Casual D&D player of many years turned first-time(ish) DM, here. Playing though the Stranger Things "Welcome to the Hellfire Club" with my kids and their friends. It's more beginner frIendly for both players and DMs to navigate than the Phandelver and Icespire Peak starter kits (although the Essentials Kit Essentials Rulebook is nice to have as a quick reference for lower level characters and more compact than the Players Handbook).
I was preparing for the first adventure in the Cave of Shadows when literally the night before our 1st session my Monster Manual arrived. While The Hellfire club set conveniently provides stat block cards for all the monsters / NPCs, I was curious to see what the Monster Manual had to add. Glad I took a look! When it came to the Myconids, for instance, the Manual informed me that they are not hostile creatures at heart. but more protective shepherds of mushrooms, and also that their spore-cloud releases can cause communal hallucinations. This information came in very handy the next day...
We are using the pre-made characters, so when Will The Wise turned a corner in the maze he stumbled into Myconid territory. While he and the party members wasted far too much time debating what to do, I had a myconid spore-spray the wizard, incapacitating him. I had players make charisma rolls, and the myconid sensed they were not overtly hostile. Will proved to be not-so wise. Perhaps not realizing the extend of his condition, and not realizing anything you say when I DM can and will be used against you, he said, "Since it's blowing clouds at me, I fart back at it."
Now, I always try to warn these naive new players that they might be making a grave mistake by saying, "Do you say that?" or "Do you do that?" Just in case they change their minds. But Will insisted on farting, so I told him to make a constitution saving throw at disadvantage (remember, he's incapacitated), which he failed. I then informed him that he pooped himself, and a discussion began about what his clothing and undergarments (if any) were. Turns out he couldn't have been bothered to wear breeches or undergarments. Nope. He was wearing nothing but a wizard's robe over his birthday suit. I informed him that excrement slid down his leg and added to the bouquet of spore / fungus smells, and put him at disadvantage for his next attack (no one performs well when they poop themselves). But it was alright because the myconid proceeded to spray them all and share a trippy communal hallucination with them, in which they heard inhuman sounds in their minds which reminded them somehow of stoned hippies.
Yeah, we went down the rabbit hole and the first adventure took way too long to get through ( 2 sessions), but we all laughed hysterically and had a great time. Some other pretty crazy (not in the pre-planned adventure) stuff happened too, which maybe I'll share as well. We're about to start the 2nd adventure, which I've tweaked a little to point back to Vecna (who never is mentioned again in the whole "campaign," boo!), and then from there we'll cross over into Vecna: Nest of the Eldrich Eye (purchased here), and then some adventures of my own possibly leading (and leveling) up to the Vecna: Eve of Ruin campaign.
Love to hear from others who got here through Stranger Things, and thoughts on all this from more seasoned DMs.
Sounds like a lot of fun. Have to admit I've not read the Stranger Things box set so I'm a little surprised but interested to hear you say you've found it more beginner friendly than the two adventures designed to be beginner friendly. I ran Lost Mines of Phandelver as my first DMing experience and really enjoyed it. Maybe I should take a look at Stranger Things
Sounds like your kids and their friends are having a great time and you are enjoying being their DM! That is what it's all about, having fun :)
I purchased the Stranger Things Welcome to the Hellfire Club box set as well, and recently had my wife's best friend and her significant other want to learn D&D, and so will be introducing them, along with our daughter and her husband (who are seasoned players) through the Box Set.
I love what the set comes with and can't wait to start running it for them :)
Cheers!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty. Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers; Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas. Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.
I find it more beginner friendly because there are simply less options in character choices and it very clearly spells out when and what sort of checks the DM should have players make... the other beginner sets have a lot more options for players ( where they can go and what they can do, so that in Phandelver the DM doesn't know if characters are going to go straight to the goblin caves after the ambush or into town which creates two completely different session options) which means a lot more for the DM to be on top of. I would definitely feel more comfortable running them now though.
Lost Mines of Phandelver is an excellent place to start DMing, which I know from personal experience. I have not gotten the Stranger Things box, so I don't know what it's about, but I can say that LMoP is great and I would recommend it with full confidence.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
He doesn't have much besides the skin on his bones. Me: I'll take the skin on his bones, then.
"You see a gigantic, monstrous praying mantis burst from out of the ground. It sprays a stream of acid from it's mouth at one soldier, dissolving him instantly, then it turns and chomps another soldier in half with it's- "
Nice! Will this be a first time experience playing D&D for some of those involved?
Yes, my wife's best friend and her significant other played a Halloween One-Shot that I ran to see if they liked D&D, and they both loved it, so this will be their first real Adventure, and they are both excited.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty. Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers; Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas. Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Casual D&D player of many years turned first-time(ish) DM, here. Playing though the Stranger Things "Welcome to the Hellfire Club" with my kids and their friends. It's more beginner frIendly for both players and DMs to navigate than the Phandelver and Icespire Peak starter kits (although the Essentials Kit Essentials Rulebook is nice to have as a quick reference for lower level characters and more compact than the Players Handbook).
I was preparing for the first adventure in the Cave of Shadows when literally the night before our 1st session my Monster Manual arrived. While The Hellfire club set conveniently provides stat block cards for all the monsters / NPCs, I was curious to see what the Monster Manual had to add. Glad I took a look! When it came to the Myconids, for instance, the Manual informed me that they are not hostile creatures at heart. but more protective shepherds of mushrooms, and also that their spore-cloud releases can cause communal hallucinations. This information came in very handy the next day...
We are using the pre-made characters, so when Will The Wise turned a corner in the maze he stumbled into Myconid territory. While he and the party members wasted far too much time debating what to do, I had a myconid spore-spray the wizard, incapacitating him. I had players make charisma rolls, and the myconid sensed they were not overtly hostile. Will proved to be not-so wise. Perhaps not realizing the extend of his condition, and not realizing anything you say when I DM can and will be used against you, he said, "Since it's blowing clouds at me, I fart back at it."
Now, I always try to warn these naive new players that they might be making a grave mistake by saying, "Do you say that?" or "Do you do that?" Just in case they change their minds. But Will insisted on farting, so I told him to make a constitution saving throw at disadvantage (remember, he's incapacitated), which he failed. I then informed him that he pooped himself, and a discussion began about what his clothing and undergarments (if any) were. Turns out he couldn't have been bothered to wear breeches or undergarments. Nope. He was wearing nothing but a wizard's robe over his birthday suit. I informed him that excrement slid down his leg and added to the bouquet of spore / fungus smells, and put him at disadvantage for his next attack (no one performs well when they poop themselves). But it was alright because the myconid proceeded to spray them all and share a trippy communal hallucination with them, in which they heard inhuman sounds in their minds which reminded them somehow of stoned hippies.
Yeah, we went down the rabbit hole and the first adventure took way too long to get through ( 2 sessions), but we all laughed hysterically and had a great time. Some other pretty crazy (not in the pre-planned adventure) stuff happened too, which maybe I'll share as well. We're about to start the 2nd adventure, which I've tweaked a little to point back to Vecna (who never is mentioned again in the whole "campaign," boo!), and then from there we'll cross over into Vecna: Nest of the Eldrich Eye (purchased here), and then some adventures of my own possibly leading (and leveling) up to the Vecna: Eve of Ruin campaign.
Love to hear from others who got here through Stranger Things, and thoughts on all this from more seasoned DMs.
Sounds like a lot of fun. Have to admit I've not read the Stranger Things box set so I'm a little surprised but interested to hear you say you've found it more beginner friendly than the two adventures designed to be beginner friendly. I ran Lost Mines of Phandelver as my first DMing experience and really enjoyed it. Maybe I should take a look at Stranger Things
Greetings Green_Dragon_Drinker,
Sounds like your kids and their friends are having a great time and you are enjoying being their DM!
That is what it's all about, having fun :)
I purchased the Stranger Things Welcome to the Hellfire Club box set as well, and recently had my wife's best friend and her significant other want to learn D&D, and so will be introducing them, along with our daughter and her husband (who are seasoned players) through the Box Set.
I love what the set comes with and can't wait to start running it for them :)
Cheers!
Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty.
Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers;
Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas.
Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.
I find it more beginner friendly because there are simply less options in character choices and it very clearly spells out when and what sort of checks the DM should have players make... the other beginner sets have a lot more options for players ( where they can go and what they can do, so that in Phandelver the DM doesn't know if characters are going to go straight to the goblin caves after the ambush or into town which creates two completely different session options) which means a lot more for the DM to be on top of. I would definitely feel more comfortable running them now though.
Nice! Will this be a first time experience playing D&D for some of those involved?
Lost Mines of Phandelver is an excellent place to start DMing, which I know from personal experience. I have not gotten the Stranger Things box, so I don't know what it's about, but I can say that LMoP is great and I would recommend it with full confidence.
He doesn't have much besides the skin on his bones. Me: I'll take the skin on his bones, then.
"You see a gigantic, monstrous praying mantis burst from out of the ground. It sprays a stream of acid from it's mouth at one soldier, dissolving him instantly, then it turns and chomps another soldier in half with it's- "
"When are we gonna take a snack break?"
Yes, my wife's best friend and her significant other played a Halloween One-Shot that I ran to see if they liked D&D, and they both loved it, so this will be their first real Adventure, and they are both excited.
Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty.
Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers;
Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas.
Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.