The Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit is a boxed set for the 5th edition of Dungeons & Dragons. It is intended for new players, and contains both a booklet of basic rules and an adventure, The Dragon of Icespire Peak.
This box contains the essentials you need to run a D&D game with one Dungeon Master and one to five adventurers. A newly designed rulebook on-boards players by teaching them how to make characters, and the included adventure, Dragon of Icespire Peak, introduces a new 1-on-1 rules variant.
Contents[]
- Essentials Kit Rulebook
A 64-page booklet containing a basic set of rules for adventurers levels 1–5.
- Introduction
- Chapter 1: Creating a Character
- Chapter 2: Playing the Game
- Chapter 3: Equipment
- Chapter 4: Spells
- Appendix A: Sidekicks
- Appendix B: Conditions
- Dragon of Icespire Peak
A 64-page adventure booklet.
- Running the Adventure
- Axeholm
- Butterskull Ranch
- Circle of Thunder
- Dragon Barrow
- Dwarven Excavation
- Falcon's Hunting Lodge
- Gnomegarde
- Icespire Hold
- Logger's Camp
- Mountain's Toe Gold Mine
- Shrine of Savras
- Tower of Storms
- Umbrage Hill
- Woodland Manse
- Ending the Adventure
- Creatures
Summary[]
Dragon of Icespire Peak[]
This introductory campaign is designed to take characters from levels 1 to 6. The scenario involves a young white dragon, Cryovain, who has recently arrived in the region from the north (thus setting the adventure as a tentative sequel to the events of Storm King's Thunder) and begun hunting and attacking sites all across the map. Similar to Lost Mine of Phandelver (the adventure from the Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set), this adventure takes place around the town of Phandalin, and makes use of the same cast of town inhabitants as well as the same basic map of the Sword Coast North. However, rather than playing through a narrative, the Essentials Kit provides a blueprint for a sandbox style of play by delivering most quests to the players via a "quest board" managed by Phandalin's townmaster, Harbin Wester. Players do not need to complete all quests available to them, and more challenging quests become available as easier ones are completed. Other quests or adventure locations are only hinted at through rumors, and can be integrated into or left out of the campaign as desired.
Adventurers are called on initially not to fight the dragon, but just to help the town of Phandalin protect itself while dealing with other consequences of the dragon's arrival. The initial three quests involve warning the outlying locals about the dragon, and in turn helping them to resolve additional conflicts. These quests send the party to visit: a dwarven excavation of a temple to Abbathor (as orcs attack), the rock gnome enclave of Gnomengarde (being terrorized by a mimic), and the local midwife at Umbrage Hill (being attacked by a manticore). Completing two of these three quests unlocks three follow-up quests: to go to Butterskull Ranch (following an orc attack), to deliver supplies to a logging camp (amidst attacks by ankhegs incited by orcs), and to escort a mine overseer to Mountain's Toe gold mine (which has been infested with wererats driven from their home by orcs). After completing two of these three quests, a final series of quests become available which begin to lead to a confrontation with the dragon: clearing out a dwarven ruin called Axeholm, seeking a dragon slayer sword at the Dragon Barrow of Tanamere Alagondar, and fighting orcish spellcasters called the Anchorites of Talos who have been attacking Falcon's hunting lodge in Neverwinter Wood. Each quest involving orcs, along with a few adventure sites not linked to the quest board, help the adventurers piece together that Cryovain has claimed the orcs' old stronghold of Icespire Hold on Icespire Peak as its lair. With this knowledge and the experience gained from their many quests, the party can confront the dragon once and for all.
Sequels[]
A follow-up series of adventures called Beyond the Dragon of Icespire Peak was made available in three parts exclusively through D&D Beyond, and subsequently for various virtual tabletop platforms. These were: Storm Lord's Wrath, Sleeping Dragon's Wake, and Divine Contention. Each could be purchased as a standalone product, or could be accessed for free using QR codes included with the purchase of a physical copy of the Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit.
The Beyond the Dragon of Icespire Peak adventure makes reference to some events from Dragon of Icespire Peak and utilizes the same map and some of the same locations, but it is not a continuation of the same story. However, some elements of Dragon of Icespire Peak serve as direct foreshadowing for Beyond the Dragon of Icespire Peak, most notably the Tower of Storms optional location and the role of the Anchorites of Talos.
Index[]
Characters[]
- Adabra Gwynn • Alfonse Kalazorn • Ander (Phandalin) • Anverth • Baatorius • Brakkis Elspaar • Caramip • Corwin • Cryovain • Dabbledob • Daggermaw • Dazlyn Grayshard • Delebean • Dimble • Dobin Noreth • Don-Jon Raskin • Donnabella Fiasco • Drethna • Elmar Barthen • Facktoré • Fibblestib • Flenz • Galandro Luna • Garaele • Gnerkli • Gorthok • Grannoc • Gustaf Stellern (Falcon the Hunter) • Halia Thornton • Harbin Wester • Inverna Nightbreeze • Jabarl the Orc-Biter • Jabby • Joybell • Korboz • Linene Graywind • Miraal • Moesko • Narux • Nib Addlespur • Norbus Ironrune • Nyx • Pallabar • Panana • Pell • Petunia • Pickled Pete • Pog • Quinn Hightopple • Quippy • Ruby Hammerwhacker • Runa Vokdottir • Shanjan Kwan • Syleen Wintermoon • Talon Thornwild • Tervaround • Thistle • Tibor Wester • Toblen Stonehill • Ulla • Uppendown • Vincent (ox) • Vyldara • Xanth • Yargath • Zeleen Varnaster • Zook
- Referenced only
- Azdraka • Delsendra Amzarr • Kra • Tanamere Alagondar
Classes[]
Creatures[]
- ankheg • banshee • blight (needle • twig • vine) • boar • carrion crawler • centaur • chicken • cow • deer • dog • dragon young white dragon • dwarf (shield dwarf) • elf (moon elf • sea elf) • ghoul • giant crab • giant rat • giant spider • gnome (rock gnome) • goat • halfling • half-orc • harpy • horse • human • invisible stalker • manticore • mimic • ochre jelly • ogre • orc • ox • pig • shark (hunter shark) • stirge • undead • will-o'-wisp • wererat
- Referenced only
- butterfly • conch • fish • green dragon • human (Netherese) • possum • rat • winter wolf
Items[]
- Adventuring Gear
- backpack • bedroll • mess kit • oil lamp • pole • rope • ration • tent • waterskin
- Armor
- breastplate • chainmail • gauntlet • helmet • hide armor • leather armor • plate mail • shield • studded leather armor
- Clothing
- cloak • cowboy hat • crown
- Food & Drink
- ale • berry • bread • butter • cheese • dried meat • flour • mushroom wine • wine
- Furniture
- bathtub • bedframe • chair • cot • desk • mattress • privy • rug • throne • wardrobe • washbasin
- Jewelry
- amulet • ring (signet ring)
- Kitchen Implements
- cauldron • dishware • goblet • mug • pot • rolling pin • stove • utensil
- Musical Instruments
- bell • cowbell
- Substances
- gemstone • glue • oil • solvent • wax
- Tools
- anvil • broom • bucket • butterchurn • carpenter's tools • censer • hammer • mop • pulley • saw • smith's tools • spike (tool) • tinker's tools • winch
- Vehicles
- barge • barrel crab • cart • rowboat • ship • toboggan
- Weapons
- axe • battleaxe • ballista • dagger • greataxe • handaxe • heavy crossbow • javelin • longsword • mace • sword
- Other
- barrel • blanket • book • candle • chain • chandelier • chest • coffer • coinage • doll • faucet • flask • footlocker • horseshoe • mannequin • map • parchment • paper • pickaxe • pillow • pipeweed • sarcophagus • spellbook • straw • tapestry • well
Locations[]
- Buildings & Sites
- Barthen's Provisions • Butterskull Ranch • Circle of Thunder • Dragon Barrow • Falcon's hunting lodge • Icespire Hold • Lionshield Coster (Phandalin) • loggers' camp • Mountain's Toe Gold Mine • Phandalin Miner's Exchange • Shrine of Luck • Shrine of Savras • Stonehill Inn • Tower of Storms • Townmaster's Hall • Woodland Manse
- Bodies of Water
- Neverwinter River • Sea of Swords
- Forests
- Kryptgarden Forest • Neverwinter Wood
- Hills & mountains
- Crags • Icespire Peak • Starmetal Hills • Sword Mountains • Umbrage Hill
- Region
- Sword Coast • Sword Coast North • The North
- Ruins
- Axeholm • Conyberry • dwarven excavation
- Roads
- High Road • Triboar Trail
- Settlements
- Gnomengarde • Leilon • Neverwinter • Phandalin
- Swamps
- Mere of Dead Men
- Wilderness
- Triboar Trail
- Referenced only
- Baldur's Gate • Delzoun • Dessarin Valley • Luskan • Mount Hotenow • Netheril • Triboar • Waterdeep • Yartar
Magic[]
- Items
- boots of elvenkind • cloak of billowing • cloak of many fashions • clockwork amulet • dragon slayer sword • dread helm • dust of disappearance • gauntlets of ogre power • goggles of night • hat of wizardry • holy symbol • immovable rod • Instrument of illusions • mystery key • necklace of fireballs • pole of collapsing • sending stone • staff of birdcalls • wand of pyrotechnics • wand of secrets
- Potions
- potion of greater healing • potion of healing • potion of invulnerability • potion of superior healing • potion of water breathing
- Spells
- acid splash • aid • arcane lock • augury • beacon of hope • bless • blight • blinding smite • blindness/deafness • blink • blur • burning hands • charm person • command • comprehend languages • crusader's mantle • cure wounds • dancing lights • darkness • detect life • detect magic • disguise self • dispel magic • divine favor • faerie fire • fear • feather fall • fireball • fire bolt • flaming sphere • fly • guidance • guiding bolt • haste • healing word • hold person • identify • inflict wounds • invisibility • knock • lesser restoration • levitate • light • lightning bolt • longstrider • mage armor • mage hand • magic missile • magic weapon • major image • mass healing word • mending • minor illusion • misty step • poison spray • prestidigitation • ray of frost • remove curse • resistance • revivify • sacred flame • sanctuary • sending • shatter • shield • shield of faith • shocking grasp • silence • silent image • sleep • spider climb • spirit guardians • spiritual weapon • suggestion • thaumaturgy • thunderwave • vicious mockery • warding bond • web
- Other
- conjuration • transmutation • wild magic
Organizations[]
- anchorites of Talos • Harpers • Lionshield Coster • Stone-Cold Reavers • Whiskered Gang • Zhentarim
- Referenced only
- Alagondar royal line
Religion[]
Miscellaneous[]
- Architectural Features
- arrow slit • belfry • fireplace • lighthouse • murder hole • palisade • portcullis • windmill
- Books
- Elvish Idioms • Magick of Gnomengarde
- Celestial Bodies
- moon • sun
- Events
- devastation tax • eruption of Mount Hotenow
- Games
- Dragonchess • Three-Dragon Ante
- Languages
- common • elvish • gnomish • orcish
- Materials
- brass • burlap • copper • coral • gold • granite • iron • leather • limestone • mithral • platinum • silver • steel
- Occupations
- acolyte • castellan • guard • miner • priest • sheriff • soldier • townmaster
- Vegetation
- apple • corn • Gulthias tree • herb • ivy • mushroom • oak • pine • pumpkin
- Vessels
- Golden Gull • Orca • Sea Urchin • Star-Crossed Lover • Vainglory
- Other
- tenday
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ The description of the town of Phandalin in the Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit is the same as in the Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set, which is set in 1491 DR. This includes the same ages being given for both Elmar Barthen (p. 9 in the Essential Kit and p.16 in the Starter Set) and Linene Graywind (p. 9 in the Essential Kit and p. 17 in the Starter Set).
Gallery[]
