Loving Module Design

Kzach · Jun 24, 2008

Whatever else 4e has or hasn't got going for it, I'm definitely in the camp that has 4e as being really easy to draw up encounters and modules for.

I honestly don't think it's ever been easier and quicker to draw up a well-balanced, challenging and interesting set of encounters and tie them all up into a module.

And it's fun!

I've been having a ball the last few days drawing up basic modules. I'm actually excited rather than daunted to create new adventures!

Anyway, just thought I'd share and see what others thought about this.

lukelightning · Jun 24, 2008

I feel the same way. I was planning on running a game using the sample adventure in the back of the DMG, but changing a few things (because all my players probably have the DMG). But after changing a couple things, I realized it would be just as easy — and more importantly, more fun — to make it all up from scratch.

Dausuul · Jun 24, 2008

Kzach said:
Whatever else 4e has or hasn't got going for it, I'm definitely in the camp that has 4e as being really easy to draw up encounters and modules for.

I honestly don't think it's ever been easier and quicker to draw up a well-balanced, challenging and interesting set of encounters and tie them all up into a module.

And it's fun!

I've been having a ball the last few days drawing up basic modules. I'm actually excited rather than daunted to create new adventures!

Anyway, just thought I'd share and see what others thought about this.

I agree 100%. I'm having all sorts of fun with my ice age campaign.

Storminator · Jun 24, 2008

I waited until I'd read about building encounters and adventures in the DMG, then pretty much followed the 'recipe' they lay out. Quick, easy, fun encounters so far. We'll see how the big encounter at the end goes.

Interestingly, I planned on 3 PCs, but only got 2, and it was a snap to drop the encounters down by stripping out various chunks of XP. Pretty impressively flexible at the table.

PS

neobolts · Jun 24, 2008

The prep time to run someone else's module is also vastly reduced.

They took what worked in Red Hand of Doom (including the better monster stat block formatting) and further improved it.

One of my favorite changes for 4e is that they stripped out the laundry lists of spell-like powers for monsters. While this seems more limiting at first, I'm finding that 4e monsters are "distilled mobs," boiled down to their core essence and flavor.

helium3 · Jun 24, 2008

Yeah. It's pretty keen.

Another benefit is that I have more time to spend on the parts of running a D&D game that I really like. It's not as much of a chore to run a game.

Charwoman Gene · Jun 24, 2008

Wish me luck. I've been running characters in Kobold/Scalegloom Hall... I'm about to rewrite the boss encounter and then actual start up some level 1/2 encounters.

helium3 · Jun 24, 2008

Charwoman Gene said:
Wish me luck. I've been running characters in Kobold/Scalegloom Hall... I'm about to rewrite the boss encounter and then actual start up some level 1/2 encounters.

It's cake.

The only problem I've seen so far is that parties unfamiliar with the system that don't have the whole "tactics thing" down tend to get TPK'd at n+2 and above.

So, even though the DMG says you can go all the way to n+4, you might want to wait until they get some experience under their belt.

Unless of course you're like me and believe in the "trial by fire" method of education.