Using the HotDQ (I find that very funny hot DQ) as a sequel campaign to the lost mines of phandelver. My group is four party members and they are all going to be level 5 by the end of the lost mines. My question is will that be too high a level for them to have any fun?
I think you could fast-track to chapter 5, Castle Naerytar, of HotDQ. Characters will already be in the vicinity of Waterdeep, Neverwinter and the Mere of Dead Men. You can just introduce a hook and all the relevant back story to put them on the trail of the Cult of the Dragon from that point onward. Maybe use Phandalin as a substitute for Greenest, to introduce the problem of cult raids. Use Voaraghamanthar the black dragon instead of Lennithon the blue dragon (the dragon will still be too powerful for PCs). Put Leosin Erlanthar and Onthar Frume there to give the characters their quest.
I think the adventurers hired on as caravan guards going from phendelver to waterdeep would allow you to retool episode 4 to flow into the story perfectly. The encounters are not location specific and the "recognised!" Encounter could instead involve a Harper agent or a cult deserter that tells the pcs the highlights of episode 1-3.
Have them hired by the group that is rebuilding the road between Waterdeep and Neverwinter - if they have faction contacts (especially Harpers or Order of the Gauntlet), then have them request them to attend or fill them in on what would have happened if they started from Chapter 1. Alternatively, get them to defend Phandalin from a Cult attack (look at CHapter 1, beef it up a little and rework it for the village), as this then gets them personally involved.
I ran a group this way and it worked well (compared against two other groups I ran the normal way). Note: the LMoP party drove-off (but didn't kill) Venomfang, so I had him reappear later in HotDQ (but much stronger thanks to Dragon Cult magic).
I did the same thing. What I did was leave some notes in the area with the Black Spider. I had it so he was working with the cult as a revenge against a metallic dragon. The notes hinted at a meeting in greenest between Rezmir and Black Spider.
I altered the initial fight a little, getting the party close and personal with an adult blue dragon. I just made sure to use most of the attacks on guards etc whilst the party attack him. It's a good way to show how dangerous the Dragons will be in the future. When the dragon became sufficiently injured I had him take to the skies again and attack with his breath weapon.
From there it was a case of increasing a few fights here and there (using Kobold Fight Club). Don't increase all fights, this is a good place to get your characters to actually feel powerful for once. Just slow down their levelling for a bit whilst the book catches up
I'm doing this. I had the Black Spider mention Reznir and had him working to secure the mine for the cult. When the party left Wave Echo Mine they came back to Phandalin to find it being razed by the Dragon from the beginning of HotDQ. So I took a few parts of that Greenest chapter and made it all fit Phandalin with people they were already familiar with. I had a few people they knew in town end up secretly being cultists. Creating a who can you trust feel. After the attack on town (which you can scale up to fit the party) They uncovered some clues ( a note from Langderosa to someone they knew, and a note on a dead cultist that mentioned a few clues). They discovered the location of the Hatchery (in an abandoned mine near town.) I scaled that up a touch. Thats where they are now. From there I'll go straight to Chapter 5 where everyone should be level 5 anyway....that is, if the party decides to head in the Chapter 5 direction lol.
So I skipped the abandoned camp, half the Greenest stuff, and the road to Waterdeep.
I'm doing this. I had the Black Spider mention Reznir and had him working to secure the mine for the cult. When the party left Wave Echo Mine they came back to Phandalin to find it being razed by the Dragon from the beginning of HotDQ. So I took a few parts of that Greenest chapter and made it all fit Phandalin with people they were already familiar with. I had a few people they knew in town end up secretly being cultists. Creating a who can you trust feel. After the attack on town (which you can scale up to fit the party) They uncovered some clues ( a note from Langderosa to someone they knew, and a note on a dead cultist that mentioned a few clues). They discovered the location of the Hatchery (in an abandoned mine near town.) I scaled that up a touch. Thats where they are now. From there I'll go straight to Chapter 5 where everyone should be level 5 anyway....that is, if the party decides to head in the Chapter 5 direction lol.
So I skipped the abandoned camp, half the Greenest stuff, and the road to Waterdeep.
I've decided to use HotDQ as a sequel to LMoP and I've adapted the first three chapters to their level, which will be 6. I'm changing a few locations, the dragon involved in the attack, and I'm giving them a chance to meet The C Team. Because I can and I want them to :)
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Using the HotDQ (I find that very funny hot DQ) as a sequel campaign to the lost mines of phandelver. My group is four party members and they are all going to be level 5 by the end of the lost mines. My question is will that be too high a level for them to have any fun?
I think you could fast-track to chapter 5, Castle Naerytar, of HotDQ. Characters will already be in the vicinity of Waterdeep, Neverwinter and the Mere of Dead Men. You can just introduce a hook and all the relevant back story to put them on the trail of the Cult of the Dragon from that point onward. Maybe use Phandalin as a substitute for Greenest, to introduce the problem of cult raids. Use Voaraghamanthar the black dragon instead of Lennithon the blue dragon (the dragon will still be too powerful for PCs). Put Leosin Erlanthar and Onthar Frume there to give the characters their quest.
I think the adventurers hired on as caravan guards going from phendelver to waterdeep would allow you to retool episode 4 to flow into the story perfectly. The encounters are not location specific and the "recognised!" Encounter could instead involve a Harper agent or a cult deserter that tells the pcs the highlights of episode 1-3.
Jesus Saves!... Everyone else takes damage.
Have them hired by the group that is rebuilding the road between Waterdeep and Neverwinter - if they have faction contacts (especially Harpers or Order of the Gauntlet), then have them request them to attend or fill them in on what would have happened if they started from Chapter 1. Alternatively, get them to defend Phandalin from a Cult attack (look at CHapter 1, beef it up a little and rework it for the village), as this then gets them personally involved.
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Thank you all for your input. I'll figure a way to work it in. I think it'll be fun.
I ran a group this way and it worked well (compared against two other groups I ran the normal way). Note: the LMoP party drove-off (but didn't kill) Venomfang, so I had him reappear later in HotDQ (but much stronger thanks to Dragon Cult magic).
I did the same thing. What I did was leave some notes in the area with the Black Spider. I had it so he was working with the cult as a revenge against a metallic dragon. The notes hinted at a meeting in greenest between Rezmir and Black Spider.
I altered the initial fight a little, getting the party close and personal with an adult blue dragon. I just made sure to use most of the attacks on guards etc whilst the party attack him. It's a good way to show how dangerous the Dragons will be in the future. When the dragon became sufficiently injured I had him take to the skies again and attack with his breath weapon.
From there it was a case of increasing a few fights here and there (using Kobold Fight Club). Don't increase all fights, this is a good place to get your characters to actually feel powerful for once. Just slow down their levelling for a bit whilst the book catches up
I'm doing this. I had the Black Spider mention Reznir and had him working to secure the mine for the cult. When the party left Wave Echo Mine they came back to Phandalin to find it being razed by the Dragon from the beginning of HotDQ. So I took a few parts of that Greenest chapter and made it all fit Phandalin with people they were already familiar with. I had a few people they knew in town end up secretly being cultists. Creating a who can you trust feel. After the attack on town (which you can scale up to fit the party) They uncovered some clues ( a note from Langderosa to someone they knew, and a note on a dead cultist that mentioned a few clues). They discovered the location of the Hatchery (in an abandoned mine near town.) I scaled that up a touch. Thats where they are now. From there I'll go straight to Chapter 5 where everyone should be level 5 anyway....that is, if the party decides to head in the Chapter 5 direction lol.
So I skipped the abandoned camp, half the Greenest stuff, and the road to Waterdeep.
Brilliant!! I think I'll steal this.
I've decided to use HotDQ as a sequel to LMoP and I've adapted the first three chapters to their level, which will be 6. I'm changing a few locations, the dragon involved in the attack, and I'm giving them a chance to meet The C Team. Because I can and I want them to :)