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Message: <blockquote data-quote="THEMNGMNT" data-source="post: 7937828" data-attributes="member: 6809274">I've never run or played in a sandbox, so there's that. But I recently started outlining two sandbox campaigns. Mostly for my own amusement......but also because I'm running Dragon of Icespire Keep from the Essentials Kit, which is a sort of quest-driven mini-sandbox set in Phandalin. And I'm honestly finding Phandalin somewhat dull. I like my fantasy clearly fantastical, and Phandalin is very quotidian in it's details. So to help inspire me, I started compiling all the adventure locations from Essentials Kit, Starter Set, and the 4E Neverwinter Campaign Setting. When you put all the pieces together, the Neverwinter region is chock full of exciting adventure.I'm doing something similar for Daggerford. Mike Schley created a Daggerford regional map (which you can buy from his website) for use in the 5E Dungeon Master's Guide, but it was apparently cut before publication. I've taken that, the D&D Next adventures Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle and Scourge of the Sword Coast, plus the 1E adventure Under Illefarn and the 3.5E camapign Under Illefarn Anew (an amazing resource; Google it), mixed them all together, and then advanced the timeline to be contemporaneous with the current 5E adventure paths. It's an embarrassment of riches.As I thought about how to turn those sandboxes into playable campaigns, a few common elements emerged:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rumors that lead to adventure sites filled with treasure and magic are the primary hook. I think part of the fun of sandbox play is that it's player-driven. But players shouldn't be stumbling around in the dark without a flashlight. It's our job to provide adventure around every corner.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Villains and villainous factions get fronts in the style of Dungeon World, so if left unchecked they dynamically change the world and the peril grows.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Downtime as a regular part of play. There's a great series of articles on alphastream.org on how to make better use of the downtime rules.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Details are left blank in the style of 13th Age so they can be customized for the players. For example, I might have bandits raiding the Trade Way, but I only decide that they're in the employ of the Zhentarim when the rogue PC tells me he's on the run from the Zhents.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A central theme that's stated upfront to the players. For example, in the above Neverwinter sandbox, it's clear that civilization is in great peril, and so the theme that emerged is civilization vs savagery. Daggerford is more about civilized factions vying for control of the region. I use those themes to select monsters, quests, and NPCs which reinforce it.</li> </ul></blockquote>

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