D&D 5E Best Adventures for AL style game nights for new players and DMs

[ArwensDaughter]

I'm planning on trying to start a DnD night at our local library this summer, and I'm looking for suggestions on the best adventures to use. I'll be the primary DM; I have some experience, but not a lot. If we have enough people for more than one table, the other potential DMs have less experience than I do (some interested parties have play experience, but no DM experience) I'm looking primarily at AL adventures, but since these events won't be official AL, I'm open to other options.

Here are my parameters:
-We will have 3 hours max each night, so short adventures are needed
-It would be nice if there were thematic/story connections between nights, but it needs to be easy to accommodate different combinations of players each week.
-I'm not willing to run Curse of Strahd, although other potential DMs might be

I have "Harried in Hillsfar" but I'm in the middle of running it for my kids and a friend, any or all of whom are likely to participate in the library nights, so that's not ideal. (Although the format of mini adventures is) I see that many of the SKT adventures are intended to be 2 hours of play time. The other seasons are not as clear in that regard.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Defiance in Phlan seemed kinda nice for quick, low-level mini-adventures, but that was coming off of running HotDQ, so anything would've been a relief at that point.

You really want to give new players some time before they start trying to pick up and DM. If you do find yourself oversubscribed, consider putting feelers out to bring in other experienced DMs. Quality of DMing really makes a huge difference to D&D, and, while some folks just have a natural talent for it, experience is usually the best teacher.

 

[thethain]

It sounds like you are literally describing the AL modules. All of the Season 5 modules for AL are either 2 or 4 hours and are all roughly related to each other. If you have a 3 hour hard limit you will have to rush the 4 hour modules, but that isn't particularly difficult.

Each module is self contained in the fact they have all the stat blocks from the potential bad guys in the module, and has suggestions for how to adjust encounters for a stronger or weaker party.

Keep in mind also, the only thing that makes something officially AL is that you follow AL rules. You don't have to get permission or such to run it. You can have a game in your garage be AL. Now if you are letting people use homebrew races or start out at higher level, then its obviously not AL legal.

 

[ArwensDaughter]

Defiance in Phlan seemed kinda nice for quick, low-level mini-adventures, but that was coming off of running HotDQ, so anything would've been a relief at that point.

....If you do find yourself oversubscribed, consider putting feelers out to bring in other experienced DMs. Quality of DMing really makes a huge difference to D&D, and, while some folks just have a natural talent for it, experience is usually the best teacher.

Do you know if the rest of the Tyranny of Dragons series are 2 or 4 hour modules? SKT is the only AL series I've found that is clear about play time, and I really thing we are better off with 2 hour modules given that we aren't likely to have experienced players or particularly experienced DMs.

I don't know any experienced DMs in the area, unfortunately. I live in a small town (<2,500) nearest flgs is 25+ miles away. I do have a lead on one player/DM, but it doesn't sound like he's available on the day of the week we've chosen.

 

[ArwensDaughter]

It sounds like you are literally describing the AL modules. All of the Season 5 modules for AL are either 2 or 4 hours and are all roughly related to each other. If you have a 3 hour hard limit you will have to rush the 4 hour modules, but that isn't particularly difficult.

Indeed, my plan is to use AL modules unless someone suggests a better option. My questions was which season and/or which specific modules (I know quality varies greatly). The SKT descriptions at DMsGuild helpfully specify play time, but I wasn't finding much guidance for play time for the other seasons. Given that I'm assuming most folks will be new or relatively new to the game, I think working with 2 hour modules is our best bet, at least initially.

Keep in mind also, the only thing that makes something officially AL is that you follow AL rules. You don't have to get permission or such to run it. You can have a game in your garage be AL. Now if you are letting people use homebrew races or start out at higher level, then its obviously not AL legal.

I know, but I want the flexibility to house rule some things, to put some extra limits on newer players, and to allow players who start with pregens to shift to a character of their own choosing/creation without losing levels. So AL rules will be my base guide, but I'll be making changes. If we end up "recruiting" a DM who wants to run an AL legal game, I won't get in their way, though.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Do you know if the rest of the Tyranny of Dragons series are 2 or 4 hour modules?

IDK, I only ran the first one (HotDQ), but I ran it in Encounters, where it broke up naturally into 2-4 hr chunks.
It was pretty awful, though, JMHO.

I don't know any experienced DMs in the area, unfortunately. I live in a small town (<2,500) nearest flgs is 25+ miles away. I do have a lead on one player/DM, but it doesn't sound like he's available on the day of the week we've chosen.

Sorry to hear that. I forget, sometimes, what an embarrassment of riches we have around here. I hope your players appreciate the trouble you're going to and cut you some slack.

 

[thethain]

Indeed, my plan is to use AL modules unless someone suggests a better option. My questions was which season and/or which specific modules (I know quality varies greatly). The SKT descriptions at DMsGuild helpfully specify play time, but I wasn't finding much guidance for play time for the other seasons. Given that I'm assuming most folks will be new or relatively new to the game, I think working with 2 hour modules is our best bet, at least initially.



I know, but I want the flexibility to house rule some things, to put some extra limits on newer players, and to allow players who start with pregens to shift to a character of their own choosing/creation without losing levels. So AL rules will be my base guide, but I'll be making changes. If we end up "recruiting" a DM who wants to run an AL legal game, I won't get in their way, though.

There is a google doc cheatsheet for AL modules, it has suggested level, min/max xp, magic items and gold and runtimes for every AL adventure. Keep in mind the runtimes can be short or long depending.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1omoTExpdh7cdiq9NnfVpf6-CnAkGRbA-FMIiNaZXpvg/edit#gid=0

 

[koga305]

Do you know if the rest of the Tyranny of Dragons series are 2 or 4 hour modules? SKT is the only AL series I've found that is clear about play time, and I really thing we are better off with 2 hour modules given that we aren't likely to have experienced players or particularly experienced DMs.

I don't know any experienced DMs in the area, unfortunately. I live in a small town (<2,500) nearest flgs is 25+ miles away. I do have a lead on one player/DM, but it doesn't sound like he's available on the day of the week we've chosen.

I think all of the first season (Tyranny) adventures are 4 hours except for Defiance in Phlan (which is five one hour mini adventures) and one of the level 5-10 modules which is 8 hours.

Starting in season two (Elemental Evil) they started putting out a couple of 2 hour adventures and their popularity gradually increased to the point where many/most of the season 4 (Curse of Strahd) and 5 (Storm King's Thunder) adventures are 2 hours. So if you wanted those season 5 is probably your best bet, given that you're not interested in Strahd.