Rob2e's "Fantasy Grounds - The Experience!"

Warning: Lost Mine of Phandelver spoilers!

Well, we did our first session of game play of LMoP (for my biweekly Monday IRL group) using FG as DM and having one additional laptop set up as a local connect for the player map. None of the players had ever used FG and this is my method of trying to transition them to using it. My group that has been together on and off since 2009, has been resistant to 5E and VERY RESISTANT to the use of FG as a VTT. They're old school, and want to play face to face with dice, pencil, and paper. That's preferable I guess, if available, but I couldn't help wanting to use the software to enhance MY DMing, and hopefully their game play.

So they would roll initiative, I would enter them in the CT and let the players roll all their checks, (death) saves, initiatives, attacks, etc. with real dice. I would then enter the damage (or whatever) results in the CT. I would roll all the monster attacks, saves, etc. using FG and tell the players the results. I had the local (player) screen as a map only, but sometimes, I would move the map to expose the chat window so I could prove that i really did roll a critical hit.

"Computer dice!!! No fair!", came the shouts. Of course. And the laughs.

Having been very familiar with 4E, my players are coming along the learning curve for 5E. Advantage, disadvantage, all the new stuff. They thought the map shading was cool, and they (being used to minis on a table grid) started to see the value of the electronics of it all. "Move me one square above him." I'll run back behind the corner on the right."

We made it work. I was pleased to keep track of the initiative and have my info behind my laptop (DM screen). I would read the story elements, and ask the players what they wanted to do leading them only when absolutely necessary. I still have to get them into the mind set of not taking a long rest after every encounter. They burned all their spells and then want them all back. Even the wizard complains about arcane recovery only giving him one of his two slots back. Sheesh!

I explained that 5E and LMoP was supposed to be challenging (and therefore more fun) and not the math and science seminar that 4E was. I will say that in each encounter so far, the goblin ambush, as well as the entire goblin hideout, there was at least one character making death saving throws in every single encounter. They thought they were all gonna die each time I said, "Roll initiative." But as a DM, that's fine with me if they feel that way.

Nobody ended up dead. They learned the value of short rest HD, the goodberry spell, and 5E combat tactics. The party leveled up to 2, so next time, it'll be a little easier, and they'll have a little more confidence.

Pleasing to me, was that 2 out of 4 told me they thought the map (and what FG can do) seemed pretty cool. Half is pretty good for the group of sourpusses I play with. HA!

We all had fun though and FG was a big part of it.

So until we meet again (and I try and kill them)...