D&D General Actual Play: Heroes of the Borderlands Starter Set

[THEMNGMNT]

So, having run it with some modifications (I posted my PDF somewhere on this site), here's my take...

Thanks for sharing!

I am running it basically as written for my kids, who are 6 and 9, but simplifying when needed.

I am planning to run it for my regular group of grown ups. For them, I'm going to modify the adventure more-or-less the same as you did.

I think it's a great framework that can be kept simple or made more complex depending upon what you want out of it.

 

[Clint_L]

Love writeups like these! It sounds very similar to how I would approach it. So far, I've only ran one-shots with it.

What resources on DDB are you talking about?

Well, mostly the maps but also that all of the characters are available for the Encounter Builder (they mostly just use 2024 stat blocks). The integration of the whole package made running it very easy.

 

[Clint_L]

I think it's a great framework that can be kept simple or made more complex depending upon what you want out of it.

Yeah, this is what I like best about it.

For example, I mentioned that I decided to make a couple of the NPCs part of the cult. One of them narrowly escaped from the final battle in the keep, so the second campaign arc is basically the party trying to beat him in a race to another powerful artifact that he hopes to use to further weaken the bonds on the Chained Oblivion. It's a simple, obvious, and effective plot hook that grew organically out of the starter kit, which is exactly what I want.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Well, mostly the maps but also that all of the characters are available for the Encounter Builder (they mostly just use 2024 stat blocks). The integration of the whole package made running it very easy.

DDB also has a random table to award magic items, rather than just picking a card at random for players. Since there's no secret to what the cards are when you look at them, I've found using the random table useful even while playing in person.

If there's a second edition of this boxed set, I hope they incorporate the roll table into the hard copy set.