Last month, we released a new edition of Lost Mine of Phandelver, our first-ever reissuing of a Marketplace Module. With 27 monsters, 7 full-color maps, updated Dynamic Lighting, rollable tables and tokens, macros, and more, all ready-to play, the new Lost Mine of Phandelver is a modern take on a classic adventure.
We sat down with Roll20's licensing director, Emily Floyd, to talk about why and how Lost Mine of Phandelver 2.0 came to be.
Why Lost Mine of Phandelver?
Lost Mine of Phandelver is a classic D&D 5th Edition adventure - I’ve heard it said that it’s the most-played D&D 5E adventure, period. Who DOESN’T have a story about their experience with Sildar? It’s a fantastic introduction to the mechanics, style, and storytelling of D&D 5E and to tabletop roleplaying games in general, and it’s also frequently used by our players on Roll20 as an introduction to GMing on a Virtual Tabletop. For that reason, we wanted to make sure folks can continue using this adventure to expand their virtual gaming horizons with all the latest features and integrations Roll20 has to offer.
This is the first 2.0 Module Roll20 has ever released. Why now?
Last year, with the release of Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide and Dungeon Master’s Guide to the Roll20 Marketplace, we completed our D&D 5E release backlog. We were happy with that achievement, but so many features have been developed on Roll20 in the years since we first began releasing D&D content on the Marketplace - most notably, the Compendium. To continue to provide the best possible service to our users who enjoy D&D content, and to continue supporting future D&D players, we want to ensure Phandelver provides the best Roll20 experience possible.
Will we see other 2.0 releases like this in the future?
One of our goals for 2021 is to continue work on supporting Compendium integration for our earliest releases. It’s unclear if that will take the form of official “2.0” releases to this degree, but more updates are coming! And, of course, for all releases, there is constantly work being done in the background to make sure you’re getting the best experience possible - from bug fixes to improved integration to errata. Even after a product is released, we continue to put work into it to make sure you’re getting the best integrated experience possible. That’s why it’s so important that you reach out to us if you ever run into any issues!
What was it like reimagining a classic adventure for Roll20? How did the team approach the process?
The Lost Mine of Phandelver adventure is an introduction to the Forgotten Realms, to the Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition ruleset, and also to Roll20 for many new players and DMs alike. Rather than doing a one-to-one conversion, we tuned the adventure to ensure that the experience supports those new players. You can see this as early as the first encounter, where we’ve created a Roll20-exclusive map to start you off on the right foot (QuantumRoll natural 20s not included)!
What’s your favorite upgrade in the 2.0 version--something that wasn’t possible when the 1.0 version was made?
My official answer? The Compendium support is a game changer; being able to drag-and-drop items and creatures right onto the VTT keeps the excitement going throughout the adventure and makes for the ultimate TTRPG experience for both DMs and players.
My secret personal answer? This was our chance to remind the world that this adventure is called “Lost MINE of Phandelver.” There’s only ONE MINE. Admit it: You’ve called it “Lost Mines of Phandelver” before too, haven’t you?
Add Lost Mine of Phandelver to your Roll20 collection today!
As a reminder, we’re matching donations to Code2040, “a nonprofit activating, connecting and mobilizing the largest racial equity community in tech to dismantle the structural barriers that prevent the full participation and leadership of Black and Latinx technologists in the innovation economy.” Learn more and donate through our Tiltify campaign here: http://roll20.io/Tiltify-Code2040