I'm a power player all the way back to the original D&D box set throught AD&D, but quit when 2E came out and then didn't play again until 5E. I have run this adventure several times solo and absolutely love it. It gives a great introduction to LMOP, but affords the option for you not to follow the standard LMOP storyline. My Yuan-ti Pureblood Bounty Hunter Monk was using the Wayside Inn at the Triboar Trail/High Road crossroad as a base of operations and was exploring the area when the events of this adventure occurred. There are only minor modifications required to run this solo: 1) Outside: Wolves x2 instead of Wolves x3 2) Room 2: Skeletons x3 instead of Skeletons x4 @ Staff & Unarmed Strike, both Budgeoning damage attacks vs their Vulnerability (Note: At this point she had enough XP to multi-class to Stone Sorceress) 3) Room 4: Being a YTP she was immune to poison so no effect 4) Room 8: Backed into the passageway where only one opponent at a time could engage. (Note: Now enough XP to multi-class to Hexblade Warlock and am very close to 4th level). Always tough and nearly die every time. I cannot recommend a better solo starting adventure!!!

The Tomb of the Dwarven King is a fantastic introductory adventure that connects well to LMoP. I found the material easy to manage and the players had a fun time exploring the dungeon while learning to play D&D.

Having a introduction to Gundren gave him personality and life, which allowed for a connection to be formed with the adventurers and quest-giving NPC. This gave emotion and drive to the players through-out our story, which I feel would be missing otherwise.

The dungeon was well designed and description were well written and easy to portray to the characters, while leaving freedom of description and additional information as they explored. The encounters were beginner friendly, which allowed me a chance to explain combat mechanics to my three new players without worrying if their adventure ends on the side of the road.

This adventure was referenced several times as my party played through the campaign, especially when we ran into "yet another ooze". I recommend this product for anyone who plans to run LMoP, or is looking for an easy one-shot to run for new players!

I think there are a number of continuity issues with linking into lmop (already mentioned) and the whole setup of this asks more questions than it actually answers. does it actually add anything to the lmop story ? Probably better to use it as a quest given by a NPC in phandalin (removing gundren). in itself it can be a fun little introduction, but I dont like any new adventurers having their armour or weapons eroded though, so id replace the ooze with something else.

This adventure is great. It presents a good challenge for new players, but there is one little problem; if the players are using the pre-generated characters with their backstories, this encounter doesn't work. The halfling rogue is headed away from Phandalin to regroup in order to get revenge on the Redbrands and the dwarven cleric (who is a cousin to the Rockseeker brothers) doesn't need any introduction to Gundren nor his brothers. Also, Gundren and his brothers have already discovered the lost mine of Phandelver, explaining why the two other brothers were in the mine to get captured/killed. If Gundren didn't make it to them with his newly acquired map, then the story for within the mine wouldn't be the same thing at all and the Black Spider wouldn't be already in the mine digging around. Or if the Black Spider used Gundren's map to find the mine, that would mean that the players attempt to rescue him (although heroic and just) would prove pointless in the attempt to find the mine. If the writer of this supplement intended Gundren's brothers to leave Neverwinter first to get to the mine (after all, several days is definitely enough time to copy a map and get a head start), why weren't they at the Dwarven king's tomb helping Gundren? And more importantly, why didn't they wait for Gundren so they could all travel together...? Safety in numbers after all. Anyway, none of this is explained in this supplement, which is why I'm rating it 4 stars instead of 5.

I kinda figured out a work around for this; well, at least for me! I will still try and work in this adventure for when my players set off from Neverwinter towards Phandalin, but instead of Gundren that they rescue, I will have another unrelated Dwarf present who will grant the characters a boon of the spell Aid (+5 temporary hit points each) after they have completely cleared out the tomb and long rested outside of it. This Aid spell will only be necessary if they haven't reached level 2 yet, of course. Then next up for them will be Goblin Arrows!

The Tomb of the Dwarven King is everything a DM needs to introduce players to the world of D&D in eight succinct pages. Well written, easily laid out, and with an interesting prescense made to pull new players in, this adventure is enjoyable and interesting. It can serve as either an introductory one-shot, or can tie into the beginning of Lost Mine of Phandelver (the adventure in the D&D Starter Set). I think the only thing lacking from this adventure is maybe some alternate class options so as to introduce new players to the concept of class supplements, but otherwise it is an excellent little adventure and won't kill your printer.

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