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In the Lost Mine of Phandelver campaign, is it a problem to have PCs advance above level 5?

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4

$begingroup$

I'm currently planning to DM Lost Mine Of Phandelver as my first D&D game, and as explained in this question, I'd like to add more encounters than the scripted ones in the scenario.

This led me to a question:

Is it a problem to have PCs advance above level 5 in LMOP? (given that this scenario is designed for PCs from level 1 to 5)

I'd like answers supported by experiences with having higher-level PCs than they're supposed to be in a scenario, and ones based specifically on LMOP would be really great.

dnd-5e published-adventures character-advancement character-levels lost-mine-of-phandelver

share|improve this question

edited 18 hours ago

V2Blast

26.6k591162

asked 20 hours ago

ZomaZoma

565118

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  The question you linked has just a single answer recommending using milestone/story-based-leveling --- doesn't that solve this same issue?
  $endgroup$
  – kviiri
  19 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @kviiri It solves the other question, but even if I adopt milestones, I'm pretty curious about what could involve having PCs higher than level 5.
  $endgroup$
  – Zoma
  19 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Are you aware of how long it takes to go from level 5 to level 6 during play? Have you experienced that progression at the table as a player?
  $endgroup$
  – KorvinStarmast
  17 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @KorvinStarmast not at all, It will be my first DnD game, and first time DM/GM. I initially added new-gm tag, but I guess it wasn't relevant enought fo the question so it got removed. Even if it can take a long time, in the linked question I explain that with more encounters PCs may get a lot of EXP from "farm", so it could realistically happen (putting aside the answers to the linked question which are supposed to solve this problem).
  $endgroup$
  – Zoma
  17 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  OK, just checking; given the significant XP increase between 5 and 6 (6500 to 14000) I am not convinced that you have a problem here as the PC's will be near the end of adventure at 5 ... but I'll let the answers address that.
  $endgroup$
  – KorvinStarmast
  17 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

4

$begingroup$

I'm currently planning to DM Lost Mine Of Phandelver as my first D&D game, and as explained in this question, I'd like to add more encounters than the scripted ones in the scenario.

This led me to a question:

Is it a problem to have PCs advance above level 5 in LMOP? (given that this scenario is designed for PCs from level 1 to 5)

I'd like answers supported by experiences with having higher-level PCs than they're supposed to be in a scenario, and ones based specifically on LMOP would be really great.

dnd-5e published-adventures character-advancement character-levels lost-mine-of-phandelver

share|improve this question

edited 18 hours ago

V2Blast

26.6k591162

asked 20 hours ago

ZomaZoma

565118

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  The question you linked has just a single answer recommending using milestone/story-based-leveling --- doesn't that solve this same issue?
  $endgroup$
  – kviiri
  19 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @kviiri It solves the other question, but even if I adopt milestones, I'm pretty curious about what could involve having PCs higher than level 5.
  $endgroup$
  – Zoma
  19 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Are you aware of how long it takes to go from level 5 to level 6 during play? Have you experienced that progression at the table as a player?
  $endgroup$
  – KorvinStarmast
  17 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @KorvinStarmast not at all, It will be my first DnD game, and first time DM/GM. I initially added new-gm tag, but I guess it wasn't relevant enought fo the question so it got removed. Even if it can take a long time, in the linked question I explain that with more encounters PCs may get a lot of EXP from "farm", so it could realistically happen (putting aside the answers to the linked question which are supposed to solve this problem).
  $endgroup$
  – Zoma
  17 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  OK, just checking; given the significant XP increase between 5 and 6 (6500 to 14000) I am not convinced that you have a problem here as the PC's will be near the end of adventure at 5 ... but I'll let the answers address that.
  $endgroup$
  – KorvinStarmast
  17 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

I'm currently planning to DM Lost Mine Of Phandelver as my first D&D game, and as explained in this question, I'd like to add more encounters than the scripted ones in the scenario.

This led me to a question:

Is it a problem to have PCs advance above level 5 in LMOP? (given that this scenario is designed for PCs from level 1 to 5)

I'd like answers supported by experiences with having higher-level PCs than they're supposed to be in a scenario, and ones based specifically on LMOP would be really great.

dnd-5e published-adventures character-advancement character-levels lost-mine-of-phandelver

share|improve this question

edited 18 hours ago

V2Blast

26.6k591162

asked 20 hours ago

ZomaZoma

565118

$endgroup$

share|improve this question

edited 18 hours ago

V2Blast

26.6k591162

asked 20 hours ago

ZomaZoma

565118

share|improve this question

edited 18 hours ago

V2Blast

26.6k591162

asked 20 hours ago

ZomaZoma

565118

edited 18 hours ago

V2Blast

26.6k591162

edited 18 hours ago

V2Blast

26.6k591162

asked 20 hours ago

ZomaZoma

565118

asked 20 hours ago

ZomaZoma

565118

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

13

$begingroup$

Because the combat is designed around the characters finishing the campaign at level 5, you would be faced with 2 options:

• Allow the parts from level 5 onward to be easier than intended


• Tweak the encounter to make it harder

Personally I would do a bit of both. As a GM it can be easy to think that harder combat = more exciting for the players, but this is not always the case. Sometimes, having a few easy encounters will give the players a sense of accomplishment.

For example, when the players cleared cragmaw hideout, they probably found that difficult. If you throw a similar combat at them at level 4 or 5, they will just blow through it. Some players may not find that interesting but others will look back and say "wow look at how much stronger we are".

When the combats are all difficult, it can be hard for the party to see that they have made any progress.

I have done this in the past, not with the LMoP, but with other adventures. The main goal here is to compensate for the extra power you have given them. Try to analyze how hard the encounter should have been. If you are new, you could try running the combat alone (using the PC character sheets) at the intended level. Then tweak the combat, put the characters at their current level and try again.

This might seem like a lot of work, but when I was first starting as a DM I found it very useful. CR is a guideline at best. The best way to tell if an encounter is too strong to too weak (as a beginner DM) is to play it out.

In conclusion, if you do nothing with the encounters as written, the party will just find the counters easier than the designer intended. I would recommend tweaking the encounters if you plan to have party go beyond level 5.

share|improve this answer

edited 18 hours ago

Sdjz

14.1k468114

answered 19 hours ago

SaggingRufusSaggingRufus

2,55921833

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Nice answer, plus a really valuable tip for me as beginner DM. Thanks a lot.
  $endgroup$
  – Zoma
  17 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

Your Answer

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13

$begingroup$

Because the combat is designed around the characters finishing the campaign at level 5, you would be faced with 2 options:

• Allow the parts from level 5 onward to be easier than intended


• Tweak the encounter to make it harder

Personally I would do a bit of both. As a GM it can be easy to think that harder combat = more exciting for the players, but this is not always the case. Sometimes, having a few easy encounters will give the players a sense of accomplishment.

For example, when the players cleared cragmaw hideout, they probably found that difficult. If you throw a similar combat at them at level 4 or 5, they will just blow through it. Some players may not find that interesting but others will look back and say "wow look at how much stronger we are".

When the combats are all difficult, it can be hard for the party to see that they have made any progress.

I have done this in the past, not with the LMoP, but with other adventures. The main goal here is to compensate for the extra power you have given them. Try to analyze how hard the encounter should have been. If you are new, you could try running the combat alone (using the PC character sheets) at the intended level. Then tweak the combat, put the characters at their current level and try again.

This might seem like a lot of work, but when I was first starting as a DM I found it very useful. CR is a guideline at best. The best way to tell if an encounter is too strong to too weak (as a beginner DM) is to play it out.

In conclusion, if you do nothing with the encounters as written, the party will just find the counters easier than the designer intended. I would recommend tweaking the encounters if you plan to have party go beyond level 5.

share|improve this answer

edited 18 hours ago

Sdjz

14.1k468114

answered 19 hours ago

SaggingRufusSaggingRufus

2,55921833

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Nice answer, plus a really valuable tip for me as beginner DM. Thanks a lot.
  $endgroup$
  – Zoma
  17 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

13

$begingroup$

Because the combat is designed around the characters finishing the campaign at level 5, you would be faced with 2 options:

• Allow the parts from level 5 onward to be easier than intended


• Tweak the encounter to make it harder

Personally I would do a bit of both. As a GM it can be easy to think that harder combat = more exciting for the players, but this is not always the case. Sometimes, having a few easy encounters will give the players a sense of accomplishment.

For example, when the players cleared cragmaw hideout, they probably found that difficult. If you throw a similar combat at them at level 4 or 5, they will just blow through it. Some players may not find that interesting but others will look back and say "wow look at how much stronger we are".

When the combats are all difficult, it can be hard for the party to see that they have made any progress.

I have done this in the past, not with the LMoP, but with other adventures. The main goal here is to compensate for the extra power you have given them. Try to analyze how hard the encounter should have been. If you are new, you could try running the combat alone (using the PC character sheets) at the intended level. Then tweak the combat, put the characters at their current level and try again.

This might seem like a lot of work, but when I was first starting as a DM I found it very useful. CR is a guideline at best. The best way to tell if an encounter is too strong to too weak (as a beginner DM) is to play it out.

In conclusion, if you do nothing with the encounters as written, the party will just find the counters easier than the designer intended. I would recommend tweaking the encounters if you plan to have party go beyond level 5.

share|improve this answer

edited 18 hours ago

Sdjz

14.1k468114

answered 19 hours ago

SaggingRufusSaggingRufus

2,55921833

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Nice answer, plus a really valuable tip for me as beginner DM. Thanks a lot.
  $endgroup$
  – Zoma
  17 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

Because the combat is designed around the characters finishing the campaign at level 5, you would be faced with 2 options:

• Allow the parts from level 5 onward to be easier than intended


• Tweak the encounter to make it harder

Personally I would do a bit of both. As a GM it can be easy to think that harder combat = more exciting for the players, but this is not always the case. Sometimes, having a few easy encounters will give the players a sense of accomplishment.

For example, when the players cleared cragmaw hideout, they probably found that difficult. If you throw a similar combat at them at level 4 or 5, they will just blow through it. Some players may not find that interesting but others will look back and say "wow look at how much stronger we are".

When the combats are all difficult, it can be hard for the party to see that they have made any progress.

I have done this in the past, not with the LMoP, but with other adventures. The main goal here is to compensate for the extra power you have given them. Try to analyze how hard the encounter should have been. If you are new, you could try running the combat alone (using the PC character sheets) at the intended level. Then tweak the combat, put the characters at their current level and try again.

This might seem like a lot of work, but when I was first starting as a DM I found it very useful. CR is a guideline at best. The best way to tell if an encounter is too strong to too weak (as a beginner DM) is to play it out.

In conclusion, if you do nothing with the encounters as written, the party will just find the counters easier than the designer intended. I would recommend tweaking the encounters if you plan to have party go beyond level 5.

share|improve this answer

edited 18 hours ago

Sdjz

14.1k468114

answered 19 hours ago

SaggingRufusSaggingRufus

2,55921833

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

edited 18 hours ago

Sdjz

14.1k468114

answered 19 hours ago

SaggingRufusSaggingRufus

2,55921833

edited 18 hours ago

Sdjz

14.1k468114

edited 18 hours ago

Sdjz

14.1k468114

answered 19 hours ago

SaggingRufusSaggingRufus

2,55921833

answered 19 hours ago

SaggingRufusSaggingRufus

2,55921833