Hey! I am a new DM, and i'm running Lost Mine of Phandelver right now with a partywho are also pretty new to D&D (Exept 1 member) I have already runned the first part (Goblin Arrows) butt now im preparing part 2 and im kinda lost. There are so many options and side quests that i don't really know where to start. Also my origin language is not english, so i also have to translate all of the text to my language (Dutch). Do you guys have any tips on how to do this?
Also another question to previous LMoP runners: How far did your players get in the second session? Did they only shop and talk to NPC's or did they also got to do the Redbrand Ruffians encounter or even got to the hideout already?
Thanks in advance!
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A new DM durrently doing Lost Mine of Phandelver with a new party!
Figuring out the rules and way of playing trough my mistakes :)
I've run Lost Mines a couple of times and it's usually ran more or less the same; they kill all the goblins, return the goods to the shop in town, do a bit of shopping, and then head right for the Redbrand hideout. The important thing to remember, especially as a new DM, is that you can be open with your players. If they want to do something you've not prepared just say "sorry, I thought you'd do this bit first so that's what I prepared. Would you mind doing that and I'll prepare the other thing for next time." Good players will accept that and accept you're still learning. You can also manipulate them a bit by only telling them about things you've prepared, all those side quests don't have to happen at once, instead you can just tell them about each one as you're ready to run it so choose the one you like the most and set that up. You can also steer them towards the Redbrands by having a couple of shop keepers mention them and ask for help and a small encounter in the street with some of them will usually be enough to encourage your players in that direction. In my experience they've normally picked a fight at the Redbrands tavern the same session as they reach town but not headed to the main hideout until the next session, but that'll will change depending on how much your players like roleplay and shopping sessions
Thanks a lot! In Phandalin there are just a lot of locations you could possibly go to so I was a little lost there. Let's just see how my preps will turn out, since my players are also learning and quite easy to manipulate (and also chaotic in a wierd way but i'll manage)
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A new DM durrently doing Lost Mine of Phandelver with a new party!
Figuring out the rules and way of playing trough my mistakes :)
I suggest trying to end the session with the decision about where to go. If there are 3 places they can go, they decide that next time, they’ll go to one of them, so you only need to prepare that one. They go, they come back, they decide where they’re going next.
I don’t remember how far my group got in each session, but every group will be different. Some might role play more than others and not make as much story progress. Some might skip over some areas. There is no right or wrong, all that matters is if everyone is having fun.
There are so many options and side quests that i don't really know where to start. Also my origin language is not english, so i also have to translate all of the text to my language (Dutch). Do you guys have any tips on how to do this?
General advise from me would be to point them in the right direction. Don't give the players more than 2 or 3 options. At the end of a session give them a choice, have them take a vote.
Would the party like to:
Go shopping and speaking to the townsfolk?
Follow up on leads from the last location?
Find a new quest?
Allowing all of the options is a bit like a supermarket shelf. If you've got 2 or 3 options to choose from the choice is easy. Got 100 options? Then choice paralysis can kick in. So limit the choices to a manageable number of options.
Also another question to previous LMoP runners: How far did your players get in the second session? Did they only shop and talk to NPC's or did they also got to do the Redbrand Ruffians encounter or even got to the hideout already?
What my, or anyone else's players did is irrelevant to your table.
You might be worried about what is 'normal' for your table. Don't be. There's isn't such a thing. I've run LMoP over a dozen times and every time has been different. One group went missed the turning in the road for Phandalin and ended up heading towards Conyberry. They wanted to make a survival check to make sure they were going the right way. I said yes, they failed badly, and navigated the wrong way. Another group decided to ignore the Redbrands and all the other stuff. They saved the dwarf in Cragmaw Castle and headed straight to Wave Echo Cave. They were too low level, but they did it anyway.
Don't let yourself get worried by how quickly or slowly the characters are progressing in the adventure. Instead ask: did the players and I have fun? If you were all enjoying yourselves then that's the goal. Put the enjoyment first above everything. I promise that rule won't fail you. Don't try and compare your table to others. Every table, even if its got the same DM or some of the same players, every table has its own dynamic. It's own pace. It's own tone. It's one of the reasons I love DMing. You can never tell what a group of players will be like until you get to know them. It's awesome!
My players immediately headed for the Redbrands (it was their first time ever and my first DM) and murdered everyone their. Most new players will go the way you want them to go if you drop enough "wink wink, nudge nudge"'s at them. If you open it up, they will most likely have decision paralysis and probably end up spending the whole session discussing their options. Give them a steady but not constrictive trail of hints to the hideout and you'll probably get them there. It does seem like there's a lot to Phandalin at first glance, but the players will look for something dynamic/murder-related to do, and you can get them to the hideout fairly easily.
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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?"
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Hey! I am a new DM, and i'm running Lost Mine of Phandelver right now with a partywho are also pretty new to D&D (Exept 1 member) I have already runned the first part (Goblin Arrows) butt now im preparing part 2 and im kinda lost. There are so many options and side quests that i don't really know where to start. Also my origin language is not english, so i also have to translate all of the text to my language (Dutch). Do you guys have any tips on how to do this?
Also another question to previous LMoP runners: How far did your players get in the second session? Did they only shop and talk to NPC's or did they also got to do the Redbrand Ruffians encounter or even got to the hideout already?
Thanks in advance!
A new DM durrently doing Lost Mine of Phandelver with a new party!
Figuring out the rules and way of playing trough my mistakes :)
She/her preferred.
Welcome to the exciting world of being a DM!
I've run Lost Mines a couple of times and it's usually ran more or less the same; they kill all the goblins, return the goods to the shop in town, do a bit of shopping, and then head right for the Redbrand hideout. The important thing to remember, especially as a new DM, is that you can be open with your players. If they want to do something you've not prepared just say "sorry, I thought you'd do this bit first so that's what I prepared. Would you mind doing that and I'll prepare the other thing for next time." Good players will accept that and accept you're still learning. You can also manipulate them a bit by only telling them about things you've prepared, all those side quests don't have to happen at once, instead you can just tell them about each one as you're ready to run it so choose the one you like the most and set that up. You can also steer them towards the Redbrands by having a couple of shop keepers mention them and ask for help and a small encounter in the street with some of them will usually be enough to encourage your players in that direction. In my experience they've normally picked a fight at the Redbrands tavern the same session as they reach town but not headed to the main hideout until the next session, but that'll will change depending on how much your players like roleplay and shopping sessions
Good luck
Thanks a lot! In Phandalin there are just a lot of locations you could possibly go to so I was a little lost there. Let's just see how my preps will turn out, since my players are also learning and quite easy to manipulate (and also chaotic in a wierd way but i'll manage)
A new DM durrently doing Lost Mine of Phandelver with a new party!
Figuring out the rules and way of playing trough my mistakes :)
She/her preferred.
I suggest trying to end the session with the decision about where to go. If there are 3 places they can go, they decide that next time, they’ll go to one of them, so you only need to prepare that one. They go, they come back, they decide where they’re going next.
I don’t remember how far my group got in each session, but every group will be different. Some might role play more than others and not make as much story progress. Some might skip over some areas. There is no right or wrong, all that matters is if everyone is having fun.
General advise from me would be to point them in the right direction. Don't give the players more than 2 or 3 options. At the end of a session give them a choice, have them take a vote.
Would the party like to:
Allowing all of the options is a bit like a supermarket shelf. If you've got 2 or 3 options to choose from the choice is easy. Got 100 options? Then choice paralysis can kick in. So limit the choices to a manageable number of options.
What my, or anyone else's players did is irrelevant to your table.
You might be worried about what is 'normal' for your table. Don't be. There's isn't such a thing. I've run LMoP over a dozen times and every time has been different. One group went missed the turning in the road for Phandalin and ended up heading towards Conyberry. They wanted to make a survival check to make sure they were going the right way. I said yes, they failed badly, and navigated the wrong way. Another group decided to ignore the Redbrands and all the other stuff. They saved the dwarf in Cragmaw Castle and headed straight to Wave Echo Cave. They were too low level, but they did it anyway.
Don't let yourself get worried by how quickly or slowly the characters are progressing in the adventure. Instead ask: did the players and I have fun? If you were all enjoying yourselves then that's the goal. Put the enjoyment first above everything. I promise that rule won't fail you. Don't try and compare your table to others. Every table, even if its got the same DM or some of the same players, every table has its own dynamic. It's own pace. It's own tone. It's one of the reasons I love DMing. You can never tell what a group of players will be like until you get to know them. It's awesome!
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Actor, Writer, Director & Teacher by day - GM/DM in my off hours.
My players immediately headed for the Redbrands (it was their first time ever and my first DM) and murdered everyone their. Most new players will go the way you want them to go if you drop enough "wink wink, nudge nudge"'s at them. If you open it up, they will most likely have decision paralysis and probably end up spending the whole session discussing their options. Give them a steady but not constrictive trail of hints to the hideout and you'll probably get them there. It does seem like there's a lot to Phandalin at first glance, but the players will look for something dynamic/murder-related to do, and you can get them to the hideout fairly easily.
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?"