Tuesday, August 19, 2014

5E D&D Has Been a Blast

Last night we completed our 4th session of 5E D&D.  +Rob Conley is DMing us through Lost Mine of Phandelver, the adventure that comes in the Starter Set.  Rob has seamlessly integrated the adventure into his own campaign world, The Majestic Wilderlands.

Last night was a blast.  Usually we start at 6:30p and end at 9:30p because we are old and we smell bad if we stay up too late.  But last night he fought through our own funk and gamed until 11:30p.  We had nearly a full crew, +Chris C. players a opera singing fighter called Vougner, +Daniel McEntee plays a elf, ranger with a name I cannot remember.  And our newest addition to the group, +Joshua Macy is an elven mage, by the name of Aria.  I play Sidwin the Sharp, a rogue with an 18 charisma (it has saved our bacon twice).

Last night we got into it with the Red Brands.  Local bully group.  We just returned from kicking the goblins asses we come into town to find out the Red Brands have murdered a local farmer and they captured his wife and children to sell into slavery.  Now Sidwin is not a pillar of moral decency by any means, this doesn't set well with him.

The Plan
Sidwin tells the party that he's going to scout the Sleeping Giant, a ale house in the village where the Red Brands hang out.  He'll sneak up listen in and come back with the information.

Where the Plan Goes to Shit
Sidwin tippy-toes over.  Hears what he needs.  Tries to tippy-toe away, but one of the Red Brands catch him walking away.  Questions.  Sidwin pretends to be a drunk who water a nearby bush and offers the Red Brand a chance to taste it.  He declines.  Then all the Red Brands come out.  Sidwin goes into drunk ruffian mode who is running out of money.  Needs a job.  After some talking, drinking and gambling they seem to accept Sidwin.  Except the dwarven ale wife who make shitty ale.  I want to return to the inn, but they say, no no, you need to stay here.  Shitty ale making dwarf lady hold a crossbow on my ass all night.

Where the Shit Gets Real
My comrades find I have not returned.  They find me sleeping in the ale house with the Red Brands.  We kill them all.  Sidwin got enough information and we have a source that can tell us about a secret tunnel into the manor where the farmer's family is being held.

Where We Alert Every Fricking Person in the World that We are in the Dungeon
Yeah, we fought a lot.  We did well.  We actually got through a few fights without anyone going down.  This time Sidwin went down from a volley of magic missiles from a mage who kept shouting something about his glass staff.  Again my fellow party dudes saved my bacon. 

We left off still in combat!

We've been having a great time playing.  Rob is always an excellent DM.  Having Joshua in our party is great to get new blood mixed in.  The only thing missing was +Ken H, he hates us and won't play with us any more.  He keeps making up excuses about having to work and family, blah, blah, blah.  Have some priorities man!

I was really hoping to have my 5E handbook today, but the UPS man would not leave it on my porch (even though I left him a fricking note to do so) and now I have to wait until tomorrow.  I want to punch him.  Not hard.  Maybe in the upper leg to give him a charlie horse. 

7 comments:

  1. @ Tim:

    Can you elaborate a bit more about what 5E does that makes playing it "a blast?" That's not clear from your post?

    I just want to distinguish what it is you dig about 5E specifically (as opposed to the adventure, the DM, and the folks at the table).

    Thanks!
    : )

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  2. One of the best roleplaying nights. I like 5e--more of the 1st ed feel plus advantage/disadvantage, skills, and the wealth of content ideas.

    Best part--great DM, great group, good friends with patience, creativity and roleplaying skills. Excellent adventure--bad guys, maps, town, politics. Very much a sandbox feel.

    Thanks guys--looking forward to our next game.

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  3. Hey Tim,

    I'm going to echo JB's request for some elaboration about what it is you like about 5E. I've only read the Basic rules and haven't played the game, but I'm not getting any old school vibe off this game - it looks to me like a slightly simplified version of 3E. Here's what I'm not getting about the new edition: fans of 3E have mostly migrated to Pathfinder, and they seem pretty partisan in their loyalty and unlikely to switch. The new game still contains too many of the things that old-school gamers disliked about 3E and I'm not seeing any incentive for them to abandon their old-school rule set of choice.

    So, apart from a great DM and the fun adventures he's running for you, what is it about the 5E rules specifically that you are enjoying?

    Cheers!

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  4. I'll echo JB, too. Most of my games are a blast, and none of them due to the system. It has to do with investment on the player's part and my encouragement of that investment. How is it that 5E offers something 'special' that good, old-fashioned DMing does not allow?

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  5. This makes me really jealous of you guys.

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  6. Hey, Vognur only sings opera when he's lopping heads off with his sword.

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  7. Yes Tim. I have my own ideas - but yes - tell us, tell us why 5e roxxors? :)

    - Ark

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