Dungeons and Dragons fans have a thrilling new adventure to look forward to with the upcoming release of Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk. This massive campaign length book coming September 19th, 2023 has the D&D community buzzing with anticipation.
Phandelver and Below takes the classic Lost Mine of Phandelver adventure from the 2014 5th edition Starter Set and expands it into a sprawling level 1-12 campaign. With 140 pages of new content plus the full original LMOP adventure, this hardcover book gives players and DMs alike plenty to dig into.
The $60 price tag raised some concerns, continuing the trend of Wizards of the Coast pushing towards digital content and higher cost books. However, Phandelver and Below justifies the cost by including digital content on D&D Beyond and most importantly delivering an adventuring experience like nothing we’ve seen before in D&D’s long history.
Why the Hype Around Phandelver and Below?
Here’s a deep dive into why tabletop RPG fans are so eager to explore Phandelver and Below:
- Builds on a Classic – LMOP is considered one of the greatest intro adventures. This takes that foundation and expands it tremendously.
- Massive Campaign Length – 12 levels of content allows players to build real connections and see their characters grow.
- Bizarre New Monsters – Beholder-like oculorb, psionic goblins, Daisy the odd cow, and more never before seen creatures.
- New Magical Items & Spells – Such as metamagic items and sinister duergar magic.
- Stunning Alternate Cover Art – Re-Animator inspired style signals a fresh new horror direction for D&D.
- Lovecraftian Cosmic Horror Themes – D&D delves into alien threats, sinister occult magic, and an omnipresent atmosphere of doom.
- Expansive Underdark Setting – Taking the adventure deep underground into the terrifying caverns below the Forgotten Realms.
- Opportunity for New Players – Retains the intro adventure aspects that makes LMOP great for beginners.
Phandelver and Below weaves together the beloved fantasy adventuring of D&D with the compelling mythos of Lovecraftian horror. This fusion of classic tabletop RPG gameplay with fresh new themes creates an adventure that feels both nostalgic and innovative.
From its nightmarish menagerie of new monsters to a setting that takes seasoned heroes out of their comfort zone and into the disturbing unknown, Phandelver and Below delivers an experience only possible in the imaginations of D&D players.
The alternate cover art embraces the weird fiction vibe, looking like something ripped from the pages of a vintage pulp horror magazine. D&D has never seen adventure art like this before. It tells you from first glance that you’re about to embark on a quest unlike any other.
For D&D fans, September 19th can’t get here soon enough. The chance to journey through an expanded take on a beloved adventure while encountering mind-bending new threats is the kind of experience that tabletop gamers live for.
What has you most thrilled or intrigued about Phandelver and Below? Let me know in the comments! I can’t wait to bring you more updates as we get closer to release date. This is the D&D book we’ve been waiting for!
And don’t forget to pre-order your copy of Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk!
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