D&D 5E After Phandelver: adventure options?

[Agglomérante]

For those of us not running HotDQ, what adventure are you running after Phandelver?

I'm considering this 5e conversion of Ravenloft.

My only concern is a cramped battle map in that mansion.

If I had the time, I'd convert the uber-fun Dark Tower and make Jaquays' delicious maps more spacious.

Really curious to hear what other DMs are planning ...

 

[Bayonet]

Honestly, a cramped battle map could be a welcome change, for people who are interested in tactical problems, at least.

If every dungeon were a series of narrow "tell me your marching order.." hallways followed by "a large room with a standard amount of enemies", Players would get complacent with their tactics. (rogue goes first to look for traps in hallways, then martials to the fore when in the big fightin' areas). Non standard maps could make for more challenging tactical engagements.

Ex: - An entire dungeon composed of cramped hallways. The PC up front is going to be stuck up front for whatever happens. Those behnd can only aid with spells, possibly reach weapons.

- Assaulting the Goblin Tunnels? Well, stands to reason that the ceilings are going to be designed for Goblin heights, not Human. Whenever you are fighting hunched over in a short tunnel, any non Dwarf/Halfling/Gnome character will have Disadvantage on all attack rolls.

Etc.

Anyway, back on topic, I think that 5e Ravenloft module could be a lot of fun.

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

While I do eventually plan to run HotDQ, I plan to run some adventures with the players ruling or watching over a growing Phandalin.

 

[Kristivas]

While I do eventually plan to run HotDQ, I plan to run some adventures with the players ruling or watching over a growing Phandalin.

I wonder how many other groups decided to set up camp in Phandalin. My group ended up with the seedy tavern, which we're having repaired. At the end of the adventure, we negotiated a deal for the ruins of the manor, where we're going to build our group's base.

The deed, however, is in Candlekeep. We're going to have to work through HotDQ while we're down there (this was the adventure hook to get us further south). Since there isn't a "magic shop" for all of our gold, whatever isn't spent on armor upgrades, lifestyle, crafting, and a bit of whoring, will go toward our base's construction (after completion, we'll see about expanding our political influence and power with the purchase of more land). We've left behind a few competent, well-armed fellows to see to our interests.

I took inspiration from the show Sons of Anarchy for our D&D group. We're going to set up a club-house (in the style of a Viking mead hall) and a town stables, open to the public. Matching tabards. A name for this group still eludes us, but we wanted to make it to level 5 or so before officially forming the "club".

The old hideout dungeon beneath the land is going to be for the group's special activities. While we're not into evil stuff (my guy, for instance, is chaotic good), we don't mind supplying consenting adults with what they desire, so long as it doesn't hurt anyone. We'll keep the town leaders on payroll and plied with booze and fleshy delights. We buy local, so the townsfolk like us. We plan to employ a great many of the locals once the town starts to get bigger, due to the mine being reopened. We don't cause trouble, bully, or abuse our newfound respect. That would be bad for business.

We're rather adamant about the protection of Phandalin as a home base. Any orc or hobgoblin tribes that seek to prey on our neighbors will do so at great peril. I imagine, after HotDQ/RoT is over, the DM will base a lot of story around the area in the North.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

If you DO want to run HotDQ after running Phandelver, you can just about run it as-is without even doing much alterations for party level.

I'm serious.

 

[Kristivas]

If you DO want to run HotDQ after running Phandelver, you can just about run it as-is without even doing much alterations for party level.

I'm serious.

The only alterations we did, was stop gaining levels after 3. We have enough to reach 4 after we start again in HotDQ. The DM had read that as a suggestion for running both adventures without being too OP for Hoard.

 

[The_Gneech]

Actually, I'm building out the "Lost Mine of Phandelver" as a Moria-style megadungeon, of which Wave Echo Cave is simply the first accessible level, with other sections connected via the underground lake. It will eventually connect into the duergar territories of Thunderspire Labyrinth (heavily homebrewed). Meanwhile on the surface, General Bloodsword (the hobgoblin commander of the Cragmaw goblins) is working on a coup to displace King Grol and rally the goblins into a proper fighting force to march on my campaign city (which replaced Neverwinter).

I've also got an Innsmouth-style city of slavers to the south (which has been slowly taken over by an aboleth), an adult red dragon nesting in the mountains, and so forth. So my campaign will have plenty of stuff to do for a while!

-The Gneech

 

[Gilladian]

I really like the idea that the Wave Echo Caves are a megadungeon. I'm stealing that!

IMC Phandalin is a small town in a County that was recently over-run by war (instead of a volcanic eruption). The previous baron was slain in the war, and the towns all evacuated after invasions. The Goblins, etc... are the leftovers of the invading army, and only recently seized Cragmaw Castle, for example. So the Count sent Sir Sildar and the PCs to the town to determine why the Townmaster had not established a constabulary as directed during the resettlement process... so Sildar will be taking over as the new Lord of the area (the Count plans to make him the Baron, unless one of the PCs outshines him, which is possible).

So the PCs won't really be able to take over the manor; Sildar will do that. I'm hoping they'll take over Cragmaw, which is outside the kingdom's boundaries by a trifle (5-10 miles) and they can found a new independent barony there. But who knows? Right now they've got a young green dragon hunting for them as they scurry through the forest from Thundertree to Conyberry; Venomfang is not happy that his new slaves are not playing well!

Venomfang is one of five young dragons (of various colors - IMC dragons don't breed single color offspring) whose mother was slain in the Dragonswar (the war that just ended). He's been hunting for treasures left behind by his mother, before he goes back to try to remove his siblings from his mother's lair, which he considers HIS now. Said lair's location is undecided, but probably fairly close to Cragmaw, further away from Greenvale, the main kingdom. I'm sure it is less than 100 miles away, anyhow. So I see battling dragons as a major development in the future of this campaign. I wonder how I can manage to boost the maturity of some of the dragon young. It seems unlikely that the mother would have had multiple ages of offspring. I suppose ONE could be older, and then the others would just be impressive because there are several of them.

 

[Agglomérante]

The only alterations we did, was stop gaining levels after 3. We have enough to reach 4 after we start again in HotDQ. The DM had read that as a suggestion for running both adventures without being too OP for Hoard.

Do you mean you stopped assigning experience points during Phandelver once the players hit 3rd level? (Doubt that would go over well with my players.) But Hoard is still a challenge when starting with level 3 PCs?

 

[Daern]

I'm thinking Wave Echo Cave connects to "Hammer of the Gods" by LotFP.