This summer, I am planning on running my friends through The Lost Mines of Phandelver. However, this is looking to be a summer only thing, and I don't want to leave off with just "You beat the Black Spider, good job." I want their story to come to a nice end. So, does anyone have any recommendations for what a good final fight could be? I was thinking Venomfang (if they don't kill him). It's going to be a 5 person party, all lvl 5 at the end of the module.
Venomfang is a good end boss. Even though it is young, I would give it some light regional and lair effects for a little extra oomph, and change the encounter location to be a more open space. Possibly a larger ruin, or have a cave underneath so that flight is a factor.
I was thinking along that. Here’s what I have in mind.
The party returns to Phandalin, feeling triumph in their heart in the end of they’re quest. However, they are not met with cheers.
They’re met with screams. Townsfolk are running about in a panic, as clouds of green gas erupt from Tresendar Manor, all while people wearing green dragon masks are running around ransacking houses and attacking villagers.
My idea was to have the dragon cult try and assist Venomfang in taking the town for his territory.
I'm not sure about how the shape-changing-with-dragons-in-D&D thing typically works, but there is a dragon posing as a giant in Storm King's Thunder. You could make it so that Venomfang and the black spider are one and the same. It wouldn't be a big stretch theme wise since the Black spider has two doppelganger's working for him, maybe this is part of the reason why.
Young dragons, especially chromatic ones, generally can't shape shift, but Venomfang could be using a magic item. Or you could omph up the Black Spider fight a bit with a Shield Guardian, or maybe the spell forge is cursed, and transforms him horrifically.
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"What do you mean I get disadvantage on persuasion?"
I don't know, Sneet, maybe because your argument is "Submit and become our pet"?
You could have Venomfang know about BlackSpider and be tracking him (hence the spiders/dead spiders in Thundertree). They could have even been "allies" of a sort before Venomfang ultimately betrays him.
As the party clears the mine, they hear the sound of something large approaching.... Venomfang! (you may have to adjust the sizes of some tunnels for him to get in, but he can then try to claim the "forge" for himself.
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"An' things ha' come to a pretty pass, ye ken, if people are going to leave stuff like that aroound where innocent people could accidentally smash the door doon and lever the bars aside and take the big chain off'f the cupboard and pick the lock and drink it!"
If you stick to Nezznar as the BBEG of the mine, think of a good reason as to why he is going to go through all the pains/effort to find the Forge of Spells, sway Glasstaff into his service, hire Redbrands to take over Phandalin, and hire goblins/bugbears as mercenaries. The module, though great in learning and teaching, is somewhat thin on plot, IMHO. Also, consider using the doppelgangers with more purpose.
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This summer, I am planning on running my friends through The Lost Mines of Phandelver. However, this is looking to be a summer only thing, and I don't want to leave off with just "You beat the Black Spider, good job." I want their story to come to a nice end. So, does anyone have any recommendations for what a good final fight could be? I was thinking Venomfang (if they don't kill him). It's going to be a 5 person party, all lvl 5 at the end of the module.
Venomfang is a good end boss. Even though it is young, I would give it some light regional and lair effects for a little extra oomph, and change the encounter location to be a more open space. Possibly a larger ruin, or have a cave underneath so that flight is a factor.
I was thinking along that. Here’s what I have in mind.
The party returns to Phandalin, feeling triumph in their heart in the end of they’re quest. However, they are not met with cheers.
They’re met with screams. Townsfolk are running about in a panic, as clouds of green gas erupt from Tresendar Manor, all while people wearing green dragon masks are running around ransacking houses and attacking villagers.
My idea was to have the dragon cult try and assist Venomfang in taking the town for his territory.
I'm not sure about how the shape-changing-with-dragons-in-D&D thing typically works, but there is a dragon posing as a giant in Storm King's Thunder. You could make it so that Venomfang and the black spider are one and the same. It wouldn't be a big stretch theme wise since the Black spider has two doppelganger's working for him, maybe this is part of the reason why.
Young dragons, especially chromatic ones, generally can't shape shift, but Venomfang could be using a magic item. Or you could omph up the Black Spider fight a bit with a Shield Guardian, or maybe the spell forge is cursed, and transforms him horrifically.
"What do you mean I get disadvantage on persuasion?"
I don't know, Sneet, maybe because your argument is "Submit and become our pet"?
-Actual conversation in a game.
You could have Venomfang know about BlackSpider and be tracking him (hence the spiders/dead spiders in Thundertree). They could have even been "allies" of a sort before Venomfang ultimately betrays him.
As the party clears the mine, they hear the sound of something large approaching.... Venomfang! (you may have to adjust the sizes of some tunnels for him to get in, but he can then try to claim the "forge" for himself.
"An' things ha' come to a pretty pass, ye ken, if people are going to leave stuff like that aroound where innocent people could accidentally smash the door doon and lever the bars aside and take the big chain off'f the cupboard and pick the lock and drink it!"
If you stick to Nezznar as the BBEG of the mine, think of a good reason as to why he is going to go through all the pains/effort to find the Forge of Spells, sway Glasstaff into his service, hire Redbrands to take over Phandalin, and hire goblins/bugbears as mercenaries. The module, though great in learning and teaching, is somewhat thin on plot, IMHO. Also, consider using the doppelgangers with more purpose.