I love how this video goes to the trouble of blurring out the spoiler surrounding Renala... only to reveal it by specifically pointing out her stat block!
First time gm here looking to set up a game. What if i only have two players. The game seems set for five so I take it I'll need to remove a few enemies or would it be better if I run one of the preset characters to pad out the party? Maybe a stupid one so I don't have to give too much info through them.
I'm in the same position, with only 2 players and being a first time DM myself that's also new over all. What I can say is this set is meant for at least 4 players plus the DM, though having 5 can make it easier. The guide suggests if you can't do that, have a player take on a second character and treat them like a sidekick. In my case, both are taking on what we refer to as a primary and secondary character. Most things are done as if it's just the two of them, but the secondaries are brought in during combat or if they have a unique ability for a task. When rolling for initiative, I made a rule where they only roll once and then alternate. I.e. High roll primary first, then the other player's primary, then the high roller's secondary, then the other's secondary. We only barely started and was rough around the edges, but I think it'll work out. I may actually look into reducing enemy counts, and I've heard some DM's will fudge the numbers in favor of the players (remember, they aren't supposed to see what you can see in the books and such) to keep things from becoming overwhelming.
I haven't been able to get DoSI yet (not available in Australia), but I'm worried that the statblocks are going to continue the trend begun in MMM where spellcasters no longer actually have a list of spells and their casting level, but rather just a bunch of actions and a couple of innate spell-like abilities. Terrible, terrible idea that makes it so much more clunky to run the characters. No quick swapping spells around. No up-level casting. As a DM, I can no longer grab a spellcating NPC statblock and use it on the fly - I have to rework it from the ground up.
With the pregens in Dragons of Stormwreck Isle and the new premade characters on DnDBeyond, you need to check them for errors before play. Despite these errors being reported many times over the past 7 months, WotC apparently doesn't feel your time is valuable enough to correct these mistakes themselves. If it was a monster statblock here or there, no big deal, it's just a variant that's around for a few minutes. An error in a PC sheet can make a new player's first experience with the game less enjoyable as they fail at times when they should have succeeded. Just from memory: The halfling rogue's Investigation is wrong. The elf wizard is missing some weapon proficiencies, and their DEX save is wrong.
@@vamps_vids - • The halfling rogue's sheet says investigation +0, when it should be +3. • The high elf wizard's Dexterity saving throw says +3 when it should be +2. • Elves are also missing weapon proficiencies: - - - Elf Weapon Training You have proficiency with the longsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow. - - - That's not a huge deal to the wood elf fighter who has proficiency in all weapons anyway, but it could make a difference to the high elf wizard who could really benefit from having a bow. Access to the D&D Beyond character creator is free, so I recommend using it to rebuild the characters.
@@SeanChriscole - Maybe they don’t want to do that because it would mean admitting to the mistakes. That might prompt people to want replacement sheets. I think I’m stepping away from D&D when my current campaigns wrap up. Pathfinder 2 is a more complete game, and while nothing is perfect, it’s more consistently good and Paizo communicates more than WotC. PF2 just needs tools like D&D Beyond so people with busy lives can play without necessarily understanding all the mechanics.
I still kinda laugh at how the box set impies that our players will take on at least an adult blue dragon, but no, just bait and switch with a wyrmling, and nostalgia bait with the character art. Ridiculous.
Possibly. But some of these things we experienced DMs have either gotten lazy about, experience them from a different point of view, become all too complacent. I for one enjoy watching these new DM guide videos periodically because there are things that either I will learn that I just have never done, or I'll find a different approach to something that I already do.
D&D has found its perfect voice
Yes so much this! I think all the oxventures are the perfect voice for DND.
A good companion piece to the rest of this introductory series. Thanks, Jane!
This is some S-tier informative content. I was engaged, everything was explained thoroughly, nice visuals and audio.
Jane!! Wasn't expecting to see her here
I love how this video goes to the trouble of blurring out the spoiler surrounding Renala... only to reveal it by specifically pointing out her stat block!
😂
Runara.
Great video, pretty basic information but would be really helpful for a new DM.
Well done! Thank you!
This is crazy. I just watched one of her OX vids...and here she is again...lol
Merci !! 🙏🏼
doesn't the book have player maps and a DM map? at least mine does on DnD Beyond Maps and on the app.
Any Prudence character sheets ? 😉
I love this girl!
First time gm here looking to set up a game. What if i only have two players. The game seems set for five so I take it I'll need to remove a few enemies or would it be better if I run one of the preset characters to pad out the party? Maybe a stupid one so I don't have to give too much info through them.
I'm in the same position, with only 2 players and being a first time DM myself that's also new over all.
What I can say is this set is meant for at least 4 players plus the DM, though having 5 can make it easier. The guide suggests if you can't do that, have a player take on a second character and treat them like a sidekick. In my case, both are taking on what we refer to as a primary and secondary character. Most things are done as if it's just the two of them, but the secondaries are brought in during combat or if they have a unique ability for a task. When rolling for initiative, I made a rule where they only roll once and then alternate. I.e. High roll primary first, then the other player's primary, then the high roller's secondary, then the other's secondary.
We only barely started and was rough around the edges, but I think it'll work out. I may actually look into reducing enemy counts, and I've heard some DM's will fudge the numbers in favor of the players (remember, they aren't supposed to see what you can see in the books and such) to keep things from becoming overwhelming.
I almost didn’t watch this one because the thumbnail didn’t feature Jane. How are people supposed to know to watch with bad thumbnail images?
9:21 - keep it secret, keep it safe. ;)
I haven't been able to get DoSI yet (not available in Australia), but I'm worried that the statblocks are going to continue the trend begun in MMM where spellcasters no longer actually have a list of spells and their casting level, but rather just a bunch of actions and a couple of innate spell-like abilities. Terrible, terrible idea that makes it so much more clunky to run the characters. No quick swapping spells around. No up-level casting. As a DM, I can no longer grab a spellcating NPC statblock and use it on the fly - I have to rework it from the ground up.
I believe the narrator in this video was in a Top Ten channel I used to watch
With the pregens in Dragons of Stormwreck Isle and the new premade characters on DnDBeyond, you need to check them for errors before play.
Despite these errors being reported many times over the past 7 months, WotC apparently doesn't feel your time is valuable enough to correct these mistakes themselves.
If it was a monster statblock here or there, no big deal, it's just a variant that's around for a few minutes. An error in a PC sheet can make a new player's first experience with the game less enjoyable as they fail at times when they should have succeeded.
Just from memory: The halfling rogue's Investigation is wrong. The elf wizard is missing some weapon proficiencies, and their DEX save is wrong.
Can you tell me exactly what is wrong and where please? Our party just bought this starter set and we have 0 experience with DnD.
@@vamps_vids -
• The halfling rogue's sheet says investigation +0, when it should be +3.
• The high elf wizard's Dexterity saving throw says +3 when it should be +2.
• Elves are also missing weapon proficiencies:
- - -
Elf Weapon Training
You have proficiency with the longsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow.
- - -
That's not a huge deal to the wood elf fighter who has proficiency in all weapons anyway, but it could make a difference to the high elf wizard who could really benefit from having a bow.
Access to the D&D Beyond character creator is free, so I recommend using it to rebuild the characters.
@@Keovar thank you very much
Quite bonkers after all this time the official site still hasn't bothered to fix their PDF versions 🙄
@@SeanChriscole - Maybe they don’t want to do that because it would mean admitting to the mistakes. That might prompt people to want replacement sheets.
I think I’m stepping away from D&D when my current campaigns wrap up. Pathfinder 2 is a more complete game, and while nothing is perfect, it’s more consistently good and Paizo communicates more than WotC. PF2 just needs tools like D&D Beyond so people with busy lives can play without necessarily understanding all the mechanics.
did jane leave ox?
Nope
No I think they just wanted someone who played dnd to explain hope she is paid well
@@shadowedpokefan331 i havent heard her in the last few videos on ox
@@artturisiikanen3843 she was in their last stream at least. I think it was last week
@@artturisiikanen3843 I think they mentioned in one of their most recent live streams that she's doing something for the channel but isn't leaving ox
For computer programming geeks, DM should stand for Dungeon Main.
No grid, no minis. Unfortunate
no hand-outs whatsoever... and a cardboard filler ! shame.
Yeah I was kinda disappointed that the box was 50% filler
Yeah…
@@MrRono19it's not filler, it and the box itself is useful as a shield to hide the DM's info. Lol
Idk why , but you sound like zelda from breath of the wild
the module is a MESS. References all over the place. Mines of Phandelver is a much better starter mod.
I still kinda laugh at how the box set impies that our players will take on at least an adult blue dragon, but no, just bait and switch with a wyrmling, and nostalgia bait with the character art. Ridiculous.
Oh, that saves me from getting it. Thanks
Just change it to a blue dragon then. But at lvl 3 it will probably be difficult to fight it.
Seems to be geared for new or inexperienced DMs. That is fine but experienced DMs can skip this video.
Possibly. But some of these things we experienced DMs have either gotten lazy about, experience them from a different point of view, become all too complacent. I for one enjoy watching these new DM guide videos periodically because there are things that either I will learn that I just have never done, or I'll find a different approach to something that I already do.