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

 

[Zaukrie]

I wonder what this actually means in terms of actual content but hopefully it's not reusing old adventures up to 6th level since;

Lost Mine of Phandelver is level 1-5
Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisks is level 1-12

100% they are reprinting what we've already played.

 

[Parmandur]

I wonder what this actually means in terms of actual content but hopefully it's not reusing old adventures up to 6th level since;

Lost Mine of Phandelver is level 1-5
Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisks is level 1-12

I mean, yes? They said some time go that thi book has Lost Mines of Phandelver included, so that's the Level 1-5 material. Ao the new material is 6-12 stuff, which based on how big the book is, and how short Loat Mines is means rhe bulk of the Campaign by page count is going to be 6-12.

 

[Parmandur]

100% they are reprinting what we've already played.

Looking back at Phandelver it's a 64 page booklet, but that includes significant bits from the DMG and MM, which for sure won't be in this hardcover

The Amazon page says Phandelcer and Below is 200 pages. So, probably about 3/4 new content.

 

[Azzy]

One pill makes you larger, the next one makes you small...

Should I ask Alice?

 

[Parmandur]

Should I ask Alice?

Sure, but only when she's ten feet tall.

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

I would love to see 99% of spells able to be upcast. There's some good products on DMs Guild along those lines.

Meh, if I were to allow upcasting in a campaign, I would just scrap the spell level system and go back to a homebrew spell point system.

 

[delericho]

Psionic magic?

Spelljammer Dark Sun confirmed!

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Forcing in their four big Forgotten Realms factions into Lost Mines doesn't add anything meaningful other than it being one more thing for DMs to remove.

Even easier than reskinning the Forgotten Realms is just not mentioning anything outside of the local area an adventure is set in.

It's a way of presenting the players with a choice of different and competing missions, and therefore making the railroad less of a straight line. Transferring the faction-related content to factions in your own world would be better than just deleting it. It might be a substantial portion of the adventure.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Beddle & Grimm has declined to name two of the minis in their big box because of spoilers, which is interesting. Vecna was already nameddroped as being

Spoiler: Icewind Dale spoilers

related to the Netherse Obelisks found all over the Sword Coast, and we know that the big Campaign next year is a world hoppikg figjt against Becna, so Vecna adjacent seems highly probable e.

I have a feeling we are going to get a major lead-in to The Big Vecna Adventure(TM). Vecna's fingers will be in this pie, and the Planesescape adventure.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

It still gives me Night Below vibes. I am really looking foeward to it.

Obelisks, evil cult, psionics, horror.

Edit: mind flayers too. Blue Goblins.