I ran this module for four level 4 characters; two of the players were completely new to D&D, and they were able to settle into the narrative without any problems. We got more RP from them than I thought we'd be able to - enough that the adventure turned into two days (and 7 hours) of playing! They explored every inch of the adventure and really claimed it as their own through RP and quick thinking. I love the idea that I could run another group through the same adventure and have very different encounters and experiences because of the set up of it. I love the chances it gives to RP, how easy it is to prep as a DM, the handouts provided, and how engaging it is. I loved DMing The Black Road, and my players seemed to love playing it.

My players enjoyed this module. It gave them the opportunity to role play, problem solve and combat. I liked how it was relativley well layed out and easy to follow for the DM.

I have mixed feelings about this module. It is great for new players as it gets them familiar with things like combat, skill checks, and thinking critically, but there's very little substance to the adventure beyond the two combat encounters. In my experience running the module, the only section that allowed for significant role play was the optional encounter with the Zhentarim travelers, but that encounter didn't actually affect the rest of the adventure or give the players any useful information, so I'm inclined to just skip it.

The beginning of the adventure also sets up that the players need to buy desert clothing to avoid the harsh weather. When it came time for me to run the module for the first time, I realized that it never actually outlines the consequences of not buying desert clothing. I improvised and gave the players a DC10 CON check (with advantage for those with the clothing) after the sandstorm encounter or they would face a level of exhaustion, but that penalty didn't actually have an effect on the rest of the game. I'd love to hear ideas for alternatives.

Overall, I would only recommend this module to those who plan to play through all of Season 5 in order, as it serves as a nice prologue to the rest of the season and ties in especially well with DDAL05-3, which I really enjoy.

My players enjoyed this module. The story left enough intrigue and left them wanted for more. There was suspense, roleplay, combat, and a skills challenge. A well rounded module. My only critique is that, even though its optimized for APL 3... Some of the encounters felt weak. I found it difficult to balance the fight. Some creatures were very weak, while other could hit like a truck.

But all in all, my players had a good time and we'll be doing Univited Guests next!

Caravan guarding is a trope of the adventuring world for a reason, and The Black Road is actually a pretty entertaining trip into that trope. It doesn’t make much effort to be new or innovative with this shopworn story idea, but rather revives it for new players to get a sense of what this sort of mission is like.

The monsters are fairly standard, but they are used cleverly in several places, with the need to protect the caravan wagons and camels as a nice touch to try and compel players to think outside the hack-fest box. Enemies show flashes of intelligence, but are only really in danger of outwitting the thickest of PC groups. The either/or option of the final part of the adventure is nice in giving players a chance to get a little more creative without sacrificing treasure.

I’ll be keeping this one in my back pocket as a simple 2-hour adventure that I can plop down and run with a minimum of prep time. I encourage it for anyone looking for the same.

This module is a good lesson that objectives can still be completed even if conditions are not always perfect, since walking away completely unscathed will be an almost impossible challenge, but it will push players to come up with some pretty creative solutions. One encounter in particular was a blast to try to mess with the players a little bit (in a friendly way).

I co-DM'd this one while I was teaching my wife how to DM. We both really enjoyed how in depth this advenuter was and overall how well they did at introducing the main modules for season 5. We look forward to running more of the STK modules and seeing how the WotC did with the rest of them!

This module was recommended to me when I just started DMing, and it was a GREAT recommendation! There is a good balance of roleplay, combat, and even a skill challenge. It tends to run a bit longer than the listed 2 hours - nearly every "2 hour" module does. However, it did not run so long that I got tired.

I recently came back to re-run this module as a more seasoned DM. It still holds up very well. This time I gave my RP heavy players more time to RP, since we had more time available. It's this kind of flexibility and roleplaying opportunities that make The Black Road a better "starter" adventure than the various one-hour mini-adventures.

I ran this module with a group of people who were brand new to D&D and they really enjoyed it! The balance on combat, roleplay and decision making was great, and really good for them to learn the basics. As DM I especially enjoyed letting them debate the fate of the caravans in the desert (probably gave them longer than I should have but it was fun). I plan on following on from The Black Road with the Univited Guests as they flow narurally together.

I enjoyed running this adventure. It was straightforward and easy to follow, and had everything I needed to reference right there.

Ben and Paige do amazing work and The Black Road is nothing less than some of their best! Well balanced and extremely well written, the module flows with just the right mix of party driven and DM driven story movement. While a great module for anyone, it is an amazing module for new players, timing in at about 2 hours or so and being targeted for less experienced players. Excellent module. I look forward to many more from the team!

Fun module, nice combat, great introduction to Baad Fruul. Overall, a nice module

Black Road is VERY FUN!!! It is a straight forward run into adventure. The hooks could have more umph and the combat could have more meaning but it is so fun. I would play this again! -DM Ace

Spoilers.

This is one of my go-to modules to recommend for new players and DMs. The plot is simple, the stakes are clear, the difficulty is low, each faction has something to do, and there are ample opportunities for players to demonstrate their creativity and ingenuity. Oh, and it leads nicely into the subsequent adventures in the storyline (you can run it back-to-back with DDAL05-03 Uninvited Guests and it works great).

Of course, I've done it about a million times, and after long enough the seams start to show a little. For example, it bothers me that there aren't actually any real consequences for losing things in the sandstorm. And...well, actually, now I think about it, that's pretty much it. Wow, this is a good adventure, huh?

Possibly the perfect AL module. It’s got something for old and new players, for combat players and roleplayers, and can be expanded or condensed as needed to fill a short or long timeslot. Highly recommended as a standby module for new players. I think I’ve run this module a dozen times and it’s never turned out the same way twice. Aside from the destination, it doesn’t seem that crucial as a tie into the rest of the season 5 modules at first, but it does serve as an excellent way to get players from the Moonsea into Parnast. (And later, they may find it meant more than they thought it did!) 5/5.