This has BY FAR been the most helpful and constructive overview I've found regarding this adventure. I haven't been GM in almost 2 decades, and decided this would be the one when I jumped back in (for better or worse!). Despite it being straightforward adventure-wise, I found it really daunting, and am having a hard time engaging the players. But a few of your ideas helped me to come up with my own. You also speak with such clarity, I bet you're an excellent GM!
Getting ready to run this in a few months, after the new 2024 PHB comes out. Returning to 5E after a multi year Hiatus. Like you, I didn't particularly care for this boxed set, but the adventure looks amazing. A few weeks ago, I pulled out the books and showed my players and they instantly wanted to play, very excited about it. As a DM who am I to deny them? As for tone, while the book suggests a Flash Gordon style serial, this screams Guardians of the Galaxy/ Marvel to me. Vocath seems like he would be a lot more fun if I played him like the Grandmaster from Thor Ragnorok. Further Rather than have the PC AGREE to the arena battles for his support, I was thinking I would just have him be BORED with the player's plight and just TP them into the arena.. like you I don't think I'll do THREE full battles, maybe one or two is and then have that interrupted by Xeleth and his fleet. I mean Xeleth has his dragon break in through the arena roof.. thus the reason Vocath agrees to help the players is just because he's so pissed off, and annoyed at Prince Xeleth. "How dare he!.. " kind of thing. For starting, I'm actually going to have the PCs split up... before the pandemic we had my 2nd Exandria campaign cut short.. and never went back to it, so, one of the players wanted to revisit her character from that campaign.. and I said sure. The idea of having the disaster occur on Exandria, the Critical Role campaign world is just too good to pass up as several of my players are big CR fans.. ha ha ha! They'll be appropriately horrified. The other players will already be crew on the Moondancer.. and like you I'd already decided to just use the same ship and crew for the entire campaign. I also LIKE tactical space battles. There's a very excellent DM's Guild supplement that assigns in combat roles for each character.... which is very cool.. and I want to be able to use those cool spelljammer ship miniatures.. Great video, I really enjoyed it, and was pleased to hear from someone who'd already run it, a lot of my initial instincts for running the adventure mirror yours.
Im starting this campaign this Saturday. For the ship to ship combat rules i am making the players play battleship with me instead of rolling for AC. That way it feels more like a naval strategy gameplay. And if they hit my ships i have them roll for damage then and vice versa
What I did was use this module as the overarching plot to a wider scale campaign. Using a astral elf star priest as the source of the seeds. However it began at the start of this process so the vines were not grown. This allowed the party to slowly unravel the plot and have a reason to get stronger by interacting with good and evil npcs as the world is coming to an existential crisis.
Thanks for this!! I’m currenlty running LoX for my 3 kids (ages 4-11). We played Spelljammer Academy last summer. One change I’ve made is to have some of their favorite npcs from SA be waiting for them with Krux at the Rock of Bral to round out their crew. I’ve done this by making the underside of Bral be the link to SA. I agree with you on ship to ship combat. Here I like to get players involved by allowing them to use earned inspiration to have a crew npc attempt something heroic-the cook’s meal that gives advantage to weapons, the medic who heals people at the nick of time, the mechanic who gets a key system to hold on just a bit longer, etc.
I was really excited about this set and pre-ordered the box set. What's funny is that I keep forgetting it's on my shelf because the books and screen inside of the slipcase is narrower than the two Starter Kits and Essentials Kit that they are next to it. The fact that my set was outdated due to the Hadozee debacle the very day after I received it was also disappointing and left a bad taste in my mouth. Still excited about the adventure and hope to run it one day. Thanks for the tips and tricks for running it! I particularly like your suggestion for ship-to-ship combat.
Someone got me it as a gift and it still objectively really sucks to have an outdated copy but I've just put little sticky notes over the updated areas, doesn't work for the hadozee stuff really but it helps with the updated statblocks
I am having my players play a proactive role play system so i gave them each the ability to have their own personal goals and backstories to make it make sense. Had them all start in Baldur’s Gate, and they have all been there for about a month on their own personal quests. And that’s where the quest starts with the turn of events with the lights in the sky and one of my players already had their own spelljammer hidden at port and we just tied that into the story.
LoX is my first adventure as a DM, and my second adventure overall. We finished Stormwreck Isle, introduced a new character for our then DM to play during LoX and captured my own PC in an Astral Vine to take them out of the picture for the time being. This also adds to the stakes because saving the world now includes the emotional component of saving their friend. Now I just need to figure out the ending. Because it's either one of their current PCs, my old PC, or an NPC who needs to die (which doesn't really scream memorable ending).. I'll keep your tips and tricks in mind
This was such a fantastic video! I haven't run the Light of Xaryxis yet but I'm planning to do it eventually (and mix it up with the Path of the Planebreaker setting as well) and you give so much great advice and neat ideas to use!
Excellent advice as usual. I tweak the adventure to be on the sea with Pirates of the Caribbean flavor, but i'll be sure to take the idea of the "island" full of Tarrasque!!
I've actually been really eager to run a Savage Worlds plot point adventure called Sundered Skies, and this video makes me think, maybe it could be adapted into the extended campaign for Spelljammer.
The B team in my Icewind Dale campaign (a set of independent characters used to playtest One D&D by taking on some of the quests the A team bypassed) just met the gnome ceremorphs of the Id Ascendant, led there by the psicrystal. At which point the rogue, who had been (falsely) claiming to be a survivor of a crashed spelljammer, promptly volunteered as crew for the Id. To which I said "Sure," and swiftly transitioned to the Light of Xaryxis adventure by having vines erupt all around the ship. I'll keep the vines all over the world out of Icewind Dale in the meantime, so the A team can finish their less earth shaking adventure.
A system building guide would have been nice, more spelljammer’s, and more races/species increasing the books size of the “guide book” into a 200ish page book, maybe double the monster book into a 300 page book(cause there is plenty of older edition monsters out there), and the adventure could also have been increased but adding more options on where to go to gather allies and more adventuring options
When it comes to your 3rd tip, embracing the over-the-top Flash Gordon style, how do you pair that style with Stormwreck Isle? Do you run Stormwreck Isle with more flair, or bridge & shift styles with Stars Over Stormwreck, or something else? I love the idea to use Stormwreck as a starting point. I was thinking about running that one OR Light of Xaryxis, but now I get to run both together! Great video and advice as always, on my way to order Stars Over Stormwreck now.
Im ending this campaign and this is very useful, its a shame WotC keeps downgrading the quality of their books because this settings is the ultimate setting to play once the players have a high enough level.
I know this isn't compatible with the DMs Guild rules, so I'll just say it here: it sure seems like the Ruins of the Grendleroot would make a great lead-in to Light of Xaryxis, what with its extraterrestrial evil space thing trying to expand and take over the planet.
Most published adventures, any edition, always benefit from tailoring and editing by a good DM. No difference with Light of Xarysis. Also agree that streamlined, more narrative ship combat is better for the design philosophy of 5e. If you really want crunchy ship rules DM's Guild is full of that. Support small creators.
This has BY FAR been the most helpful and constructive overview I've found regarding this adventure. I haven't been GM in almost 2 decades, and decided this would be the one when I jumped back in (for better or worse!). Despite it being straightforward adventure-wise, I found it really daunting, and am having a hard time engaging the players. But a few of your ideas helped me to come up with my own. You also speak with such clarity, I bet you're an excellent GM!
Surely Tarasques would do the doggy-paddle when swimming through space.
This was a great summary. Love this style of video bro
Getting ready to run this in a few months, after the new 2024 PHB comes out. Returning to 5E after a multi year Hiatus. Like you, I didn't particularly care for this boxed set, but the adventure looks amazing. A few weeks ago, I pulled out the books and showed my players and they instantly wanted to play, very excited about it. As a DM who am I to deny them?
As for tone, while the book suggests a Flash Gordon style serial, this screams Guardians of the Galaxy/ Marvel to me. Vocath seems like he would be a lot more fun if I played him like the Grandmaster from Thor Ragnorok. Further Rather than have the PC AGREE to the arena battles for his support, I was thinking I would just have him be BORED with the player's plight and just TP them into the arena..
like you I don't think I'll do THREE full battles, maybe one or two is and then have that interrupted by Xeleth and his fleet. I mean Xeleth has his dragon break in through the arena roof.. thus the reason Vocath agrees to help the players is just because he's so pissed off, and annoyed at Prince Xeleth. "How dare he!.. " kind of thing.
For starting, I'm actually going to have the PCs split up... before the pandemic we had my 2nd Exandria campaign cut short.. and never went back to it, so, one of the players wanted to revisit her character from that campaign.. and I said sure. The idea of having the disaster occur on Exandria, the Critical Role campaign world is just too good to pass up as several of my players are big CR fans.. ha ha ha! They'll be appropriately horrified.
The other players will already be crew on the Moondancer.. and like you I'd already decided to just use the same ship and crew for the entire campaign.
I also LIKE tactical space battles. There's a very excellent DM's Guild supplement that assigns in combat roles for each character.... which is very cool.. and I want to be able to use those cool spelljammer ship miniatures..
Great video, I really enjoyed it, and was pleased to hear from someone who'd already run it, a lot of my initial instincts for running the adventure mirror yours.
Thanks for the input, I'm running this in a week or so 😅
Thanks, Mike! Can't wait to run this adventure with your suggestions
You seem like a really fun RP style DM. Good job, good review, and thanks for the tips and seeds!
Im starting this campaign this Saturday. For the ship to ship combat rules i am making the players play battleship with me instead of rolling for AC. That way it feels more like a naval strategy gameplay. And if they hit my ships i have them roll for damage then and vice versa
Do you happen to have the tips in written form? They’re on screen for part four but these would be super handy to have written out while prepping
What I did was use this module as the overarching plot to a wider scale campaign. Using a astral elf star priest as the source of the seeds. However it began at the start of this process so the vines were not grown. This allowed the party to slowly unravel the plot and have a reason to get stronger by interacting with good and evil npcs as the world is coming to an existential crisis.
Thanks for this!! I’m currenlty running LoX for my 3 kids (ages 4-11). We played Spelljammer Academy last summer. One change I’ve made is to have some of their favorite npcs from SA be waiting for them with Krux at the Rock of Bral to round out their crew. I’ve done this by making the underside of Bral be the link to SA. I agree with you on ship to ship combat. Here I like to get players involved by allowing them to use earned inspiration to have a crew npc attempt something heroic-the cook’s meal that gives advantage to weapons, the medic who heals people at the nick of time, the mechanic who gets a key system to hold on just a bit longer, etc.
I was really excited about this set and pre-ordered the box set. What's funny is that I keep forgetting it's on my shelf because the books and screen inside of the slipcase is narrower than the two Starter Kits and Essentials Kit that they are next to it. The fact that my set was outdated due to the Hadozee debacle the very day after I received it was also disappointing and left a bad taste in my mouth. Still excited about the adventure and hope to run it one day. Thanks for the tips and tricks for running it! I particularly like your suggestion for ship-to-ship combat.
From a collector's standpoint your box set may be more valuable for the racism.
@@cookwithsalt2577 acknowledged, but...
Someone got me it as a gift and it still objectively really sucks to have an outdated copy but I've just put little sticky notes over the updated areas, doesn't work for the hadozee stuff really but it helps with the updated statblocks
my only problem with the module is that the start of it doesnt allow players to use the cool spelljammer races with a real explanation
I am having my players play a proactive role play system so i gave them each the ability to have their own personal goals and backstories to make it make sense. Had them all start in Baldur’s Gate, and they have all been there for about a month on their own personal quests. And that’s where the quest starts with the turn of events with the lights in the sky and one of my players already had their own spelljammer hidden at port and we just tied that into the story.
LoX is my first adventure as a DM, and my second adventure overall.
We finished Stormwreck Isle, introduced a new character for our then DM to play during LoX and captured my own PC in an Astral Vine to take them out of the picture for the time being.
This also adds to the stakes because saving the world now includes the emotional component of saving their friend.
Now I just need to figure out the ending. Because it's either one of their current PCs, my old PC, or an NPC who needs to die (which doesn't really scream memorable ending)..
I'll keep your tips and tricks in mind
I did read through the adventure, I liked it a lot for my grup that can only play sessions that are 1 to 3 hr max a week.
This was such a fantastic video! I haven't run the Light of Xaryxis yet but I'm planning to do it eventually (and mix it up with the Path of the Planebreaker setting as well) and you give so much great advice and neat ideas to use!
Excellent advice as usual. I tweak the adventure to be on the sea with Pirates of the Caribbean flavor, but i'll be sure to take the idea of the "island" full of Tarrasque!!
I've actually been really eager to run a Savage Worlds plot point adventure called Sundered Skies, and this video makes me think, maybe it could be adapted into the extended campaign for Spelljammer.
Stars Without Number is the REAL sci-fi planet/plane-hopping supplement!
thats just a completely different system
This was a great video !
I agree about the space combat
The B team in my Icewind Dale campaign (a set of independent characters used to playtest One D&D by taking on some of the quests the A team bypassed) just met the gnome ceremorphs of the Id Ascendant, led there by the psicrystal. At which point the rogue, who had been (falsely) claiming to be a survivor of a crashed spelljammer, promptly volunteered as crew for the Id. To which I said "Sure," and swiftly transitioned to the Light of Xaryxis adventure by having vines erupt all around the ship. I'll keep the vines all over the world out of Icewind Dale in the meantime, so the A team can finish their less earth shaking adventure.
Been waiting for this forever! Bought the special edition at launch and haven't fun it yet
A system building guide would have been nice, more spelljammer’s, and more races/species increasing the books size of the “guide book” into a 200ish page book, maybe double the monster book into a 300 page book(cause there is plenty of older edition monsters out there), and the adventure could also have been increased but adding more options on where to go to gather allies and more adventuring options
Have you cgecked out Wildjammer? Its 102 pages fan concersion without as much space waster art.
When it comes to your 3rd tip, embracing the over-the-top Flash Gordon style, how do you pair that style with Stormwreck Isle? Do you run Stormwreck Isle with more flair, or bridge & shift styles with Stars Over Stormwreck, or something else?
I love the idea to use Stormwreck as a starting point. I was thinking about running that one OR Light of Xaryxis, but now I get to run both together!
Great video and advice as always, on my way to order Stars Over Stormwreck now.
Im ending this campaign and this is very useful, its a shame WotC keeps downgrading the quality of their books because this settings is the ultimate setting to play once the players have a high enough level.
I know this isn't compatible with the DMs Guild rules, so I'll just say it here: it sure seems like the Ruins of the Grendleroot would make a great lead-in to Light of Xaryxis, what with its extraterrestrial evil space thing trying to expand and take over the planet.
I have run this game three times and every single table has gotten attached to Mr. Flinch.
Will this end up in the podcast feed?
Most published adventures, any edition, always benefit from tailoring and editing by a good DM. No difference with Light of Xarysis. Also agree that streamlined, more narrative ship combat is better for the design philosophy of 5e. If you really want crunchy ship rules DM's Guild is full of that. Support small creators.
Stars Over Stormwreck link not in the doobley-doo
Thank you! Fixed!
I'm so sad I just joined a Light of Xaryxis game because now I can't watch this video!
Tarrasques? Really? The characters are like what at that point?
7th or 8th?
Way to try to "improve" this module in the wrong direction.