D&D Bookshelf | Before You Buy – Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk

Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk is a campaign that includes and continues the Lost Mine of Phandelver, where players uncover a sinister plot lurking beneath the famous town. This campaign is beautifully designed, with a range of players and DMs in mind. Whether you’ve never touched a set of dice before, you’ve tried your hand at the Starter Kit, or you’ve been playing for decades, this campaign will be a hit at your table. Read on to find out why – we’ve included a spoiler-free section too!

The Original 5th Edition Starter Kit, known as the Lost Mine of Phandelver, introduced us to 5e with a memorable plot, fantastic battles, and a system we would soon find ourselves enthralled with. For many people, the short adventure was not only an introduction to D&D but to Role Playing Games in general. It’s an important story for a lot of players, and the latest campaign release boldly challenges to surpass that legacy.

Impressively, it doesn’t disappoint. 

Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk covers Levels 1 to 12, providing both a substantial power increase and a great jumping off point for new players. Many campaigns start at Level 3 (where characters are more durable but also more complex to run), but this one introduces mechanics at a digestible pace, recognising that many people starting from the very first page won’t have played before. 

The four initial chapters of this story are a near replica of the Lost Mine of Phandelver, so for those who want to try playing a full campaign for the first time, this would be a great place to start. For those who’ve played the Starter Kit before or would prefer to start at a higher level, the campaign can also be picked up from the beginning of chapter 5 with a little modification. 

The Shattered Obelisk is designed for 4 to 6 players and riffs on many of the key themes that make Dungeons and Dragons so popular. You’ll spend some time getting to know the people of Phandalin, solving mysteries, exploring dungeons, and battling some fantastical monsters. I’m very excited about the selection of creatures drawn up for this game, with many classic beasts returning, alongside a few bespoke designs spicing up an already enthralling adventure. 

This campaign is full of interesting side-quests, epic battles, and consequences, so read on only if you’re a DM and want to see what’s in store for your party, or a player looking to convince their party for their next adventure!

Unbeknownst to its residents, the town of Phandalin has caught the eye of three fanatical Mind-Flayers, determined to transform the townsfolk into more of their kind. The power of their God, Ilvaash, would be more than potent enough for the ritual, but they need something to channel it…

Scattered across the region in crypts, crossroads and mines, lie hidden the shattered pieces of a once powerful Obelisk. On a quest to reunite these pieces and unleash Ilvaash’s power, these three Mind Flayers control goblins, spawn portals, and summon the dead, all while the people of Phandalin are slowly sickened and corrupted by the unholy energy emanating from below.

Through this campaign, players will fend off raids on the village, help rescue missing townspeople, and investigate bizarre scenes, slowly uncovering the true nature of the scheme against Phandalin. After a desperate race to claim the shattered pieces of the Obelisk before the Mind Flayers, our players will descend, not only through an abandoned Mind Flayer Stronghold, but also a number of portals to the Far Realms. Completing each of these sections, our players move into the final – well, now I’m spoiling too much. You’ll have to pick up the book to play through what happens next.

While there is a dramatic and engaging overarching plot in this campaign, there are also many side quests your players can follow if they choose. There is a lot of room for free-roaming and exploration, allowing you to tailor the story to suit your table. If you’re a homebrew DM, some of these side quests could even be recycled for use in your original campaigns!

This game has a lot to offer, from encounters with Spectators, Dragons, and a Medusa, to delving through the depths of the Underdark. It’s rich, engaging, and packed full of role-play opportunities, all while remaining grounded, digestible, and approachable for new players.

I would heartily recommend this campaign for parties interested in tackling a full-length campaign but still somewhat fresh to D&D, as well as to those who want to take a trip down memory lane and re-experience the Lost Mines of Phandelver in a fresh light.

While I’m usually a homebrew person myself (I love designing a new world and a story to go along with it), I just can’t wait to run Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk! It has a vibrant and distinct tone, plenty of interesting locations, and enough room for DMs to make the campaign distinctly their own. 

I’d recommend this game to just about every DM out there. If you’re looking to run your first game ever, the inclusion of the Lost Mine of Phandelver will present a gentle learning curve while still providing the epic story your players are hoping for. If you’ve already run the Starter Kit and are keen to try a pre-written campaign, this one continues in a world you’re already comfortable with while providing some new creatures and optional quests to keep things interesting. If you’ve been DMing for a while, The Shattered Obelisk is an exciting exploration of a classic part of the Sword Coast, composing a unique and engaging story your players won’t soon forget. 

And I’m giving a particular shout out to those who want to play but have never quite managed to start. Finding a table can be tough, but people are always looking for a DM. If your friends are keen to try but you don’t have someone to run it, why not throw your own hat in the ring? This is a nice easy introduction to the game that’s bound to get dice rolling. Check out a few Actual-Play Shows, a video on running the Lost Mine of Phandelver, and have fun with it! Now’s the time to start. 

Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk is available now! Pick it up right here on our online store or at your local Good Games. This is one you won’t want to miss.

Good Journey, Adventurer!

– Alyshia