Price Check for Yawning Portal Campaign

[Gattica]

I wanted to make sure I understood what it would cost to run a Yawning Portal campaign on Fantasy Grounds.

My players would be Demo players. I would want all of the player options available to them. The campaign will probably take a couple of years (so it would be better to purchase a license than to subscribe). I have physical copies of all books.


Ulitmate License: $150
5E D & D Essentials: $203
Yawning Portal: $30


Total: $383

Assuming that I don't need the Monster Manual or Dungeon Master data for the game I can removing them from the Essentials Bundle for a total of $360.

Is this correct? Am I including everything I need. Is there anything I can exclude?

[Ludd_G]

Hi,

Unless you really need all available options right now, I don't see the need for the 'Essentials Bundle'. It'll certainly future-proof your experience going forward, but to start playing I'd be tempted to go with the Fantasy Ground Unity licence and the Tales From the Yawning Portal adventure. I think I'm right in saying that adventures include all necessary monster/NPC stat block etc., and the FGU licence includes the 5e SRD basic rules. So, as I said, as long as you're not desperate for all options to be available now I think you'd be fine with that. To expand your player's options, but not break the bank, get the Player's Handbook to expand your character options from the SRD/Basic rule book.

Just my opinion, others may differ, or I could be wrong...

Cheers,

Simon

[Ludd_G]

Good info here:

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?32987-What-do-I-need-to-play-5e

[Gattica]

Thank you. I read through that.

What would be missing if I only bought the Ultimate License and The Yawning Portal? I don't quite understand what features the PHB and/or Essentials books add.

I own the physical books (as well as most of my players) and all of the books on DnDBeyond. Could we create the characters outside of Fantasy Grounds, hand enter the character information in Fantasy Grounds and have the same functionality?

[LordEntrails]

So without the FG versions of the books (PHB, Tasha's, SCAG, etc) any of the races, classes, abilities, spells not included in the basic rules or SRD would have to be entered manually (typed in). The existing automation etc can still be achieved, but it takes someone to input them, either as a DM entering them into a development campaign and creating their own module, or by the DM or player entering them directly onto the character sheet(s).

[Zacchaeus]

As a baseline you'd want the license the PHB and the campaign module. The complete bundle will add in many race, class and background options as well as the ability to change out monsters and use the tables, treasures and other stuff in the DMG. Basically the bundle will expand considerably your and your players choices. But you only need the PHB and the adventure module.

[Griogre]

I guess I'll be that guy... I don't know why you picked Tales of the Yawning Portal but it not the greatest as an adventure path, IMO.

It's not horrible either, but I have reservations about "Dead in Thay" which was a D&D Next (5E) playtest convention module meant to be run simultaneously by different tables in different parts of the dungeon. I found that one tricky to run for a single party. It was converted to home use but its sandboxie (not necessarily a bad thing) so its unpredictable when they will encounter some sub-bosses and if they hit the wrong one when they are still 9th level they may well get wiped.

TYP is good if you want some nostalgia and to revisit those old adventures in 5E, but if you are looking for just a 5E adventure path that was designed to take a 5E party from 1st to 15ish I think you would do better getting a module that was developed that way from the start instead of a bunch of stitched together old converted modules.

That's my two cents, take it for what it's worth... :)

On the stuff to buy, I agree with the others you probably just need your license, the adventure path and the PH.

[BaneTBC]

Keep in mind if you decide you want to pickup the Essentials later, it will include a discount for already purchased books (in FG). To determine if the PHB and adventure is all you’ll need, you’ll need to determine if you’re going to allow races(sub) or subclasses that are in a book other then the PHB, you’ll probably want to pick those books up as well. They regularly have sales on stuff and a couple big sales a year.

[damned]

I would go with Ultimate License (Sub if you like), Players Handbook and your choice of Adventure.

[spoofer]

I would go with Ultimate License (Sub if you like), Players Handbook and your choice of Adventure.

Exactly this here. You can then add on Xanathar's, Tasha's, etc., later, if you players really want access to that stuff. As long as you run the adventure as written, you do not need the DMG and the monster books. If you want to swap out monsters, etc., then you will want those books.

[Ryuson]

I would go with Ultimate License (Sub if you like), Players Handbook and your choice of Adventure.

I'd recommend this too. If you use other source books like XGtE, you might want to pick that one up. Otherwise, you can manually enter in the random feat yourself. As for adventures, a single one can last you months/years (as you've said). Finally, watch for sales :)

[Myrdin Potter]

You can easily cut and paste from DnD Beyond to create classes and such. Just takes time and a little practice.

If you have more money than time, what you listed will get you super well prepared and will let players easily create characters and get playing.

[Gattica]

I guess I'll be that guy... I don't know why you picked Tales of the Yawning Portal but it not the greatest as an adventure path, IMO.

It's not horrible either, but I have reservations about "Dead in Thay" which was a D&D Next (5E) playtest convention module meant to be run simultaneously by different tables in different parts of the dungeon. I found that one tricky to run for a single party. It was converted to home use but its sandboxie (not necessarily a bad thing) so its unpredictable when they will encounter some sub-bosses and if they hit the wrong one when they are still 9th level they may well get wiped.

TYP is good if you want some nostalgia and to revisit those old adventures in 5E, but if you are looking for just a 5E adventure path that was designed to take a 5E party from 1st to 15ish I think you would do better getting a module that was developed that way from the start instead of a bunch of stitched together old converted modules.

That's my two cents, take it for what it's worth... :)

On the stuff to buy, I agree with the others you probably just need your license, the adventure path and the PH.

I agree. The goal is to visit "old school" playing with young, modern players. I have discussed this with them so they know what to expect. It's different for them because they are young and aren't familiar with what the game was like in the 80s. If they don't like it we'll stop.

Now I'LL be that guy: although I think modern narrative driven style of play is good and how RPGs should be (to deliver what computer simulations can't), the games make it very easy to survive. Part of old school style is that it is difficult to survive and I want to give a taste of that.

[Gattica]

Thank you, everyone for the feedback. I was very helpful.

[spoofer]

Part of old school style is that it is difficult to survive and I want to give a taste of that.

In that case, you are going to need to make adjustments, or you will find the whole experience very disappointing. Take the infamous character killer, the Tomb of Horrors, as a case in point. Here is the text for a pit trap in the tomb (below). In first addition, this sort of damage was painful, as hit points were a limited resource. Enough traps, and you run out of hit points. How about in 5th edition? Well, your fighter has over 100 hp, and they all come back on an a long rest. "Fall in few traps, no problem, I long rest." I replaced all of that sort of stuff with fewer, but much more lethal traps when I ran it. I found that approached worked well.

Each pit is spiked at the bottom, so someone who falls
in takes falling damage plus 11 (2dl0) piercing damage
from the spikes. The spikes are also poisoned, so someone
injured by them must make a DC 15 Constitution
saving throw, taking 22 (4dl0) poison damage on a failed
save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

[Myrdin Potter]

There are plenty of instant death, no saving throw traps in the 5e Tomb of Horrors.

[spoofer]

There are plenty of instant death, no saving throw traps in the 5e Tomb of Horrors.

Not anymore. 5E got rid of save or die in general. I ran this adventure in the fall. Let me give you an example.

The mouth opening is similar to a (fixed) sphere of annihilation, but it is about 3' in diameter - plenty of room for those who wish to leap in and be completely and forever destroyed.

has become in 5th edition...

A creature who enters the Sphere takes 4d10 force damage.

This is the most iconoclastic trap in the dungeon, and perhaps in the whole history of D&D. And yet it has become 4d10 damage that the character can restore on a long rest.

Yes, there is still some good stuff in there, but it is not the death trap that it used to be.

[Myrdin Potter]

Not anymore. 5E got rid of save or die in general. I ran this adventure in the fall. Let me give you an example.

The mouth opening is similar to a (fixed) sphere of annihilation, but it is about 3' in diameter - plenty of room for those who wish to leap in and be completely and forever destroyed.

has become in 5th edition...

A creature who enters the Sphere takes 4d10 force damage.

This is the most iconoclastic trap in the dungeon, and perhaps in the whole history of D&D. And yet it has become 4d10 damage that the character can restore on a long rest.

Yes, there is still some good stuff in there, but it is not the death trap that it used to be.

That is not the description from the adventure.

Where do you see that?

It is exactly like the AD&D version, instant death.

[Myrdin Potter]

Not anymore. 5E got rid of save or die in general. I ran this adventure in the fall. Let me give you an example.

The mouth opening is similar to a (fixed) sphere of annihilation, but it is about 3' in diameter - plenty of room for those who wish to leap in and be completely and forever destroyed.

has become in 5th edition...

A creature who enters the Sphere takes 4d10 force damage.

This is the most iconoclastic trap in the dungeon, and perhaps in the whole history of D&D. And yet it has become 4d10 damage that the character can restore on a long rest.

Yes, there is still some good stuff in there, but it is not the death trap that it used to be.

I think I see your mistake, you are reading the magic item, but the area description and the magic item itself is instant death:

"The sphere obliterates all matter it passes through and all matter that passes through it."

The force damage is if you touch it. Touching it was not fatal in AD&D as well. I ran it three times in my AD&D DMing days, a 10' pole revealed what it was instantly. Touching it destroyed what touched it (not specified in AD&D what that meant, up to the DM).