Learn about D&D organized play options

[Alphastream]

So here's my plan so far; advice requested, with a STRONG preference for advice based on WHAT HAS WORKED IN YOUR EXPERIENCE RUNNING AL.

It isn't clear whether your store has been running Encounters, Expeditions, or a mix. But, in general, if you have an established group that really wants to play with the same PCs, and you have lots of new players, then those two should be split up.

For new players you have two good choices:
- A brand new Encounters season is starting March 18th (or close to it). This will start at level 1, using the free packet your store receives. This is the central experience for the Elemental Evil storyline and benefits your store as it has a lot of connection to the D&D product offerings.
- There are older Expeditions adventures (such as Defiance, which you mentioned) and also new ones being released specific to Elemental Evil.

For existing players, you could do one of two things:
- If they have been playing the Tyranny of Dragons series of Encounters (Hoard of the Dragon Queen) you can continue, providing that same story experience.
- If they have been playing Expeditions, or if you want to move into the Elemental Evil storyline, you could move them to the newer set of Expedition adventures (or select some of the last Tyranny of Dragons adventures as they lead directly into the new storyline for Expeditions).

Long-term, it can be helpful to think of low-level play as an on-ramp that will over time replace players that decide not to return (this almost always happens and happens more often with more players). So, you might have something like this:
- A table for established players, who play through Encounters and always progress forward
- A table for new players, using either Encounters or Expeditions and after a few sessions or when there is space you move their PCs to the Encounters higher level table.
- Encourage new players to DM, running Expeditions on a different day. The XP they earn can get them to the higher level table.

Feel free to ask more questions. You may also want to check out the Adventurers League web site. They have a series of articles with recommendations for stores. Also, you could check in with your local coordinator for ideas, or even to see whether there are other stores in your area that could share/exchange players or DMs.

 

[Riley37]

It isn't clear whether your store has been running Encounters, Expeditions, or a mix. But, in general, if you have an established group that really wants to play with the same PCs, and you have lots of new players, then those two should be split up.

Yes, that's why we're splitting!

Group Alpha started at the FLGS, with HotDQ, then the PCs moved to Phlan for Expeditions: two of the Defiance in Phlan stories, Tales Trees Tell, Courting of Fire, Shadows over Moonsea. Group Alpha will, starting this week, become Group Gamma; they will play at a member's house, and become "Home Play" or possibly drop off the WotC radar. Preventing Tiamat's jailbreak will be the main challenge for this set of PCs, and the Cult has noticed their interference and plans to nip them in the bud. I haven't yet read RoT, to assess whether that's next for Group Gamma.

Group Beta will start 26 hours from this post, at the FLGS, under AL rules. Some players from Group Alpha are not joining Group Gamma; if those players show up at the FLGS, then they may not continue their Group Alpha PCs in the Group Beta sessions at the FLGS.

Well, there's one exception I might allow, but he'd be stuck at Level 4 for as long as Group Beta is in Tier 1. Also, I would ask the player to run his PC in a "support" role. Since the PC is a Lore Bard, this is a natural fit. Cutting Words, applied to damage rolls when monsters hit the Level 1 PCs, might reduce mortality. He might use most of his spell slots giving Heroism to other PCs, and occasional Invisibility.

Hm, except that PC has already played in two of the Defiance missions... problematic.

I hope that the FLGS will, over time, attract new players into Group Beta. If needed, I have a few ideas, for example visiting the FLGS's MtG meetings and pitching them on trying D&D. (Hoping mostly for teenage-or-older, relatively-mature converts from CCG to TRPG.) At present, though, the problem is "no room at the inn".

The set of stories I posted is my plan for the start of Group Beta.

"Encourage new players to DM, running Expeditions on a different day. The XP they earn can get them to the higher level table."
Alas, the FLGS is pretty much booked with other events, mostly CCG, all other days of the week.
Also, getting the store's permission is not so easy. It took them about three weeks to give me permission to DM under their roof. That said, maybe in the long run they'd let a newbie DM run a session when the store has a Saturday with no other special events planned.

Anyways, thanks for the suggestions and for the encouragement.

 

[Tyranthraxus]

Hi , thought I would respond and Im sure Alphastream will also at some point.

Ive run DDEX1-1 through to DDEX1-11.

A) IF you were playing Hoard.. (Im actually a bit confused as to what module/scenario you were originally playing), then just take it in turns to gm each part of that module. Ie he runs Part 4, you run part 5, he runs part 6 , you run part 7 and so on. Sure characters are swapped in and out and one character will always be a level behind but it gives the gm a chance to play. Of course as you said you had too many players, which is what happened in our Hoard group.

I had to quit to run something for new players who couldnt play at the Hoard table because of Tier restrictions. So I decided to run LMOP (which I think was the best for drop in players).

You CANNOT Milestone characters from one to two in AL. Cannot be done. Milestone method is NOT supported for AL in any format of the game. THe only time a character can jump is the level 4-5 and 10-11 jumps inbuilt into the rules. I strongly suggest you read the Tyranny of Dragons Players Guide and the Elemental Evil Players Guide (just released) for information on this. IF you do Milestone someones character from 1 to 2 then their character will not be playable in any other gms AL games. He or she would look at that character and reject it (at least I would.. and I am an AL GM).

As you noted you will be running Defiance in Phlan. Im a big fan of this scenario but note the pacing. I generally find an hour is not long enough to run some of the scenarios. THe first Harper one yes, but can go quickly.. but the secret prison one can run longer (its my favorite of the collection because of Crazy guy). This last 1 hour mini adventure I think is the first good showcase on how dastardly the Black Fists can be. Not only are they running a secret Prison.. they are also keeping a Grick in captivity of sorts (and making people disappear by feeding people to it). The Black Fist are not black and white though which you will notice as you run more expeditions scenarios (even if your characters who are playing get a pretty black and white view of them)

Keep in mind while you can add 'themes' to your games.. maybe make it more Clive Barker or the like, you cant change the monsters.

To get from level 1-2 you only need 300 exp. Thats certainly gettable if you run 3 of the 1 hour scenarios. Also keep in mind the Factions of characters in the party. It makes sense to run the ones for the Factions you actually have at the table where possible. That way you not only introduce the characters to the Factions.. but somewhat of their ideology.

You also bring up a good point in regards to the gm having already run some of the expeditions. Ive played maybe 2-3 scenarios (and as I said run all of them up to 1-11). It really brings in the concept of the metagame... the ability to game in character and separating your character knowledge from player knowledge. For instance I know the main crux of the first Harper mini mission, but my character has no idea. Its a test to see how well someone call roleplay and its pretty easy to determine if that person has played a scenario before and is doing all the right things.


Finally, I wish you luck. Ive enjoyed Expeditions a lot. I found Hoard and Rise of Tiamat suffered for me because they were effectively written before the authors had accees to the PHB and DMG, so the lack of loot and other inconsistencies is a bit in my face there. Expeditions however are great. In regards to the maps, I ALWAYS use Grid maps (Ive grown up with them, and not using them would be like not using both arms to do things in real life). It also helps a lot when you have spellcasters in the group.

 

[Raddu]

Get Involved

We’ve done a big update to the Get Involved page.

Please read the Get Involved page if you’re interested in participating in any way in the D&D Adventurers League. The page points to resources depending on how you want to be involved in the campaign. There’s advice for players, DMs, store owners and organizers, convention organizers, club members, online game organizers, adventures designers, and all other community members.

Find out how you can Get Involved!

http://www.dndadventurersleague.org/get-involved

 

[Riley37]

We’ve done a big update to the Get Involved page.
http://dndadventurersleague.org/get-involved/

Check that link, please? Should it work for those who don't have the Secret DM Keys?
That is, maybe it lets you in based on cookies/accounts/whatever, but not me?

 

[Raddu]

Link edited, try it again.

 

[jodyjohnson]

The store version of Elemental Evil is posted for DMs/Stores.

Set in Red Larch which is just east and south of Phandolin (Lost Mines of Phandelver).

 

[Alphastream]

The store version has me really eager to get my hands on the published adventure! And, to play the new Expeditions adventures!

 

[bolo__]

Campaign related PC background tie-ins

I’ve been trying to find any info about suggested character backgrounds for tying new characters to the campaign.

For instance, Appendix A (“Backgrounds”) of Hoard of The Dragon Queen had 10 bonds and two “Optional Features”, I assume Appendix A (and/or B) of Princes of the Apocalypse will have something similar…

What are the chances I could find the information in those appendices BEFORE I head into my FLGS for character creation?

Edit: I would have thought that information would have been included in the Player's Companion to assist with PC creation.

 

[Alphastream]

I would have thought that information would have been included in the Player's Companion to assist with PC creation.

I do not see any Backgrounds or other PC options in the pdf of the adventure for Encounters. It is possible the published adventure has options, or they may all be the ones in the new rules packet (custom races, new spells).