Lost Mine of Phandelver

This module was the first campaign that I ran completely online with strangers, as well as my first to GM to completion. This took me 9 months to finish with 4 players and a weekly 3 hour session.

LMOP Gist

Lost Mine of Phandelver is a D&D 5th edition adventure where players are hired to locate the lost mine of Wave Echo Cave and investigate trouble in the town of Phandalin. They confront the Redbrands, a group of bandits plaguing the town, and uncover the Black Spider's plot to control the mine. Along the way, they face challenges, explore dungeons, and interact with characters. It provides an introductory experience with a mix of combat, exploration, and role-playing, making it ideal for new players. Plus, it's free on D&D Beyond now!

How I Ran the Module

I tried to run this module as written, including the introductory goblin encounter. The only portion that I omitted was the green dragon, as I felt like it was introducing another boss that doesn't further the group's motivation. For Act 3, I tried to run it like Dragon of Icespire Peak, where the various side stories were run quest based.

Commentary

There isn't much motivation provided for players to engage in the story. Why are they going to Phandalin? Why should they care to help Gundren? I tried to follow the provided hook in the module, but once the players realized that Gundren isn't there to provide payment for their services, they didn't feel all too motivated to find him. It would be more economical for their characters to cut their losses, return to Neverwinter, and find employment to make up the loss.

I remember that I relied heavily on online resources to create a cohesive story. For example, I

What I Learned

The biggest complaint that I received was that the campaign went longer than they expected it to. I think that's an error on my part in understanding the group member's expectations, because I was under the assumption that all D&D games are supposed last like how long professional D&D shows last.

I need to trust the gut instinct I feel when I interview players. There was one individual that I felt was too greedy and wanted the narrative to go the way they wanted it to. Essentially, they had the "main character syndrome". I let the player stay for too long and it hurt the enjoyment for other players.

Lastly, I need to let the players piece the story together. As tempting as it may be, I should try to refrain from doing a lore dump, or telling them "this is how the story is and you need to accept it."

Overall, this was a big learning experience.