Just finished running this entire campaign. It was a challenge, due to the bloated nature of the encounters. Just tons and tons of enemies. I certainly spent a great deal of time editing and trimming to help with pacing. In all, it wasn't a bad adventure, but one I wouldn't recommend to new DM's.
I would say to run lost mines of phandelver, in tandem with ice spire peak. Do only the underground quests in icespire peak, get the dragon sword and kill the dragon, should be around level 7-8 at the end. Then you start them non Howard of the dragon queen, replace green nest with phandelin, replace the castle with whatever they made as their strong hold, you can also replace the kobolds with dragonborn if you want. Run chapter 1-3, skip to episode 7 and finish up
Currently playing this campaign as a player. An just working on the Hatchery.. so far it's been rather brutal, as far as the bloated encounters an literally the mercy of the dice rolls that we've made it to that part so far. Already lost one PC, an almost had a full group wipe. Not sure if the DM is trimming things down or not.
Seeing how my players responded with the adventure, I completely diverged the campaign during the 3rd episode to adapt the game into something we could all have fun with (just like anyone should do when playing d&d imo!). I created a whole new adventure on the same premise as Tiranny of Dragons, and it worked great. Theses books have really good stories, NPCs and other information and are really useful to help you create something new. I'd recommend them just for that.
Why does everyone automatically assume the players should destroy the eggs in the hatchery? I presented it as an ethical conundrum. Destroy the eggs and is murder, keep the eggs to sell, keep them as pets, take them somewhere that they won't be used for evil. So many options
Hoard of the Dragon Queen is the 1st major arc of the "Tyranny of Dragons" event. There are no associated works of narrative fiction specific to it (or to the 2nd, and final, part of the two arcs--Rise of Tiamat)...or at least none of which I'm aware...if that's what you're asking.
It's got a lot of great ideas, but it's definitely meant for a dm that has a lot of experience to cherry pick the good stuff and make it work for their table. I've been trying to read forward into Rise of Tiamat to see what I could swap or change to give more choices of quests while also better connecting to Rise
Great review . I will be DM'ing my first 5th ed campaign within the next few weeks . I bought this exact module to start the group out in . I am thinking of starting it off with them being hired as guards for a small caravan from Beregost to Greenest . They should be able to get a level or two as they arrive in Greenest. Now coming from 1st/2nd edition AD&D , I have put player character limitations in place , ie: Only basic races , no Tiefling or Dragonborn , and all good alignments. I am definitely going to modify the module and the encounters within
This was a big help for me, thanks. I'm currently running my group through sunless citadel, with hooks already in place to continue on to forge of fury from there. All the PCs in my group except 1 are originally from waterdeep, the paladin being an initiate of the order of the gauntlet. Do you think it's plausible to have them come into this adventure and just start it at the arrival at waterdeep? They'll probably be level 5 by that point. Do you think it would be better to lead them to balders gate and hook them from there, progressing back to waterdeep, or do you think picking right up at waterdeep will work? Thanks again.
Would this be a reasonably easy campaign to run for a new DM and novice players, despite it's flaws? Or are there other pre-made 5th edition D&D campaigns that you would recommend (preferably something other than the Lost Mine of Phandelver)? Thanks.
MeSayus The book of lairs by Kobold Press. Prepared: A dozen short adventures, also by Kobold Press. Use them like a jigsaw puzzle, to make your own campaign. I have done reviews on both books. Tales from the Yawning Portal has some shorter adventures that would be easier to run, except Dead in Thay. I have done a review on this also, but the first two books are the best option.
@@HowtoRPG I am just finishing tales of the yawing portal. It's okay. Before that we did Strad that is a favorite and for good reason. I am watching this to get an idea of the NPCs and how to motivate them to want an apocalyptic future. I am never afraid to make changes.
@@davidsuda6110 How did you run TotYP? I've only ever used it to drop dungeons into my adventures (homebrew or pre-written) - feels like it might be too disjointed to run as a consecutive adventure - but keen to hear how you did it.
Is it do-able to possibly run this adventures from about levels 5-10? Or would that really squash the difficulty and the fun? I have a group of 4 players who will be finishing up a level 1-5 adventure, and they wish to keep their current characters.
I'm running this module for my players right now and we're still at the beginning, but I've already decided that I'm going to cut out the on the road sequence. There is just no way my players are going to travel hundreds of miles next to tons and tons of treasure and not try to get it.I know they're just going to get frustrated so I'm going to skip it entirely and have the treasure magically transported to the next destination.
@@HowtoRPG it seems like a major design flaw because you really have only two options. Either the players are frustrated by constantly attempting to get a treasure they can't get or you have to tell them it's impossible to get and then everything they do just seems pointless.
Watching this after having run this, I find it funny how badly I messed up The Raider Camp. I had thought "Stealth and infiltration, that's dumb, lets do COMBAT" So I set up a bunch of dumb amd tedius combat encounters, and in one of them, not realizing that Rezmir was important, or a girl, my characters pretty much killed her. I had to partially retcon this in a dumb way. Anyways, great video.
Just finished running this entire campaign. It was a challenge, due to the bloated nature of the encounters. Just tons and tons of enemies. I certainly spent a great deal of time editing and trimming to help with pacing. In all, it wasn't a bad adventure, but one I wouldn't recommend to new DM's.
There are encounters with so many low level enemies, that it makes it hard to manage. Good feedback.
I would say to run lost mines of phandelver, in tandem with ice spire peak. Do only the underground quests in icespire peak, get the dragon sword and kill the dragon, should be around level 7-8 at the end.
Then you start them non Howard of the dragon queen, replace green nest with phandelin, replace the castle with whatever they made as their strong hold, you can also replace the kobolds with dragonborn if you want.
Run chapter 1-3, skip to episode 7 and finish up
Thanks for share your ideas. I am included at first glance to agree. Take the best of HotDQ and ditch the rest.
Currently playing this campaign as a player. An just working on the Hatchery.. so far it's been rather brutal, as far as the bloated encounters an literally the mercy of the dice rolls that we've made it to that part so far. Already lost one PC, an almost had a full group wipe. Not sure if the DM is trimming things down or not.
Seeing how my players responded with the adventure, I completely diverged the campaign during the 3rd episode to adapt the game into something we could all have fun with (just like anyone should do when playing d&d imo!). I created a whole new adventure on the same premise as Tiranny of Dragons, and it worked great. Theses books have really good stories, NPCs and other information and are really useful to help you create something new. I'd recommend them just for that.
Well done sir. Your review was very helpful.
Great to hear. Thanks :)
Why does everyone automatically assume the players should destroy the eggs in the hatchery? I presented it as an ethical conundrum. Destroy the eggs and is murder, keep the eggs to sell, keep them as pets, take them somewhere that they won't be used for evil. So many options
Love the video though, well done
@@ikarus_Fix_It Thanks 😊
Thank you so much I was wanted to get this book for my group and you have made my decision much more clear thanks!
Also is this part of a story series of books I think you mentioned something like that at the beginning
Hoard of the Dragon Queen is the 1st major arc of the "Tyranny of Dragons" event. There are no associated works of narrative fiction specific to it (or to the 2nd, and final, part of the two arcs--Rise of Tiamat)...or at least none of which I'm aware...if that's what you're asking.
Jack Folker Tyranny of Dragons is the story line. Glad you liked it.
It's got a lot of great ideas, but it's definitely meant for a dm that has a lot of experience to cherry pick the good stuff and make it work for their table. I've been trying to read forward into Rise of Tiamat to see what I could swap or change to give more choices of quests while also better connecting to Rise
Great review . I will be DM'ing my first 5th ed campaign within the next few weeks . I bought this exact module to start the group out in . I am thinking of starting it off with them being hired as guards for a small caravan from Beregost to Greenest . They should be able to get a level or two as they arrive in Greenest. Now coming from 1st/2nd edition AD&D , I have put player character limitations in place , ie: Only basic races , no Tiefling or Dragonborn , and all good alignments. I am definitely going to modify the module and the encounters within
Thanks. All the best with your upcoming game.
Bloody Kiwi flippin me off 1:50 - 2:22, it's not my fault the All Blacks have a tough time winning ;) lol
This was a big help for me, thanks. I'm currently running my group through sunless citadel, with hooks already in place to continue on to forge of fury from there. All the PCs in my group except 1 are originally from waterdeep, the paladin being an initiate of the order of the gauntlet. Do you think it's plausible to have them come into this adventure and just start it at the arrival at waterdeep? They'll probably be level 5 by that point. Do you think it would be better to lead them to balders gate and hook them from there, progressing back to waterdeep, or do you think picking right up at waterdeep will work? Thanks again.
spyke777 Glad it was helpful. I think it could work more effectively, than starting at the beginning of the adventure.
I TPKed a party of DMs almost a third time during chapter 1, and no, it wasn't the Dragon.
It can happen. The first chapter is tough.
Would this be a reasonably easy campaign to run for a new DM and novice players, despite it's flaws? Or are there other pre-made 5th edition D&D campaigns that you would recommend (preferably something other than the Lost Mine of Phandelver)?
Thanks.
MeSayus The book of lairs by Kobold Press. Prepared: A dozen short adventures, also by Kobold Press. Use them like a jigsaw puzzle, to make your own campaign. I have done reviews on both books. Tales from the Yawning Portal has some shorter adventures that would be easier to run, except Dead in Thay. I have done a review on this also, but the first two books are the best option.
@@HowtoRPG I am just finishing tales of the yawing portal. It's okay. Before that we did Strad that is a favorite and for good reason. I am watching this to get an idea of the NPCs and how to motivate them to want an apocalyptic future. I am never afraid to make changes.
@@davidsuda6110 How did you run TotYP? I've only ever used it to drop dungeons into my adventures (homebrew or pre-written) - feels like it might be too disjointed to run as a consecutive adventure - but keen to hear how you did it.
Brand new DM here, love the notes. Cheers!
@@bradygreen9457 You are welcome 😊
Is it do-able to possibly run this adventures from about levels 5-10? Or would that really squash the difficulty and the fun?
I have a group of 4 players who will be finishing up a level 1-5 adventure, and they wish to keep their current characters.
The players will crush the early encounters, except episode 2. Check my video on running the next adventure after Lost Mine of Phandelver.
Don't be afraid to scale up the encounters. Even just upping their attack bonus should help.
I'm currently running this adventure with my players and we loving thanks again for your videos
You are welcome James.
I'm running this module for my players right now and we're still at the beginning, but I've already decided that I'm going to cut out the on the road sequence. There is just no way my players are going to travel hundreds of miles next to tons and tons of treasure and not try to get it.I know they're just going to get frustrated so I'm going to skip it entirely and have the treasure magically transported to the next destination.
Smart move, I wish I could have done that for D&D Adventurer'sLeague. lol
@@HowtoRPG it seems like a major design flaw because you really have only two options. Either the players are frustrated by constantly attempting to get a treasure they can't get or you have to tell them it's impossible to get and then everything they do just seems pointless.
@@missmeaghanj2482 Yep.
Has anyone written a good alternate path for players who ruin the travel section?
Not that I know of. Maybe time to homebrew the rest of your adventure or start again. I do feel sorry for you. All the best 👍
Watching this after having run this, I find it funny how badly I messed up The Raider Camp. I had thought "Stealth and infiltration, that's dumb, lets do COMBAT" So I set up a bunch of dumb amd tedius combat encounters, and in one of them, not realizing that Rezmir was important, or a girl, my characters pretty much killed her. I had to partially retcon this in a dumb way. Anyways, great video.
Thanks. Hoard of the Dragon Queen is hard to run or understand.
Tee-ah-met... that's how you say her name. And stop pointing with your middle finger.
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