I don’t feel the campaign. How to proceed?

[Sir-Carlos]

So, we have been playing Rime of the Frostmaiden for 4 months (6 really, but we had a break) and I don’t like it as a DM. The whole thematic, setting and story doesn’t appeal to me that much anymore. They are now level 4 and I am not really excited for anything that comes after in this module. The sessions are still fun, but the prep isn’t.

Tomorrow is the next session. Any tips on how to approach this? Like, do I play until I have a new module ready and then suggest to switch? Or do I break it to the players and ask them what they want to do?



P.S.
I recently asked my players what they think about the campaign. One said, they are happy as long as we play DnD. One is pretty invested in the campaign and one says that the sandbox part was a bit long, but they are excited to get to „the meat of it“. And the last one asked if we could „level up“ the campaign a bit, because they want to play a bit higher level DnD, but are generally more or less happy.

[DeTess]

Do you have specific gripes with the module? If so, what's stopping you from changing it up?

Either way, it would be a good idea to have a chat with your players. Everyone should be happy with the game, not just the players.

[Rynjin]

Well, ultimately this is always a problem with three solutions:

1.) Change it.
2.) Drop it.
3.) Get over it.

I.e. you can either stop GMing entirely and let someone else in the group take over, change what campaign you're playing, or power through.

TBH I almost never recommend the third option. You haven't shown any real desire to take option 2, so that leaves option 1 as your likely best option.

Just bring it up before the next sesh. "I'm not feeling Frostmaiden, y'all wanna do something else?"

You could always continue the current campaign, but go off-book. Most modules and/or Adventure Paths have pretty natural jumping off points in the first couple of books for homebrew campaigns to start from.

You could start a brand new campaign, though maybe throw the players a bone and start at level 3.

Or you could potentially commit to figuring out what, exactly, about the module doesn't appeal to you and...just change those parts.

[Unoriginal]

So, we have been playing Rime of the Frostmaiden for 4 months (6 really, but we had a break) and I don’t like it as a DM. The whole thematic, setting and story doesn’t appeal to me that much anymore. They are now level 4 and I am not really excited for anything that comes after in this module. The sessions are still fun, but the prep isn’t.

Tomorrow is the next session. Any tips on how to approach this? Like, do I play until I have a new module ready and then suggest to switch? Or do I break it to the players and ask them what they want to do?



P.S.
I recently asked my players what they think about the campaign. One said, they are happy as long as we play DnD. One is pretty invested in the campaign and one says that the sandbox part was a bit long, but they are excited to get to „the meat of it“. And the last one asked if we could „level up“ the campaign a bit, because they want to play a bit higher level DnD, but are generally more or less happy.

In your place, I would tell my players I am not feeling it anymore, and be clear that continuing isn't really an option.

Once that is clear, maybe discussing why you're feeling that way with your players could be worth it, especially if they don't seem to share the feeling.

Do you have another campaign or style of campaign you'd like to try?

[Sir-Carlos]

In your place, I would tell my players I am not feeling it anymore, and be clear that continuing isn't really an option.

Once that is clear, maybe discussing why you're feeling that way with your players could be worth it, especially if they don't seem to share the feeling.

Do you have another campaign or style of campaign you'd like to try?

Will do, thanks. Regarding the style I want to play: I think sandboxes aren’t really for me. That much I learned :-). I think I prefer a bit more „classical“ settings. Everything a bit more friendly and less gloomy. And more linear (not too much though). Maybe I‘ll finally try to homebrew something.

[KorvinStarmast]

I'll suggest that you level them up to 5 and start Storm King's Thunder.
Second idea:
Get Tales from the Yawning portal and get started on the Forge of Fury.
It's OK to start it at level 4. We did with one of our groups.
You can then mix and match some of the adventures in there.

[Unoriginal]

Will do, thanks. Regarding the style I want to play: I think sandboxes aren’t really for me. That much I learned :-). I think I prefer a bit more „classical“ settings. Everything a bit more friendly and less gloomy. And more linear (not too much though). Maybe I‘ll finally try to homebrew something.

I think you would enjoy the Wilds Beyond the Witchlight module quite a lot.

It's pretty much everything you say, plus very easy for a DM to adapt to their tastes.

Although the player who want higher levels won't find that here.

[JNAProductions]

In your place, I would tell my players I am not feeling it anymore, and be clear that continuing isn't really an option.

Once that is clear, maybe discussing why you're feeling that way with your players could be worth it, especially if they don't seem to share the feeling.

Do you have another campaign or style of campaign you'd like to try?

This. D&D should be fun for the whole table, DM included.

[J-H]

Agree with everyone who says don't continue as-is.

There are a bunch of supplements on the DM's Guild if you want to try to modify Frostmaiden. Otherwise, just have the characters fall through a portal to some other adventure, or have the ice start melting (= ROTM resolved!) right as someone steals something and disappears through a portal with the group in hot pursuit

[JonBeowulf]

Well... if you don't like the players that much, lure the PCs into a fight they can neither win nor escape. The subsequent TPK solves all your problems!

If these are people you wish to speak to ever again, then yeah, follow the advice above.

[Tawmis]

So, we have been playing Rime of the Frostmaiden for 4 months (6 really, but we had a break) and I don’t like it as a DM. The whole thematic, setting and story doesn’t appeal to me that much anymore. They are now level 4 and I am not really excited for anything that comes after in this module. The sessions are still fun, but the prep isn’t.
Tomorrow is the next session. Any tips on how to approach this? Like, do I play until I have a new module ready and then suggest to switch? Or do I break it to the players and ask them what they want to do?
P.S.
I recently asked my players what they think about the campaign. One said, they are happy as long as we play DnD. One is pretty invested in the campaign and one says that the sandbox part was a bit long, but they are excited to get to „the meat of it“. And the last one asked if we could „level up“ the campaign a bit, because they want to play a bit higher level DnD, but are generally more or less happy.

Both players AND DM need to be enjoying themselves; or soon enough, your dislike of the prep and general module will show.
And you will either become "less interesting" as a DM to them, or, worse, punish the player characters, "just to get it over with."
Now that said, when "Horde of the Dragon Queen" first came out - I read through it, and loved the module. Thought it had a strong story and a cool concept.
However, once my players got to the floating castle (if you're familiar, you know) - they were supposed to be stealthy and be spies.
That wasn't their MO. They began murdering any cultist they could get alone. And after awhile, a body is going to turn up or cultists are gonna ask, "Hey. Anyone seen Jim Bob? He was supposed to show up to guard duty." "You know what, Joe Schmoe also didn't turn up." "And neither did Hickery Dickery." And it becomes clear that something is amiss.
So I ended up downing the castle, having the players help the giant rebel (just because it was a quick way to assure victory). And ran with my own stuff.
It was the one time I tried running a book/module in 5e, and I didn't care for it, myself.

So if you need to do it - and it seems over all the players are interested, keep whatever adventure you got going in that area - or, speed up the adventure (and potentially tone down the lethality of some of the monsters) to wrap it up sooner, and move on to another adventure.

No way you're going to probably pull all of this off in one night, but might be a good thing to consider doing in the future so everyone enjoys themselves.

[Blatant Beast]

I wonder if this is a common experience, with Rime of the Frostmaiden, as I experienced something similar.

There are definitely, interesting thematic elements, and well written portions in the module, but the connective tissue is weak, and there really is not a great end.

A DM needs to go through the module, and order and conceptualize what parts they will use, and what they won’t. In some ways, it may be easier to invent from whole cloth.

One easy way to get out of the far north is to use the Prisoner 13/prison scenario, and perhaps tie that in with the min adventure in the heist themed anthology that takes place in the same local. Ships do go to the prison, so you can easily get the players south via ship.

[Sir-Carlos]

Hey everyone, thanks so much for all of your advice! I talked to my players and they were very understanding. Some said that while they were having fun, they too weren’t super invested into the story. So we are „pausing“ RotF and I will do a homebrew adventure. First time homebrewing a campaign, tall order. Might come here for advice in the near future, lol.

The new adventure will be a sequel to the campaign we played before RotF and I am very excited for it :D, as are my players.

[Derges]

Glad you decided to homebrew, It's what I scrolled down to suggest. Good luck I'm sure you'll rock it.

Honestly, it's less work than running a published adventure once you get down to it*. Since a proper running of a published adventure takes two or more reads through the material vs thinking of something noting it down then remembering it.

*unless you run the published adventure multiple times for a cafe or something.

[JonBeowulf]

Glad you decided to homebrew, It's what I scrolled down to suggest. Good luck I'm sure you'll rock it.

Honestly, it's less work than running a published adventure once you get down to it*. Since a proper running of a published adventure takes two or more reads through the material vs thinking of something noting it down then remembering it.

*unless you run the published adventure multiple times for a cafe or something.

Agreed! I've run PotA twice and hated it both times. Also never finished it -- once was a TPK and the other was the players getting pissed at each other during a session and ending it.

With homebrew, you only need an overall plot, a few set events, and flexibility to allow the players to interact with the world and the story as it develops. You don't have to try to figure out how to get them to follow the publication.