Hah - DDEX1-10 Tyranny in Phlan, not DDEX1-1 Defiance in Phlan!
Yes, the level 5-10 one took my group just over 2 hours. I'm running DDEX1-11 this weekend (the 8-hour one), so perhaps I'll finish it on the evening...
Cheers!
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Hah - DDEX1-10 Tyranny in Phlan, not DDEX1-1 Defiance in Phlan!
Yes, the level 5-10 one took my group just over 2 hours. I'm running DDEX1-11 this weekend (the 8-hour one), so perhaps I'll finish it on the evening...
Cheers!
Alphastream
Adventurer
Oh, sorry! Ha!
Too many adventures with "Phlan" in the title!
At least we don't have that problem this season...
Cheers!
Tyranthraxus
Explorer
Whoa whoa whoa.. 40 minutes? For Tyranny in Phlan?
err... wow
Im going to spoiler here to prove my point but this was the order I ran in
A) First battle v Priest/ Ettin thing
B) Fight at Docks
C) Fight at Keep
D) Fight back at Docks with Mage n friends.
I fail to see how that could all take 40 minutes.
err... wow
Im going to spoiler here to prove my point but this was the order I ran in
A) First battle v Priest/ Ettin thing
B) Fight at Docks
C) Fight at Keep
D) Fight back at Docks with Mage n friends.
I fail to see how that could all take 40 minutes.
Alphastream
Adventurer
Sorry, I misread which adventure we were talking about! oops!
Alphastream
Adventurer
I am updating the main post for the latest information. The new info can be found here, in a new page announcing the new files supporting the Elemental Evil story arc!
I'm also going to re-arrange the main page to hide older info. I want to preserve the history but not confuse a new player. Later today, let me know if you see changes that should be made (or undone). Thanks!
Edit: Done with the changes. Let me know if anything is confusing/off!
I'm also going to re-arrange the main page to hide older info. I want to preserve the history but not confuse a new player. Later today, let me know if you see changes that should be made (or undone). Thanks!
Edit: Done with the changes. Let me know if anything is confusing/off!
Last edited:
Tyranthraxus
Explorer
Thanks!... I just thought you had the secret way to run Tyranny for a while there. Ive actually put some serious thought into running Raiders in the Marsh via Theatre of the mind. Its not something ive done however for like 12+ years AND Im more than likely to have a Wizard, Sorcerer and Warlock in the group who can all do AoE so it might just be easier to run it with the grid.
I truly envy the 2 hour run time thing. Ive still got players umming and erring when it comes to their turn. But again its a new edition and Im the 'nice' gm locally so I dont crack the whip. Maybe I need a dark side.
I truly envy the 2 hour run time thing. Ive still got players umming and erring when it comes to their turn. But again its a new edition and Im the 'nice' gm locally
so I dont crack the whip. Maybe I need a dark side.
Alphastream
Adventurer
I find pacing to be harder with some groups than others. I had a dad and son duo once... the dad would get on his kid, then take twice as long on his own turn... and it was level 1 4E!
On the subject of pacing, check out this article series by Shawn Merwin and Encoded Designs. The latest post is really good reading as well. (Shawn wrote Defiance).
If you like your advice with a serving of profanity, Angry DM had some excellent points in this article.
Of late, my favorite example is actually the second D&D episode of the show Community. Obviously, it is for TV, but the pacing the DM uses to keep things going is fantastic. Players talk and there is a fast response with a visceral connection - each player's actions have impactful interesting results. The more you can be running actual D&D and have it come out like that show's pacing, the better!
Alphastream
Adventurer
Very cool post on character and play options for the Elemental Evil story arc, by Merric!
Hey all! I resumed playing D&D when I moved to San Mateo, after 20 years of mostly playing other TRPGs, because the first game I found was AL at FLGS (friendly local gaming store). I'm quite happy with 5E. The DM of the AL at the FLGS wants a turn as player, so I'm taking a turn as DM (yes, the store has approved this). And at the same time, I'm splitting off a side group, because the AL table got full and we were turning people away, and though I'm happy that gamers like the story enough to keep returning, I want there to be seats at the table for drop-ins at FLGS.
So here's my plan so far; advice requested, with a STRONG preference for advice based on WHAT HAS WORKED IN YOUR EXPERIENCE RUNNING AL.
- All new characters, and new "continuity", starting at level 1. The "regulars" have played their PCs at level 4 and are ready to progress to 5. Those PCs are either going over to the split-off game (which might qualify as Home Play, we'll see, that's not a high priority), or retiring (forcibly), or otherwise going "off-camera".
- I intend to "milestone" characters from level 1 to level 2 at the drop of a hat. If they competently play their first session as level 1 and are clearly ready to handle the abilities which come into play at level 2, then they milestone. After that, standard XP-based level advancement; I expect PCs to slowly converge from levels 2 to 4.
- First adventure - which I will run, two days from now! - will be "Mission 1: The Meeting at Deepnight" from Defiance in Phlan (that's on Defiance, not Tyranny, Escape, etc.). I have played this, so I know it from the player side of the table, and it doesn't require combat so it won't TPK the level 1 newly-written PCs.
- Second adventure, *possibly also that same session if all goes smoothly*, now that the PCs are known regulars at the Teakettle, they get asked for help again: "Mission 5: The Danger at Dusk". Some planning/skulking, some combat, and this time, a horror-story aspect. An addition to the story: the Fuligin Fists are a secret society within the Black Fists; they are Bane-worshippers and allies of the Cult of Tiamat; the grick is actually a half-grick, crossbred with dragon blood, and it has a weak breath weapon; its lair includes a clutch of half-grick eggs, as sort of a pointer towards the Tiamat storyline.
This should lead into another storyline involving both the Tiamat cult and the Black Fist: Outlaws of the Iron Route from *Tyranny* in Phlan.
And then, from there, Lost Mines of Phandelver, or direct into LMoP. I haven't played LMoP, or read it yet, but I've heard that many people have enjoyed it, and there's some advice already posted about tinkering with it, and the PCs can advance all the way through the intro tier by playing LMoP, and... by then... I'll know whether it's time to switch to the level 5-10 tier.
One flaw with my plan so far: the guy who was DMing, ran those two "Defiance in Phlan" stories, and going through those stories on the player's side of the table might be boring for him. He's only one player, but he's also the guy who welcomed me to 5E and got AL at FLGS up to a table of seven regulars, so I weigh that accordingly.
- What parts of this plan do you expect to run smoothly?
- Where do you expect me to hit friction, or to need smoother transitions?
Thanks, R37
So here's my plan so far; advice requested, with a STRONG preference for advice based on WHAT HAS WORKED IN YOUR EXPERIENCE RUNNING AL.
- All new characters, and new "continuity", starting at level 1. The "regulars" have played their PCs at level 4 and are ready to progress to 5. Those PCs are either going over to the split-off game (which might qualify as Home Play, we'll see, that's not a high priority), or retiring (forcibly), or otherwise going "off-camera".
- I intend to "milestone" characters from level 1 to level 2 at the drop of a hat. If they competently play their first session as level 1 and are clearly ready to handle the abilities which come into play at level 2, then they milestone. After that, standard XP-based level advancement; I expect PCs to slowly converge from levels 2 to 4.
- First adventure - which I will run, two days from now! - will be "Mission 1: The Meeting at Deepnight" from Defiance in Phlan (that's on Defiance, not Tyranny, Escape, etc.). I have played this, so I know it from the player side of the table, and it doesn't require combat so it won't TPK the level 1 newly-written PCs.
- Second adventure, *possibly also that same session if all goes smoothly*, now that the PCs are known regulars at the Teakettle, they get asked for help again: "Mission 5: The Danger at Dusk". Some planning/skulking, some combat, and this time, a horror-story aspect. An addition to the story: the Fuligin Fists are a secret society within the Black Fists; they are Bane-worshippers and allies of the Cult of Tiamat; the grick is actually a half-grick, crossbred with dragon blood, and it has a weak breath weapon; its lair includes a clutch of half-grick eggs, as sort of a pointer towards the Tiamat storyline.
This should lead into another storyline involving both the Tiamat cult and the Black Fist: Outlaws of the Iron Route from *Tyranny* in Phlan.
And then, from there, Lost Mines of Phandelver, or direct into LMoP. I haven't played LMoP, or read it yet, but I've heard that many people have enjoyed it, and there's some advice already posted about tinkering with it, and the PCs can advance all the way through the intro tier by playing LMoP, and... by then... I'll know whether it's time to switch to the level 5-10 tier.
One flaw with my plan so far: the guy who was DMing, ran those two "Defiance in Phlan" stories, and going through those stories on the player's side of the table might be boring for him. He's only one player, but he's also the guy who welcomed me to 5E and got AL at FLGS up to a table of seven regulars, so I weigh that accordingly.
- What parts of this plan do you expect to run smoothly?
- Where do you expect me to hit friction, or to need smoother transitions?
Thanks, R37
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