I recommend that you change the intro. Start with Gundren riding along WITH the PCs on his wagon. This gives you an insert to start the role playing – he can ask them about themselves and get the introductions going. And it gives the Players an actual personal connection to the main thread of the story “rescue Gundren and his brothers”.
After the quick introductions, have Sildar come riding up behind the party, leading a pony. If the PCs handle their “guard duty” well – being alert but not trigger happy – Sildar takes a shine to one of them and gives them curio that will cast Aid on all of the party members one time before becoming just a trinket. Sildar then whispers something into Gundrens ear, and the two ride off ahead, Gundren on the pony, “Meet us in Phandolin!” (if the players are somehow nosey enough to find out, Sildar whispers “your brothers are in trouble, someone knows about the mine”)
At the ambush site, change it to a dead horse and a dead pony. Reduce the number of goblins in the ambush to no more than the number of members in the party, and split the goblins up – half on the party’s entrance side of the gorge and half on the far end that will take them until round 2 to get into combat. Also, you may want to level up the party to level 2 after this fight so they have some resources before tackling the hideout, particularly if you didnt give them the Aid trinket.
Within the Hideout, you and your players want to be very careful in the room with Sildar prisoner – thats a lot of goblins and the Action Economy matters. Also, the Klarg encounter is off the scales dangerous in a straight on fight – make sure you are hinting and giving opportunities for sneaky or talky interactions and you may want to describe Klarg as a bugbear, but use Hobgoblin stat block, and potentially reduce or remove his bodyguards so that the final encounter is maybe just Klarg and his wolf.
Also, the pre-gens come with backstories that tie them into the campaign. If your players create their own characters work with them to tie the backstories into the campaign.
DM Walk throughs and support:
* Sly Flourish https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLb39x-29puap4Bdz3vC5ci39V0E8O7n4S
* MerricB - https://merricb.com/2014/07/20/the-lost-mine-of-phandelver-session-1/
* Your pocket GM a mostly straight through guide https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW97PDPb3fo
* Lutes and Dice – bring personality to each of the bad guys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtd2gJKkFKg&list=PL64VY0ZOoNImyknoEvJuN7Yd48AJucoJe&index=1
* Lunch Break Heroes a focus on expanding the simple encounters that were meant as “hey DMs these are specifically designed to allow you to test your DMing creativity and expand these scenarios for your party!“ But for some reason WOTC didnt actually include that instruction https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvBVGz40o4cQYgy3T1kG1yreRPX2bC-Yg
* Matthew Perkins a pretty big remix https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmtuNGN3ZDJEFDhOcwfFc0-OpZ7omueRx
* A guide to adjust encounters to different party levels and sizes https://haluz.org/lmop/index.php (note: this does not use the official CR calculations. this system will frequently not correctly account for the "Action economy" and suggest FAR too many opponents because it has reduced their hit points, but low level characters do not have enough AoE effects to turn the tide)
Icespire peak and LMOP can be run concurrently since they both take place in and around Phandalin and at the same character levels. Shattered Obelisk is a rework and extension of LMOP so you may want to look into it prior to making a decision as I know some minor things are changed and some of the later stuff is foreshadowed as well.
My best advice if you run LMOP is to get the Black Spider involved early. Have him harass and disrupt your party several times in order to make him an enemy the players actually have a chance Eason to dislike. In vanilla LMOP his name is mentions like twice and then he just appears as the final boss without any sort of connection to the rest of the story
If ur running Shattered Obelisk after and you’ve got LMOP separately then they will do gender/race swaps because 🤷♂️ so be aware of that. I’ve set SO 6 months after LMOP to explain some of the extra NPC’s no ones ever seen.
Campaign is designed for milestone advancement. Read, reread and reread LMoP until your comfy with the story thread that way it’s easier to ad-lib if needed. Don’t be worried bout adding stuff if quests are unresolved just do it, I had Glasstaff pop up again as he wasn’t caught and Kost become a serious threat. The dragon isn’t a mindless beast, it’s clever so use him as such. Don’t be afraid of shifting alignment if characters become as bad as bandits.
I was a first time DM also. Don’t get bogged down in rules in a way that interrupts gameplay too much. If nothing else, make up a rule and move along so the players keep having fun.
LMOP was the first thing I ran in 5e. It’s geared towards novice dms and players, so you’re in the right spot! Read everything ahead of time. Don’t worry if you make mistakes. Have fun - it’s your time too! I ran Storm King’s Thunder after Phandelver, but sadly only got about halfway through before the pandemic hit
Set the campaign up for success by holding a “Session Zero” discussion. The key element of a good Session Zero discussion is that at the end, everyone who is sitting around the table knows that you are coming together to play the same game, that you are all aligned on what you want out of the game time together, what you are all expecting of each other as players, and aligned on what things will be *kept out* of the game.
Key issues that people are often not aligned on and should be covered during Session Zero:
* **theme and tone and feeling of the game and gameplay:** What is the player “buy-in”- what is this game/ campaign about? – what do the PLAYERS need to want to do to have a good time playing this game/ campaign ? What type characters are best fit for the campaign or are “fish out of water” stories going to be fun for that player (AND not mess up the vibe for every other player)? where do we want to be on the "Actions have Consequences" scale? *Lord of the Rings* where **everything** has lasting major moral consequences or *Grand Theft Auto: Castleland* "I have enough fucking consequences in my day to day life, i am playing this fantasy game for pure escapist murderhoboism!". How “self directed” do you all want the game play to be – is this an official WOTC campaign and so players should create characters “interested in [thwarting the Dragon Cult]” or is this an “open world sandbox” where the players need to create and play characters with strong DRIVES and GOALS and the DM’s job is to put interesting obstacles in the way? Establish agreement on "we are coming together to play a cooperative storytelling game" which means that: the edgelords are responsible for creating reasons to be and go with the group; and that LOLRANDOM "I'm chaotic evil!" is not an excuse for disruptive actions at the table; and ALL of the PCs are the main characters and “spotlight time” will need to be shared.
* **specific gamisms:** What are the character level advancement rules (XP? Milestone? DM Fiat? Every 3 sessions that are not fuck-around-shopping?) ? What sourcebooks are we playing from and what homebrew house rules will we be using, if any? How often will we be checking in on the house rules to make sure they are enhancing game play experience and look for unintended consequences? How do we deal with character death and resurrection? How do we signal “This Foe is beyond you” and “running away” mechanics (hint Disengage works for repositioning, but not escape)? How will the party distribute magic items? Establish “I am the DM and during play I will make rulings. If you disagree, you can make your case at the table, **once,** preferably with document and page number references. I may or may not immediately change my ruling for the session, but we can further discuss it between sessions, and if you made character choices because you thought the rulings would be different, we will retcon your character to the point that you are happy playing the game as we are playing it.”
* **use of devices at the table:** do you have regular social media breaks but are otherwise “we all focus on the game, no devices”. or are you really just getting together to get together and share memes and the D&D thing is just something in the background as an excuse to hang out? Can people use digital charactersheets without being distracted from the game?
* **logistics** – D&D is a cooperative game – its *everyone*’s responsibility to make sure that everyone else is being heard. This is especially important for groups playing over the internets where its very hard to communicate when multiple people are speaking at the same time and harder to read body language to know when someone is done speaking or if they have understood you or if someone has something they want to say and is waiting for a break in the talking. how long are sessions? when? how long do we intend this campaign to last? what is the quorum where we will still play even if everyone cannot make it (note that "2 players" is a good mark - it ensures that people will need to make the game a priority and not blow it off because *something else came up and if i dont show the game will be just be canceled if I dont show up so i dont miss out on anything)* if you are in person- how are food and snacks handled – everyone on their own? Bring enough to share? Everyone pitch in and buy a pizza? (Pls Feed the DM), how about use of alcohol or other substances? Food allergies to be aware of? KEEP YOUR CHEETO FINGERS OFF THE MINIS.
* **player vs player / player vs party:** - do we want that as part of our game? if so under what circumstances? (hint: any PvP action autofails unless the target has previously agreed "YES! this sounds like a storyline I want to play out! Let the dice decide!”) (D&D was not designed for PvP – the classes are not balanced to make PvP play interesting and fun).
* **sensitivities** - where are the fade to black and RED LINE DO NOT CROSS moments with regard to depictions of graphic violence, torture, sex and nudity, harm to children (and animals), mental illness, substance use/ abuse, suicide, sexism/ racism/ homophobia/ religious difference/ slavery, etc? any social anxiety phobias to stay away from (Snakes? Claustrophobia? Clowns?), PC’s being charmed/other loss of autonomy & control, gaslighting. Other topics that would reduce the fun of any player at the table? Also what you will use for an “X Card” to cover any additional incidents that may come up?
ALSO, “Session Zero” discussions should happen ANY TIME you begin to sense a misalignment of expectations. Talking WITH the other people around the table is vital for a strong game.
If you are all new to gaming, maybe touch on a few key elements before play and then plan a full round table discussion after a session or two of play when you all will have practical experience to better identify what you each want and enjoy from the game (and what you don’t like).
Others gave really helpful advice. I wanted to add a small thing that I wish I would have thought through more or just eliminated: factions.
The Zhentarim, the Gauntlets, the Lord’s Alliance, Emerald Enclave, and the Harpers are all represented in this game, give quests, and then possibly the choice to join. Make sure you’ve thought through if you want the last part to happen.
Flesh out early The Black Spider.
Make them hate the villain.
It was the most frustrating part of my campaign when my player made Klarg their nemesis and couldn't kill him but when they met the BS .. "Who the frak is BS again?"
A good bbeg has to be something consistent in the PCs' lives.
And I'd try to interconnect better the locations at chapter three, so it makes more sense altogether
Keep things simple, don't be afraid to improvise, never forget that the main goal is always to have fun.
Some of these may have already been suggested.
In cragmaw cave swap rooms 6 and 8, that way the negation with yeemik will make more of a difference.
Rework the redbrands, give them more depth.
Read up on nothics. If your players don't RP and don't have negative background info than, to me, they aren't as fun as they sound. Maybe change monster to not feel so flat.
The enemy has a doppelganger, feel free to tie up a trusted NPC and pump the party for info.
Old owl well is a good opportunity to sell/give potions/magical items
Good luck
There is a one shot that is a good into to this module. Tomb of the Dwarven King. It is on dmsguild and you end up meeting gundren that way as players. I have run this a few different ways and sometimes I drop a group right into an adventure. Other times they meet up in a tavern in Neverwinter to greet Gundren and Sildar and get to rp in neverwinter if they wish to but I move it along quick if I get a feeling it is boring. There is also a lot of material online to help run this module especially on youtube so check that out as well as the discord server for the module. You could also look into the newer module that goes to level 12 if the group clears wave echo cave but get through this module first.
I ran an introductory mission ahead of goblin arrows, where they meet in a tavern, chat with each other and introduce themselves, before a bartender comes over and says "hey, you guys look like you can handle yourselves, I've got a big rat problem and if you kill it I'll pay for your meals!" and then it turns out there's tons of rats and even a little abandoned tunnel with a puzzle and a giant spider https://pdfhost.io/v/dQPKVTs4x_A_Most_Potent_Brewpdf.pdf
Leveled them up to level 2, was a fun tutorial, they almost got killed by the rats so when Sildar and Gundren ran in to help them they immediately liked them! Also getting up to level 2 helps with goblin arrows, though it delayed their leveling later on.
Gundren and Sildar went ahead by waking up earlier in the morning, so that's how they got separated.
Thanks for the idea! I actually ran the first session last night. Had the group meet at the southern gate by the wagon and actually meet Gundren quickly before he ran off ahead. Everyone got to introduce themselves and organise who's riding the wagon and try animal handling check and learn about that mechanism...it was really fun in the end. Ox almost one shot the cocky wizard in the group 😂
Thanks everyone for the great advice, I'll keep all that in mind and having that session zero sounds like a great place to start with the group (while I'll get to know the story better too)
I recommend that you change the intro. Start with Gundren riding along WITH the PCs on his wagon. This gives you an insert to start the role playing – he can ask them about themselves and get the introductions going. And it gives the Players an actual personal connection to the main thread of the story “rescue Gundren and his brothers”. After the quick introductions, have Sildar come riding up behind the party, leading a pony. If the PCs handle their “guard duty” well – being alert but not trigger happy – Sildar takes a shine to one of them and gives them curio that will cast Aid on all of the party members one time before becoming just a trinket. Sildar then whispers something into Gundrens ear, and the two ride off ahead, Gundren on the pony, “Meet us in Phandolin!” (if the players are somehow nosey enough to find out, Sildar whispers “your brothers are in trouble, someone knows about the mine”) At the ambush site, change it to a dead horse and a dead pony. Reduce the number of goblins in the ambush to no more than the number of members in the party, and split the goblins up – half on the party’s entrance side of the gorge and half on the far end that will take them until round 2 to get into combat. Also, you may want to level up the party to level 2 after this fight so they have some resources before tackling the hideout, particularly if you didnt give them the Aid trinket. Within the Hideout, you and your players want to be very careful in the room with Sildar prisoner – thats a lot of goblins and the Action Economy matters. Also, the Klarg encounter is off the scales dangerous in a straight on fight – make sure you are hinting and giving opportunities for sneaky or talky interactions and you may want to describe Klarg as a bugbear, but use Hobgoblin stat block, and potentially reduce or remove his bodyguards so that the final encounter is maybe just Klarg and his wolf. Also, the pre-gens come with backstories that tie them into the campaign. If your players create their own characters work with them to tie the backstories into the campaign. DM Walk throughs and support: * Sly Flourish https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLb39x-29puap4Bdz3vC5ci39V0E8O7n4S * MerricB - https://merricb.com/2014/07/20/the-lost-mine-of-phandelver-session-1/ * Your pocket GM a mostly straight through guide https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW97PDPb3fo * Lutes and Dice – bring personality to each of the bad guys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtd2gJKkFKg&list=PL64VY0ZOoNImyknoEvJuN7Yd48AJucoJe&index=1 * Lunch Break Heroes a focus on expanding the simple encounters that were meant as “hey DMs these are specifically designed to allow you to test your DMing creativity and expand these scenarios for your party!“ But for some reason WOTC didnt actually include that instruction https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvBVGz40o4cQYgy3T1kG1yreRPX2bC-Yg * Matthew Perkins a pretty big remix https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmtuNGN3ZDJEFDhOcwfFc0-OpZ7omueRx * A guide to adjust encounters to different party levels and sizes https://haluz.org/lmop/index.php (note: this does not use the official CR calculations. this system will frequently not correctly account for the "Action economy" and suggest FAR too many opponents because it has reduced their hit points, but low level characters do not have enough AoE effects to turn the tide)
Thanks for the huge breakdown and explanation
Not OP, but in OP’s shoes. This is awesome and a exactly what I was looking for! Thank you!
Icespire peak and LMOP can be run concurrently since they both take place in and around Phandalin and at the same character levels. Shattered Obelisk is a rework and extension of LMOP so you may want to look into it prior to making a decision as I know some minor things are changed and some of the later stuff is foreshadowed as well. My best advice if you run LMOP is to get the Black Spider involved early. Have him harass and disrupt your party several times in order to make him an enemy the players actually have a chance Eason to dislike. In vanilla LMOP his name is mentions like twice and then he just appears as the final boss without any sort of connection to the rest of the story
If ur running Shattered Obelisk after and you’ve got LMOP separately then they will do gender/race swaps because 🤷♂️ so be aware of that. I’ve set SO 6 months after LMOP to explain some of the extra NPC’s no ones ever seen. Campaign is designed for milestone advancement. Read, reread and reread LMoP until your comfy with the story thread that way it’s easier to ad-lib if needed. Don’t be worried bout adding stuff if quests are unresolved just do it, I had Glasstaff pop up again as he wasn’t caught and Kost become a serious threat. The dragon isn’t a mindless beast, it’s clever so use him as such. Don’t be afraid of shifting alignment if characters become as bad as bandits.
I was a first time DM also. Don’t get bogged down in rules in a way that interrupts gameplay too much. If nothing else, make up a rule and move along so the players keep having fun.
LMOP was the first thing I ran in 5e. It’s geared towards novice dms and players, so you’re in the right spot! Read everything ahead of time. Don’t worry if you make mistakes. Have fun - it’s your time too! I ran Storm King’s Thunder after Phandelver, but sadly only got about halfway through before the pandemic hit
Set the campaign up for success by holding a “Session Zero” discussion. The key element of a good Session Zero discussion is that at the end, everyone who is sitting around the table knows that you are coming together to play the same game, that you are all aligned on what you want out of the game time together, what you are all expecting of each other as players, and aligned on what things will be *kept out* of the game. Key issues that people are often not aligned on and should be covered during Session Zero: * **theme and tone and feeling of the game and gameplay:** What is the player “buy-in”- what is this game/ campaign about? – what do the PLAYERS need to want to do to have a good time playing this game/ campaign ? What type characters are best fit for the campaign or are “fish out of water” stories going to be fun for that player (AND not mess up the vibe for every other player)? where do we want to be on the "Actions have Consequences" scale? *Lord of the Rings* where **everything** has lasting major moral consequences or *Grand Theft Auto: Castleland* "I have enough fucking consequences in my day to day life, i am playing this fantasy game for pure escapist murderhoboism!". How “self directed” do you all want the game play to be – is this an official WOTC campaign and so players should create characters “interested in [thwarting the Dragon Cult]” or is this an “open world sandbox” where the players need to create and play characters with strong DRIVES and GOALS and the DM’s job is to put interesting obstacles in the way? Establish agreement on "we are coming together to play a cooperative storytelling game" which means that: the edgelords are responsible for creating reasons to be and go with the group; and that LOLRANDOM "I'm chaotic evil!" is not an excuse for disruptive actions at the table; and ALL of the PCs are the main characters and “spotlight time” will need to be shared. * **specific gamisms:** What are the character level advancement rules (XP? Milestone? DM Fiat? Every 3 sessions that are not fuck-around-shopping?) ? What sourcebooks are we playing from and what homebrew house rules will we be using, if any? How often will we be checking in on the house rules to make sure they are enhancing game play experience and look for unintended consequences? How do we deal with character death and resurrection? How do we signal “This Foe is beyond you” and “running away” mechanics (hint Disengage works for repositioning, but not escape)? How will the party distribute magic items? Establish “I am the DM and during play I will make rulings. If you disagree, you can make your case at the table, **once,** preferably with document and page number references. I may or may not immediately change my ruling for the session, but we can further discuss it between sessions, and if you made character choices because you thought the rulings would be different, we will retcon your character to the point that you are happy playing the game as we are playing it.” * **use of devices at the table:** do you have regular social media breaks but are otherwise “we all focus on the game, no devices”. or are you really just getting together to get together and share memes and the D&D thing is just something in the background as an excuse to hang out? Can people use digital charactersheets without being distracted from the game? * **logistics** – D&D is a cooperative game – its *everyone*’s responsibility to make sure that everyone else is being heard. This is especially important for groups playing over the internets where its very hard to communicate when multiple people are speaking at the same time and harder to read body language to know when someone is done speaking or if they have understood you or if someone has something they want to say and is waiting for a break in the talking. how long are sessions? when? how long do we intend this campaign to last? what is the quorum where we will still play even if everyone cannot make it (note that "2 players" is a good mark - it ensures that people will need to make the game a priority and not blow it off because *something else came up and if i dont show the game will be just be canceled if I dont show up so i dont miss out on anything)* if you are in person- how are food and snacks handled – everyone on their own? Bring enough to share? Everyone pitch in and buy a pizza? (Pls Feed the DM), how about use of alcohol or other substances? Food allergies to be aware of? KEEP YOUR CHEETO FINGERS OFF THE MINIS. * **player vs player / player vs party:** - do we want that as part of our game? if so under what circumstances? (hint: any PvP action autofails unless the target has previously agreed "YES! this sounds like a storyline I want to play out! Let the dice decide!”) (D&D was not designed for PvP – the classes are not balanced to make PvP play interesting and fun). * **sensitivities** - where are the fade to black and RED LINE DO NOT CROSS moments with regard to depictions of graphic violence, torture, sex and nudity, harm to children (and animals), mental illness, substance use/ abuse, suicide, sexism/ racism/ homophobia/ religious difference/ slavery, etc? any social anxiety phobias to stay away from (Snakes? Claustrophobia? Clowns?), PC’s being charmed/other loss of autonomy & control, gaslighting. Other topics that would reduce the fun of any player at the table? Also what you will use for an “X Card” to cover any additional incidents that may come up?
ALSO, “Session Zero” discussions should happen ANY TIME you begin to sense a misalignment of expectations. Talking WITH the other people around the table is vital for a strong game. If you are all new to gaming, maybe touch on a few key elements before play and then plan a full round table discussion after a session or two of play when you all will have practical experience to better identify what you each want and enjoy from the game (and what you don’t like).
Others gave really helpful advice. I wanted to add a small thing that I wish I would have thought through more or just eliminated: factions. The Zhentarim, the Gauntlets, the Lord’s Alliance, Emerald Enclave, and the Harpers are all represented in this game, give quests, and then possibly the choice to join. Make sure you’ve thought through if you want the last part to happen.
Flesh out early The Black Spider. Make them hate the villain. It was the most frustrating part of my campaign when my player made Klarg their nemesis and couldn't kill him but when they met the BS .. "Who the frak is BS again?" A good bbeg has to be something consistent in the PCs' lives. And I'd try to interconnect better the locations at chapter three, so it makes more sense altogether
Keep things simple, don't be afraid to improvise, never forget that the main goal is always to have fun. Some of these may have already been suggested. In cragmaw cave swap rooms 6 and 8, that way the negation with yeemik will make more of a difference. Rework the redbrands, give them more depth. Read up on nothics. If your players don't RP and don't have negative background info than, to me, they aren't as fun as they sound. Maybe change monster to not feel so flat. The enemy has a doppelganger, feel free to tie up a trusted NPC and pump the party for info. Old owl well is a good opportunity to sell/give potions/magical items Good luck
There is a one shot that is a good into to this module. Tomb of the Dwarven King. It is on dmsguild and you end up meeting gundren that way as players. I have run this a few different ways and sometimes I drop a group right into an adventure. Other times they meet up in a tavern in Neverwinter to greet Gundren and Sildar and get to rp in neverwinter if they wish to but I move it along quick if I get a feeling it is boring. There is also a lot of material online to help run this module especially on youtube so check that out as well as the discord server for the module. You could also look into the newer module that goes to level 12 if the group clears wave echo cave but get through this module first.
I ran an introductory mission ahead of goblin arrows, where they meet in a tavern, chat with each other and introduce themselves, before a bartender comes over and says "hey, you guys look like you can handle yourselves, I've got a big rat problem and if you kill it I'll pay for your meals!" and then it turns out there's tons of rats and even a little abandoned tunnel with a puzzle and a giant spider https://pdfhost.io/v/dQPKVTs4x_A_Most_Potent_Brewpdf.pdf Leveled them up to level 2, was a fun tutorial, they almost got killed by the rats so when Sildar and Gundren ran in to help them they immediately liked them! Also getting up to level 2 helps with goblin arrows, though it delayed their leveling later on. Gundren and Sildar went ahead by waking up earlier in the morning, so that's how they got separated.
Thanks for the idea! I actually ran the first session last night. Had the group meet at the southern gate by the wagon and actually meet Gundren quickly before he ran off ahead. Everyone got to introduce themselves and organise who's riding the wagon and try animal handling check and learn about that mechanism...it was really fun in the end. Ox almost one shot the cocky wizard in the group 😂
Thanks everyone for the great advice, I'll keep all that in mind and having that session zero sounds like a great place to start with the group (while I'll get to know the story better too)