Your players will become heroes as they save the village of Phandalin from hordes of goblins, doppelgangers and worse; all led by a. Alerting the players who did this to know that they would only go beyond their current level (5 from Phandelver, 3 from Stormwreck) until the proper story milestone. For levels 3-6, I'd say probably 3-5 sessions per level. Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel, Keys from the Golden Vault and Tales from the Yawning Portal are anthologies and contain low level adventures (GoS and TftYT have several multilevel. cmpgn doesn't seem to contain anything. Any suggestions as to the best way to handle it? My own thought is to give each of them a primary and secondary character, but I'm open to other ideas. My concern is their survival given the CR,. Lost Mines of. It's not a story the Jedi would tell you. My group loves Milestone Long Rests!I'm running the Lost Mine of Phandelver Starter Set adventure for a group of players ranging from "new to the game" to "experienced veterans". The PCs have made it to 7th level, and there are still things they have punted on, but I also have customized it a lot by adding Neverwinter into the mix. Up to the players what order they do things. This has some details about 5e, the module, the events, and some AP “Let me tell you about my character” fun. . 4. In short, you must gain one Inspiration Point plus one per level to gain a new level. It. Level 2 depends but i like the suggestion of jegpeg. Hello. I'm guessing Lost Mines is designed for at least 4 players so you'll probably need to either re-balance it a bit or add your own character to help balance things out. The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural. 2 when come back to Phandalin after cleaning the Goblin hideout). I wanted to run each of these for my players, but I don’t want to have to start at level 1 each. I had no idea there was an actual name for said method. That first milestone is probably at the end of the first cave, so make sure they find the recommended amount of loot there (2 2nd-level permanent items (such as +1 weapons, full plate, an onyx dog, etc), 2 1st-level items (probably just gear), 2 2nd-level consumables and 3 1st-level ones, such as healing potions, scrolls, potency crystals. If they accomplished a major goal, then the XP could be quite a bit more than a single "level appropriate" encounter. I've created a semi-interactive map that. Using Art. The party just hit Level 17 and they are pillars of the community. Hey guys, first timer here. Lost Mines of Phandelver! Fantastic campaign for beginners!! LFP Paid. After i finished Lost Mine of Phandelver, the party was level 5. It works like this: Become 2nd level when you complete one quest. A Gnome who is a Divination Wizard, and. A Human Life Cleric in heavy armor. Types: Dungeon. 5. Overview Lost Mine of Phandelver is divided into four parts. Other Fully Prepped One-Shots, Adventures, and More: The Wild Sheep Chase - Click Here. All of these are classic, well-written modules, and are designed to have easy 'starting points' at level 3. Milestone leveling. So now the plan is to play it with 7 PCs. One of the best and most popular introductions into Dungeons and Dragons 5e, Lost Mine of Phandelver is a great adventure for first-time players and new Dungeon Masters (DMs). 90% of DMs do milestone. It's certainly enough to keep players interested and the momentum rolling between play. Players must spend their Inspiration to make sure the slot is open for the next. This session was straightforward, we were taking longer to get through the content than I though so mentally my preparation was way ahead. I wanted to use milestones instead of XP but I didn't want to feel like progress only happened at certain times so I assigned each quest/location a point value depending on the level it is balanced for and then assigned level-ups based on how many progression points. Also emphasize not fighting the dragon at thundertree. With your suggestion of doubling, a level 1 fighter would have an AC of around 24-28, a +10 bonus to hit, 24hp, and would deal 1d8+6 damage. 2. That said, depending on the size of the party, you'll want them to be going into WEC at level 4-5. You can avoid all that bookkeeping by using milestone leveling. "If I went around saying I was an emperor. My main group I have a home brew campaign going on. GameStop Moderna Pfizer Johnson & Johnson AstraZeneca Walgreens Best Buy Novavax SpaceX Tesla. You can avoid all that bookkeeping by using milestone leveling. Despite the packaging, Lost Mine of Phandelver counts as a hardcover. Level 3 and beyond should be spaced a bit further apart. I use only one Doppelganger and he already made a big mess for players by pretending to be Gundren. Player Characters can be expected to advance from 1st to 3rd level over the course of this adventure as they encounter goblins, bugbears, a gang of. We are 10+ sessions in and the characters are at level 4. Need help making the end of Lost Mines of Phandelver epicI will preface this by saying that there are many ways to run The Lost Mines of Phandelver. On the web. 2 mabye 3 Sessions at level 2. However, I've been throwing in. level 1. This is a fantastic opportunity to practice the art of the lazy dungeon master. It depends on how significant the accomplishment is, I think. This video is about using milestones in lost mine of phandelver. Their characters all start at level one and while rolling up monster stats for the campaign I'm beginning to worry if my players can handle all the monsters at lvl 1. I'm planning to run the Lost mine of Phandelver campaign for a group of 5 first time players. Additional Benefits:A few fun NPCs to play with in areas, mine liked Don Jon and Xanth the Centaur. Background: Guild Artisan (reflavored to be a village carpenter) Quillfaith started having dreams of the ocean and skies and took them as a divine message to seek out more than the small village of bugbears he grew up in. Here's what's included in the free module: Five battle maps, properly gridded (5-ft) with dynamic lighting for subscribers; An overland map of the Sword Coast;Hi guys. So, a year ago more or less I started playing D&D with a group of friends and instantly fell in love with it. d. You'll still run the same adventure for the most part, but you'll notice a few improvements and changes along the. Dungeons and Dragons. A grided battle map for Cragmaw Hideout. The accelerated levelling is really for getting to Level 3. My party wanted to try a campaign book so we got the Lost Mine of Phandelver. 3 years ago. Working Headset/Mic is required. Level 3 after the red brand hideout. It's a Sith legend. Start "Lost Mine of Phandelver" and just scale everything up for their 3rd level characters. Seek first to understand. You'll still run the same adventure for the most part, but you'll notice a few improvements and changes along the way. Klarg, in the caves, is another. Basically when the scenario say "The characters should be at lv. I have some questions: Level up's. I've had to beef up everything to prevent a cakewalk. Storm King's Thunder was a level 1-11 adventure with an optional way of starting at level 5. 95. As the adventure is really designed for four players, I needed to tweak some things anyway, but I think I may have some insights for you. This consists of two. The DM’s Guide to Lost Mines of Phandelver is a series of articles exploring the various encounters in the Lost Mines module. The Lost Mines of Phandelver is included in the original 5e Starter Set, designed to ease an entire table into the game together. 4. Sly Flourish We. The Lost Mine of Phandelver has been remade. There are template tokens to make. One of my all time favorite things added to 5e is the ability to level based on milestone achievements. . Nezznar the Black Spider is there with his loyal followers, exploring the mines and searching for the legendary Forge of Spells. Prepare to be the Dungeon Master for Lost Mine of Phandelver, part of the Starter Set and probably the most popular D&D adventure of all time. Spoiler alert: Starter Set "Mines of Phandelver" I'm worried that somehow they'll find their way to Wave Echo Cave without having done enough missions to level up to level 4 as it appears to require. Re: What to run after Lost Mine of Phandelver? Princes of the Apocalypse is DnD 5e's version of The Temple of Elemental Evil module adventure. 03a, "Lost Mine of Phandelver" (otherwise known as DDHC-LMOP) has a level band of 1-4. You may want to level more slowly than you might otherwise if the characters are spending a lot of time on side quests. Lost Mines/Icespire Peak Combo Campaign Milestone/XP Hybrid,. Level 3 after the red brand hideout. (Leads to: Goblin Lair, Mine Tunnels) Goblin Lair — Create a 1/1 red Goblin creature. Take the advice the book gives to do milestone level advancing. Format: PDF. Since Lost Mine of Phandelver has consistently ranked as the most popular 5E adventure, the announcement that Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk would expand on and follow that story made sense. 1-5. 1. " I really like the idea of making the first encounter a tutorial, and I guess I'm going to do it. Lost Mine of Phandelver is a page booklet with a complete adventure module written in four parts. Loading. In it, you’ll unearth secrets about the mysterious obelisks that have cropped up in so many fifth edition adventures and that expose Phandalin to its greatest. I started at level 5 with my group due to transitioning from Lost Mine of Phandelver. Running the Adventure Lost Mine of Phandelver is an adventure for four to five characters of 1st level. It's much more than a PDF, and makes running your game easier than ever. Zoom In. 0 level spells, known as Cantrips, do not need to be prepared and do not use a spell slot. I've been doing it so that the end of each chapter is a milestone up until where they are now. Later, when reviewing the notes for Episode 1, it says that they reach level 2 once. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. I would definitely not start them at level 3, though, unless you're using milestone leveling and they're prepared to wait. My player's level 2 (soon 3) Druid has discovered that while in Wild Shape. Level. Dragon of Icespire Peak comes with zero adventure hooks. Card Name: Lost Mine of Phandelver. Sep 11, 2023. There's a few pretty deadly spots. I just changed a few things to make everything fit with the player stories. At this point they have just had the redbrand encounter in town. " However, I will only be running three players through the campaign (or. I’ve just ran lost mines and am getting the new book because my players loved phandalin as a setting but keep in mind the starter set goes up to level4/5 and the new phandelver book is a level 1-12 campaign so even if the start is exactly the same it’s still only 1/3 of the adventure going by levels. The main characters of this campaign include Ellaria Nightwood, Yamcha, Wobbly Killa, Gwendoline Wood and Ravaaga Laughshield. r/DnD. [Campaign Map] 3D printed model of Lost Mines of Phandelver — Wave Echo Cave. 1. DM Report on how Lost Mines of Phandelver is going (Part 2): Redbrand Hideout Rumble. But they left…The Lost Mine of Phandelver adventure is described on its first page as "an adventure for four to five characters of 1st level. Exclusive Annual Member Only Fully Prepped One-Shots. View flipping ebook version of Lost Mine of Phandelver published by joshuamuster on 2018-06-07. I and my group loved it so much that even when we moved over to PF2, we didnt even bother looking up the experience system, and just ported over milestone leveling. Basically when the scenario say "The characters should be at lv. Ask them what they are looking forward to most/least, and have the time open for them to ask questions about d&d. I'm running lost mines as the start of a homebrew campaign and I'm thinking of cutting down the oneshot to get to the homebrew quicker. I am going to be DMing for the first time this Thursday for a group of 6-7. To reach level 6, players must obtain the location of the Circle of. If you're asking how to do it, find the monster's stat block and find its XP value next to it's CR. I didn’t have to adjust monsters at all but did bring in the human fighter for the mansion clear out. Of course, to get your characters past 5th Level, you’ll need the core Fifth Edition rulebooks… Now, Lost Mine of Phandelver is more than just a campaign. Goblins, Zombies, Orcs, Giant Spiders, even a Dragon. But while that adventure took players from levels 1 to 5, this new 2023 version will take take characters from Level 1 to. “Lost Mine of Phandelver” is, at least right now, probably the most widely played adventure in 5 th edition D&D. Lost Mine of Phandelver is an adventure for four to five Many players of DUNGEONS& DRAGONSfind that being characters of 1st level. ”. Clear out Wave Echo Mines: Level 5. The numbers in (parenthesis) are HP of the monsters. (Lost Mine of Phandelver spoilers within, obviously) I can give some detail based on my experience last year as a brand-new DM running for two brand-new players. Based on D&D Beyond (and similar websites), for a party of 4 characters that are level 1, four goblins are on the start of the "Deadly" range (after adjustment). Even a party of 5 level one characters run by seasoned players can still TPK trying to complete Goblin Arrows. 6 Gobin, 3 wolf, and 1 Bugbear tokens or miniatures. During the course of the adventure, the characters will advance to 5th level. ) You can find everything you need to play this in the. Ads. Lost Mine of Phandelver Explore this introductory adventure to get started playing the world’s greatest roleplaying game. Then just make sure you make. Also, particularly good roleplaying or other non-combat successes can grant bonuses to XP, roughly equalling level appropriate monster XP. For a lot of players, Lost Mine of Phandelver from the D&D Starter Set was their first 5e adventure. I suggest leveling players up after certain quests. You’ll hear Alex play Hal, a level 3 Bard. Right out of the gate in this campaign players are fighting in. Your party shows up, sees that the mines are cleared of enemies, and the spell forge is dead. Card Text: Cave Entrance — Scry 1. 16 Filed Under: Dungeons And Dragons , Lost Mines of Phandelver Guide Tagged With: Agatha , Auglatha , Daran Edermath , Hamun Kost , Harpers , Old Owl Well , Red. Once the players are in the village, Lost Mine of Phandelver encourages the DM to ask a question like, “There’s an inn, a town hall. That first milestone is probably at the end of the first cave, so make sure they find the recommended amount of loot there (2 2nd-level permanent items (such as +1 weapons, full plate, an onyx dog, etc), 2 1st-level items (probably just gear), 2 2nd-level consumables and 3 1st-level ones, such as healing potions, scrolls, potency crystals. As the adventure is really designed for four players, I needed to tweak some things anyway, but I think I may have some insights for you. Level 1 PCs would be extremely unlikely to try and fight the army, but level 5 PCs start to think they can. There's also the ToEE module itself, if you're OK with conversion from a previous edition rule set to. All Maps from Lost Mine of Phandelver. At first, the XP leveling worked in conjunction with the story. You can access the Character Art Pack under the Premium Assets section of the Art Library in Roll20. Lost Mine of Phandelver is many a player and DM’s entry point into Dungeons & Dragons. All the maps are here, with vision blocking put in, along with all the monsters, some PCs my players have made, and a basic 5e framework that is Yorick's version with a bunch of tweaks and improvements. Lightbringer from LMoP in CoS. The Lost Mine of Phandelver is an adventure for four to five 1st Level characters (though it can be played with fewer people. I'm a new DM going to run Lost Mines with a group of friends. However, along the way they might be a bit tougher than expected, though that might drop off as we progress. In the 1st chapter of Lost Mine of Phandelver, the characters come across dead horses, are attacked by goblins, and discover a path into the woods. Here are my checkpoints: Level 2 after Cragmaw Cave Level 3 after Redbrand hideout Level up after Cragmaw Castle And either combine the sidequests into a big one or give out 1/3 level per quest. Since Lost Mine of Phandelver has consistently ranked as the most popular 5E adventure, the announcement that Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk would expand on and follow that story made sense. For small adjustments of the power level of monsters, calculator can change the value from default (average value) to anything between minimum and maximum. (Leads to: Storeroom, Dark Pool) As people have said, for the first couple levels it should be quite fast. Where Lost Mine of Phandelver took characters from 1st to 5th level, this new adventure book progresses all the way through 12th level. The first article focuses on setting up the story for your players, as well as giving them an opportunity to establish and introduce their characters before. This text post is adapted from THIS VIDEO (link), if you prefer to watch/listen :) . I've used milestone and leveled up to 2 after Cragmaw Hideout. This adventure is designed to take characters from 1st to 12th level. though this is a module on meant to get you to level 5, well…. Based in and around the town of Phandalin, Lost Mines of Phandelver is a module for the fantasy tabletop RPG that sees players attempting to rescue two friends from a band of goblin. The issue I have with my newest group (4-5 PCs) is that they sidestepped Cragmaw, and went straight to Phandalin. The D&D Adventurers League Player's Pack includes a "Content Catalog", that details all the available adventure sources and what the appropriate level band is. Originaly we were going to play the lost mines of phandelver with only 5 players, but as word got around two more friends wanted to join. Number 2 was based off the goblin cave of lost mines but I made it bigger with more bugbears (3) and goblins in it. I'd say do the session 0, but don't start the campaign. Like others said, LMoP is only in the mine for the last part. Phandelver And Below: The Shattered Obelisk. I also narratively skipped the road travel and the roadhouse. e. We're about to wrap up the Lost Mine of Phandelver, and (as they haven't taken many of the optional quests) they'll probably end up partway through 4th level. To offset the lack of leveling up by skipping any side quests, you could have your characters start at a higher level alleviating the need to level up within the adventure. We're looking for a 6th player to join us as we plan on tackling the long campaign that is Tyranny of Dragons (level 1 - 15) with a brand new party! So as we do the last chapter of Lost Mine of Phandelver, this could be. HiNoKitsune • 3 yr. The rich mine of the Phandelver’s Pact was lost five hundred years ago during. I've recently starting running a LMoP game on FG, this is my first time DM'ing (and running through FG). . Problem is they are bloodthirsty idiots and all they care about is killing goblins for xp. Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk is an updated version of the Lost of Mine of Phandelver mini-campaign that came with the 2014 D&D Starter Set. Annual Membership Bonuses: 2 Months Free. Lost Mines of Phandelver Latest. 4) After control of the town is established, she wants to acquire a slave force to build a lower level to WEC as her permanent lair. I think it’s impossible to be too familiar with a published campaign when you’re running it. The reasons that I want to do slow leveling are as follows: - Increased character knowledge (time before acquiring new abilities and spells) - Story and NPC interactions can last longer- Sense of realism (in a way) where growth seems less swift and more like an accomplishment. Auto Flip. Paid mercenaries, spies (political intrigue), laying down roots, and the call to adventure are all solid reasons to go anywhere. As it is my first time DMing apart of a one-shot, I was originally going to run Lost Mines of Phandelver, but after reading the story I decided that I wanted to make a homebrew campaign in a. It's a Sith legend. Having run Lost Mine of Phandelver myself, I completely agree that they are not all necessary to complete the adventure. (Spoilers for LMoP follow, obviously. Seems lazy to me not to mention leveling equally just makes things even more boring where the competition in that. Well a pretty simple way to shorten LMoP is to simply cut out all the side quests, but I am sure it will be not enough to run it in 10 hours. I would love to hear the things you wish you knew before you ran it. Appendix A focuses on Magic Items and is a resource for the Dungeon Master. Like others said, LMoP is only in the mine for the last part. The first episode of our Lost Mine of Phandelver Campaign! Played in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. 1. (Warning: that was an Angry link. For example, if you are Level 2, you must gain three (1+2) points to reach Level 3. Aug 18, 2014. It is a fantastic adventure for low-level characters, highlighting everything that D&D has to offer and making for a great introduction to the game's various mechanics. Woah i just started to draw the whole thing but this is super next level! Great job. The Master’s Vault from roll20 is designed for new players, it’s level 1-2, and can be completed in two short sessions or one long session. Hey everyone, I'm a 1st time DM that's been running the Lost Mines of Phandelver with my party, it's been fun and so far everyone seems to be having a good time. So that might be a really strong option. Milestone leveling is bad because it makes the DM much more responsible for serving up balanced encounters. 95. My group will be finishing up Lost Mines of Phandelver in probably about 2 sessions, and I wanted to put something interesting at the end of Wave Echo Cave. There’s a single cart track into town, which widens into a muddy main street uphill toward the ruined Tresendar Manor, currently occupied by the Redbrands, the gang controlling Phandalin and led by Glasstaff. I am preparing to DM my first-ever game, which is the published adventure Lost Mine of Phandelver. Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis The Wise? I thought not. Lost Mines of Phandelver. Explore subterranean labyrinths! Plunder hoards of treasure! Battle legendary monsters! This promotion is no longer available. According to the FR campaign setting, anyways. Lost Mines of Phandelver, p. " However, I will only be running three players through the campaign (or at least for the first encounter), which makes me think that some (or all) of the encounters in the module will need to be scaled back. Any character lvl 1-5 can join at any part of LMoP. The DM's guide to the Lost Mine of Phandelver 5e adventure. Venomfang can absolutely wipe a low-level party if they aren't careful. This adventure runs to level 5. Premade Characters If you are using the premade characters from the Starter Set, spend at least a few minutes with the players before the game to introduce them to the general concepts of their chosen character. In this series I'm going to help you prepare to run the Lost Mines of Phandelver, the excellent adventure that comes with the Dungeons & Dragons Starter. Partially my fault partially the supplements fault. orc invasions that devastated this part of the North. Having a intro session as you suggest (attack on home town, etc) might help get a new player used to the mechanics (maybe ignore XP, and even death, i. Lost Mine of Phandelver was included with the previous edition of the D&D 5E starter set – now replaced by the excellent Dragons of Stormwreck Isle adventure – but you can still find everything you need to. . Lost Mine of Phandelver. Traditional bows take skill to master and to me that speaks more to a ranger's sensibilities than the anyone-can-use-it crossbow. The one issue I’m facing is one player still has Lightbringer, a +1 mace that deals additional radiant damage to. I'm looking at the very first encounter, the . During the adventure, your characters should advance to. Lost Mines of Phandelver (Level 1 to 5) This campaign is one of the most popular modern introductions to DnD 5e and can quickly introduce both DMs and players to the mechanics of Dungeons and Dragons. (Leads to: Storeroom, Dark Pool)Frequency of milestone leveling . Number of available spaces. Part 3a - Reign of Iron. I used Dragon Barrow, Falcon's Lodge, Woodland Manse and then Circle of Thunder from Icespire peak to introduce the party to Talos cultists, but also to level them up to level 7. Prepare to be the Dungeon Master for Lost Mines of Phandelver, part of the Starter Set and probably the most popular D&D adventure of all time. Both quests must be completed (and ideally the rest of any skipped content from level 3). Up to 3 after Redbrand Hideout. (Leads to: Goblin Lair, Mine Tunnels) Goblin Lair — Create a 1/1 red Goblin creature token. 4 monsters for 25xp each (100xp total) split between 4 players = 25xp each. Our group keeps dying during the Lost Mine of Phandelver campaign. Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk is a Level 1-12 adventure. Here's what I did for LMOP. . Seconding Tyranny if Dragons. Part 1, the Cragmaw Hideout, is a great. The basic calculation is. Age: 21+ Only, no exceptions. I'm making a Youtube series aimed at helping new Dungeon Masters run Lost Mine Of Phandelver to spread the love of D&D. When the party of. This is a professionally-run game based on the popular modules Lost Mines of Phandelver and Beyond the Dragon of Icespire Peak with a few amendments intended to enhance the story beats, avoid meta-gaming, and allow player flexibility in character development. In game. This is what I would use for milestone leveling in lmop. D&D’s latest adventure reimagines and expands Lost Mine of Phandelver into a full-length campaign that runs from 1st to 12th level. It is the year 1491 DR, and you find yourself in the city of Neverwinter. 95 Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk is a prewritten adventure that takes place in Phandalin, a fictional town that many players will remember from the Lost Mines of Phandelver campaign that came bundled with the Dungeons & Dragons starter set from 2014, and which was many players' first foray into 5E and. 29 Lost Mines of Phandelver , p. I understood when players should level up (we will use milestone type), but I am not sure about the. Part 3b - Thundertree. Good luck and have fun!Shortcomings of The lost mine of Phandelver. this is because goblins AC in their stat block includes a shield, but that shield will not be out all the time, when they are using a bow, outside of combat, or before their first turn in combat. Th. Thumbnails. To level up, a PC must earn Inspiration points. Do you think I should pad, despite after the castle there'd be. This is suggested if you. This live stream video is about using milestones in lost mine of phandelver. Basically 1 PC being 2 PCs). Then just make sure you make them level 4 before wave echo cave. Become 4th level when you complete five quests. Keep in mind that we're all new to D&D and might not. Lost Mine of Phandelver. My question to you guys is now if you have also run this campaign and if you thought it had any shortcomings lore. The Lost Mines of Phandelver included helpful resources and supplies for a new DM. Every mini you need is in the PDF; printing once will produce every creature (and as many copies as it calls for. Re: Starting Lost Mine of Phandelver with 3 lvl 3 characters. I have a party with 5 people (6 with me). In the milestone system the players should understand and feel why they gained a level. Comms: We will be using Discord. Hell, it's part of the starter set after all! Hell, it's part of the starter set after all! The issue though, as with many other Campaigns, is that it doesn't describe the best way to transform the contents of the book into an actual session. We've been playing together since the pandemic and are a good group. It works like this: Become 2nd level when you complete one quest. So here I wanted to try something new. A dungeon masters guide to running the dungeons & dragons 5e role-play game. I'm a 1st time DM, and my party is about to finish Cragmaw castle and go to the mines. Lost Mine of Phandelver. "If I went around saying I was an emperor. The DM's guide to the Lost Mine of Phandelver 5e adventure. Hello everybody, I am going to be a DM, in a week, for the first time in my life. Appendix B holds a great importance as it has all of the stats for the monsters that are presented in the module itself. View Cover Art. These things even out. If you're asking how to do it, find the monster's stat block and find its XP value next to it's CR. Consider starting them with max HP or starting characters with 2 hit dice and don’t give them any when they reach level 2. This will likely take many years while she grows in to adulthood. As for balancing the encounters, I would say leave the first dungeon exactly as it is and see how that goes first. My group mostly consisted of 5 players. The downside of running it on Roll20, is that keeping campaign preparation organized is a pain in the A. First off, it's not clear that they can reach the Wave Echo Cave at all without the required map. It's all written up but I'm thinking of making a bonus, quick tip episode at the end. They are supposed to reach level 5 by the end of chapter 2, but there is no way they will acquire almost 4000xp each in a few more sessions. Outside of the hideout should be more run down and the town more overrun with plans these are perfect. Chase it away and take care of the cultists and a druid (Reidoth) can lead you anywhere (like the lost mine). Hi guys, I'm a first time DM and I'm running the D&D starter kit for my also first time players :) Our first session is finished and the party is about halfway through cragmaw hideout. If the goal is just to kill the Black Spider, you'd need to balance doing side quests for XP vs. At the milestone that they level to level 2, I gave an ability score point.