Map of Phandalin from Dungeons and Dragons New Book Phandelver and Below the Shattered Obelisk

[@gamemasters]

heh, found a MAJOR mistake in my observations, Mike's initials ARE in the new version of the map, just more hidden in the filigree. I'm cutting that element from the video, but viewers may see it until the video updates with that part removed (I'll also be updating the thumbnail).

[@steveo8511]

Still seems somewhat sneaky to move the initials to be hidden in the filigree, and not leave it where the artist placed it originally. Not sure if this is common practice, but seems shady to me.

[@PeterLechler]

Yeah, Mike is awesome

[@marcoriley9116]

Thanks for doing the comparative analysis that is required for transitioning an old campaign into new. This is the content we DMs appreciate

[@gamemasters]

once I get a review copy, I'll have A LOT more to share. :)

[@JC_Storm-33]

I played human fighter, Sildar Winterhall, a member of the Lords' Alliance in the original release. Once are party completed this adventure it was of to Triboar to start Storm King's Thunder. After completing that as well Sildar returned, as a high ranking officer in the Lords' Alliance and rebuilt Tresendar Manor as a base of operations and made their presents felt. I am curious how my DM will play this out.

[@gamemasters]

i'm curious to see exactly HOW much of a sandbox this setting is going to ultimately end up being and exactly where it will take players.

[@jamiestreet1785]

I believe we are getting another remake with a higher price point. Would love to see the adventure start at level 5 so the starter campaign could be built on to. Will wait for your feedback before buying !!

[@gamemasters]

it's going to contain the original adventure, Lost Mine, but with a few subtle tweaks to attach it to a larger campaign and will use Phandalin itself as a hub for that campaign. BUT, I'll let you know once I get the actual review copy what the nitty gritty is.

[@Newt211]

Thanks, going to check out what else is on your channel. Just started up playing dnd again from my 2nd edition days.

[@gamemasters]

I've been tempted to break open some of my old AD&D stuff and do reviews on that AS IF THEY WERE NEW muhahahahaha!

[@Newt211]

@@gamemasters I would like to see a comparison off the top of your head differences between old school dnd and modern 5e. Also, is it better now vs then? While subjective, I feel like there are a lot of new playable races I have to wrap my head around and skill checks seem more complicated. Back when I played if you wanted to persuade someone it was role play and a charisma check and the difficulty was pass or fail on your attribute. To me the base stats had more impact because you didn’t run around chasing modifiers as much as you do now. I don’t know…. If you asked me as a DM if you knew any history or lore, roll a wisdom check. That was it. Now it feels like I am uh, what is your history modifier, and what other bonuses etc. just my thoughts…

[@gamemasters]

@@Newt211 you have an interesting idea... that is a very doable video, but it might be a a series of videos (smile). Join up on my discord I can go into some more details there.

[@bearcat1868]

My introduction to 5e was through the Lost Mines of Phandelver. I had a lot of fun with it, but I guess I'm in the minority being excited to see the new campaign stuff and how it interacts with the older adventure.

[@gamemasters]

Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to see how it blends together as well. I AM still a little raw from everything that we've been put through by WotC and Hasbro.... BUT I do enjoy the game.

[@bearcat1868]

@gamemasters Fair point. With all the drama and negativity going around, I can't help but feel I chose the worst possible time to get back into D&D. I just want to have fun and be excited for things, and it feels like I'm the only one, sometimes.

[@gamemasters]

nah, I mean, I don't care what the owners of the brand choose to do because I know that deep down, WE are the true owners because it all really boils down to imagination. Because of that, I'll always play (my own version of) Dungeons and Dragons and THAT is enough to excite me.

[@theophrastusbombastus1359]

Interesting. Our group always pronounces it "Lay-lon" Thank you for the video.

[@gamemasters]

hmm.. I'm having a difficult time pin-pointing to what you are referring to? What's the time stamp?

[@gamemasters]

check out our sneak peek Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5jcoZiHgch0mdk

[@bossbullyboy195]

I'd love to see an NPC breakdown for the new vs old as well

[@gamemasters]

oof.. that would be a long video heh. There are some that didn't change, some that did, but to be honest, at the end of the day, the NPCs, while important to the overall adventure, all need to be fleshed out by the DM anyways, so comparing them would be on a more technical level. It's doable, but I fear it might be kindav a boring video :(

[@jamesonstalanthasyu]

I wonder for Eldermath, he could have still been a half-elf, but with drow heritage that he didn't want to make public?

[@gamemasters]

Hmm.. maybe?

[@robertgray821]

Alright we have... A confirmed race swap (half-elf to drow) A confirmed gender swap (male to female) Is Netflix handling this remake or something?

[@gamemasters]

ROFL!!!!

[@aaronbrown5776]

At some sort of summit they mentioned that the term 'half' was inherently racist, so the new Players Handbook would not have half-elves or half-orcs. I think, however, they are starting to backpedal on this because people who are of mixed ancestry (like myself were like, "WTF? I've described myself as half-asian my whole life. Why is this offensive?" My best friend and the guy who is my usual DM is half-hispanic and he was also like, "I just don't get it..." I don't know where this notion came from. Just weird...

[@robertgray821]

​@@aaronbrown5776 You aren't wrong. The whole thing is just mindbogglingly silly. At this point I just think they are actively trying to destroy D&D.

[@greghamilton9505]

@@aaronbrown5776 the perpetually offended know the term is inherently racist and are protecting you because obviously you're too blinded by systematic racism to see your own oppression and how you unknowingly perpetuate the patriarchy

[@OlOlOIIO]

The events of Obelisk takes place before Acquisitions Incorporated? Barthen’s Provisions is out of business in that book.

[@gamemasters]

Correct. In Obelisk, it goes back to and includes Lost Mine of Phandeler but then expands it from just an adventure and makes it a sandbox campaign. So, this book will actually replace that initial Lost Mine adventure.

[@OlOlOIIO]

@@gamemasters Interesting. Where is this insider information coming from? I’m unfamiliar with this channel. I admittedly haven’t put a ton of effort into trying to find more information about this book but most searches I’ve made just lead back to what is on DnD Beyond’s page.

[@gamemasters]

@@OlOlOIIO I've been in the gaming industry (professionally) since the 1990's and have built up a lot of contacts in the industry, but also scour news that Wizards puts out there to fill in the missing pieces.

[@Darkwintre]

Interesting, they need this to be as good if not actually better than their early 5e works and not another mess like the Spelljammer, Strixhaven, etc...

[@gamemasters]

i agree.. but the info that I uncover in this video.. well.. I'll let folks draw their own conclusions..

[@Darkwintre]

@@gamemasters I must admit I'm interested.

[@gamemasters]

@@Darkwintre I saw your question in the chat: "Is it set aftert the starter set including the other starter set?" ​it's kindav a replacement. ​it includes the original adventure Lost Mines of Phandelver but adds to it, kindav "converts" it into a campaign of sorts instead of just a singular adventure.

[@danteviperbrandolini]

Always Wonderful Content by you Mr. Gamemasters! Love this Video! You are a Legendary Legend, Good Sir.....😉😉😒😒

[@gamemasters]

the Legend here is you!

[@danteviperbrandolini]

@@gamemasters You are far too kind, Mr. Gamemasters.....😉😉

[@AlternityGM]

One of my players asked what the population of Phandalin is but none of the published materials describe it. Essentials Kit states 40-50 buildings but not every building is an occupied home. I’m guessing no more than 40 families and less than 100 permanent residents. That population grows with transitory miners & visitors.

[@gamemasters]

I'd wager to guess that 100 is about right. Ive seen folks attempt to put a population number to Phandalin and that number has ranged anywhere between 53 and 1000. I cannot see it being anywhere close to 1k in size, just based on the map itself. I'd say your assessment of about 100 is accurate.

[@marsmech]

One change I make the the lost mines is I make the wood cutter's wife the sister of the townmaster. It makes the town master in action on what the red brands in town make sense because is sister is held hostage.

[@zenovkayos5811]

The ghost town of conny Berry needs to be fleshed out. An outline/map in addition to goodies/trinkets. Something that shows off its sad history. Maybe a chance for the players to restore the town. I am opposed to changing Barthen's provisions owner to female. What does that accomplish? Now you have Halia over the miner's exchange, the weapon trader is a female too. The farm owner as well. Then Barthen's provisions ? What kind of frontier town has only female shop owners everywhere?

[@gamemasters]

I understand your concerns regarding the distribution of female shop owners in Phandalin. Some people will like what is presented, others wont, what is important, however, is the remember that this is a fictional setting where whoever is running the game change elements to suit their wants and desires. Should you desire to have the shop keepers all male, or a mixture of both, run with it!

[@leewilliams5342]

I would just have the two married. That way, no matter which you run into, Mr. Barthen, Mrs. Barthen, or both... you always have something set for the players.

[@Wanthor26]

👍

[@gamemasters]

[@JC_Storm-33]

A drow?!!

[@gamemasters]

i know!! kindav a head scratcher.. BUT... it makes a little sense now that WotC is pushing the "no such thing as monsters" and " -races- species are no longer inherently evil".

[@PeterLechler]

Changes to Edermath wont work for me. He gave mt PC a position on the Order of the Gauntlet, we are in business together (apples) and my PC hates Drow...as he was previously enslaved by them. Lol

[@gamemasters]

yeah, this seems like a really odd change...

[@costanzafaust]

Heh... In our game, Elmar is my PC's 'uncle', I don't see why they need to switch things like this and cause these unnecessary discrepancies.

[@PeterLechler]

@@costanzafaust I'm wondering if changing Edermath to a Drow makes sense for a plot or quest line...maybe they are going to the Underdark and Edermath is the guy

[@ARealBigFatRappingMonkey]

@@PeterLechler My guess is it has to do with WOTC not liking half-races and trying to retcon them out of existence.

[@PeterLechler]

@@ARealBigFatRappingMonkey Yeah, I guess I was too optimistic on that one lol. I liked him as a half-elf. I played a wood elf...I kinda got kicked out of the tavern and slept in his orchard.

[@tjrooger1092]

Ok, so... Mostly hate this. In lots of ways. First off, still no high level official content, and this was a golden opportunity for it. Could have started at L5 after the events of LMoP and gone up 12 levels from there. Secondly, essentially lazy remaking LMoP instead of original content. Then just changing "cannon"? It's essentially a huge pain in that ass for anyone actually using that part of the timeline for an existing campaign. It's also a rather large middle finger for everyone already playing the game. Hasbro is obviously only focused on new players. They also just released a new starter campaign last year, Dragons of Stormwreck. The only reason this isn't a complete sack of monkey turds, is that I'm hopeful that with a lot of cobbling it could be stitched into an existing campaign. That may or may not turn out to be true.

[@gamemasters]

I'll let you know one way or the other when (IF) I get a review copy in. I just wonder how long it will be before they give us a "campaign" setting for Dragons of Stormwreck....

[@greghamilton9505]

what's the change of "cannon" ? The changes are too bit players, totally unimportant to a campaign. It expands on, not remakes. Putting the original material in hardcover is a freebee to the new 6-12 level adventure.

[@GameTimeWhy]

I feel like my grand children will be old when darksun is finally released for whatever dnd online bs exists at the time.

[@gamemasters]

heh i know what you mean... but we should be seeing Planescape later this year.... maybe...

[@GameTimeWhy]

@@gamemasters maybe. It's such a cool setting and (not saying they need to or should) if they want to add more present day themes into the game, darksun has slaves and elites and climate change and all sorts of stuff that is already canon in the setting. It's so weird they keep changing forgotten realms rather than taking settings that already fit whatever story they are trying to sell/push.

[@rochelleparisian]

*Promo SM* 😴

[@gamemasters]

hmm... promo silly muppets?

[@buckaroobonzai9847]

The town location and layout of the town is illogical. No beings with common sense would build a village in the middle of a vale between the Sword mountains and Neverwinter wood, an area of wilderness with no close by neighbor settlements and full of hostile tribes of humanoids and monsters. Even a wooden palisade would not protect the village for a year. A stone wall would last a few more. The solution would be to build a mining town actually in or on the Sword mountains with the mountains protecting the rear and much of the sides, preferable up from the ground forming natural raised walls.

[@gamemasters]

many towns popped up short distances from prosperous mines.. You can build the town close to the mine but you can't relocate the mine to be closer to a strategic place to build a town. This is likely one of the reasons that Phandelver has been attacked and ransacked multiple times over the years.

[@buckaroobonzai9847]

Yes, they did in civilized countries and kingdoms near fortified stronghold fiefs in the middle ages and the renaissance. However, even very large towns and cities in Civilized lands had walls and fortifications to protect them. Any small villages or hamlet were built very close under the umbrella of large fortified castles or towns. And that is just in medieval earth, not a fantasy world where the hostiles are much more numerous, by a hundredfold then a human world of bandits and raiders only. And, that is in civilized lands. Phandalin is not in civilized lands, it is in wilderness with no close settlements or allies. A village of a few hundred at most would never last in it's location. As I mentioned, only a heavily fortified walled town, placed in the mountainside or on a hilltop would survive. Any mining settlement would be right by the mining operations as a walled fort village or town. Even in a new fortified well defended location, it would require at least 250+ or more militia thus the town needs to be at least over 1000 residents. Phandalin as it was designed is a naive fantasy.

[@gamemasters]

a naive fantasy... in a game of fantasy and make believe? nahhh....

[@greghamilton9505]

when it was built over 400 years ago the area was fairly safe and under dominion of humans, dwarves, and gnomes. It was NOT a hostile area.