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I think what 3e or 4e lacks are those adventures that become classic. 3e had maybe a few
including adventure paths, but not so memorable unlike B2 or T-14...
This begs the question: Which modules do everyone think will be the classic 3.x modules referred to 15+ years from now? Classic in the vein of "Temple of Elemental Evil" or "Tomb of Horrors" and other modules from Basic and 1e days.
I am not sure if there are "Classic Modules", but I wouldn't sneeze at "Classic Adventure Path". I suppose Shackled City (the first to be) and Age of Worms (deadly meat grinder?) might always stand out.
But maybe it's simply to early to tell what will be considered Classic - and maybe nothing ever will, since "Classic Modules" can only happen in the early beginning of a game system, when everything was new.
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Assuming D&D will still be around in a recognisable form in 15 years, which I am not sure will be the case -- I'd say some of the earliest 3e modules will be recognised, as much for print runs as quality. The first two, Sunles Citadel and Forge of Fury stand out as the most likely candidates; the rest of the line is considerably less iconic.
Adventure paths will make a good showing, since they are a shared experience for many, and tend to be recognised as relatively high quality - my tip based on online buzz is Age of Worms.
From 3rd party publishers, I'd argue for the early Necromancer Games modules, especially the Rappan Athuk series, Crucible of Freya and maybe Tomb of Abysthor (as a module few people will know, but they will be strongly in favour -- a current analogy would be Judges Guild's Caverns of Thracia). Necro's modules appeared in the early 3e period when there was relatively little product choice, so many were exposed to them; they are also good meat and potatoes adventures in the classic D&D paradigm, which several competitors were not. It is possible that all in all, Goodman Games was the more successful d20 company, but I think they do not have an iconic "This is Goodman Games" product; rather, their lineup will be remembered more collectively than by individual piece.
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But maybe it's simply to early to tell what will be considered Classic - and maybe nothing ever will, since "Classic Modules" can only happen in the early beginning of a game system, when everything was new.
Oh -- assuming again that D&D the tabletop roleplaying game will still exist -- I have no doubt the 3e period will have new classics, since it was a time when D&D became reinvigorated, attracted a lot of lapsed or new players, and put itself back on the mental maps of roleplayers as a quasi-new thing. It also had a common experience to offer. 2e did not have this, and of course it did not have iconic modules - the modules from the early 2e period were, if anything, embarrasing (e.g. Terrible Trouble at Tragidore, bundled with the DM Screen of the time - nobody really remembers that).
It is too early to tell how 4e will measure up... my opinion is that it does not have the staying power of either 3e or 2e, and will mostly fade into obscurity as one of the filler editions (or attract infamy as "the last edition"? ).
__________________ "5. If they do not wish to take a few risks, their characters should stay home and become shopkeepers and farmers.
Then wish them luck!" -- Gary Gygax: Shrine of the Kuo-Toa
"Dragons are so Beowulf! Should DnD be in the business of selling 1200 year-olds back their childhood? Sheesh." -- gizmo33, on the power of nostalgia
I think most of "iconic" or "classic" D&D 3.x adventures have actually come from 3pp (it was part of the original d20/OGL intentions, IIRC).
So, for 3pp, the "classics", as far as I know, would most probably be:
* The Witchfire trilogy.
* Rappan Atthuk.
* World's Largest Dungeon.
Special mention to Crucible of Freya, more because of its early success than for its quality (it's a very useful starting point for a sandbox style campaign, although).
For official D&D-branded products, I'd vote for:
* Dungeon adventure paths (Shackled City and Age of Worms, mostly).
* Red Hand of Doom.
* "Expedition to..." series. Specially "Ruins of Greyhawk", for perhaps being the last Greyhawk book ever produced by TSR/WotC
I'd proffer Tomb of Abysthor as a classic as well, ahead even of Rappan Athuk, it's easier and more accessible (one volume), has great RP opportunities (not simply a meat-grinder in the way that RA can be) and can be integrated into an ongoing campaign fairly easily. Granted, it needs a bit of GM spit'n'polish here and there, but what 1e modules didn't?
Age of Worms seems to be the iconic Adventure Path, from which I'd highlight The Whispering Cairn as a highpoint: a 1st-level Dungeon Crawl with added RP elements and a classic bait-and-switch in the middle. Possibly the finest adventure I've read in a Dungeon magazine.
Another suggestion for the pile is The Red Hand of Doom - WotC's return to the Adventure market, with a sprawling campaign in a war-torn environment. I've really only heard good things about this one.
I'd proffer Tomb of Abysthor as a classic as well, ahead even of Rappan Athuk, it's easier and more accessible (one volume), has great RP opportunities (not simply a meat-grinder in the way that RA can be) and can be integrated into an ongoing campaign fairly easily. Granted, it needs a bit of GM spit'n'polish here and there, but what 1e modules didn't?
Grantly, I have fond memories of running Tomb of Abysthor, with the different factions, the RP opportunities and its more open nature (Rappan Athuk, I've only read through, not actually run it). I just don't think it had such a wide reception as RA.
Age of Worms seems to be the iconic Adventure Path, from which I'd highlight The Whispering Cairn as a highpoint: a 1st-level Dungeon Crawl with added RP elements and a classic bait-and-switch in the middle. Possibly the finest adventure I've read in a Dungeon magazine.
I'd agree whole-heartedly with this in terms of 3.x. While Age of Worms as an adventure path deserves kudos, it is really Erik Mona's opening to this path that provides plenty of momentum throughout. The Whispering Cairn was a truly inspirational module and would get my vote for the "classic module" of 3rd edition.
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Grantly, I have fond memories of running Tomb of Abysthor, with the different factions, the RP opportunities and its more open nature (Rappan Athuk, I've only read through, not actually run it). I just don't think it had such a wide reception as RA.
Indeed. I consider Abysthor the better module, but Rappan Athuk was the one that consistently captured and fired peoples' imaginations, and invited discussion (including a lot of opposition - today, the sorts of dungeons RA represents seem to be a lot more accepted than they were at the time). RA is iconic; Abysthor is just very-very good.
__________________ "5. If they do not wish to take a few risks, their characters should stay home and become shopkeepers and farmers.
Then wish them luck!" -- Gary Gygax: Shrine of the Kuo-Toa
"Dragons are so Beowulf! Should DnD be in the business of selling 1200 year-olds back their childhood? Sheesh." -- gizmo33, on the power of nostalgia
I think Sunless Citadel is already a classic, for a number of reasons.
a) So many people have played it, so it has the mass shared experience than a classic module needs.
b) Meepo took on a life far outside the adventure itself.
c) Twig Blights you could build a campaign around the spread of these things it was disappointing to see them not expanded in a later adventure.
Okay so it was thin compared to the other classics mentioned in original post, and it was reasonably liner, but that added to the shared experience since everyone that played it met the same encounters.
I suspect there probably won't be any classic 3.x modules, because I doubt any have been so widely played, in part because there were so many options available. That really says nothing about the quality of the individual adventures, of course.
If there are any classics, the most likely are "The Sunless Citadel" and "Red Hand of Doom".
If I am not mistaken it has spawned an entire 4E adventure path as a sequel.
Having seen the early adventures I would say you are mistaken, it hardly touches on the setting at all. It would be like saying the Spanish Civil war 1936 was a campaign based on the Christian Spain recapturing Muslim Spain in 1212. Sure it uses the same location, but they haven't recalled any of the former cast of characters. Although actually you would change the geography dramatically as well.
Most likely Red Hand of Doom - it's really the only 3.x era adventure I've really ever heard of anyone praising (at least in terms of stuff by WotC). I've never played it so I can only speculate.
Personally, it'd have to be Tomb of Abysthor. Hands down. That ate MONTHS of extremely fun gaming.
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I'm surprised nobody mentioned Green Ronin's Freeport trilogy
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