D&D: WotC Says ‘Phandelver and Below’ Will Have Lots of Really Weird Monsters
Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk will remaster a classic adventure, and then make it get really weird. Check out a preview!
Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk is a return to 5th Edition’s classic starter adventure, The Lost Mines of Phandelver with a whole new coat of paint. With an update to the old classic, Phandelver and Below promises to make things really weird. And a big part of that comes in the form of eldritch influences, which corrupt and mutate the world as the adventure proceeds.
Featuring many dungeons and at least one dragon, the new adventure has a lot to offer. This is presented as a “quintessential campaign” that WotC hopes will help bring in new first-time DMs as well as offer a lot for veterans of the game. We got a look at some new monsters, as well as a bit of some new mechanics.
Phandelver and Below – Eldritch Influences, Really Weird Monsters
Evil is lurking in the beloved town of Phandalin, and you and your party are the only ones who can stop it. Solve mysteries and stamp out growing corruption as you uncover more about the malevolent cult that are plaguing the town. Fear not: with your trusty sword and friends by your side, you’ve got everything you need to shine a light through the darkness. Whether you’re a new player or an aspiring Dungeon Master, this classic adventure is the perfect opportunity to let loose.
-
- Brings a fresh take on adventures in the town of Phandalin. From mysterious obelisks to darkness lurking below the surface, this adventure is packed with new secrets to discover.
- Battle over 20 creatures warped beyond recognition like Psionic Goblins, fleshy horrors, and more in the D&D Beyond Encounter Builder
- Power up your party with mysterious magic items
- Dive into the Phandalin region with new maps including multiple dungeons featured throughout the adventure
Included in the adventure are eldritch new monsters, including things like the Oculorb, pictured above. As well as Goblins with psionic powers, seen here.
At one point, the adventure becomes a race to acquire a treasure before the villains of the adventure can. Will players be able to defeat the dark mystery at the heart of a beloved town?
In the video preview, WotC designers talked about how there’s a ticking clock going on behind the scenes. Players will be surprised to find that the villains continue to act even if they’re winning. New DMs will get some experience in this adventure about how to unfold a sinister plot in D&D, which is a tricky thing to do. The game doesn’t give DMs a ton of mechanical levers to pull outside of combat.
But we’ll be excited to dive in and see what lies below Phandelver.
