Is The Iron Crypt of the Heretics a well-designed module?

grodog · Jul 16, 2006

Yesterday, I played in an AD&D adaption of Goodman Games' Iron Crypts of the Heretics, written by Harley Stroh. If you're not familiar with this module, here's the link: http://www.goodmangames.com/50125preview.php

Whlie playing this module my thoughts were that it's about the closest thing to The Tomb of Horrors that I've ever played (I've DM'd ToH, but never played it). Given the various issues raised in Quasqueton's "Is the ToH Well-Designed" thread @ http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=166451 I thought I'd see if a modern analog to the ToH adventure would far well or not.

Here's Quasqueton's original query about ToH, which seems equally valid to me as the basis for this poll:

Quasqueton said:
There is always a heated debate about the Tomb of Horrors – some say it’s great, some say it’s terrible. But it’s always just a small handful of people here who are vocal about it either way. I’m curious what a straight-up, anonymous poll would reveal about it.

Is the original Tomb of Horrors a well-designed adventure module? I'm not asking if you like it, or if it is a nostalgic great piece of D&D history -- is it well designed? If it is, what could current module designers/authors learn from it? What should current module designers/authors try to emulate about it?

Quasqueton

Crothian · Jul 16, 2006

I think in today's gaming enviroment it is better then ToH. I've read the module several times and I think the plot holds up really well and there is a really good reason why the place is so deadly. If I were looking for a DCC that was more like the ToH I think I would go with Crypt of the Devil Lich (DCC 13). That one is so nasty I actually choose not to my PCs through it even though I did take them through ToH.

grodog · Jul 16, 2006

Crothian, I can't speak for Crypt of the Devil Lich, since I haven't played that; thanks for the pointer (I like ToH-like modules).

While ICotH may have some more backstory (it is a sequel to DCC #12, for example), I'm not sure that I follow your comment that

Crothian said:
I've read the module several times and I think the plot holds up really well and there is a really good reason why the place is so deadly.

Does the background for S1 not provide sufficent burden of proof (so to speak) for its deadliness?

Crothian · Jul 16, 2006

grodog said:
Does the background for S1 not provide sufficent burden of proof (so to speak) for its deadliness?

I think it does but I found ICotH to have an even better back story for the way the module is. In the ToH discussion a lot of people point out that some of the encounters seem a little random or some such. I did not find that to be the case but I can see their point. With Iron Crypt I found that to even be less of a concern.

Wycen · Jul 16, 2006

I've played parts of this module twice. The first time was at Dundracon after getting Erot Otus to sign a copy of Mysterious Tower. This was ran by Jeffrey Chang, if I'm remembering his name correctly and I think he knew the adventure very well. It also helped he had a different style than I was used to. He'd ask, "Are you taking any special precautions" when we'd want to do something that might be dangerous and to keep the situation tense.

Now, the module itself was not difficult to a smart party or seasoned player, at least that was my experience. I easily figured out one thing that could send you off towards doom (a riddle) and because of that we skipped over alot of dangers. Of course, we knew we had a finite amount of time so I think Jeffrey also cut to the chase when necessary.

The one part we ended up having no luck figuring out was the "trap" with the skulls and levers. This lead us to the research area where we promptly used fire and burned up all the clues. This was just stupid on our part.

The second time I played was a one shot diversion because the regular game couldn't continue due to scheduling.

We didn't make it as far and because nobody else figured out that riddle this time and I wasn't going to use my player knowledge, so we went off in the wrong direction and the rogue died in a very nasty trap. Then we ended.

So, it is a very dangerous module, but with some luck and a group of players who know when to be cautious and more importantly notice little details, it can be a very cool conquest.

grodog · Jul 16, 2006

Wycen said:
The one part we ended up having no luck figuring out was the "trap" with the skulls and levers.

Since we were playing with 12th level AD&D PCs, the cleric cast commune and four additional auguries for the skulls and we were able to solve the skulls in about 10 minutes or so. Had we not thought of that option, I'm sure discovering the solution would have been much more difficult.

Pinotage · Jul 17, 2006

Crothian said:
If I were looking for a DCC that was more like the ToH I think I would go with Crypt of the Devil Lich (DCC 13). That one is so nasty I actually choose not to my PCs through it even though I did take them through ToH.

Really? My PCs have just passed through the first level, and survived quite handily without any fatalities (except for the shadowdancer's shadow). With the shadowdancer having a +26 on Search, it's ridiculous how easy they pass everything by. Guess I'll see what level 2 and 3 hold in store for them.

Pinotage