The Best Books for Running A Phandelver Campaign

The Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk cover

Welcome, adventurers to one of Dungeons & Dragons’ most cherished introductory campaigns, Lost Mine of Phandelver. This fan-favourite adventure is now expanded into the full-fledged campaign book Phandelver: Below The Shattered Obelisk. It is not merely a continuation but an enrichment of the Phandelver saga, taking the foundational experience of battling goblins and uncovering ancient magics and propelling it into the depths of ancient ruins. This expansion offers Dungeon Masters and players alike a chance to continue their journey in the Forgotten Realms, exploring new dimensions of a story beloved by many.

The journey through Phandelver and beyond is enriched by a vast number of campaign resources offering Dungeon Masters extensive lore, enhanced mechanics, and new storylines to weave into their campaigns. They serve as the foundation for a more complex and engaging experience, ensuring that the heroes of Phandalin and their deeds become the stuff of legend.

As we venture beyond the familiar trails of the Sword Coast this blog post aims to be your guide through these expanded tools, offering insights into the resources available and how they can transform your D&D experience. So gather your party, as the saga of Phandelver awaits.

Finding Phandelver

Lost Mine of Phandelver is an introductory adventure included in the D&D 5e Starter Set. This level runs characters from levels 1 to 5 and introduces the Forgotten Realms setting and the Sword Coast region. The starter set can be found at your local gaming store as well as over on Amazon.  

With Phandelver: Below The Shattered Obelisk, the adventure expands into a full fledged campaign ideal for new DMs and groups getting into D&D. It contains the original Lost Mine of Phandelver adventure, plus even more that continues to explore the setting. This book offers new creatures, magic items, and quests to give players a lasting experience.

And if your group is into digital gaming with a virtual tabletop (VTT),  Phandelver: Below The Shattered Obelisk – Roll20 allows you to explore the depths of forgotten dungeons from anywhere in the world. This adaptation for the Roll20 platform not only allows Dungeon Masters to effortlessly navigate the complexities of the campaign with dynamic tools and visuals that highlight the depth of the adventure.

To fully immerse players in the world of Phandelver and its expansion, Tessa Presents: 33 Maps for Phandelver and Below on offers a complete collection of maps. Each map is designed to complement both the original Phandelver adventure and its expansions, ensuring that every exploration and encounter is visually immersive and strategically engaging.

The Phandelver saga and its expansions offer a modern approach to experiencing one of Dungeons & Dragons’ most beloved narratives. Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer returning to Phandelver or a new player eager to explore its depths, this campaign offers a spellbinding journey.

Comprehensive Campaign Resources

Embarking on the journey through Phandelver and its surrounding mysteries is a task that demands not only courage but a deep well of resources to draw from. For Dungeon Masters looking to bring Phandelver to life, a suite of comprehensive campaign resources stands ready to transform your adventure into an unforgettable saga. These tools, tips, and supplemental materials are tailored to enhance the narrative and challenge your players.

  • The Lost Mine of Phandelver & Phandelver and Below DM’s Resources compilation is an indispensable ally for Dungeon Masters. This collection encompasses a wide array of tools designed to streamline campaign management and enrich the storytelling experience. From tips that improve the adventure’s structure to statblocks and handouts, these resources address the multifaceted challenges of running the campaign. With these at your disposal, navigating the complexities of Phandelver becomes a more manageable and enjoyable endeavor.
  • The Friends & Factions: Lost Mine of Phandelver resource significantly enriches the social and political dynamics of Phandalin. By fully detailing the 45 NPCs in the Lost Mine of Phandelver adventure, you can weave complex relationships and intrigue into the fabric of the adventure. These enhancements offer players more ways to have lasting impacts on the story’s progression and their place within it.
  • Adventure Sidekicks: Lost Mine of Phandelver introduces unique companion options for the adventuring party. Whether seeking additional firepower, mystical support, or adventuring expertise, these sidekicks add depth and variety to the group’s composition. Each companion comes with their own backstory, motivations, and abilities, inviting new strategies, roleplaying opportunities, and camaraderie into the adventure.
  • Offering a unique twist on the traditional adventure, Fellowship of Phandalin: The NPCs of Lost Mine of Phandelver as PCs allows players to experience the story from the perspective of its NPCs. This inventive approach enables players to explore the motivations, challenges, and triumphs of Phandalin’s residents as they become the heroes of their own tale.

The journey through Phandelver, enriched by these comprehensive campaign resources, promises a D&D experience that is as deeply engaging as it is memorable.

Expanding the Adventure

While the core story of Phandelver provides a rich narrative fabric, the world around it teems with untold stories. For adventurers eager to deepen their journey beyond the bare essentials, these expansions weave seamlessly into the main storyline, offering new challenges and rewards.

  • Encounters At The Wayside Inn introduces a collection of 10 encounters that can serve as intriguing side quests or pivotal plot points in the campaign region. Set against the backdrop of a seemingly mundane inn, these encounters unravel in unexpected ways, adding to the campaign narrative.
  • Goblins have long been a staple of the Phandelver adventure, and Halls of the Goblin King brings them to the forefront in a goblin-centric adventure that can serve as a prequel, sequel, or standalone story. Through this adventure, the goblins of Phandelver are transformed from mere obstacles to key players in the unfolding saga.
  • Continuing from Halls of the Goblin King, Beneath Southkrypt offers an additional dungeon delve into an abandoned silver mine. This adventure expands upon the dungeon exploration aspect of Phandelver, introducing new challenges and mysteries that lie waiting in the depths.
  • One of the joys of adventuring is the treasure, and Monster Loot – Phandelver and Below The Shattered Obelisk ensures that the rewards are unique and compelling. This resource provides a wide array of loot and treasure options for encounters within the main campaign adventures. With items tied to the lore of Phandelver, the treasures found will leave a lasting impact on the players and their journey.

The journey through Phandelver is far from linear, branching out in directions that promise adventure, mystery, and riches for those bold enough to seek them. With these expansions, the world of Phandelver becomes full of potential paths to be discovered.

Conclusion

As we draw the curtains on our exploration of Phandelver: Below The Shattered Obelisk and its surrounding adventures, it’s clear that the world of Phandelver offers a boundless playground with endless possibilities. The resources and adventures are but the beginning, a foundation upon which countless tales of bravery, betrayal, and triumph can be built. The world of Phandelver awaits those daring enough to leave their mark upon its history, to explore its depths, and to emerge not just as heroes.

We encourage you to take up the mantle of adventure, to chart your course through the rich landscape of Phandelver and beyond. The world of Phandelver, with all its mysteries and marvels, is yours to explore. The only question that remains is, how will your story unfold?

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