set it up so we meet one hour before we begin. People can ask questions and possibly change a few things on their character sheets. Also talk about possible expectations and new ideas for characters and such. Then play for 4-5 hours with a break half way. At the end talk for 30-45 mins about how they felt about the experience and possible questions/remarks/discussion about rulings or what not. Hope that'll work out nice long term as well. The messages on my phone go fast as well. Its really cool too see how invested they already are.
However there is one thing midly bugging me for long term. Some characters have preferred enemy types. We'll encounter them in the early part of the campaign. However after lvl 6 I have none of them presented anywhere according to the pre-written modules I use. On top of that I don't really see a way to add them either. Any suggestions how to go about such a thing?
After the Forge of Fury comes Red Hand of Doom and Rise of Tiamat. It is a Tiamat themed campaign. So we'll be encountering hob goblins, dragonborn, bug bears, dragons, cultists etc.
Preferred opponent types are Trolls, Orcs, Goblinoids, Celestial and Fey creatures.
Well,m at least you have goblinoids covered. The good news is that in later levels, Rangers can pick more preferred enemies, so your players can tailor their new targets to what is more available. That being said, you might be able to sprinkle in some fey like Quickling in with some goblins or a Yeth Hound in with some hob Goblins (both monsters from Volos Guide). I don't have any good suggestions for the celestials, but Trolls are easy to add in wherever feels right in an army of goblins, orcs, and hobgoblins, and the party will get it's fill of orcs early on in Forge of Fury, so if later adventures are light on orcs, you'll probably be okay.
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"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
I was wondering more about how much would you go out of your way to accommodate such a player? After all it would be a shame if someone creates a character aspect that rarely gets used.
Also when it comes to spellcasting. Some spells require Materials to cast. How strict would you be in micro-managing that? Some require 50gp crystals for lvl1 spells that they can't really afford all that much when they're just a lvl 2-3 character. Or perhaps just take a small portion of gold each rest and let them cast to reduce the micro-managing?
My understanding is; most micromanaging of materials is taken care of by having a focus rather than component pouch. From there I believe there's a limitation that any material component worth more than ?100gp? must be accessible.
Accommodating the specialties of a particular player is like adding spices to a recipe. Do it in small amounts until it feel right. Start sprinkling in creatures that share the favored enemy type, whether as henchmen to the current plot baddie or as a wandering pack. From what I'm gathering you have a few different preferred enemies, so you can sprinkle them in interchangeably.
I was wondering more about how much would you go out of your way to accommodate such a player? After all it would be a shame if someone creates a character aspect that rarely gets used.
Also when it comes to spellcasting. Some spells require Materials to cast. How strict would you be in micro-managing that? Some require 50gp crystals for lvl1 spells that they can't really afford all that much when they're just a lvl 2-3 character. Or perhaps just take a small portion of gold each rest and let them cast to reduce the micro-managing?
Some character aspects just end up taking the back burner a lot of the time, and it is up to the DM to occasionally sprinkle in some content to remind the player that their ability is useful and needed, but it doesn't have to be every game all the time. As DMThac0 said, just slip some thematic creatures in occasionally and that should be good enough.
In my games, I often give my PCs an out in the way of gold if they don't have a specific component on hand with the caveat that the gold is consumed while most items like the 100gp Pearl for Identify or the 50gp Diamond for Chromatic Orb would not be consumed (as those spells do not say that they do). So basically, the party can get their hands on the right materials, or burn gold as a money sink to cast certain magics.
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"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
That is indeed a simple and clean method of handling it. Just spend some coin instead of worrying about obtaining the actual materials.
Had some side thoughts. Been reading some topics about people running 3 player groups. Needing to adjust encounters down for it. In case of Sunless Citadel I really don't see a reason to do that. You find so many spell scrolls with insane amounts of damage output for lvl1 players. Add some minor tactics and carefulness and players should be just fine in my opinion. Even if you jump 9-10 kobolds on their asses early on without those scrolls. Let the kobolds join in waves and of you go since most don't have that high AC nor a large HP pool. As long as the players can manage the numbers instead of standing still and getting surrounded ... it should be fine.
That said. Been looking around and not 100% sure about the mechanics surrounding Scrolls. The impression I've gotten is that you can only use a Scroll if the spell on it is accessible to your class to begin with. So if a scroll has a warlock spell on it then a wizard couldn't use the scroll...which seems odd. In my understanding scrolls are spells that every nitwit can read and use. However a melee character using a scroll will have less attributes that will aid him in the spell casting attack roll. Those who are tuned to the spell on the scroll have a more higher understanding of the intricacies...and as such can copy the spell into their spellbooks or such. At least that's how i'm currently ruling it.
Need to find a place with lots of (cheap) miniatures in the EU as well...which isn't as easy as i thought it would be.
I'm not sure why scroll restriction are a thing this edition, but there are very very few spells inaccessible to either the wizard or the cleric due to their vast spell lists. There are rules for trying to cast a spell from a scroll that is higher level than you can normally access that involves either an arcana or religion roll. For those not normally able to use scrolls like Fighters and such, I just use that system and have them roll The relevant skill or ability if they are not proficient. For low level scrolls the DC isn't that back-breaking and it can lead to some funny situations.
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"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
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Hello,
I've been playing DnD, mostly as player, for a while. Due to life wasn't able to play for almost a decade. Last played was with the 4e ruleset. Some friends have come back together ready to all sorts of things, one of which is DnD 5e. However I'm the only one that actually played DnD and therefore got nominated for the DM position. We're a group of 7, but due to work schedules we can only get together once every 5-6 weeks. The core group of 4 players can get together every week and wants to run a seperate campaign during the other weeks. That's a lot of prepping and stuff for me, but looking forward to it. For both campaigns I'm relying heavily, if not entirely, on pre-made modules.
Campaign 1, for the 7 player group, I've got a decent campaign setup. However there are still questions I'd like to get answered. As DM I know need to think about tying things together and why certain things are the way they are and make adjustments to make it all be consistent.
--Elsir Vale map. Adjusted 2 villages names to fit with the Sunless Citidel Oakhurst and the mine settlement for Forge of Fury.
--Red Hand of Doom, because it is my favorite campaign as a player. Also read a fair amount of re-caps to get ideas for possible modifications.
--Rise of Tiamat to resume the battle against the cult of dragons in a whole other region of the world. Instead of a fight against Tiamat's aspect they will actually fight her.
--Palace of the Red Pasha to clean it all up a bit
--one shot adventures to finish up, and be dedicated, to player character personal storylines
--Maybe a little bit of sandboxy stuff to their own keeps, guilds, intrigue and whatever should we ever even reach this point. Will make stuff up should we get here, because most campaigns never do.
Campaign 2, for the group of 4 players, I'd like to have a very different theme. Read a recap once of The Spider Queen, read the books of it, but never played such a campaign. It sounds really cool and my familiarity with it should make it a little easier to DM it. However I'd like some suggestions which adventures would be a good choice before and afterwards to keep the whole Underdark and Drow theme going. Hopefully including some inter-realm traveling to the Feywild or such. I haven't really started work on this campaign yet. All suggestions would be welcome.
Should we ever get to the point I'd like to do the entire Scales of War series with the first group. Sounds cool to have a new generation of heroes deal with a known foe. Tie in some stories/connections of the previous group of heroes. And finally finish off Tiamat once and for. The whole series has so many cool things going for it that it would still feel fresh enough even though you're dealing with the same theme. However this is something for the far future and not something I'm too fussed about yet. Who knows. The players might be so fed up they want something entirely different after all by then.
--Questions--
1. What was the cataclysmic event that put the Sunless Citadel into the state it currently is in? Some mentioned it was from a dragon outburst, but would it be possible to make it more of an arcane event? In a way that I could add some arcane traces for the players to notice. As it stands the Citadel is just too plain in regards to its history.
2. How did the white wyrmling get there? Currently my idea is that the Bugbear of Vraath Keep sent the egg to Durnn and the goblin shaman for safe keeping. That once the ritual at the Fane of Tiamat started the Wyrmling would be collected. Meaning that the goblin clan of Durn is allied to the Red Hand. The Kobolds at the Citadel arrived at a later date and started a territorial conflict with the goblins and eventually stole the egg. Leader of the kobolds used the Wyrmling as a means of influence to rally the kobolds behind her. Not all kobolds follow Kurtulmak and thus Tiamat. So this Kobold tribe doesn't support the Red Hand and aren't even aware they exist. The way the players handle the Wyrmling might mean they (indirectly) obstructed the Red Hand without even realizing it untill later. Unsure if I want to start counting this towards a Victory Point in RHOD, or just leave it as a story element only.
3. Will re-do some traps and such along the way. But with the Thorn Waste nearby I could add some more Blighted Twig encounters without raising an extreme sense of alarm. Undecided whether to tie in Belak the druid to the Ghostlord (Liche Druid) from RHOD. Think I'll keep them seperated otherwise the hints will be too thick. Also too prevent the players from rushing to the Ghostlord when being supremely under prepared.
4. Ashardalon is something I would like to feature a bit more prominently. I read the idea of turning him into a proginator of Wyrmlord Kul. Whome in turn I'll link to the overall Cult of the Dragon in Rise of Tiamat. With Kul being placed in the Elsir Veil, because of his connection to Ashardalon that used too roam this region. Making it a little bit personal in wanting to be succesful at the Fane. Other then that I'd probably just keep it simple with some half destroyed cult books spread around the Sunless Citadel. Players can then decide to read and find snippers of Ashardalon's lore. Especially since there isn't that much known about him it would fit half destroyed snippets just fine.
5 Belak the druid is unaware of the Red Hand and has no ties to them. The Paladin Sir Braford was a knight dispatched from Brindol to look into some rumors and do an investigation of which little is known. Could be a tie in to some additional information the characters can learn later when traveling through Brindol themselves...and gaining the needed reputation. Maybe an idea to tie him to an investigation regarding Blighted Twigs attacking random merchant caravans along the road. Or even killed some commoners in the woods surrounding Brindol? This would create a bigger incentive for that specific quest hook, which otherwise hardly gets any attention. The PC's can then learn about some cattle being killed on some farms around Oakhurst and get some info from the farmers. Where the farmers don't have a clue, but a little child mentions twig shaped creaturs at night. Of which the farmers tell the kid to be quiet and no one is interested in their fantasy rambling. Giving the PC's a chance to interrupt and interact with the child. Gradually obtaining the quest hook.
6. Haven't fully read Forge of Fury and RHOD yet. Perhaps these questions are answered within. If so just ignore this. How do the dwarves fit into this theme. Tiamat hates Moradrin and would burn the dwarves first chance she has. Her followers would be similar, but maybe less extreme. The Red Hand obviously just hired...or manipulated, the orcs into their employ. Would be awesome if we could play Sons of Gruumsh and get to see Red Hand diplomats at that orc stronghold. Which happened in my mind even though the PC's will never know. So the orcs just rampage the Forge trying to get it for the Red Hand. So that the Red Hand can craft their weapons and take out the dwarves to gain favor with Tiamat at the same time?
7. So how about Goblins with dragons? How do they tie together? This specific (hob)goblin tribe just decided to ally itself to Tiamat's and her Dragon Cult's cause? I don't remember any explanation anywhere of this. So I always found it odd to see goblins everywhere instead of kobolds and dragonborns. Then again I wouldn't get to see goblins riding worgs which is very cool.
Additional question I totally forgot.
8. I've noticed that the pacing of giving out magical items is different compared to previous editions. Are there any guidelines on how often to give something in 5e?
For question eight, sort of? For the most part magical items are more trinket-like fun than required in 5e. You can pretty much dole them out at whatever rate you want without causing too many balance issues as they are mostly not accounted for in the game math like they were in previous editions. That being said, monsters that start to care about being damaged by magical weapons start showing up around 5th level or so, and if you plan on using any of those monsters, it might behoove you to make sure at least a couple of the non-magical party members have at least a +1 weapon by then.
Thank you for the reply.
We'll be working with milestone leveling up. This helps in knowing exactly what level they'll be at which point. As such it should be possible to have half or so of them equipped with +1 items before entering RHOD. Since the party will be passing through Brindol a few times they might end up buying some additional items as well.
However is it true that 5e requires to give out more health potions?
Hi, two campaigns seems like a lot of work. Have you thought about setting up back stories and connections for the player characters that cannot be there all the time that explains their absence and re-appearance? They could be in the service of a secret organization or powerful wizard that may summon them at need, and send them back when able. Just a suggestion. You sound like a DM that could work it out in a way that is fun and interesting.
5E is a bit more designed to require the party to heal more often and with more resources than 4E required. Health Potions are an easier way to handle this if your party doesn't have the necessary healers. While 4E was more about a few set-piece battles, you can think of 5E leaning more towards an attrition model, when there can be lots of little fights leading to larger fights that drain resources over time.
Two campaigns might seem like a lot of work. However I have A LOT of time and am running mostly pre-made modules with adjustments. Prep time should be doable. I feel bad for the 3 players that could only make it to the table once every 5-6 weeks. Only to find out they missed 2-3 sessions and have no idea what's going on and where they're going. That is why we originally agreed on meeting only when everyone could make it. Leaving weeks in between for other stuff we could do with the others.
@metamongoose
I've indeed noticed that 5e goes back to the older versions in many aspects from mechanical stand point. That's probably why it seems so much easier to convert and replay older modules. At least according to many posts found around the web.
So far prepping campaign one is going smoothly. Spend around 10 hours yesterday that got me through quite a lot. Besides some deviations/off track from the players I can devote all my time to campaign number 2 when we start playing. Time management is something we're very good at in the Netherlands ;)
Campaign two will require a lot more work however. Especially since two of the 3 modules needs to be converted to 5e.
1. Start with Out of the Abyss taking the players from lvl 1 to 5
2. The Night Below, book 1 will take them to lvl 10. Found some conversion tips that would take it to 4e which I could use as ideas into 5e.
3. City of the Spider Queen is a lengthy adventure going up to lvl 18. This will require A LOT of work converting the encounters.
First session into the Eisir Vale went well. They were too hyped to wait so we started. Players interacted with the NPC's at Oakhurst and did some really nice investigation and prepping. We stopped in Sunless Citadel after they captured the white wyrmling and as such leveled up to 2. Next session they'll have to decide what to do with the wyrmling. Use it as a bargaining tool with the goblins, since they're allied with the hobgoblin/Red Hand of Doom at Vraath's Keep. Which will work to the advantage of that adventure when it starts for the army without the party knowing. Or will they return it to the kobolds and, without knowing, slow down/foil the Red Hands operations in the area a little. Because the Hand needs the white wyrmling for its rituals at the Fane later on.
As level 2 they should have an easier time with the upcoming big battle against the (hob)goblins before going down to The Grove floor. And it seems they're doing the side area with the entombed Dragonpriest on the way out... meaning they'll be level 3 then. Thus I can improve and level up that encounter to make him more scary and dangerous. They should be able to kill the Quasit, but if he escapes I might re-introduce him later in the Eisir Vale depending on things.
That said. I have started to prepare the module Forge of Fury in more indepth. I like the idea it provides multiple ways to enter the stronghold, potentially even going straight into the lair of the black dragon. Makes it more difficult to prepare compared to the more linear Sunless Citadel. However unsure how to approach the open area. More in how to present it to the players. Where they're in the open area in the mountains. I could ask for a perception check and they could see the smoke trails in the distance. But how should I present to them the possibility to explore and maybe even find the other entries? Most other elements seem pretty straight forward in the module.
So far it seems the campaign will start out being rather stingy and low magic, other then just the +1 weaponry. Can't wait to get them into Rise of Tiamat and teleport them to the Swordcoast area and ramp up the magics :D
When my group did the Forge of Fury, they spent a day scouting around the area once it became clear that a frontal assault might be very disadvantageous to them. They found the smoking chimney but decided to not climb down it, then they found the lake and decided to camp there for the night. During one of the watches, I described a shadowy draconic figure rising up out of the water and taking flight. It returned later that night and went back into the lake and never came back up (the dragon was just off hunting and I chose to have it not notice the party's camp since they made it clear they weren't using a fire). With that info, they guessed there were tunnels under the lake, but didn't really want to dive down and tangle with a dragon. They also found the tunnel in the woods that leads to the Troglodyte lair, but all the tracks and the large animal signs sort of scared them off from that entrance as well. In the end they decided to go through the front door and we ran things from there.
The camping part sounds good. Depending on whether you do the orc patrol returning it could be quite a busy night for the watch hehe. I really want to nudge the players into knowing there are tunnels as alternative to a possible failed frontal assault. As well since you got lots of reinforcements that can circle around them, and you got the hanging bridge as a tricky spot. That's why I can foresee them failing easily enough. If they retreat they'll have to re-do it all again, plus opening door...
Guess I could start by describing it: A large mountain path in front with a path leading up. In the distance you can see a path leading down towards a lake as well. Then ask for a possible perception check if they didn't mention it to see the smoke trail. Then its up to them to check both tracks and go from there.
The hill dwarf barbarian has in his background that he had partaking into a competition in his community. Won an weapon with rumored magical properties. Could awake one of those rumored effects when they reach the forge...hmm...
I just pointed out the smoke to my party. It's not a faint campfire sort of thing. It's a large burn-pile that vents from a big hole in the ground. It should be noticeable and entice the party to at least go check it out.
Just checked out the char sheets of all the players. Was thinking about using Passive Perception at a DC12. However several have more then that. So I'll just tell that character they notice it. Then it is up to those players whether they want to share the information or not until someone, might, ask for an active perception. I am clear in the information provided. My belief is, just like many tactical games, you need information to decide what to do and avoid surprises. So no hidden stuff on my end in that regard. However that doesn't mean I'm blatantly giving out all the information either ;)
Seeing they will have learned the basic mechanics from playing through Sunless Citadel and bit on the road... I'm thinking about starting to introduce tactics to combat. For now I lay down the entire battlemap of the floor. As in Fog of War where I only show part of the battlemap explored, elevated platforms, some more rocks/tables/objects that the players and opponents can hide behind beyond the usage of their spells and skills. Lucky to have one player at the table with one hell of a diverse character. He bought a lot of "junk" from the stores, but finds creative uses for them. Really lifts up the others since they see that out of the box thinking is possible and that there are no limitations to what they come up with. And its all round fun when they fail as well.
I'm really motivated and hyped to keep on going. Received messages of some that hope they get to fight hobgoblins and orcs in the future. Well next session will actually be the fight to transition to the Grove level in the Citadel. Meaning some hobgoblins, goblin shaman and a bugbear or 2. With orcs all over the place in Forge of Fury... and more hobgoblins in Red Hand of Doom.
As for the sessions themselves I've set it up so we meet one hour before we begin. People can ask questions and possibly change a few things on their character sheets. Also talk about possible expectations and new ideas for characters and such. Then play for 4-5 hours with a break half way. At the end talk for 30-45 mins about how they felt about the experience and possible questions/remarks/discussion about rulings or what not. Hope that'll work out nice long term as well. The messages on my phone go fast as well. Its really cool too see how invested they already are.
However there is one thing midly bugging me for long term. Some characters have preferred enemy types. We'll encounter them in the early part of the campaign. However after lvl 6 I have none of them presented anywhere according to the pre-written modules I use. On top of that I don't really see a way to add them either. Any suggestions how to go about such a thing?
What types are they preferred with and what Modules are coming up after Forge of Fury?
After the Forge of Fury comes Red Hand of Doom and Rise of Tiamat. It is a Tiamat themed campaign. So we'll be encountering hob goblins, dragonborn, bug bears, dragons, cultists etc.
Preferred opponent types are Trolls, Orcs, Goblinoids, Celestial and Fey creatures.
Well,m at least you have goblinoids covered. The good news is that in later levels, Rangers can pick more preferred enemies, so your players can tailor their new targets to what is more available. That being said, you might be able to sprinkle in some fey like Quickling in with some goblins or a Yeth Hound in with some hob Goblins (both monsters from Volos Guide). I don't have any good suggestions for the celestials, but Trolls are easy to add in wherever feels right in an army of goblins, orcs, and hobgoblins, and the party will get it's fill of orcs early on in Forge of Fury, so if later adventures are light on orcs, you'll probably be okay.
I was wondering more about how much would you go out of your way to accommodate such a player? After all it would be a shame if someone creates a character aspect that rarely gets used.
Also when it comes to spellcasting. Some spells require Materials to cast. How strict would you be in micro-managing that? Some require 50gp crystals for lvl1 spells that they can't really afford all that much when they're just a lvl 2-3 character. Or perhaps just take a small portion of gold each rest and let them cast to reduce the micro-managing?
My understanding is; most micromanaging of materials is taken care of by having a focus rather than component pouch. From there I believe there's a limitation that any material component worth more than ?100gp? must be accessible.
Accommodating the specialties of a particular player is like adding spices to a recipe. Do it in small amounts until it feel right. Start sprinkling in creatures that share the favored enemy type, whether as henchmen to the current plot baddie or as a wandering pack. From what I'm gathering you have a few different preferred enemies, so you can sprinkle them in interchangeably.
That is indeed a simple and clean method of handling it. Just spend some coin instead of worrying about obtaining the actual materials.
Had some side thoughts. Been reading some topics about people running 3 player groups. Needing to adjust encounters down for it. In case of Sunless Citadel I really don't see a reason to do that. You find so many spell scrolls with insane amounts of damage output for lvl1 players. Add some minor tactics and carefulness and players should be just fine in my opinion. Even if you jump 9-10 kobolds on their asses early on without those scrolls. Let the kobolds join in waves and of you go since most don't have that high AC nor a large HP pool. As long as the players can manage the numbers instead of standing still and getting surrounded ... it should be fine.
That said. Been looking around and not 100% sure about the mechanics surrounding Scrolls. The impression I've gotten is that you can only use a Scroll if the spell on it is accessible to your class to begin with. So if a scroll has a warlock spell on it then a wizard couldn't use the scroll...which seems odd. In my understanding scrolls are spells that every nitwit can read and use. However a melee character using a scroll will have less attributes that will aid him in the spell casting attack roll. Those who are tuned to the spell on the scroll have a more higher understanding of the intricacies...and as such can copy the spell into their spellbooks or such. At least that's how i'm currently ruling it.
Need to find a place with lots of (cheap) miniatures in the EU as well...which isn't as easy as i thought it would be.
I'm not sure why scroll restriction are a thing this edition, but there are very very few spells inaccessible to either the wizard or the cleric due to their vast spell lists. There are rules for trying to cast a spell from a scroll that is higher level than you can normally access that involves either an arcana or religion roll. For those not normally able to use scrolls like Fighters and such, I just use that system and have them roll The relevant skill or ability if they are not proficient. For low level scrolls the DC isn't that back-breaking and it can lead to some funny situations.