Completely agree that this is the most beginner friendly box set for DMs and players. Those character sheets are wonderful for new players. The rules book is clear and well laid out. The adventure has a good variety of adventure types, and as you pointed out plenty of places where the DM can expand or build new adventures off of. It also has links to the videos showing brand new folks how to play the game. I think they knocked it out of the park with this one. Great review and awesome suggestions. Keep up the great work.
the module does actually state that Sparkrender will run away if he is reduced to 10hp - obviously that can be adjusted by the DM for dramatic effect "The dragon fights until reduced to 10 or fewer hit points, at which point he swears vengeance against the characters and attempts to flee the island starting on his next turn. (He might say something like this as he takes the Disengage action and flies away: "I swear by Eldenemir the Raging Storm and the five heads of Tiamat, you will pay for this insult!")"
I have been mildly interested in DND for a long time. I picked up Balders Gate 3 and fell in love with it. Made me pick up this starter set. My kids are finally old enough to actually play (maybe with a little help for the youngest). Thanks for this video.
I am setting up the Compass Rose to be the main adventure for my newbie party of 7 and I really love your idea of the cleric being a ghost! Also will amp up the number of harpies, since the party is this big. 😅
im gonna be running DOSI soon as a prologue, after we get to lvl 3 and the party parts dragon's rest, they're gonna end up in the mists among the sea waves and dock in falkovnia for a mini one shot i found on DmsGuild.
How would you feel about this as a first adventure to DM for someone young who has played D&D 5e a bit but wants to try DMimg. I'm thinking about getting this for my teenage daughter.
This was the first adventure I ran this week. It's very good and the needed preparation is very minimal. Plus, it leaves the dm a lot of room to decide on stuff. I recommend it as a first module, followed by mines of phandelver which is free on dnd beyond I believe
I agree. I'm currently running this for a group of 12 to 15 year olds at a program I'm doing at our local public library. I'm always on the lookout for stuff that is ideal for younger age groups or mixed age groups. This has a lot of scope and a lot of places for the DM to add or remove obstacles appropriately.
never played or DM before only have 3 players, 2 are kids 1 is wife and it all looks so confusing and so much to remember lol. I have 3 starter sets ,loads of books and materials but its all just gathering dust :P
Ice spire is a great adventure. But I think it’s awful as a first adventure for new players, it’s far too open ended with not a whole lot of direction. I’ve had many first time players just not know what or why they are doing things.
I'm a fan of Icespire Peak, but it really needs a DM with some experience to run it. It is truly a sandbox adventure, with a setting filled with different adventures to explore, but no obvious overarching plot. It feels like it should be about the dragon and neutralizing him in some way, but you get a whole sub-plot about orc cultists that pretty much drives the bulk of the adventures. An experienced DM and experienced players can put together the pieces of these stories and make it work. However, new folks are going to find this to be very unconnected and can feel like it lacks urgency. In my mind, this works fine for a casual game, where everyone is there to just do some dungeon delving and kill some monsters. Classic D&D fun, with some memorable characters and some solid set pieces. The potential to turn it into a more story focused adventure is there, but the DM has to put some work in to streamline the adventure a bit, make the stakes higher and even add a ticking clock element to there is urgency to the adventure. Dragons of Stormwreck Isle is much more focused and gives the DM quite a bit more help in keeping everything moving. It is a more linear story, but for new folks that is fine. There is a clear narrative here, and the DM can build on it easily enough if they like. It might be a bit too straightforward for a more experienced gaming group. But there are some fun set pieces and some excellent characters that I think this works fine for most groups looking for a few quick games. I feel that Dragons of Stormwreck Isle is more complete package and much easier for new DMs and players. Dragon of Icespire Peak has a lot of potential to build on, but the DM has to be ready to put in the work to do it. Playing it out of the box is fun for a while, but really is better for a casual game. Both times I've played it (once as a DM and once as a player) it ran out of steam before the end - mostly because the lack of clarity and urgency. Something that both those (more narrative style players) groups craved.
@@wanderingbardagain6945 100% agree. I think with some DM elbow grease you could try and make a better over arching story that connects a bit better for icespire. Everything as written for stromwreck just runs super smoothly, it’s very natural for new players on knowing what to do next or where to go.
So many plotholes and non-sense in that adventure. It got my head scratching as I am preppin it. It's almost like they don't read proof the logic of the plot nor play-test it upon release. Also that box sucks, big box filled with nothing (ah yeah you got a collector cardboard-filler). What kind of Starter Set is that ?! PF2 Beginner Box is what you call a Starter Set (And I don't even play PF).
Thank you so much for this video! As a somewhat longtime player, but first time DM, I’m really looking forward to running this.
Completely agree that this is the most beginner friendly box set for DMs and players. Those character sheets are wonderful for new players. The rules book is clear and well laid out. The adventure has a good variety of adventure types, and as you pointed out plenty of places where the DM can expand or build new adventures off of. It also has links to the videos showing brand new folks how to play the game. I think they knocked it out of the park with this one. Great review and awesome suggestions. Keep up the great work.
the module does actually state that Sparkrender will run away if he is reduced to 10hp - obviously that can be adjusted by the DM for dramatic effect
"The dragon fights until reduced to 10 or fewer hit points, at which point he swears vengeance against the characters and attempts to flee the island starting on his next turn. (He might say something like this as he takes the Disengage action and flies away: "I swear by Eldenemir the Raging Storm and the five heads of Tiamat, you will pay for this insult!")"
I actually felt the myconid adventure seemed like a cakewalk. If they’re remotely nice to the first group they see they can just walk to the end.
I have been mildly interested in DND for a long time. I picked up Balders Gate 3 and fell in love with it. Made me pick up this starter set. My kids are finally old enough to actually play (maybe with a little help for the youngest). Thanks for this video.
I am setting up the Compass Rose to be the main adventure for my newbie party of 7 and I really love your idea of the cleric being a ghost! Also will amp up the number of harpies, since the party is this big. 😅
That was very informative and helpful, thank you!
Thanks. Just bought this. I watch this a few times.
About to run my first game using Stormwreck. This video was super helpful!
im gonna be running DOSI soon as a prologue, after we get to lvl 3 and the party parts dragon's rest, they're gonna end up in the mists among the sea waves and dock in falkovnia for a mini one shot i found on DmsGuild.
Fast forward to 10.00
What?! You're covering this the day after I got it!?
How would you feel about this as a first adventure to DM for someone young who has played D&D 5e a bit but wants to try DMimg. I'm thinking about getting this for my teenage daughter.
This was the first adventure I ran this week. It's very good and the needed preparation is very minimal. Plus, it leaves the dm a lot of room to decide on stuff. I recommend it as a first module, followed by mines of phandelver which is free on dnd beyond I believe
@@idankatz8085 thanks! I think she'll enjoy it, especially after watching some of the videos folks have made to explain and help streamline it.
@@Balcamion79 definitely! If she needs players let me know, I have discord!
I agree. I'm currently running this for a group of 12 to 15 year olds at a program I'm doing at our local public library.
I'm always on the lookout for stuff that is ideal for younger age groups or mixed age groups.
This has a lot of scope and a lot of places for the DM to add or remove obstacles appropriately.
Such a hype video!
never played or DM before only have 3 players, 2 are kids 1 is wife and it all looks so confusing and so much to remember lol. I have 3 starter sets ,loads of books and materials but its all just gathering dust :P
Try finding a live play show/podcast you like and watch/listen to it with the core rule book in hand. You’d be surprised how much it helps!
I was in the same position. Have you seen Hero Kids? It’s really easy to learn and my kids love it.
You're awesome
Comparing this to Dragon of Icespire Peak, what would you say?
Was a player for icespire and dm'd this and definitely prefer this
Ice spire is a great adventure. But I think it’s awful as a first adventure for new players, it’s far too open ended with not a whole lot of direction. I’ve had many first time players just not know what or why they are doing things.
I'm a fan of Icespire Peak, but it really needs a DM with some experience to run it. It is truly a sandbox adventure, with a setting filled with different adventures to explore, but no obvious overarching plot. It feels like it should be about the dragon and neutralizing him in some way, but you get a whole sub-plot about orc cultists that pretty much drives the bulk of the adventures. An experienced DM and experienced players can put together the pieces of these stories and make it work. However, new folks are going to find this to be very unconnected and can feel like it lacks urgency.
In my mind, this works fine for a casual game, where everyone is there to just do some dungeon delving and kill some monsters. Classic D&D fun, with some memorable characters and some solid set pieces. The potential to turn it into a more story focused adventure is there, but the DM has to put some work in to streamline the adventure a bit, make the stakes higher and even add a ticking clock element to there is urgency to the adventure.
Dragons of Stormwreck Isle is much more focused and gives the DM quite a bit more help in keeping everything moving. It is a more linear story, but for new folks that is fine. There is a clear narrative here, and the DM can build on it easily enough if they like. It might be a bit too straightforward for a more experienced gaming group. But there are some fun set pieces and some excellent characters that I think this works fine for most groups looking for a few quick games.
I feel that Dragons of Stormwreck Isle is more complete package and much easier for new DMs and players. Dragon of Icespire Peak has a lot of potential to build on, but the DM has to be ready to put in the work to do it. Playing it out of the box is fun for a while, but really is better for a casual game. Both times I've played it (once as a DM and once as a player) it ran out of steam before the end - mostly because the lack of clarity and urgency. Something that both those (more narrative style players) groups craved.
@@wanderingbardagain6945 100% agree. I think with some DM elbow grease you could try and make a better over arching story that connects a bit better for icespire. Everything as written for stromwreck just runs super smoothly, it’s very natural for new players on knowing what to do next or where to go.
No maps. That’s a big fail my book
So many plotholes and non-sense in that adventure. It got my head scratching as I am preppin it. It's almost like they don't read proof the logic of the plot nor play-test it upon release. Also that box sucks, big box filled with nothing (ah yeah you got a collector cardboard-filler). What kind of Starter Set is that ?! PF2 Beginner Box is what you call a Starter Set (And I don't even play PF).
like? i am starting to prep it and i am a bit of a newbie dm.
Brandon Herrera on D&D
ak guy playing d&d?
Perfect
awesome video! imma be the gm for the 1st time and your video gives me some confidence 🫣❤️