# D&D 5E Which would you play next? (pretend you're in my game)



## el-remmen

On New Year's Eve, my local D&D group completed _U3 - The Final Enemy_ (from Ghosts of Saltmarsh), bringing to a close the main plot arc of the campaign after playing for in this campaign for 44 sessions over 3 years.

As I had mentioned to them early on, having arrived at this point I gave them four choices as to what I was willing to run next for them.

*Option One: Continue with this 5E Campaign with a more sandbox approach*
There are quite a number of loose threads remaining in the game (are giants planning an attack on the world of the free peoples? does the clown wizard Jocose really have legendary weapons in his death maze? who is the mysterious figure known as "grandmother" who has given them aid in the past? Is there really a secret city of long though extinct orcs in The World Below?) and I have a ton of plans for what they could play through, but in this phase of the campaign rather than the flowchart structure of adventures I designed for beginning players, they would tell me where they want to go and what they want to follow up on and I would prep that and we'd take it from there. EDIT: They'd keep the characters they already have.

*Option Two: Revised Temple of Elemental for 5E*
Create new characters in the same setting, but in a different part of the republic with a new series of adventures based on ToEE. This game would have a chance of merging with the first campaign once it reaches about the same level as the first - allowing for players to choose between characters to bring to adventures, or return to old plot points, etc.

*Option Three: Shadow of the Dragon Queen (5E)*
I have never run a game in Krynn, but have long wanted to adapt the original DL adventures to be played through by characters created by the players. However, I realized that 1. that would be a lot of work to prepare and 2. this group might not be best for the heavy RP approach I imagined for re-doing the original arc. Thus, this ready-made version of adventures in Krynn set during the War of the Lance but not requiring knowledge of the setting would be a better choice.

*Option Four: Something Old*
Lastly, I offered something non-5E: Either BECMI or Gamma World as an experiment and something to cleanse the palate with the caveat that if I or most of the group was not into it, we could switch to one of the other options.

So from among these four, if you were a player in my game, which would _you pick?_


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## Ralif Redhammer

Assuming, since I am gearing up to run Shadow of the Dragon Queen next month, I could magically erase my memory of reading the adventure, I'd pick playing in Shadow of the Dragon Queen. If not, I'd pick the BECMI campaign in a heartbeat.


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## GreyLord

I'd always choose BECMI, but that's me.

That's why I voted for it.  I love the game.

HOWEVER, despite that and that I voted on that, if I were more of a modern player I'd probably just want to continue using the character I already had.  If that means that your continuation in the West Marches allows them to keep using their characters that they have already been playing, I expect that would be a rather popular choice among the players.


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## payn

March West, I bet it would be nice to direct the game for awhile now.


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## Swarmkeeper

Since the campaign was 3 years, I voted for something new for the group (Temple of Elemental Evil) but a close second would be to tie up those loose ends West Marches style.


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## Snarf Zagyg

Tough. In any other situation, I'd March West and go with Option One.

But you offered BECMI? And Gamma World? _Gamma World????_

There is only one choice.


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## el-remmen

HA! Right now as the poll stands all the choices (save passing on it altogether) are tied up!

And to be clear, yes, Option One means sticking with their current characters.


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## Shiroiken

I went with ToEE, but honestly most of the options are fine. I strongly advise against pushing the existing campaign beyond the existing storyline. Unless a new story opens up, it makes the campaign feel anti-climatic.


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## schneeland

Assuming for this question that I enjoy 5e more than I actually do, I would go with the first option - I'm a fan of sandboxy gameplay (with a few good leads on what to do) and it sounds like a neat option to spend a bit more time with an established troupe of adventurers.

If we factor in my actual game preferences, I'd go for BECMI (or probably B/X in the form of OSE) and a suitable adventure.


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## Haplo781

The one that isn't 5e


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## DEFCON 1

Since your 'None of these' option included having to sit out... I went with continuing the campaign from where it was because it would be a new 5E game that was not either of the two you offered.  I don't care about Dragonlance at all, and I know enough about EE to know it's pretty much just a massive slog of combat after combat after combat for session after session.  Which might have been fine way back when when using Basic D&D or AD&D when all the numbers were much smaller and fights could end in like 5 minutes... but doing it n 5E?  No way.

Personally... I'd rather start a new 5E game back at 1st level that was not DL or ToEE.


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## Xamnam

el-remmen said:


> *Option Two: Revised Temple of Elemental for 5E*
> Create new characters in the same setting, but in a different part of the republic with a new series of adventures based on ToEE. *This game would have a chance of merging with the first campaign once it reaches about the same level as the first - allowing for players to choose between characters to bring to adventures, or return to old plot points, etc.*



Love having an opportunity to try out new toolkits and personalities, and the bolded part would be very satisfying if pulled off well, so that gets my vote. Though, obviously, I get to say this without having to deal with the attachment to the current characters.


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## ECMO3

I'm loving SODQ.


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## el-remmen

DEFCON 1 said:


> I know enough about EE to know it's pretty much just a massive slog of combat after combat after combat for session after session.  Which might have been fine way back when when using Basic D&D or AD&D when all the numbers were much smaller and fights could end in like 5 minutes... but doing it n 5E?  No way.
> 
> Personally... I'd rather start a new 5E game back at




Well two things about that:
1. My group likes combat as I tend to run dynamic combats with stakes.
2. As with all modules I run, I will be modifying it to fit our style.


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## MNblockhead

Kinda a weird poll in that really only your player's votes matter, but you can't put up Gamma World without me voting for gamma world. Pure nostalgia. Have no idea how it holds up. But I have fond memories of Gamma World and would love to have a chance to play in it again.


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## Reynard

The answer is ALWAYS Gamma World.


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## Haplo781

Reynard said:


> The answer is ALWAYS Gamma World.



Especially if it's GW7E


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## Reynard

Haplo781 said:


> Especially if it's GW7E



4E or GOML


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## humble minion

I'd probably go for SotDQ.  I normally want a change of pace after playing one character for a long time, and I haven't played enough 5e to be bored of it yet.  And I like the idea of a full-on melodramatic good vs evil epic fantasy romance extravaganza, and that's exactly the sort of thing that DL is suited for (and I might end up running a SotDQ campaign for just that reason, though I'd prefer to play).


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## TwoSix

What level are the current characters?  If they’re getting to a pretty fun level range I’d probably want to continue.


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## Retreater

I voted "palate cleanser." Your group has been in this campaign for a while - try something different and not jump into another long term campaign. Maybe give another player the reigns to DM a bit?


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## el-remmen

TwoSix said:


> What level are the current characters?  If they’re getting to a pretty fun level range I’d probably want to continue.




just hit 8th


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## el-remmen

MNblockhead said:


> Kinda a weird poll in that really only your player's votes matter




It is almost as if I was trying to share the things I am considering running in a way that might encourage people to participate and engage.


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## el-remmen

Retreater said:


> I voted "palate cleanser." Your group has been in this campaign for a while - try something different and not jump into another long term campaign. Maybe give another player the reigns to DM a bit?




One of the players in the group has been running some one-offs to get used to DMing (but this campaign was his first ever experience with D&D, so he is taking his time before starting up something long term). Plus I love running, so am always gonna run _something_.  As I said in one of my infamous poll threads, I have never experienced "DM burnout."


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## TwoSix

el-remmen said:


> just hit 8th



At 8th I'd definitely vote to keep going.  Late Tier 2 into early Tier 3 is right around the sweet spot of 5e for me.


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## Ruin Explorer

el-remmen said:


> On New Year's Eve, my local D&D group completed _U3 - The Final Enemy_ (from Ghosts of Saltmarsh), bringing to a close the main plot arc of the campaign after playing for in this campaign for 44 sessions over 3 years.
> 
> As I had mentioned to them early on, having arrived at this point I gave them four choices as to what I was willing to run next for them.
> 
> *Option One: Continue with this 5E Campaign with a more sandbox approach*
> There are quite a number of loose threads remaining in the game (are giants planning an attack on the world of the free peoples? does the clown wizard Jocose really have legendary weapons in his death maze? who is the mysterious figure known as "grandmother" who has given them aid in the past? Is there really a secret city of long though extinct orcs in The World Below?) and I have a ton of plans for what they could play through, but in this phase of the campaign rather than the flowchart structure of adventures I designed for beginning players, they would tell me where they want to go and what they want to follow up on and I would prep that and we'd take it from there. EDIT: They'd keep the characters they already have.
> 
> *Option Two: Revised Temple of Elemental for 5E*
> Create new characters in the same setting, but in a different part of the republic with a new series of adventures based on ToEE. This game would have a chance of merging with the first campaign once it reaches about the same level as the first - allowing for players to choose between characters to bring to adventures, or return to old plot points, etc.
> 
> *Option Three: Shadow of the Dragon Queen (5E)*
> I have never run a game in Krynn, but have long wanted to adapt the original DL adventures to be played through by characters created by the players. However, I realized that 1. that would be a lot of work to prepare and 2. this group might not be best for the heavy RP approach I imagined for re-doing the original arc. Thus, this ready-made version of adventures in Krynn set during the War of the Lance but not requiring knowledge of the setting would be a better choice.
> 
> *Option Four: Something Old*
> Lastly, I offered something non-5E: Either BECMI or Gamma World as an experiment and something to cleanse the palate with the caveat that if I or most of the group was not into it, we could switch to one of the other options.
> 
> So from among these four, if you were a player in my game, which would _you pick?_



All sound like decent options, but personally I'd pick Shadow of the Dragon Queen, but I love to start a new character!


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## aco175

After 3 years I may want to change characters.  I ran the PotA elemental evil book, but not the actual ToEE or the Goodman revised ToEE.  It was fine but the players got bored towered the end fighting so many cultists.  I would like to play in the Goodman ToEE or a revised one you modify.


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## pogre

I voted ToEE because I am doing something similar and the way various campaigns in my campaign world have crossed threads have been cool and players have really enjoyed that aspect a lot.


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## Paul Farquhar

You could combine these ideas, and run Temple of Elemental Evil (adapted to 5e) as a follow-on to your current campaign; or transport the party to Gamma World, as suggested in the 1st edition DMG. Bonus points if they also visit Boot Hill.


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## haakon1

Either of the first 2 choices is intriguing.


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