D&D 5E Phandelver starting to show up in the wild. NewbieDM looks to be the first!

[Reynard]

I one-shotted a 1st-level PC with the dire rat ambush at the start of The Sunless Citadel.

The book says the rats hide in the rubble. The PC didn’t detect them, so they attacked with advantage. One got a crit. Bye-bye PC!

Those were the first rolls of that campaign.

Excellent start! Adventuring is dangerous business.

 

[humble minion]

I one-shotted a 1st-level PC with the dire rat ambush at the start of The Sunless Citadel.

The book says the rats hide in the rubble. The PC didn’t detect them, so they attacked with advantage. One got a crit. Bye-bye PC!

Those were the first rolls of that campaign.

We had an entire 1st-level party fall off climbing ropes and die on the way to the very first dungeon of a campaign once. First rolls of the game. Nothing above 5. Party wipe. It was the old 3e Gorgoland's Gauntlet introductory adventure, I'm pretty sure.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

re: bland Phandalin

I kinda wish they've left the starting town as bland as in the starter set. The notion of weird and fantastical for Perkins these days stops at ''add a quirky twee gnome that does unharmful fey stuff...''

I know, I know, it has to be PG. But would it be too much to...I dunno...discover that the redbrand are actually a small sect of GOO worshipper led by Glassstaff. I mean, add a few redbrands with elastic bones or weird mutation in the basement of their hideout. Something that makes your players say: ''what the hell!?''

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I mean, add a few redbrands with elastic bones or weird mutation in the basement of their hideout. Something that makes your players say: ''what the hell!?''

If you do that for every cultist, it quickly becomes "meh, this again!" When everyone has a weird mutation, no one has.

 

[Parmandur]

re: bland Phandalin

I kinda wish they've left the starting town as bland as in the starter set. The notion of weird and fantastical for Perkins these days stops at ''add a quirky twee gnome that does unharmful fey stuff...''

I know, I know, it has to be PG. But would it be too much to...I dunno...discover that the redbrand are actually a small sect of GOO worshipper led by Glassstaff. I mean, add a few redbrands with elastic bones or weird mutation in the basement of their hideout. Something that makes your players say: ''what the hell!?''

This isn't a Chris Pwekiks book, this is Amanda Harmon.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

If you do that for every cultist, it quickly becomes "meh, this again!" When everyone has a weird mutation, no one has.

Oh sure. That's why I specified the ones in the basement. The ones that interact with the village are common thugs, the ones ''admitted'' in the inner sanctum would be twisted (but just a little...).

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

This isn't a Chris Pwekiks book, this is Amanda Harmon.

He's still lead designer.

I've all the confidence in world in Harmons & co to deliver strange and weird stuff in their part of the adventure. The original starter module, while still my favorite adventure in 5e, does lack those elements IMHO.

 

[Parmandur]

He's still lead designer.

I've all the confidence in world in Harmons & co to deliver strange and weird stuff in their part of the adventure. The original starter module, while still my favorite adventure in 5e, does lack those elements IMHO.

He is not the lead designer on this book.

 

[MockingBird]

re: bland Phandalin

I kinda wish they've left the starting town as bland as in the starter set. The notion of weird and fantastical for Perkins these days stops at ''add a quirky twee gnome that does unharmful fey stuff...''

I know, I know, it has to be PG. But would it be too much to...I dunno...discover that the redbrand are actually a small sect of GOO worshipper led by Glassstaff. I mean, add a few redbrands with elastic bones or weird mutation in the basement of their hideout. Something that makes your players say: ''what the hell!?''

My redbrands are a secret cult for Vecna. Players don't know that yet and depending on the Shattered Obelisk I may change that, haven't decided yet.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

He is not the lead designer on this book.

He was for the original LMOP, which is 1/3 of that book and where the ''kinda bland village'' was first presented.

My point is: I prefer when he keeps his designs more basic because his notion of weird and fantastical, to me, is pretty tame.