Planning on running a first campaign with a group of players that have done a couple scenarios.

Which expansions do you think I should throw into the base set that still playtests and balances well with the shadow rune campaign?

(I have everything - but don't want to overwhelm them or over power-creep the base campaign)

I would do the core campaign, include the items/classes/OL classes/heroes/monsters from the expansions but leave out rumor cards and (me personally) secret rooms.

I feel like that would give them enough options to explore, but not drag on things too long. It also leaves some of the newer quest mechanics form the expansion quests out. Most of the core quests are reasonably simple.

I would still run an agent deck as well. I feel it's so important to the game that a "new group" should view the game as if it was already intended to have the agent deck and threat/fortune mechanic every game.

This is how I personally would run a new group campaign. It also depends on the "hardcoreness" of your game group.

If I may offer my two cents- you may want to leave the plot deck out of it. I'm currently part of a campaign (as a hero, can you believe it?) where some of the other hero players (and the OL) are rather competitive. The OL has won 3/4 quests going into the interlude, and one or two of the heroes do not appreciate his use of Gargan's deck. "Shifting Earth" sews unbelievable trouble for the heroes in Act 1 of Serena's campaign tree (can you imagine trying to rescue her while the OL moves you away at the start of his turn repeatedly?) He also doesn't like that heroes can't keep fortune from quest to quest, but the OL can stockpile threat.

Anyway, I agree- the shop items, heroes and classes add a lot of substance without adding complexity. I would leave out the rumors (and the plot deck) for the campaign. I feel like the plot deck helps balance rumors. Don't play one without the other.

I kind of like the rumors and plot decks ... but that being said, I think my concern is that the later game content (SoN, MoR, etc.) seem to have a good number of toys in it that might make the scripted parts of the first campaign a bit too weak sauce. Yes you can compensate with the open groups to a degree... but only to a degree. I fear the power creep will unbalance the original box if you go too far into the expansions.

I was thinking in my mind of tossing in maybe just Wyrm and Trollfens w/ rumors -- then adding an early lieutenant deck to round it out (like Alric Farrow or so...)

Keep the number of open group monster choices down a bit that way and retain more flavor of the original campaign without going full vanilla.

That's entirely your call- everyone should agree on what expansions are included at the outset of the game. I played a campaign with a completely fresh group, and we used LotW, LoR, and Trollfens (this was before Nerekhall.) We had rumors, but no plot deck. Everything turned out fine- the heroes won all of Act 1, I won all of Act 2, and the heroes won the finale. Also, as far as item power creep goes- remember that the bigger the Act 2 shop is, the less chance the heroes will see any 1 particular card- so filling the shop isn't necessarily bad, and if you don't include rumors, they'll have less gold to spend overall.

Honestly if it's a "new-new" group just run the standalone Trollfens quests. It's pretty well put together with playing 3 quests, then playing a specific finale based on who won more. I wish that's what Manor of raven did, but instead its "whoever wins picks the final quest."

I gotta say, for someone who enjoys Descent being a strategy-oriented game, I'm not always happy about some of those decisions they make over making things a bit more thematic. Sure, choosing the best finale is a strategic win for the heroes, but having a specified "hero finale" would have been much more enjoyable... ESPECIALLY on the first run through when we have no idea on the power of the quests.

They are not new new ... we have done part of a mini campaign before and a number of stand alone scenerios with the particular people involved... all 4 of them have never played together as a single team. Some of them have played paired up before.

We have made the commitment to play once a month for a year ... so we have the time and cadence to do this ... it is full campaign time.

If you have played with all the components in varying stages i say throw them in all together for a full campaign.

The only things i don't like adding are secret rooms (they are a large explanation and component heavy use if using lair of the wyrm and trollfens and may not even crop up depending on the luck of the draw.)

I would advise restraint with the plot deck, meaning don't go throwing in big characters with powerful effects that screw quest balance (sacrificing a master and 2 minions of a chump group to roll a huge dragon or super daemons can be pretty jarring in quests where the small weak group is designed as a handy cap, especially if you have the conversion kit and kobolds). Obviously use them if the group is comfortable but maybe stick to a core quest plot deck for the first run?

If running the conversion kit i would soft ban some of the more ridiculous picks (Nanok would be an example of a charatcer that has caused more than a few headaches, same for the older version of eldar mok) but thats it.

I would advise restraint with the plot deck

An overlord should never show restraint.

Indeed. Kill the heroes ... no bloody mercy ...

And @Zaltyre, if you are really playing a hero, you know you are just a spy sent by the OL (yourself) from an alternate dimension.

Indeed. Kill the heroes ... no bloody mercy ...

And @Zaltyre, if you are really playing a hero, you know you are just a spy sent by the OL (yourself) from an alternate dimension.

I'm playing with some people who were my adversaries in the last campaign. When they say "Overlord," they still think of me, and have said as much. I take that as a compliment.

I would advise restraint with the plot deck

An overlord should never show restraint.

This is indeed true, but i have found that weening the heroes with an illusion of restraint will entice them into another campaign, then when they believe themselves safe and assured, you crush them utterly.