I'm a brand new DM, looking to DM for the first time with a small group of family. I wondered if anyone has recommendations for what to run as a first campaign for DM and players alike - I heard storm kings thunder is a good one to go for?
A whole lot of people start with Lost Mine of Phandelver as an intro to D&D. I'd check it out at the very least and see if the story appeals to you. It is supposedly very beginner friendly.
Yes, I always recommend LMoP as a first campaign - particularly if you're a new DM. It guides you through the basics, before slowly increasing the complexity of rules, so it gives you a chance to get to grips with everything at the same pace as your players.
The story is pretty good to boot, and there's a surprising amount of freedom (especially early on) for a Starter Campaign. You can make it as complicated or simple as you like, and there's options to go off-piste if your players get a little adventurous and want to stray from the beaten path.
Doesn't cost an arm-and-a-leg either, especially here on D&D Beyond, so it's a good investment to get everyone into the game.
As some tips I recommend not overthinking stuff. If you want random encounters, just do them.
Expect that the players will see the path of an adventure, and go the opposite way. If they deliver the cart to the town, they can't collect the reward if they do not get the OKAY from the quest giver or his bodyguard first. I had to give them a 50 gold bounty from a nearby shop to get them to the ******* cave.
There is definitely a more ideal path to follow in LMoP - that first cave, and thus rescuing (hopefully) Sildar, really sets a lot of other cogs in motion.
The two times I've run it, the first group skipped the cave (they never went there), and everything became a lot more free-for-all without Sildar as an anchor to suggest new players what might be prudent to pursue, or why. There's so much going on that the main thread of finding Gundren (and Wave Echo Cave) can get completely lost. It doesn't matter of course, there was plenty of great adventure to be had, and they did eventually find Gundren's map, and the cave (before meeting their end to the Flameskull). I just imagine it would be harder to navigate for a new DM without a structure to follow.
The second group went to the cave first, rescued Sildar, transported the cart, cleared the Redbrand hideout, did a few of the sidequests including Thundertree, Wyvern Tor and Agatha, didn't get TPKd by the dragon, found Cragmaw Castle, rescued Gundren, found Wave Echo cave, stopped the Black Spider and it was a breeze to DM.
I imagine most playthroughs of LMoP fall somewhere in between.
Hey guys, thanks for all your replies, I'll definitely be running LMoP! I also just bought the Wrath of Ashardalon Boardgame too as a little bit of a less complicated intro for the group.
As some tips I recommend not overthinking stuff. If you want random encounters, just do them.
Expect that the players will see the path of an adventure, and go the opposite way. If they deliver the cart to the town, they can't collect the reward if they do not get the OKAY from the quest giver or his bodyguard first. I had to give them a 50 gold bounty from a nearby shop to get them to the ******* cave.
There is definitely a more ideal path to follow in LMoP - that first cave, and thus rescuing (hopefully) Sildar, really sets a lot of other cogs in motion.
The two times I've run it, the first group skipped the cave (they never went there), and everything became a lot more free-for-all without Sildar as an anchor to suggest new players what might be prudent to pursue, or why. There's so much going on that the main thread of finding Gundren (and Wave Echo Cave) can get completely lost. It doesn't matter of course, there was plenty of great adventure to be had, and they did eventually find Gundren's map, and the cave (before meeting their end to the Flameskull). I just imagine it would be harder to navigate for a new DM without a structure to follow.
The second group went to the cave first, rescued Sildar, transported the cart, cleared the Redbrand hideout, did a few of the sidequests including Thundertree, Wyvern Tor and Agatha, didn't get TPKd by the dragon, found Cragmaw Castle, rescued Gundren, found Wave Echo cave, stopped the Black Spider and it was a breeze to DM.
I imagine most playthroughs of LMoP fall somewhere in between.
This is great advice, I'll try get them to that first cave ASAP :P
Lost Mine is ideal because it includes tips and pretty everything you need to run the adventure. Some others don't have all of the monster stats included and don't give advice on how to run anything.
It should be noted that if there is content that you don't like, you never have to add it. If you have a cool idea, add it in!
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"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
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Hey guys,
I hope this is in the right place, here goes.
I'm a brand new DM, looking to DM for the first time with a small group of family. I wondered if anyone has recommendations for what to run as a first campaign for DM and players alike - I heard storm kings thunder is a good one to go for?
Looking forward to getting some replies
Welcome to D&D :)
A whole lot of people start with Lost Mine of Phandelver as an intro to D&D. I'd check it out at the very least and see if the story appeals to you. It is supposedly very beginner friendly.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Yes, I always recommend LMoP as a first campaign - particularly if you're a new DM. It guides you through the basics, before slowly increasing the complexity of rules, so it gives you a chance to get to grips with everything at the same pace as your players.
The story is pretty good to boot, and there's a surprising amount of freedom (especially early on) for a Starter Campaign. You can make it as complicated or simple as you like, and there's options to go off-piste if your players get a little adventurous and want to stray from the beaten path.
Doesn't cost an arm-and-a-leg either, especially here on D&D Beyond, so it's a good investment to get everyone into the game.
There is definitely a more ideal path to follow in LMoP - that first cave, and thus rescuing (hopefully) Sildar, really sets a lot of other cogs in motion.
The two times I've run it, the first group skipped the cave (they never went there), and everything became a lot more free-for-all without Sildar as an anchor to suggest new players what might be prudent to pursue, or why. There's so much going on that the main thread of finding Gundren (and Wave Echo Cave) can get completely lost. It doesn't matter of course, there was plenty of great adventure to be had, and they did eventually find Gundren's map, and the cave (before meeting their end to the Flameskull). I just imagine it would be harder to navigate for a new DM without a structure to follow.
The second group went to the cave first, rescued Sildar, transported the cart, cleared the Redbrand hideout, did a few of the sidequests including Thundertree, Wyvern Tor and Agatha, didn't get TPKd by the dragon, found Cragmaw Castle, rescued Gundren, found Wave Echo cave, stopped the Black Spider and it was a breeze to DM.
I imagine most playthroughs of LMoP fall somewhere in between.
Hey guys, thanks for all your replies, I'll definitely be running LMoP! I also just bought the Wrath of Ashardalon Boardgame too as a little bit of a less complicated intro for the group.
This is great advice, I'll try get them to that first cave ASAP :P
Thanks Dudes
Lost Mine is ideal because it includes tips and pretty everything you need to run the adventure. Some others don't have all of the monster stats included and don't give advice on how to run anything.
It should be noted that if there is content that you don't like, you never have to add it. If you have a cool idea, add it in!
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale