D&D 5E Phandelver & Below's Full Description

On Amazon you can read the full back cover text of September's Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk. The description includes hint at a villainous cult to a malevolent entity, a bestiary of over 20 new creatures, a magic appendix, and a double-sided poster map. The hardcover comes out on September 19th, with Beadle & Grimm's deluxe edition following in October.

Uncover a new threat to Phandalin in this timeless dungeoneering adventure for the world’s greatest roleplaying game.

Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk is a high-fantasy adventure that begins in the beloved town of Phandalin as it faces unimaginable danger. Whether the heroes are newcomers to Phandalin or are returning after the acclaimed Dungeons & Dragons adventure Lost Mine of Phandelver, they discover hints of a threat lurking below the town. The heroes soon learn that the cult of a malevolent entity has set its sights on transforming Phandalin into the capital of its evil empire. To save the town from oblivion, the heroes must uncover a nefarious plot and confront the otherworldly cultists directly.

• Offers new Dungeon Masters and players the opportunity to dive into their first full-fledged Dungeons & Dragons adventure
• Retains the beloved Lost Mine of Phandelver quests that unfold into a brand-new adventure with classic D&D themes and a tinge of horror
• Presents a bestiary with approximately two-dozen new creatures that showcase psionic magic, body horror, and more.
• Provides a magic appendix that includes new consumable metamagic items, Netherese amulets, and duergar magic
• Includes a double-sided poster map with the Phandalin region on one side and the town of Phandalin plus key encounters in the adventure on the other

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Have we heard whether they finally included a map for the first encounter?

I'll be damned. I was sure there was a map, but there's not one in the D&D Beyond version.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

In a lot of ways, Gygax is more "modern" Tham the 2E stuff I've flipped through, at least in terms of dungeon design.

Yeah, 2E dungeon design only seems good through the lens of nostalgia, particularly for the folks who started with it, IMO. (If you want to get excited about 2E, the Monstrous Manual and the settings are what to get enthusiastic about.)

 

[MockingBird]

Yes. It always struck me as weird that the starter set for a game that relies heavily on the grid did not provide a map for its opening encounter.

Yeah I get you point. Back in 14 I just did it in ToM.

Edited to add my complete thought. Sorry.

 

[Reynard]

I'll be damned. I was sure there was a map, but there's not one in the D&D Beyond version.

The Pathfinder Beginner Box did this -- and everything else about teaching the game -- really well. It's a masterclass in introductory product. I really wish WotC has done something just as strong. (NOTE: I do not own the Essentials/Icefire Peak set so maybe that did it.)

 

[Reynard]

Yeah I get you point. Back in 14 I just hand

Was it your first RPG experience?

 

[Azzy]

Yes. It always struck me as weird that the starter set for a game that relies heavily on the grid did not provide a map for its opening encounter.

Agreed. On the DM's Guild, there's three collection of battlemats that someone made for the encounters in LMoP that don't have a map. Here's the first.

 

[Reynard]

Agreed. On the DM's Guild, there's three collection of battlemats that someone made for the encounters in LMoP that don't have a map. Here's the first.

To be clear, I don't need them. I was just wondering if WotC corrected the oversight.

It's actually a good opportunity to teach new GMs how to lay out an encounter on a battlements. They could do it with sketches and advice. "First draw the path, then add a treeline! Now, place the PCs in the marching order they specify, about 30 feet from the treeline where the closest goblin is hidibg." Etc.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

As someone who adores Lost Mines, I'm glad to see a hard copy version of it will continue to be available.

But as someone who doesn't use the Forgotten Realms (I lightly reskin Phandelver for my games), I wish WotC wouldn't work so hard to integrate starter adventures into the Realms.

Here here

 

[Parmandur]

Have we heard whether they finally included a map for the first encounter?

Probably won't, no: battle grid maps aren't a big thing in 5E, particularly.

 

[pukunui]

"If they didn't want us to steal the 40 silver pieces buried in the farmer's barn, why did they put it in the module?"

Not to mention the various +2 swords hidden under the townsfolks' floorboards and the like! In Hommlet, everyone and their grandma is packing a magic weapon!